with Gary Lukes and the help of many Stagehands
SPRING VALLEY, WI – The Spring Valley Stagehands have been making community theater magic happen for 40 years. The Sun-Argus will present a history of the Stagehands through the decades beginning with the 80’s and the 90’s.
In 1984, a young high school teacher, Ken Kratt, and his wife Joan toyed with the idea of bringing live stage theatre to Spring Valley, Wisconsin. They enlisted the help of several like-minded friends, (Jon Tanberg, Ann Turner, Julie and Terry Spence and Mary Anderson among others) and the Spring Valley Stagehands sprang to life. The only issue was that this fledging group had no location to stage their performances. Ken convinced Bob Richardson, who was the co-owner of a recently closed movie theatre in downtown Spring Valley, to let the group use that location for one year before the building was repurposed.
To read this and other premium articles in their entirety, pickup the August 28, 2025 issue of the Sun-Argus newspaper. Click to subscribe for convenient delivery by mail, or call (715) 778-4990. Single issues are also available at area newsstands and our office in Spring Valley, WI.
