The Society of Properties Artisan Managers (S*P*A*M) recently held their 29th Annual S*P*A*M Conference, where they elected three new officers. We at Stage Directions in PLSN join them in congratulating Karin Rabe Vance, Ben Hohman, and Liz Baehr for being voted in as S*P*A*M’s new President, Vice President, and Secretary.
Karin Rabe Vance (she/her) – President
Rabe Vance is excited to be starting her first season as the Head of Props at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. She moved to Minnesota from Los Angeles, where she was the Associate Properties Manager at the Geffen Playhouse. In the pre-pandemic times, Rabe Vance was the Properties Director at the Alley Theatre for 16 seasons, where in addition to designing the annual production of The Santaland Diaries, she propped over 175 productions with the prop team. Rabe Vance also served as the Properties Manager at Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo NY and at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell MA, and as the Prop Shop Assistant at the Santa Fe Opera. She holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from Florida State University. Rabe Vance is the owner and artisan at SD Arts Co., a fiber arts company specializing in custom embroidery, which was born at the start of the 2020 pandemic.
Rabe Vance has been an active member of S*P*M for 24 years and has served as co-chair of the Communications Committee for the last seven years. She is excited to shift into this new leadership role to support the organization’s goals and its members as they grow, adapt, and thrive in the coming year.
Ben Hohman – Vice President
Hohman has worked as a freelance Prop Master and Decorator for parade floats, pageants, ballet, opera, and theatrical productions. He worked as both a Prop Artisan and Co-Prop Master at Actor’s Theater of Louisville, with two years in each position. For the past 29 years, Hohman has worked at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, where he has been Props Director for the past 23 years. He has been an active S*P*A*M member for 24 years. He has served on the Education Committee for many years, including time spent as Committee Chair. Hohman is also actively involved in USITT and teaches Prop workshops and a Props class every other year at Southern Utah University.
He is excited to have been elected Vice President and looks forward to servicing the organization as they move past Covid (hopefully) and work to improve the conditions for Prop people across the industry.
Liz Baehr – Secretary
Baehr is the Props Manager at the Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware where she has been for eight years, interrupted by a year of Covid-pivoting as an interior design project manager and a kitchen designer. Previously she was the Props Master at People’s Light in Malvern, PA for seven years. She has been a member of S*P*A*M for 13 years. She is a member of the Communications committee where she manages the two S*P*A*M Swag shops. This year she was the chair of the Conference Planning Committee. Baehr is also a fiber artist with an art-based business making accessories and home décor.
She is excited to take on a leadership role in S*P*A*M and help keep the organization growing and thriving.
Further information from the Society of Properties Artisan Managers S*P*A*M: https://propmanagers.org/
