Exploring Life & Business with Brian Farnham of Riverwalk Theatre

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Farnham.

Hi Brian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey with Riverwalk Theatre started about ten years ago. I had moved to the area in 2012 for work, and hadn’t done theatre in a while. I didn’t know many people in town, and I was looking for a way to find a community. I had no idea taking that risk and auditioning would lead to such an amazing journey! Riverwalk is full of so much opportunity for people of all backgrounds, skill levels, experiences…and it’s incredibly fun! As a young professional in the Lansing area, it’s not always easy to find your people – but I did! After I performed in Grease in 2016, I was asked to be on the Board and quickly became a member of the leadership team. In 2022 our President stepped down and I succeeded him. Riverwalk has been through an immense amount of change, not only in leadership and from the global pandemic, but also in modernizing and making ourselves a bigger, broader, more integrated part of the Lansing community. I’m so excited to see what’s in store for us next!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge struggle. The Community Circle Players (our legal entity) has existed for over 60 years, but never had we been forced to close the doors for such an uncertain period. Unlike other community theatres in the area, we employ staff and own a building. So our overhead expenses are quite high, and we had no operational revenue coming in! But due to the hard work of many dedicated volunteers, we cut costs as much as we could, applied for assistance where available, and our beloved network of members and donors really stood up! While we are fully operational (and have been for three years post-pandemic), the situation we find ourselves in currently is similarly difficult. We continue to rely on the generosity and support of our hundreds of members and volunteers to help us keep theatre alive in the Lansing community!

As you know, we’re big fans of Riverwalk Theatre. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Riverwalk Theatre (or our parent entity, the Community Circle Players) is a multi-use facility in the heart of the Museum District in Downtown Lansing. We produce a number of high quality, volunteer shows which range from small dramas to giant musical comedies, and everything in between! We have been around for over 60 years, and our community support is what sets us apart from others. Our slogan is “there’s a role for everyone!” and we live that value consistently. We provide a space for people of all walks and backgrounds to come together, tell meaningful stories, make lifelong connections, and have an immense amount of fun. Our shows regularly win copious amounts of local awards, and no matter what time of year we have something for you! It’s easy to get involved, and we’d love to have you backstage, on stage, or in the audience!

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Oh there are so many ways! You can audition for a show (or a smaller special event, such as a cabaret – these require less commitment for those who have busier nighttime schedules). You can volunteer in a technical or production role (lights, sound, costumes, directing, choreography, music direction, playing in pit orchestras, running crew, stage management, etc.) and you can also volunteer in a front of house role (ushers, concessions, house management, etc.). We are a family at Riverwalk, and we have so much appreciation for all of our volunteers, regardless of your experience level or what you’re good at. We are also immensely grateful for local businesses who partner with us in promotions and sponsorship. These supporters of the arts are local heroes, and we always use our considerable reach to let people know who put their ‘money where their mouths are’ to support the performing arts in Lansing!

Pricing:

• Membership starting at $20/year
• Show sponsorship ranging from $750-$10,000
• Season sponsorship for $25,000
• Musical tickets for $25/20/15
• Play tickets for $20/15/10

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.riverwalktheatre.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverwalk_theatre/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverwalktheatre