If you’re into live entertainment, then you’ve probably visited downtown Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater to see a favorite band or comedian. But what you probably haven’t seen is everything that happens hours before the doors open to make sure the show goes on. Work began at 6 a.m. for 30 local and touring crew members setting the stage ahead of the Riverside’s last show of 2021: Martina McBride Christmas.
Ride the antique service elevator up eight floors, and you’ll find the hospitality team getting ready to serve a breakfast in the newly remodeled green room, equipped with a full-service restaurant-style kitchen. It’s part of how Pabst Theater Group has built a reputation for rolling out the red carpet for touring artists.
“I think it’s very important for artists to feel comfortable,” said Simon Bundy, tech director at PTG. “A lot of people hear about, ‘Oh, artists want their green M&M’s’ or whatnot. But I feel like most people don’t realize what it’s like to not be home for three to six months at a time, and you start missing those comforts.”
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