By Shawn Hogendorf, Staff Writer 

Prior Lake High School auditorium director Dave Tuma is a busy man, although he’s rarely visible during events.

It’s the first week of July, and Tuma, who is in charge of the auditorium schedule, said the auditorium is nearly booked through the coming school year with events from theater productions, band concerts and dance recitals to speakers and Science Night Live presentations.Prior Lake High School auditorium
director Dave Tuma schedules
events and maintains and manages
the auditorium. Tuma also works
with students to build and decorate
stage sets and to provide technical
assistance on lighting and sound.
(Photo by Shawn Hogendorf)

“That’s the way it should be,” Tuma said. “This auditorium is always used. It rarely sits idle, and that’s good. A place this nice shouldn’t sit empty.”

Tuma began his position two years ago. Tuma maintains and manages the auditorium, works with students to build and decorate sets and provides technical assistance to students who run the lights and sound. After those duties are completed, he breaks everything down, cleans up and gets things ready for the next event.

“People really don’t know my job exists,” he said. “But that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I always tell the students if someone knows of the tech crew, something probably went wrong. A tech job is best done when it goes unknown.”

Tuma’s theater experience began in high school shortly after he was “dragged” to see “Oklahoma.” The first scene was a woman churning butter. Tuma remembers thinking, “This isn’t the way to impress me with theater.”

But by the end of the show, he was hooked. He went on to join the New Prague High School theater department. He continued his high school career by participating in all four musicals and three plays the high school offered. Tuma then went to Dakota County Technical College for grocery store management and said he has worked in every department of a grocery store over the years.

Tuma continued his theater career with Curtain Call, a New Prague community theater group, where he has acted and been a part of the board and its planning for the past 14 years.

He also worked as a stagehand on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Voyageur of the Seas for six months and did a short stint at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater.

“Of all the jobs I’ve ever done, this is the one I look forward to coming to everyday,” Tuma said. “This is my favorite job ever. It even beats out working on the cruise ship.”

Although Tuma is busy working with different theater camps this summer, he’s also involved in Curtain Call’s upcoming performance of “Annie Get Your Gun,” which starts July 10 at New Prague High School and runs through the following two weekends.

Q and A with

Dave Tuma

What’s your favorite production you’ve been in?

“Anything Goes,” because I played a great character, Moonface Martin.

What’s the best production you have seen?

“1776” at the Guthrie.

What is your favorite moment on stage?

It’s something that happens every performance. It’s when a performer forgets their lines. I’m notorious for ad libbing on stage. When things go wrong, that’s when I’m good.

What’s something few people know about you?

Despite the fact that I like being on stage, I have a fear of public speaking.

 Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at (952) 345-6374 or shogendorf@swpub.com.