Taking Her Final Bow

Longtime associate director at McCain Auditorium to retire this summer.

ARTICLE BY Jean Teller

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Nick Krug

On the campus of Kansas State University, a mainstay at McCain Auditorium is exiting stage left this summer. Although McCain’s associate director, Terri Lee, is retiring after nearly 30 years with the popular Manhattan performance center, her relationship with the auditorium stretches back much further.

Her parents supported the arts, particularly live performances, and introduced Lee to McCain Auditorium as a youngster. Lee remembers the first performance she saw there—a KSU production of the operetta Little Mary Sunshine. “I remember one of the sopranos was singing on a swing that then swung out over the audience,” she recalls. She enjoyed other performances at McCain over the years, and she also worked with Arts in the Park when she was in middle school. That’s when she decided to pursue a degree in technical theater.

One trip to McCain when she was in high school included a backstage tour. She was impressed enough to declare her intention to work there when she grew up.

“I thought it was really great to go backstage,” Lee says. “Not many people can say their childhood career goals actually came true. I can.”

At the Start

After Lee graduated from Manhattan High School in 1978, she enrolled at KSU, declaring a major in technical theater and art administration. Family obligations forced a break in her college career, but she returned in 1993, graduated in 1996, and earned a job at McCain that fall. “I started as the assistant technical director, which then immediately turned into technical director (TD) when the former TD retired within two weeks after I started,” she says.

A TD is responsible for everything the audience sees on stage, including lighting, curtains, floors and scenery. “It’s everything from the back of the house to the back of the stage,” she says.

She was TD until the position of operations director opened; in that job, Lee took over patron services and the ticket office.

“When the former director, Richard Martin, retired, I acted as interim director until Todd Holmberg [current McCain executive director] could relocate,” Lee says. “Coming back from interim, I stepped into the associate director position.”

As associate director, she is intimately involved in all aspects of the auditorium’s life.

“Todd is the creative leader and the face of McCain. What he thinks up, I find a way to make happen,” she says. “And I excel at pushing papers!”

Lobby Renovation

In 2020, construction began on a $6 million expansion of McCain’s lobby. “We had talked about it for three years before breaking ground,” Lee says. “It took a full year from breaking ground to finishing.

“It was definitely a collaborative project between Todd and our technical director, Kyle McGuffin. We met with architects and contractors almost daily. Since it was during [the pandemic], we were closed and able to do the renovations during that time. It was a mixed blessing that year.”

Other projects she’s been involved with include the first phase of the fly system renovation; the second phase will be this summer. A fly system is the collection of ropes, pulleys and weights that allows the crew to swiftly and safely “fly” (i.e., hoist) curtains, sets, lights, stage effects and even cast members.

Lee was also involved in projects to replace the stage flooring and the system controlling lights and sound. She says there are ongoing talks about what will happen next, but no decisions have been made.

Moving Forward

When asked about the best part of being associate director at McCain, Lee doesn’t hesitate: “Definitely the people, all the staff I’ve worked with, the students who certainly add a liveliness, the patrons, the great community members on the board and the artists,” she says. “Not to mention all the wonderful performances and meeting with the performers.”

She says the worst part is a tie. “It’s a tossup between public speaking (there’s a reason I didn’t pursue acting!) and going through artist contracts,” she says.

Retirement’s been on Lee’s mind for a while. She finally decided that the 2024–2025 season would be her last. “McCain is in a really solid position, and there’s a great staff in place. It’s time to let new thoughts and perspectives lead [the facility] into the next phase,” she says. “Plus, I’m ready to enjoy some me time!”

She will miss her colleagues and the interaction with patrons, artists and members of the Friends of McCain organization. She hopes people remember her efforts to imbue the atmosphere at McCain with a sense of welcome and inclusivity.

She plans to see more of her children and grandchildren. Her son Zachary, his wife Desiree, and their two children are in Germany, she says. She’s anxiously awaiting their return this summer. Her daughter Chelsey is in California.

It makes sense, then, that one of her retirement goals is to travel. She’s also looking forward to taking some KSU classes. “Manhattan is fortunate to be part of the K-State community. People over 60 can audit classes for free, so I plan to take advantage of that,” she says. She laughs as she says she’s also looking forward to attending McCain performances when she doesn’t have to worry about the logistics.

“I’ll still fret a little,” she says about her new role as audience member. “Then I’ll say, ‘This is great and I’m enjoying myself so much.’ The first couple of times, I’ll probably be worried about what’s going wrong backstage—then I’ll be able to kick back and relax.”

Memories

Lee shares a few memories of her time at McCain.

Outstanding performance: “The Russian National Orchestra performed The Firebird Suite, which is my favorite piece of music. It was magical for me.”

Most complicated: The ice ballets. “We had to get permission from structural engineers that the McCain stage would hold that much ice. We put down black plastic, built a 40-by-30-foot frame, added coolant mats and 2 tons of ice, then every hour for the next 24 hours, we had to add more water to get the ice to the required 8 inches. The staff and students took turns watering the stage. And then you have to take it down. We used ice chippers, filled wheelbarrows and took them outside to the waiting truck. Then back again. It took 24 hours to build and about six hours to tear down.”

The show that didn’t happen: Turandot, an operetta by Puccini (completed by Franco Alfano). “We had the set all built— it took about eight hours to build—and the performers came in the day of the performance. We were waiting for the show to start when the company’s production manager comes up to me and says, ‘We need to hold. The soprano is having a panic attack.’ So we held the show for 15 minutes. ‘It’ll just be a few more minutes.’ Another 15 minutes go by. Then the conductor comes up and says, ‘NO SHOW! NO SHOW!’ They couldn’t get the lead actress on stage, and her understudy wasn’t even in Manhattan. It was a quick load out for the troupe. And I had to go to the bus and ask for the check back.”

McCain, Then and Now

1904: The original Kansas State University auditorium is dedicated. The Kansas Legislature had appropriated $40,000 for construction.

1955: For years, people had indicated that the auditorium was inadequate for the KSU community. Gov. Fred Hall, attending an all-college assembly in the old auditorium, stands up and proclaims, “One of the first things I’m going to see accomplished is the building of a new auditorium.” James A. McCain is the college president.

1960: The need for a new facility continues to grow. Performers point out the inadequacies, and alluniversity assemblies are discontinued due to limited facilities. In 1962, President McCain announces that the Ford Foundation has chosen KSU’s new auditorium as a special project; funding will be allocated for design and construction consultations. However, the project faces persistent delays.

January 15, 1965: Two students set fire to the old auditorium, likely in response to the rhetoric suggesting that anyone who destroyed the old building would be doing the community a service. Not only is the building gutted, but the valuable contents— musical instruments and compositions, equipment from the fine arts departments and much more—are also destroyed.

1965–1966: President McCain requests the Kansas Legislature appropriate close to $3 million to build a new auditorium. In 1965, he organizes a committee to plan the new building, and a wellknown stage designer is hired as a consultant.

October 3, 1967: University officials and other dignitaries gather for a ground-breaking ceremony for the new auditorium. According to KSU officials, the target finish is November 1969.

1970s: President McCain notes the total cost of the building is a bit over $3 million; federal funds of $153,833 and state funds of $2,82,100 had been earmarked for the construction..

Spring 1970: The new KSU Auditorium is complete. The first scheduled event is an all-university convocation on September 2. The first major performance is Broadway musical George M, with curtains going up on October 7.

November 11, 1970: The new auditorium is dedicated. According to the Kansas State Collegian, “McCain dedicated the structure to the ‘enrichment of the human mind and spirit,’ describing [the building] as a ‘center for intellectual gratification.’”

The auditorium quickly becomes a popular destination for townspeople, but KSU student attendance lags. A student board is organized to help auditorium staff, led by director Mark Ollington, bring events that would interest students.

April 17–26, 1975: A 10-day arts festival honors retiring president Dr. James A. McCain. Gov. Robert Bennett officially renames the building McCain Auditorium during a reception and dinner honoring the outgoing president.

1980: Doreen Bauman is named McCain Auditorium’s new director.

1981: The McCain Development Board is formed to promote the facility to students and the surrounding communities.

1983: The Friends of McCain organizes to generate community support.

1984: Richard J. Diehl is named director of the auditorium.

1985: McCain celebrates its crystal anniversary. Improvements include a new speaker system and a road to facilitate attendees’ access.

1986: Stephen W. Riggs is appointed auditorium director for one year.

1987: Richard Martin is hired as McCain director.

1990s: McCain celebrates its silver anniversary with an open house and performance by a Manhattan soprano. The movable ceiling is repaired.

2007: Todd Holmberg is named director of McCain Auditorium.

2007: A circular drive and a WWII memorial are constructed in front of McCain.

—information from History of McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University, a brochure produced in 2010 as part of McCain’s 40th anniversary celebration (www.k-state.edu/mccain).