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Steel Beam Theatre Board Starts Second Decade with Focus on the Future |
Steel Beam Theatre (SBT) reaches a milestone on Sept. 21, 2011 when it celebrates ten years as a small business in historic downtown St. Charles.
 SBT was founded in 2001 by Donna Steele, who at that time was a mom of three working as Thompson Middle School’s drama teacher. When her oldest child, Amy, began performing in the area, it rekindled Donna’s passion for the theatrical arts and she knew she had to use her training and artistic vision to form her own theater. Ten years later, the business she started continues.
“To make it to 10 years is a great achievement for a small business,” notes Geneva businessman Bob Teichart, who has been working since 1983 with business owners and sales leaders to help them strategize ways to increase sales growth, develop high-performing teams, think clearly about complex problems, and increase personal productivity. Teichart, of Teichart & Associates, led Steel Beam Theatre’s Annual Board Retreat on July 9, 2011.
“The SBT Board’s goal is to help the organization grow by implementing a long-term strategic plan and by reviewing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats,” he adds.
The Steel Beam Theatre Board includes new members Joe Billquist and Michael Parker.
Joe Billquist, a long-time St. Charles resident, was a member of the city's No Center Aisle Theatre Company for 15 years and has appeared in numerous shows throughout the area, including twice as Jack O’Neill in SBT productions of Fairways and as Greg in SBT’s Sylvia. Billquist works as a Lead Deployment Manager at AT&T.
Michael L. Parker, a retired executive of the Liberty Mutual Groupm, has worked through the years as a sales professional, sales manager, senior vice president, and Executive Vice President, General Manager of Wausau Insurance Companies (an affiliate of Liberty Mutual). He is founder, manager and contributor to Black Sales Journal, a website dedicated to assisting black sales professionals achieve success.
Other Board members include attorneys Mary Hutchings Reed, Bernie Weiler and Diane Kenney Handler.
Hutchings Reed is Of Counsel at Winston & Strawn and is the 2011 winner of the Illinois |
Women’s Bar Association Esther Rothstein Award. She is the author of the book, Courting Kathleen Hannigan, and wrote the original musical Fairways with Curt Powell.
Bernie Weiler is a partner at Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi & Andersson. He has a degree in theater from Loyola University and has directed several plays, including SBT Children’s Theatre’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and SBT Main Stage productions of It Could Be Any One of Us and The Au Pair Man.
Diane Kenney Handler, a singer and performer, is an associate at the Law Office of Patricia Ward and previously worked as media relations manager for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and director of the University of Iowa’s Arts Share program.
Steel Beam Theatre’s Board President is Dana Bone Teichart. Teichart is from Arkansas, but moved to colder climes in 2002 and married Bob Teichart in 2003. She was very involved in theatre in Arkansas for 25 years and found the perfect fit with Steel Beam when she moved to the area. She has appeared in several SBT productions, including Fairways and Dixie Swim Club. She has taught high school business and computer classes and directed high school musicals.
Board member Terry Christianson is an area actor and singer who has appeared in several Steel Beam Theatre productions, including Wild Goat and Forbidden Broadway, and most recently, in ECC’s 25th Annual Putnam Valley Spelling Bee. Christianson works as a manager for JP Morgan Chase.
“This is an exciting time for Steel Beam Theatre as we recognize its achievements, and set new goals,” says Michael Parker. “It will take hard work, but SBT’s unsung heroes, our volunteers, remain passionately committed because they love the arts and Steel Beam. It’s part of what makes St. Charles a great place to live!”
Steel Beam Theatre, a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is looking for board members and volunteers to help with a haunted house fundraiser, accounting, operations, website management, production, marketing, sales, corporate sponsorships, grants, and even poster distribution! Commit short-term or long-term. Build your résumé and meet other members of your community! Please contact Diane Kenney Handler to volunteer! |
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St Charles Downtown Partnership honors Steel Beam |
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The St Charles Downtown Partnership recently recognized a select group of local businesses and volunteers who have had a positive impact on the city's downtown.
Steel Beam Theatre was recognized for our "Ten years of economic and cultural enhancement" of the city of St Charles.
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House on Pooh Corner show benefits StC Teen Center |
Steel Beam Theatre’s Pedersen Family Foundation Performance of The House at Pooh Corner on February 5 at 3.00pm benefited the STC Underground Teen Center of St. Charles.
Steel Beam Theatre and The Pedersen Family Foundation have partnered for four years to provide free performances to Fox Valley community service organizations, including the Geneva First Baptist’s Refugee Assistance Fellowship Team (RAFT); Kane County CASA, TriCity Family Services, Riverwoods and many more.
The Pedersen Family Foundation’s mission is to provide funding in the areas of need concerning health, higher education, programs for people with disabilities and the elderly, and programs that address unmet human and social needs. The Pedersen Family Foundation honors the legacy of its founder, Carl Pedersen, by continuing the family tradition of giving to those in need and striving to make life better for those who suffer.
The STC Underground, 101 S. Second Street, in St. Charles, is a unique place for teens to hang out, socialize, play games, surf the internet, watch TV, do homework, and much more. The STC Underground is free and open to all Middle School and High School teens, including parochial school students and home-schooled students who reside within School District 303 boundaries.
The STC Underground is supervised by well trained, quality, experienced staff. The Teen Center employs two full-time staff people responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Underground as well as managing other teen programming throughout the Park District. For more information, visit www.stcunderground.com or call 630-513-4380.
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| Theatre honored by city |
At the Sept. 7 City Council Meeting, Steel Beam Theatre was recognized for its 10 years of "bringing high-quality theatrical entertainment, education and training to children and adults in the arts."
Mayor Don DeWitte read the proclamation, which noted that SBT's "renovation of a vacant downtown location created a unique intimate theatre space while preserving the historic charm and integrity of the building."
The proclamation noted as well that the theatre [promotes] economic stimulus and tourism [and contributes] to the rich culture and arts of the downtown."
"This proclamation proclaims and congratulates the efforts of Steel Beam Theatre," Mayor DeWitte added, "and commends and applauds its contributions to the city." |
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