IVCC’s new theater technical manager, Matt Boehm, loves working behind the scenes.

For those who are curious, the theater technical manager is equivalent to a technical director and a production manager in the professional theater.

“I’m in charge of any and all events that take place inside the Cultural Center here. I also head up the building of all of our scenic pieces for each of our mainstage shows, act as the lighting designer and sound designer, and execute both designs for the shows. I also have a hand in the scheduling of other events in the cultural center, and am a leader of the Improv troupe,” said Boehm.

His interest in technical theater stems from his earlier desire to be a computer technician, he said. “I was always drawn to the technology that was behind the scenes. When I left IVCC to go to ISU, I was double majoring for a while in tech and acting, and I finally dropped acting when I realized that I enjoyed the technical side of theater more than the acting side.”

Boehm has been involved in theater for nearly 10 years, and working professionally in the field for the last five. He has worked with five different companies in Illinois and Rhode Island, and has been a part of a national Broadway tour.

Boehm says he’s looking forward to working with the Cultural Center’s new equipment. “Our new sound system is the most advanced in the area. Some of our lighting equipment, while not new, is still far from obsolete,” he said.

Boehm’s next projects center around getting everything ready and beginning construction for the upcoming fall show.