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Business Spotlight: Show Time

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The business of Associated Theatrical Contractors Inc. is all about the show.

The 53-year-old Springfield company handles staging elements such as props, lighting, sound, video, special effects, makeup and costume design.

Associated Theatrical Contractors’ 9,000-square-foot headquarters, 451 S. Union Ave., is crammed with 8,000 colorful costumes, lighting devices and other theatrical props.

With offices also in Kansas City and St. Louis, the company works with theaters, production companies, high schools, churches, universities and convention centers nationwide.

“Springfield is responsible for the lower portion of the state and Arkansas and Texas, whereas Kansas City is responsible for Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma,” says ATC owner Matt Stevens. “Then, St. Louis is responsible for everything respective on its side.”

Stevens leads a staff of 13 employees, with six in Springfield, including seamstresses, set and makeup artists, and installers.

Armed with a 32-foot cutting table, four industrial machines plus industrial sewing machines, the company manufactures its own costumes and curtains at the Springfield facility, while also supplying products through several hundred vendors. Stevens estimates that ATC builds up to 80 costumes a month and roughly 900 per year. Recently, the company created all the costuming for Evangel University’s production of “King Lear.”

Sixth sense
In his youth, Stevens had dreams of becoming an actor but decided against it to pursue the technical side of theater.

“I really liked theater,” Stevens says. “I did it in high school because my dad absolutely hated it. But I decided that I like to eat more than I like to act, since 90 percent of the actors are unemployed and 90 percent of the technicians are employed.”

Stevens began working at ATC in 1986 as the rental manager. He left two years later after receiving a lucrative offer to work as the lighting director for Branson country music fiddler Shoji Tabuchi. Before leaving, Stevens had a sixth sense that he’d be back at ATC.

“I came to work one day, and I just had this gut instinct as I looked around the room that this would all be mine one day,” Stevens says. “I just knew this is where I would be, this is what I would have and this is what I would do. It was a divine feeling.”

After stints with Shoji Entertainments Inc. and Loyd’s Electric Supply Inc., Stevens did indeed return to ATC, but by the time he arrived, owner Frank Stewart was planning to retire and shut down the shop.

“Frank was ready to retire and says, ‘I’m done with this, I’m closing doors. Go find something else to do.’ I said, ‘Well, I think I can make this work,’ and he said, ‘Fine I’ll give you a year to play with my money,’ and I’ve had it ever since,” Stevens says.

Stevens officially took over ATC in March 1999.

On the playbill
Lighting devices are the majority of ATC’s sales with fixtures, dimming and control items accounting for about 60 percent of revenues, Stevens says, declining to disclose sales figures.

With 6,600 customers in 2011, the theatrical supply house grew its clientele by 62 percent, compared to 4,080 customers in 2010. Stevens says walk-in customers also have increased for items such as lamps, makeup, gel and instructional classes.

ATC has done business with purchasers as far as away Guam and Saudi Arabia. Stevens estimates he travels 1,000 miles per week on business but makes a point to return home nightly for his family.

Closer to home, the company last month assisted with shows for Crowder College, Missouri State University, Springfield Little Theatre, Vandivort Center Theatre and Canvas Art Gallery.

Springfield Regional Opera Managing Director Derek Munson says ATC has been a community partner with the nonprofit organization for two years.

“As a community partner or season sponsor, we work directly with them on a number of things in our theatrical productions – anything from renting lights, renting costumes and buying supplies,” Munson says.

Munson recently worked with ATC in preparation for SRO’s spring opera, “Carmen,” which runs March 30–April 1 at Gillioz Theatre, and a fundraising event at Hickory Hills Country Club in May.

“They know theater,” Munson says of ATC staff. “We have our annual fundraising gala coming up, and they will provide all the lights, sound setup and provide the people to run them.”

Outside of the theater industry, Stevens says ATC assists churches and convention centers with lighting, sound or video, and staff members work on everything from installing theatrical curtains in high-end homes to casting a mold of a customer’s face to create a lifelike head.

“He’s doing a headless horseman kind of thing that he’ll carry around,” Stevens says. “We get lots of oddball stuff like that, and it’s a lot of fun.”[[In-content Ad]]

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