Congratulations to Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alum Alex Rhyan ’15, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s BA Program in Theatre with a concentration in Stage Management. He’s just been named the full-time production and operations director of Chicago’s award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre. In his new job, Rhyan will “provide production management for all of Porchlight’s artistic programming and manage maintenance and rentals of Porchlight’s three rehearsal studios/classrooms, scene shop, and costume and prop storage,” according to a report in the Chicago theatre community online publication PerformInk. Rhyan has served as a technical director and production manager for several Chicago theatre companies, including Windy City Playhouse, American Theatre Company, About Face Theatre, and Steep Theatre as well as Porchlight.
Rhyan was a featured panelist at the Columbia College Theatre Department’s first Alumni Reunion on October 20, 2018.
Rhyan’s new position at Porchlight has been made possible by a Bayless Family Foundation Stepping Stone grant designed to help take grant recipients to the next level over three years, according to PerformInk. “In many cases, the grants are going to help them reach a broader audience, and to be able to really showcase their craft in a way that we feel like they deserve,” PerformInk quoted celebrated Chicago chef Rick Bayless as saying.
