Wow, Red River, we can’t believe you’re almost 3! As a nearly 4-year-old publication, we Insiders know firsthand how tough those first few years can be. You survived the worst of it – teething, the terrible twos, cloth diapers – with style, grace and delicious popcorn.
We remember the first time we walked through your shiny new doors, nervous and a little shy. You greeted us with comfortable seats, reasonably-priced concessions, and delicious draft beer (that you allowed us to take in the theater! Like real adults!)
As you’ve grown, you’ve become more than a place to just watch a movie (although you’re great for that, too). You’ve exposed us to things we didn’t know were happening around the world and even in our own community. You’ve invited us to events that have inspired us, and helped us make new friends.
We figured there must be some pretty cool people behind the scenes that make you such a great place to hang out. So we called up Connie Rosemont, Red River’s executive director.
Connie’s a busy (and super modest) lady. She didn’t want to take all the credit for all of Red River’s success (though reliable sources tell us she’s “da bomb.”) Connie pointed us in the direction of a few staffers and volunteers who make it all happen. So here they are. Say hello.
(If you’d like to meet some of them in person, you can attend Red River’s birthday bash on Oct. 5. For more info, visit redrivertheatres.org.)
Mike Hogan
The Beer Guy
Ask Mike Hogan what he does at Red River Theatres, and he’ll give a pretty straightforward answer:
“Put simply,” he says, “I’m the beer guy.”
Hogan, a Concord letter carrier by trade, has volunteered at Red River pretty much since day one, first helping with ticket and concession sales. When Executive Director Connie Rosemont took the reins of the nonprofit, Hogan volunteered to start handling the weekly booze order and made a few tweaks of the selection.
Hogan, a small-scale beer-maker with a penchant for hoppy brews, has a clear-cut philosophy when it comes to beer: Keep it local, fresh, seasonal and organic, when possible.
Beer from Tuckerman Brewing Co., a New Hampshire-based brewery, is among the top-sellers at Red River, Hogan said, but that doesn’t mean the average Joe has to forgo his beloved Bud Light. Hogan keeps about ten varieties stocked.
“You gotta please the masses,” Hogan said. “Movies dictate the crowd and the crowd dictates the beer sales.”
Kaleena Guzman
The Right-hand Lady
Three years ago, Kaleena Guzman was working at the now-defunct Entertainment Cinema on the Heights. When she heard Red River was coming to town, she jumped at the opportunity to get a job there.
Problem was, she was only 17 at the time and the theater had a rule: No under 18-ers need apply.
So, armed with her best smile, Guzman marched into Red River and applied anyway. Then something unexpected happened: She got the job.
Starting in the box office, Guzman quickly moved up the ranks to become office and events manager, a job that entails bringing public and private events to the theater, then making sure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. A self-described “go-to girl,” Guzman, now 20, said she likes the community atmosphere Red River provides.
“I’ve really grown with the theater,” Guzman said. “It’s like my second home.”
Barry Steelman
The Film Guru
Anyone who’s anyone on the Concord film scene knows the name Barry Steelman, the former owner of the city’s dearly departed movie theater, Cinema 93, which he operated for 32 years.
Steelman, the theater’s facilities manager, hopped on the Red River bandwagon as soon as he heard rumblings that another independent theater might make its way to Concord.
“We wanted to know what we could do to reinvent the movie scene,” Steelman said. “We wanted to create a place where a sense of comradery would exist between the customers and the people running the theater.”
That mission, Steelman said, has largely been fulfilled, though he’d like the see Red River, and its variety of film offerings, continue to grow.
“Periodically, we’d like to step out and show the bigger films that are difficult to get if you’re designated as a ‘specialized film house,’ ” Steelman said. “Film-wise, we’d like to keep expanding.”
Mark Schiewetz
The Man Behind the Curtain
Mark Schiewetz is a nice guy. He also happens to like movies.
Pretty much every Friday night for the past three years, Mark and his wife, Judy, have volunteered at Red River.
If the theater needs someone to rip customers’ ticket stubs, they’re all over it. If a movie-goer is craving a box of chocolate morsels, they’ll supply it. All because they like movies and want to be involved in the community.
Mark, a nurse in the day surgery unit at Concord Hospital, recently began learning the projectionist ropes, and even took us up to the booth to see where the magic happens. It was hot and noisy, but there’s something almost otherworldly about watching down on people enjoying a good flick.
“It’s a good gig,” Mark said. “This place creates a sense of community in Concord. It’s a really neat connection.”
Jean-Michael Laurent
The Employee Of All Trades
If you’ve seen a film at Red River in the past two years, chances are you’ve gotten your ticket from Jean-Michael Laurent, who mans the box office four nights a week.
Laurent first visited the theater during a film studies class in high school. He thought the place was cool and returned later that year looking for a job.
On top of his box-office responsibilities, Laurent, 20, works the concession stand and has started learning projection. That’s in addition to the two other part-time jobs he works.
Laurent’s favorite part about Red River?
“The people. There are a lot of regulars and everybody’s really friendly,” he said. “They’ll just walk up to you and start talking.”
