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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Exploring campus jobs: IU Auditorium

For most of us, when you go to see a show at IU Auditorium, you go in, get your ticket scanned, maybe buy some concessions, then find your seat in the theater and enjoy the show. 

However, there are dozens of people working behind the scenes to make sure that you, the patron, are having a great experience at IU Auditorium. 

As one of the people managing everything going on behind the scenes, Katie Spohr, special events and bookings manager at IU Auditorium, said she recognizes this but does not let it deter her. 

Spohr, originally from Illinois, received her undergraduate education at the University of Alabama in economics and marketing. 

“When I was younger I really wanted to be a stockbroker,” Spohr said. “It was my dream, but I also wanted to be an actress on Broadway. When I graduated with an econ degree, you either go directly to law school or you pursue further economics, neither which I wanted to do. I looked at grad schools, and really wanted to get back to my arts roots, like the whole musical theater love and that sort of thing, and wanted to combine it with business, so arts administration was a thing, and I was like this is amazing, so I came to IU.” 

She graduated with a Master’s Degree in arts administration from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 2012, and has worked at IU Auditorium for since then, totaling around three years, she said.

Leading up to the day of the event, Spohr said she is busy making sure everything is going smoothly. 

“I’m fielding those emails and calls, meeting with box office to make sure they’re good to go, and we have all of our empty seats can be filled in some sort of way,” Spohr said. “I’m also talking with front of house to make sure they’re comfortable with everything and telling them of any last minute updates, talking to back of house making sure rehearsals go well. MM Also, meeting the client, asking how they are, getting all of their needs met because really what we’re here for is them.” 

The pre-show, or the few hours of prep work before an event, she said she is working from the front to the back of the auditorium to ensure everything is ready to go. 

For the Tedx Indiana University event Friday, Nov. 13, that meant working hands on to prep the photo booth in the lobby, checking in with the sound and video crews throughout the preshow to make sure everything was set. She also has to work closely with the house manager and assistant house managers to ensure patrons have a good experience at IU Auditorium, Spohr said.

Spohr is managing every detail from going out to the front of the auditorium to make sure there’s no trash outside to putting IU Auditorium booklets everywhere they need to be in the grand foyer. 

She is in constant communication with her team through radios and text messages, and she has to know the auditorium, with its many hallways, backrooms and staircases, like the back of her hand to maintain the system like a well-oiled machine, Spohr said.

Sphor said she recognizes the importance of every person involved at IU Audtorium.

“It takes a village, we really could not do it without every single person here,” Spohr said. 

Though her work can sometimes feel like a night job, she said it’s worth it because of the people she gets to work with everyday. 

IU senior and Assistant House Manager Connor Hannon said he agrees his fellow employees are what have made working at IU Auditorium one of the highlights of his college career. 

Growing up in Bloomington, Hannon attended shows at the IU Auditorium with his family, so when hen came to IU as a student, he knew he wanted to get involved.

“I wanted to be a part of this somehow,” Hannon said. MM “The camaraderie is so high.” 

Spohr said she  agrees. 

“We love each other, I mean it’s a really great atmosphere here,” Spohr said. “It’s more like a family, especially with the students, we try to be there for them and support them.”

When Spohr is not working, she said she loves to attend shows herself. 

“Being an audience member, I relish those moments too,” Spohr said. “There are some people, because you work behind the scenes, you can’t watch another show because you’re constantly thinking about what they’re doing back there, but for me I kind of turn that brain off and I totally. I love it. You get to experience it.”

Nevertheless, when it comes to her own job, for Spohr it is not done until the showis over. During the preshow, one of the clients thanks Spohr for all her work.

“Don’t thank us yet, wait until after,” Spohr said.

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