Another enjoyable experience interviewing a former student—Lucas Chase—class of 2011. Many of you either know Lucas personally or know that him as the Executive Director of the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts here in Menomonie. Let’s explore the path he followed to get from MHS to the Mabel—the fulfillment of his longtime career goal.
Lucas was born in White Bear Lake, MN, but his family moved to Wisconsin when he was very young. Consequently, he thinks of Menomonie as his hometown. When asked how he spent his childhood, his strongest memories revolve around lots of boating on Tainter Lake and Lake Menomin, as well as biking all over the city with his friends. Lucas attended Cedar Falls Elementary School and noted that he had nothing but excellent teachers there. A high point in his childhood was playing the role of an orphan in the musical “Oliver!” at the Mabel Tainter Theater when he was eight years old. That was the beginning of Lucas’s love of the arts.
Highlights of Lucas’s high school career revolved around two special school trips. The first was the German Club trip to Germany in 2009. He was so taken with the country that eventually Lucas earned a major in German while in college. The second trip was the annual Carnegie Hall choir trip to New York City. Performing in the world-renowned venue was the experience of a lifetime.
As Lucas was sharing these adventures, he was quick to mention the two teachers who were pivotal in making all of this happen—Beth Buckmaster, his German teacher, who shared her love of teaching through her genuine contagious excitement, providing a rich experience to the study of German for all her students.
Audric Buhr, Lucas’s choir teacher, had the ability to make strong positive connections with his students. Lucas remembered how important it was for him to know his students well and to relate what was happening in their lives to his teaching.
Because of the dynamic teachers, Lucas was drawn to perform in many plays and musicals during high school, noting that one of his favorites was “Into the Woods.”
Another teacher who made a difference in Lucas’s life was his middle school Face and Consumer Science teacher Cindy Quilling. She developed a program where students were paired with community members in a workplace. Lucas was paired with Gary Schuster who, at the time, was the Executive Director of the Mabel Tainter. What made this especially interesting was the fact that the building was undergoing major renovations. Lucas was involved in meetings with architects, builders, and every facet of the project. It was this experience that inspired him to pursue a career in Business Management.
During the summer after his graduation in 2011, Lucas embarked on an ambitious European train trip touring England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, and France. This was a wonderful eye-opening adventure in the world outside of Menomonie and the United States.
That fall, Lucas entered Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Luther was the perfect place to combine his strong interests in what was to become his triple major—
Business Management, German and Theater. The beauty of the campus, the fact that it was residential (located outside the city where all students lived in dorms), and that the environment provided opportunities to develop lifelong friendships made it a perfect fit. Professor Jeff Dintaman had a strong influence on Lucas. He was committed to preparing all his students for the future—regardless of what career choices they would make. Lucas acknowledged that Professor Dintaman taught him the skills to make his dreams become reality.
The music program at Luther was exciting and world-renowned. Lucas’s favorite place to perform was in Orchestra Hall—a beautiful venue with perfect acoustics. The choir performed Handel’s “Messiah” there, something Lucas will never forget. It was at Luther that Lucas made strong connections with others in the Arts field. These connections have proven valuable as he continues to pursue his goals.
During the Spring semester of his junior year, Lucas did a study abroad option, spending six months in Münster, Germany, living with a host family. Lucas noted that the family provided a welcoming authentic environment—three children, a younger boy and two older girls. This opportunity gave him real life experience for his German major.
After graduating from Luther, Lucas first worked part-time for the Hennepin Theater Trust (the Orpheum, Pantages, and State Theaters). Winona State University was where he had his first full-time theater management position—managing the Page Theater which hosted both university and citywide arts events.
As Lucas gained more experience, his next stop was at the Ordway Theater in St. Paul. There he worked in the box office with ticket services.
In 2020, Lucas moved back to his hometown to become the Executive Director of the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts. What began as an interim position has turned into Lucas’s dream job—management of all facets of the theater’s operations.
Since his tenure began, Lucas has worked diligently to provide a wide variety of experiences for the Mabel’s audiences. Attendance continues to grow—through a great deal of successful grant-writing—as the physical structure has undergone necessary repairs and updates. Besides managing all theater operations, Lucas also enjoys performing in local productions with the Theater Guild and the Mabel Tainter.
The boy who performed in “Oliver!” at the Mabel Tainter as an eight-year-old has traveled full circle to become its Executive Director. We continue to look forward to what’s going on in Menomonie’s internationally recognized “gem” of a theater.
