There are many behind the scenes employees who add to the atmosphere of Elizabethtown College’s campus. If you have ever attended a production at Leffler Chapel and Performing Arts Center or the Koons Activity Venue (KAV) or worked with any of the campus theater groups, you probably know Barry Fritz or have witnessed his expertise.
Fritz is the technical operations director for theater productions at Etown theater productions. Fritz grew up in Somerset County in western Pennsylvania and attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He realized that he enjoyed being part of the theatrical atmosphere while working with lighting and sound crew in high school. Fritz decided to turn his passion into a theater major at IUP and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. After his college career, Fritz worked at several play houses such as the Ephrata Playhouse in Ephrata, Pa., the Mountain Playhouse in Jennerstown, Pa. and the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, Pa. These jobs were involved strictly with theater shows, and he did not become a part of event-oriented shows until he started working at Etown. Fritz began working at the College in the fall of 1995. Today, he has a 15-minute commute to a college he believes is a great place to work. He enjoys the sense of family and community that the Etown campus possesses.
On the Etown campus, Fritz has also been a faculty member and resident designer. In the fall of 1995, Fritz was an adjunct professor in the theatre department. He continued on as a professor until the spring of 2002. He taught several different stagecraft courses and labs during the time he was a professor. Fritz was also the alumni theater’s technical director and the resident designer for the scenic and lighting effects. During this time his favorite productions were “Under Milkwood,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Marat/Sade.” In 2001, Fritz was involved in the complete renovation of the theater.
Fritz was also an interim professor from 2007 to 2008 and taught Introduction to Theatre and Design. During these years, he served as the technical director and scenic lighting designer.
As the technical operations director, Fritz provides support in many places across the campus such as Musser Auditorium in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center and also in the KAV in the area of lighting and sound at various events. Fritz’s job is event-oriented, which he enjoys, because the jobs are different every day and different every school year. Fritz works longer hours as the event approaches. The busiest days normally come at the end of each semester when organizations are trying to end the semester with a showcase. Fritz and his group are instrumental in supporting Special Events and Summer Programs, which are a series of summer programs, conferences and camps that take advantage of Etown’s facilities and Fritz’s skills.
The two major events that Fritz is currently preparing for are the Emotion Dance Performance on Dec. 6 and 7 and the American Family Christmas Concert on Dec. 12. The Emotion Dance Performance showcases many different styles of dance. This allows Fritz and his team to use many different aspects of lighting to pair with the different dance routines. The American Family Christmas Show is a great way for the whole family to get into the holiday spirit with the great sound of holiday music. These are both annual events that happen on campus, and the technical operations department is ready to prepare for another set of great shows.
When Fritz is away from work, he enjoys photography. He tends to shoot in black and white photography, which lends itself to his theatrical side of looking at the world. He also enjoys candle making and reading a great book. Fritz said that if he were to work anywhere else he would love the opportunity to work at Suburban Theatre.
