Ben Homan, the properties director at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, joined us on the podcast.
Reese Whitaker 00:01
You are listening to the APEX Hour, hosted by Ryan Paul on K SUU Thunder 91.1 this show allows more personal time with our guests, allowing them to give us their stories and opinions. We will also give you new music to listen to, hoping you enjoy some new sounds and genres. Welcome to this episode of The APEX Hour.
Lauren Bird 00:19
Welcome to the APEX Radio Hour. I'm producer Lauren Bird, and I'm here today with Director of APEX and professor of history, Ryan Paul, and our special guest, Ben Hohman. I'll turn it over to you, Ryan.
Ryan Paul 00:31
Thank you, Lauren. I appreciate you being here. I should also, we should also mention that we have one of our new APEX teams with us today, Elena Moreno, would you like to say hello?
Elena Moreno 00:41
Yeah, hi everyone. I'm so excited to be here.
Ryan Paul 00:45
All right, so we're here with Ben Holman, a good friend of mine, I could say that, right?
Ben Hohman 00:51
Yes.
Ryan Paul 00:51
So Ben Hohman, for those of you don't know, is the properties director at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. So welcome, Ben.
Ben Hohman 00:58
Thank you, well said.
Ryan Paul 01:00
First of all, before we really get into it, will you tell me exactly what a properties director does?
Ben Hohman 01:06
Sure. So I'm responsible for all of the props. Props are furniture, set dressing, things actors touch in all the plays, so I ultimately responsible for all of the props for all of the Festival productions.
Ryan Paul 01:19
So what's the difference between a prop and a scenic piece.
Ben Hohman 01:22
So scenery builds the house. It's props jobs to make it a home. So anything you would put in a moving truck as well as the moving truck itself would be considered a prop, okay, whereas the actual structure of the building is scenery.
Ryan Paul 01:33
And you've been so just for clarification, the this is the 64th season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Here in 2025 and you've been here? How many seasons?
Ben Hohman 01:45
32.
Ryan Paul 01:46
Geez grandpa.
Ben Hohman 01:47
Yep. I started when I was 12, is what I tell people. That's not actually true.
Ryan Paul 01:51
So let's, let's, before we get into the ins and outs of what you do. I always like to really start with a question about kind of how we get to now. So tell me a little bit about kind of where you grew up and kind of what led you to do what you do.
Ben Hohman 02:06
My parents owned an antique store as sort of their side hustle when I was young, and they actually bought it the year I was born, and had it till I was 16, so old, things have been part of my life, my entire life. When I was 13, my older sister was babysitting me and we went to see a community theater production at the local community theater, which was in an old 1920s movie house. And I just fell in love with the idea of doing theater, and so I auditioned for the next show. Was on stage for a couple of shows. Thought that was not what I wanted to do. Started building scenery and helping out backstage. Did that through high school, went to school to become a scenic designer, was told I had no artistic ability as was kicked out of the design program, became a technical director, who's the person who builds the scenery, but at the same time, was starting to do some prop work, got a job in Utah, ended up as a prop intern, and the rest is history.
Ryan Paul 02:59
So where, where is this?
Ben Hohman 03:02
In northern Ohio, small town called Tiffin.
Ryan Paul 03:04
Okay, do you remember what that show was? That you went see?
Ben Hohman 03:07
I do The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Probably not the best thing for a 13 year old to go see is their first theater production.
Ryan Paul 03:14
But it changed the course of your life, much like I'm sure that experience would change the course of anyone's life, true, right? So when you decided that you wanted, I mean is, what did you want to be like, what's the first thing you remember you wanted to be as a kid growing up?
Ben Hohman 03:29
Oh, probably a firefighter initially, and then in high school, I really wanted to be a math teacher until my senior year in high school, and my math teacher was just terrible. And I was like, This is not what I want to do. Want to do. And so I just went the theater direction instead.
Ryan Paul 03:47
So when you but you didn't want to be an actor.
Ben Hohman 03:51
No.
Ryan Paul 03:51
And then the prop intern started here at the festival.
Ben Hohman 03:55
Yes.
Ryan Paul 03:55
And what, what, who was the properties person back then.
Ben Hohman 03:58
His name was Kevin. He was from North Carolina, and I basically was in the shop for a couple of weeks, and then became part of the run crew. And then the following, two years after that, I was a crew head, so I was over the crew setting up and running the shows. But as part of that, you still worked in a shop. So I was in the prop shop for the first couple of weeks each season, and then after that, I moved into props full time. Well, I was a props artist in the fourth year, and then became the props supervisor for the outdoor theater, the Adams theater at the time that following year.
Ryan Paul 04:30
So was was Kevin full time?
Ben Hohman 04:33
No.
Ryan Paul 04:33
So were you the first full time properties?
Ben Hohman 04:35
I'm the first and only props director at the Shakespeare Festival. I was the first full time person in my department.
Ryan Paul 04:41
So what surprises people about what you do?
Ben Hohman 04:46
They they the thing I hear the most is people think all the shows that we do at the Shakespeare Festival have come from somewhere else, like they think of the Broadway touring circuit and that our level of theater does the same thing. They think the shows just show up on a truck. We put them on stage. They do them for a while, and then those same actors and scenery go somewhere else. And that's not true. We design and build all of our own shows in house. They run here, and then we take them apart, save pieces that are useful, and get rid of the things that aren't, but we don't get them in from somewhere else.
Ryan Paul 05:17
So when you think about what you do is really a mix of art and science. Would you say?
Ben Hohman 05:24
Yes.
Ryan Paul 05:25
What, what would you say the percentage is?
Ben Hohman 05:27
It's probably 50/50, I preach a lot, like if I talk to school groups and stuff, math and science. We use them every single day in our shop. Physics is our worst enemy, having to overcome things that directors want to have happen that just can't because of physics. But we use math all the time, science all the time, geometry, like ridiculous amounts. The artistry really comes in, sort of the part that we use to fool the audience. It's kind of like a magician, like, very rarely are we building the real thing. We're building that looks like the real thing. And so that's where the artistry part comes in, I think.
Ryan Paul 06:04
So what talk me through the process of a show from design? So a show gets announced, they hire the scenic designer, right? Who designs everything?
Ben Hohman 06:19
Yeah, the scenic designer is responsible for the visual world of the play on stage. So they design the scenery and the props, the look of the show. Generally, with most designers, they're interested in very specific furniture and occasionally some of the set dressing, and then the smaller details and the stuff the actors deal with. Generally, the prop supervisor works directly with the director and the actors on those things, the scenic designer has veto power to come in and say, I don't really like to look at that book. Can we change the color or whatever? But most of the time, they'll let you kind of deal with most of those things themselves, but they're done with the large furniture, the overall sort of feel of the set, and that kind of stuff.
Ryan Paul 06:55
And what percentage of the stuff that you have for a show, and I would imagine this changes over each show comes from what you already have in hand that you repurpose, or what you have to find or build or whatever.
Ben Hohman 07:09
Typically, over the course of a season, we say about 60% comes out of our warehouse and gets gets reused, repainted, reupholstered, all kinds of modifications, but we have the piece itself, so that saves us a ton of time and resources. About 20% is bought and modified to fit into the world of the particular play, and about 20% is built from scratch in our shop. Now that's over a given season. That's about our average. Any one show could be 90% built because the design concept is so specific, or 100% pulled from stock and just modified depending on if we have that period in our stock, things like that.
Ryan Paul 07:48
So, so what is the the size of your staff? There's only two full time prop people.
Ben Hohman 07:56
Correct, there are two full time people, myself and my wife. We're here. You're around doing stuff, and then seasonally. This past year, we had six seasonal employees. We've had as many as 18 in the past, but this year we had six who helped us do all the work during the rehearsal process.
Ryan Paul 08:14
So is there a specific skill that, I mean you say, you know, geometry and that kind of thing, but, but a skill set that you look for what, what makes a good prop person?
Ben Hohman 08:24
Creativity and imagination. When I'm looking for people, I'm looking for that, and I'm looking for a good sense of humor, slash being able to get along with people, because we move really fast in a fairly small shop. So if you can't get along with your co workers, that can be an issue. I can I or one of my other staff, or YouTube can teach you any particular skill, you know, how to upholster something. We can watch a video talk through the process and probably figure it out. But I can't teach you how to look at a pile of garbage, you know, and turn it into a cuckoo clock. That's the creative creativity, imagination that I'm looking for when I'm hiring people.
Ryan Paul 08:58
And the ability to work it through.
Ben Hohman 09:00
Yeah.
Ryan Paul 09:00
So it's kind of like the mix between a Willy Wonka and an Oompa Loompa.
Ben Hohman 09:04
Indeed, it's a good analogy.
Ryan Paul 09:06
Thank you. So let's talk about the what's the first prop you ever remember building?
Ben Hohman 09:12
Oh, geez, I probably built some stuff in high school.
Ryan Paul 09:18
Maybe we could say professionally.
Ben Hohman 09:18
The first one I remember, Oh, I remember exactly, oh, no, that was an actor's theater. So it was after I was here my first year out here as a props artisan, I built a folding chair that was 14th century. So it's not like a folding chair you would think of today. It folded up across the front. It's called an X chair, and it actually had to support weight when it was open and usable. And that was a real challenge to figure out how to get it to fold up, be lightweight and still when it was open, be able to actually support an actor's weight.
Ryan Paul 09:57
And you still can do that now in your sleep.
Ben Hohman 09:59
I can.
Ryan Paul 10:00
What's the skill set that you want to do? Like, what is that? What are you still reaching for?
Ben Hohman 10:06
Oh, man, all kinds of things. We recently got some technology, laser cutter, 3d printer, and the scene shop has a CNC, which is computerized router and sort of learning how to use all those technologies and and find ways to be artistic about it in the process, is something we're starting to play with and work on. I would love to I always am interested in puppetry and expanding what we do with puppets, which my wife does not want to do, but those are sort of three big things that I think I would love to do more of.
Ryan Paul 10:39
So as you as you think about building props, what's the biggest thing you've ever built?
Ben Hohman 10:46
Theres two that come to mind. One is we did little supper horrors, probably 20 years ago, and we built all four of the puppets. And the largest puppet was about 10 feet long, about five feet high, almost six feet wide, and at multiple times during the show, it eats people. So people actually had to go into the creature and then escape through the back of the creature, around the puppeteer. And then a couple of years ago, we did a production of Ragtime, and we tried to find it requires a Model T car, and we tried to rent one from a couple other theaters, because of the length of our run and the distance away that we could find the cars, it was going to be 12 to $15,000 to rent a car for our season, so we decided to build one. We had no idea what we were doing, so that was quite a process and a learning experience, but we actually still have the Model T. We've rented it to a couple other theaters in the West who've done the show, and it is a 14 feet long, 14 foot long car that actually it's on a golf cart chassis that we had to modify to make it longer. But it actually drives like it has a gas pedal and a brake pedal. It's battery power, so it's not a gas pedal, I guess it's a go pedal, but anyway, but actually drives. And the actor who was in our show, was really surprised that the car would actually drive he'd done the show multiple times before, and had never had a car that he could actually just drive himself. So that's probably the biggest individual prop we've ever built.
Ryan Paul 12:10
What's the smallest?
Ben Hohman 12:12
Oh, we built these tiny little candle holders out of metal flowers and butterflies for a production of Midsummer Night's Dream in 1999 that had these little flicker candles in them that all the fairies held at the end of the show. And they're tiny. We still have a couple of those sitting around the shop too.
Ryan Paul 12:31
So what do you what are you proudest about?
Ben Hohman 12:33
Oh, geez. I mean, recently, last year, we did a winner's tale, and the director really wanted a cool bear, and we built a nine foot bear puppet that was operated by three performers. And the coolest thing about it, the reason I'm so proud of it, is we sort of started on the process earlier than we normally would, and collaborate really closely with director and designer for the look, and then the performers and the choreographer on how it operated. And so throughout the entire rehearsal process, we literally met with the performers every week after rehearsals and talked about how we could modify the bear to make it better and to work better for the for them. And so by the time we got to opening, it was a really, really effective prop that really did the storytelling the way it was supposed to.
Ryan Paul 13:21
And does it just get rented out still?
Ben Hohman 13:23
No, we chopped its head off and hung the head on the wall like a trophy in the shop, along with its claws and the fur that was its body, got sort of stripped off and got put in a bag, and we'll use it to make other animals in the future. It's there are props, a lot of props that we do that are very specific, and one off, and holding on to those beyond as a display piece doesn't really make a lot of sense for our stock and for storage. So if we could save a piece of it to kind of show off or whatever. Well, our shop is decorated to the nines with stuff that we'll never use again, but looks really cool. But if there are parts that we can reuse, we'll we'll gut them and sort of use the parts.
Ryan Paul 13:59
So let's talk about that, that process of cataloging and knowing what you have, I mean, that seems like a full time job in and of itself.
Ben Hohman 14:09
It is someone asked me about this this morning in my seminar. We, luckily, we had had an inventory system that we had bought from a friend of mine who worked for an event company for years, and we had a computer. We never had the time to actually do it, because it is a full time gig. So during covid, they did not lay any of us off. And my wife and I realized we couldn't really work from home, so we went out to the shop every single day, and we inventoried the warehouse. We pulled every item off the shelf, put it in front of a curtain, photographed it, measured it, entered it in the database. So now we have a database of over 4100 items, and we add to it all the time. All the time of all of our larger items, furniture, large plants, large dressing items. And we have photographs, we have measurements, we have some period information about them. We have every show that we know that they it's been in or if it was done. It or bought somewhere specific, we have that information so we could look for it in the future, and then we have a location in the warehouse where it goes, and then we print out a tag and attach it to that piece so that we can make sure it gets back in its home. But updating that constantly as things come back from rentals and from shows and stuff, takes a lot of time to make sure that inventory is up to date.
Ryan Paul 15:18
So covid was the thing that allowed you to do that?
Ben Hohman 15:22
Yes, and it saved us 1000s of dollars since then, because now we can show designers on the computer the stuff we have that'll work for their show without, like, walk them through the warehouse and get on ladders and try to find things on the shelves and stuff how it's all on a computer, it's easy to show them.
Ryan Paul 15:35
And you talk to them how they can be transformed, right? I think you talked about, like, some chairs that are in the Importance of Being Earnest or something that have been in...
Ben Hohman 15:45
Yeah, this is their eighth show in I think we bought them in 2013 or 2014 so 10 or 12 years they've been in eight different shows. They've been multiple different colors. They've had different upholstery on them five or six times. And we'll just, we can just keep doing that until they fall apart.
Ryan Paul 15:59
So you mentioned earlier about the idea that the laws of physics were some of those things the director said, or the designer said, this is what I want. And you said, there's just, there's just no way
Ben Hohman 16:12
Two things come to mind. We did Mary Poppins a number of years ago. And for the supercalifragilistic song, they wanted a wagon that would roll out on stage that two people could ride on as it arrived. And then over the course of the song, they wanted to UN hook something and expand the wagon from six feet long to 24 feet long. And as they expanded it, the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious just would appear on the side of the canopy as it as it unfurled. And we tried to build that thing forever, and tried all kinds of things, but the length of it was so long with no center support, it would not hold itself up. And we finally had to bail and come up with a different solution. That's the one time in my 32 years here where I had to go back to a director and designer and say, This is 100% impossible. We have to go a different direction, or the rest of the show won't ever get done. We also did an expanding table for a production of the Scottish play a couple of years ago that they wanted to extend out. And as it's finished extending out. They wanted the end of it to be over an open trap and not fall in. And in the end, there was just, there was no way to make it so that it wouldn't fall into the traps. We had to move it upstage enough that when it completely extended, the front wheels were actually still on the deck, not hanging over the trap.
Ryan Paul 17:39
So the table was supposed to grow.
Ben Hohman 17:42
Yes.
Ryan Paul 17:42
And end at the edge of the trap.
Ben Hohman 17:44
It was supposed to extend over the trap was open, and there was just nothing to support the end of it, and there was no way to because of how long it got, there was no way to support the end of it so it wouldn't tip into the hole.
Ryan Paul 17:57
So conversely, was there ever a time when the designer or the director said, This is what I want, and you said, I don't think we can do that. And then you did?
Ben Hohman 18:07
Yes, but could I give you a specific example? I'm not sure I could. I was taught way back in school to never say no, to always say I'm not sure I can do that, but give me a couple days to think about what the options are. So we very rarely say no. Right off the bat, we often will go, I don't, I can't think of a way to do that, but give me a couple days, and then we'll go and brainstorm and look some stuff up and ask other people and generally come back with with something that will work. We often have a conversation with directors, and we say, I need you to describe exactly what you see in the movie in your head for this moment, so I know what you're trying to achieve. Because I know I can't achieve what you're asking me for 100% but if I know exactly what you want to see, I can come back to you with ideas that will get us 90-95% of the way there, and then you can choose which one we do. Choose which one we do.
Ryan Paul 19:04
I mean, I think it's interesting that there's, there is this kind of marriage between scenery and even costuming and actors. And I mean, that sounds like a big, weird marriage and props of how it all plays out, and the I had an opportunity recently to see this season again, Steel Magnolias, right? And that requires, theoretically, some hair work done on on the stage, and the hair work is all done by somebody else, right?
Ben Hohman 19:36
Correct.
Ryan Paul 19:37
The wigs and all that kind of thing.
Ben Hohman 19:38
Correct.
Ryan Paul 19:38
But the other part you had to figure out. So talk to me a little about this idea of when they say, We want people to actually have their hair done on the stage.
Ben Hohman 19:48
Yeah, so that has been a discussion since November of last year. We've talked about the director wanted them to actually be able to wash their hair on stage, which required a working sink that becomes my department. They wanted to actually, like, put curlers into the hair and make all that happen. They didn't have to deal with hair dryers. We had a hair dryer on stage, which we actually put sound, put a speaker inside of, so it sounded like it was running. But we didn't have to deal with the actor's hair and heat and all that kind of stuff. So we chose not to actually have that function. So then we have a huge discussion about, okay, which part of this is which department the wig itself is hair and makeup, but we provided all the rollers to go in the hair. They helped purchase, like, make sure we had the right sort of combs and brushes or suggested the right things to buy. So it was a huge collaboration to make sure it looked vintage, which was my department. So all of the bottles and stuff, we had to find vintage labels and make fit the bottles.
Ryan Paul 20:50
When you say, make vintage labels, what does that mean?
Ben Hohman 20:55
So you have to go online and find period appropriate, like research of like, What hair products like short and sassy was a shampoo brand in the 80s that no longer exists. So we had to find images of those, download them, buy plastic bottles that looked similar to the period bottle, and then measure our existing bottle. Change the size of the label that we found online to fit, turn into a giant sticker, print out as many copies as we needed, cut them out, and then apply them to the bottle so they could sit on a shelf and look like shampoo bottle. Like shampoo bottles. But then they actually put some hair product in their hair a couple of times, and so hair and makeup provided, whether it's conditioner or shampoo or whatever, to put into those bottles, so it looked like a period bottle, but it had the appropriate product in it so that they could actually do the work. And in rehearsal, they had several hair rehearsals where we provided all the props that they needed in the rehearsal room, and hair and makeup actually went over. One of our hair and makeup people is a cosmetologist, so actually person who does hair and actually spent hours teaching the actors how to properly do rollers, how to cut hair, even though they never actually cut the wigs, they look like they're trimming the hair. So I had to, like, understand the movements and how that works. And then the actors would do it, and the cosmetologist would watch them and give them notes. And they were given take home wigs, I believe, at one point, to practice with and things like that. And then they would, they kept having additional rehearsals, as they had, oh, we don't know how to do this part or that part. And they would go back in and they would go back and have additional rehearsals. They got videos to watch as well outside of rehearsal, to learn all of that skill.
Ryan Paul 22:27
And then the washing.
Ben Hohman 22:29
Yeah, so we had to make a sink work in a set that has to rep with two other two other shows. So we had to work with scenery, to drill holes through some platforms and run plumbing to the back of the set, and then from the back of the set, we actually run a garden hose to our mop sink in the back corner, so that's where our water comes from. Is the mop sink, and it can be disconnected, so that when that show goes away and Ernest, or Gentleman's Guide, comes on stage, like all the plumbing is like self contained on the unit, when they bring it back into place, they hook the hose back up, check it all, make sure it works. Has to drain so it drains into a five gallon buckets. They empty at intermission, and after the show, it has to have foam inside of it, because if you don't have foam in there, it looks like sounds like someone is backstage peeing into a bucket. So the foam actually catches all the water and deadens the sound. So it looks really simple from on stage, but there's a lot of small little details that as we go through the rehearsal process, we realize, Oh, we didn't think about the water spraying into a bucket and making noise. So how do we solve that?
Ryan Paul 23:24
Speaking of solving problems and speaking of puppetry, let's take our first break and and talk about so for those of you who have listened to us before, know that we ask our guests to provide songs to play during, during the breaks. And Ben has some some, some great ones. One of my favorites, actually, that's on my personal playlist. This song is called Rainbow Connection, not by Kenny Loggins, but by Kermit the Frog. Yes. Can you tell me why you chose this song?
Ben Hohman 23:59
I have loved the Muppets. Since I was little, I own dozens of books about the Muppets. I read about the Muppets. I am fascinated. If I had another career path, it would have been working for Jim Henson's Creature Shop and just everything that they did back in the day. I just think it's awesome. And so the song always makes it takes me back to my childhood.
Ryan Paul 24:20
Okay, this is Rainbow connection by Kermit the Frog.
Kermit the Frog 24:23
Why are there so many songs about rainbows And what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions And rainbows have nothing to hide So we've been told, and some choose to believe it I know they're wrong, wait and see Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection The lovers, the dreamers, and me Who said that every wish would be heard and answered When wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it Look what it's done so far What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing And what do we think we might see? Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection The lovers, the dreamers, and me All of us under its spell We know that it's probably magic Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices? I've heard them calling my name Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors? The voice might be one and the same I've heard it too many times to ignore it It's something that I'm supposed to be Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection The lovers, the dreamers, and me La-da-da-de-da-da-do La-da-da-da-da-de-da-do
Kermit the Frog 26:13
All right, that was Rainbow Connection by Kermit The Frog you're listening to the APEX Radio Hour here on K SUU Tunder 91.1, I'll turn it back to you. Ryan.
Ryan Paul 26:28
Thank you, Lauren. We're here with Ben Holman, the props director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the longtime props director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the only full time props director in the history of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
Ben Hohman 26:28
That's true.
Ryan Paul 26:28
So I want, I'm interested in challenges like I, you know, you know each other for a long time, and as you know, I have no marketable skills, and you have so many, right? I mean, whenever I you know, can you do this or help figure it out? When you think about challenges, what what has been the most in your mind, challenging prop you've ever built.
Ryan Paul 26:28
It was probably before I worked here. I was at actors theater of Louisville for several years, and we were doing a new play that required a self driving table that had to drive itself on stage and then park itself and then extend from six feet to 24 feet long, and allow the person who drove it on stage to then get up on top the table and walk on top of the table for several minutes, doing a scene. And then it had to fold itself back up and drive itself back out of the theater.
Ryan Paul 29:00
Did have to have to have a banner that said supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
Ben Hohman 29:04
Did not, luckily. So one thing it didn't do.
Ryan Paul 29:07
But you built it.
Ben Hohman 29:08
We did.
Ryan Paul 29:10
Yeah. How long it take?
Ben Hohman 29:12
About three and a half weeks of me working more than 40 hours a week, and then I had some help toward the end to make it look pretty.
Ryan Paul 29:20
Did you cry when you had to repurpose that table?
Ben Hohman 29:23
No, I was glad it was gone.
Ryan Paul 29:26
So in that same vein, then what? What do you think in your current job are the most pressing and challenging issues?
Ben Hohman 29:37
Finding ways to make the the resources, whether they be labor, whether they be money, time, fit the creative vision that we have for the organization and for each individual show, because each director is working on one show, my job is to oversee all of the shows in any given season for the department and I. I individually, I'm also prop supervisor for a number of shows each season, as well as supervising the other prop supervisors. And there's never seems to be enough time, money and stuff to get everything done so early on, looking at the resources available and figuring out how we're going to balance and get as close to everybody's artistic vision as we can without burning anybody out going way over budget and not having the time to complete everything.
Ryan Paul 30:31
What generally is a average budget for a show.
Ben Hohman 30:35
I'm afraid, I'm embarrassed to say outdoors, we spend about $2,500 to $3,000 per show on average. Indoors, for the Randall Jones the larger shows, we go from anywhere like $3,000 for a straight play to maybe $6,000 for a musical, occasionally maybe a little bit more than that. And then over in the studio theater, because the shows are supposed to be small and manageable, we generally do about $2,000 per show in there, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, which is running for another couple weeks right now, we did scenery, props and paint for that for under $500
Ryan Paul 31:12
So you pulled a lot of that from stock?
Ben Hohman 31:14
Almost 100%.
Ryan Paul 31:15
So, and when you share that Information, people are surprised that,
Ben Hohman 31:20
I would say regional theaters our size. If they did a musical like gentleman's guide to love and murder, which we are currently doing, they would have a prop budget anywhere between 15 and $25,000 for that show, and we did it for Well, our budget was six. We spent less than that. But it doesn't look like it. It doesn't look like it. Part of that is our warehouse. Most theaters do not have 6000 square feet that is jam packed floor to ceiling with stuff that they can pull and use, because warehouse space in large cities is expensive to maintain and to keep, so the fact that we have property that we were able to build our warehouse on, that we own, helps a ton in allowing us to keep a lot of stuff.
Ryan Paul 32:03
And I mean, isn't it true that the model for that scene at the end of Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark, it was based on, based on your warehouse?
Ben Hohman 32:12
Yes,
Ryan Paul 32:12
Not as many. They're not all created. They're not all created.
Ben Hohman 32:15
No, everything's cut out in the open. But yeah, we often joke that, you know, people walk into our warehouse like new designers. We had a designer who's gonna work for us next year, who's never been year, who's never been here before, came out a couple weeks ago for a site visit, and walked into our warehouse. He was like, oh, oh, you guys have stuff. Like, Oh, I feel much better because you guys have stuff. And I'm like, Yeah, we we got you as far as stuff goes well.
Ryan Paul 32:36
And more importantly, you have stuff, but you know where that stuff is and you know what you have.
Ben Hohman 32:40
Correct. And literally, they could say, what do you have Victorian wise, and I could show them fairly quickly.
Ryan Paul 32:44
So I'm always interested, you know, people like, what did you learn from success? What I really want to know is, what have you learned from failing, and what, I mean, I don't want to dredge up horrible memories, but What? What? What can you point to in your career where you said, Man, this didn't work the way it should have, but this is what I learned that led to some success in the future.
Ben Hohman 33:06
There's two things that come to mind. One is the Mary Poppins wagon. And the thing I learned there is that you have to be open and communicating with the rest of the team when things aren't working and be able to pivot. You know, I did a lot of new plays at actors theater for years, and the play would write the thing, and they'd be there in the rehearsal process, and we'd get to, like, dress rehearsal, and they'd be like, oh, man, you know, this actor needs a couple more seconds to change their clothes. And the player would be like, oh, let's write a couple more lines. It's like, you think about all these plays as being sacred, like when Shakespeare wrote them, you know, like you know, like you can't change a single word. Well, not necessarily, you know. So things are adjustable, like we have to, we have to figure out what we're trying to tell with each with each play, the story we're trying to tell, and make sure all of our resources are going to that storytelling and just be able to pivot to what is possible. The audience is not going to know that that wagon was supposed to expand to 24 feet and do this whole magical trick thing on stage, and probably wouldn't have appreciated that it did it, you know, so as long as we were able to still tell the story of that song, which we did by having a large banner that pulled out of the side of the wagon that they pulled out and spelled out the same thing, it still told the story correctly. And so be able to find the solution that works within resources and still tells the story is, is what we have to aim for, and we have to be able to adjust as we go to do that. And I've carried that forward in every show we do now, we talk a lot more about storytelling and what the purpose of the moment is, and what they're trying to get across, because then we can really narrow down within our resources and say, Okay, I get what you're trying to do with that bit. We can't do that, but we can do this, which does the same thing for you. The other instance, to one out of my head. It's just to listen to people and. Um and understand, like, the problem in theaters. With a lot of industries, there's a lot of sort of slang and terminology, and people coming from different areas of education might interpret those things differently, so making sure you understand what's being said and what's meant by what's being said so that you can be really clear about kind of how things work, and that you're all on the same page as you move forward.
Ryan Paul 35:28
So is there ever a danger? Or can you remember a time when the the prop became the star?
Ben Hohman 35:35
Yes, and I hate that. I'm a big fan of my work should sort of not be something. You walk out of the theater talking about the bear in Winter's Tale. A lot of people talked about the bear, but it wasn't how awesome the prop was. It was how cool we told that story, moment with the bear, which is the right sort of what I want to walk out with. We did a show. We did a comedy of errors a number of years ago, set in the in the Western United States, and the director really wanted a tumbleweed to go across the stage, so we spent a long time trying to figure this out. We finally decided to mount an actual Tumbleweed to a battery powered drill so it could spin. We then mounted the drill to a radio control car that we covered with fabric and leaves, so like sort of a pile of dirt and dust, maybe the Tumbleweed had picked up as it rolled across the desert, and then we taught one of the crew how to drive this Tumbleweed across the stage. I thought was a terrible idea. I said so from the beginning, but we built this thing, and we got it in the show, and I watched a rehearsal, and I went to the director, and I said, we need to cut the Tumbleweed. And he said, No, it's so funny. I said, Yes, it's funny, but it's totally blowing out the story, like what's happening on stage while the tumbled is going across the stage is really pivotal storytelling, and the the lines right after the Tumbleweed leaves the stage are really important to the plot, and everyone's gonna spend the next five minutes trying to figure out how we made the Tumbleweed work, and not paying attention to the story. And we've just destroyed one of the major plot points of this entire play. And I asked multiple times to have the Tumbleweed cut, and he was just enamored of the Tumbleweed and wouldn't let it go. And so it stayed in the show. And I think the show suffered because of it.
Ryan Paul 37:25
I remember the Tumbleweed.
Ben Hohman 37:26
It was a fun prop, and we still have the parts. We tore it apart. We've used the drill and the car and other shows, but, yeah, it shouldn't have been there. We also did a bike 200 years before bikes were invented, so we had to make a modern bike look like a 14th century bike. And I also asked for that not to be on stage. And I also lost that battle. I mean, you can all do so much, and if it's it's funny, and the director loves it, and you did what you were asked, like, that's what you do.
Ryan Paul 37:56
So what battles Have you won? I mean what I mean in that same vein, then, were there props that that you successfully lobbied to not be in a show?
Ben Hohman 38:09
Yes, I could not tell you what they were at this point, but there have been times when I've gone to directors and said, this doesn't feel right. This seems weird. And and they were like, oh, that makes sense, and we've gotten rid of them, but I can't think they're not as big as the ones that I lost the battle.
Ryan Paul 38:26
Let's talk about the mean, if people have been to the Shakespeare Festival before, have been to your seminars, one of the the legends is that probably the show a legend is one of the things that people want to know again and again and again and again as people become, you know, engaged with the festival over time, is the monkeys a monkey, right? So they always ask, Where are the monkeys when we're in the grove? Where are the monkeys in the show? So, and then we have to go back and explain. Well, this is what that means, right? And the explanation, really is, you got to go to the prop seminar to find out. But let's talk about the monkeys.
Ben Hohman 39:04
Okay, so I have a huge collection of monkeys behind my desk in my office. It was started in 2001 we did a production in 1999 a Merchant of Venice. And there's a line that almost every director cuts about Jessica shaux daughter, and how she loses everything, but she buys herself a monkey. Every director cuts. It's kind of a dumb line. It doesn't make sense. And this director thought it was really important that at the end of the show, we see Jessica in a pool of light by herself with a monkey in a cage as a symbol of the story. And so she wanted the monkey to move, and that became a whole thing. And at the last minute, she decided to be a spider monkey rather than a regular monkey. And this is back before the internet and finding things was hard.
Ben Hohman 39:49
A spider monkey has a very specific look. So we spent a lot of money. My estimation is 20% of the budget for the outdoor season. That year, all three shows outside went to this one prop. That time we were done about $1,000 monkey, and then most of it, the monkey was still in the show, but the animatronics, the movement of it, got cut over the course of the last week before this show opened, and it was just a big pain. So that year, for Christmas, several of my staff sent me monkey things, kind of as a inside joke. Two years later, in terms of when I became the props director, and I decided, in honor of that monkey, we were going to hide a monkey somewhere on stage in every show at the festival, moving forward, as something for the actors and crew to find during the course of the run, I would tell them where it was, or anything. And for several years that was the case, and it went along. Well, then, I don't know, maybe 2010 or 2011 I was at a preseason event talking to some people, and it was someone said, Well, what's, what's kind of your festival story? And I said, Well, there's a monkey in every show. And then I immediately realized that this was probably a reporter. And it was, was someone from Las Vegas review journal, and they asked me some more questions. They did an entire article in the Las Vegas review journal about the monkeys at the Shakespeare Festival. So then patrons read this article and found out, and started coming, asking where the monkeys were. So in 20, I think 2013 I think I started adding a monkey minute to my seminar. So if you stick around for the entire seminar, at the end, I basically have photos of all of the monkeys in every show and show you where they are on stage. You should not go to the show and pay what we charge for tickets and spend the entire time looking for the monkey. That is not the point. It's just part of the set dressing or a prop. It can be as small as a stamp on a letter. It can be very large, depending. We've actually built some very large monkeys a couple years ago in clue, the director wanted all these animal portraits in the library, and the designer was nice enough to do a giant howler monkey piece of art that went in one of the frames. So it can be subtle or not subtle, just depending on the show and how it fits. But it's not about the monkey. It's just that's kind of like this little insider thing that if you know great, and if you don't, it's okay, just It's okay, just enjoy the show, because that's what you're here for.
Ryan Paul 39:49
What's a regular monkey?
Ben Hohman 39:49
Well, like just a standard monkey versus a spider.
Ryan Paul 39:50
A very specific kind.
Ben Hohman 40:38
And sometimes, like, you're not going to be able to see the monkey, even if you were looking.
Ben Hohman 40:56
Correct, I mean, from the house, they're not always huge, or they blend in really well with their background, like they're painted to match, like in Anthony Cleopatra. This summer, we actually cut out a monkey about three inches by four inches and mounted it to Cleopatra's throne and put it on the back of the on the front of the chair, but we painted it to match all the stone around it, so you couldn't really tell it was there unless you were really close to it, which is okay. Like there aren't rules about the monkeys, like you don't have to see it from the third row or anything like that. It just has to be on stage.
Ben Hohman 41:41
I like the Steel Magnolias monkey.
Ben Hohman 41:45
Right? There's some fun ones that sometimes they blend into the show really easily. That one is great because we actually found a restaurant in Louisiana, which is where the play is set, this monkey house cafe. I found them online, and so I just found their menu and printed their menu out, and upstairs, upstage, there's a door where all the people come into the salon, and there's a bulletin board that we put all kinds of menus and the kind of random stuff on, and so we just tack the menu to the to that board so it kind of fits into the storytelling. That doesn't happen very often, but when it does it works out really well.
Ryan Paul 43:12
What is the monkey you're most proud of?
Ben Hohman 43:13
I mean, that one's pretty good. I like in this year in Dear Jack, Dear Louise, which is my favorite play of the season. There's a ton of books on the bookshelves upstate to kind of create the backdrop. And there's a whole bunch of monkey book ends that kind of just blend in. You wouldn't say notice they were monkeys. So much kind of looked and stuff. But we've we sewed, we did a production of Intimate Apparel. This lady is making this quilt and hiding all of her savings in the quilt as she makes the quilt. And we actually got a monkey die for our fabric die cutter actually cut out a fabric monkey and sewed it into the quilt pattern, which was kind of cool. There's been some fun, and sometimes the staff comes up with really clever ideas on how to include them and stuff. So it's kind of a fun it's even fun for us to try to figure out, like, how to hide them on stage and get them as part of the story.
Ryan Paul 43:59
But you've never just like, man, we gotta get a monkey here and just threw a barrel of monkey guy on there.
Ben Hohman 44:07
No, no.
Ryan Paul 44:09
Did you ever but you've never even gone to have, like, the symbol playing monkey that,
Ben Hohman 44:12
We have one of those that actually did a show a number of years ago called Scopan, and there was actually a live musician playing this giant Calliope thing that we built, and we got permission from the designer. He wanted some toys and stuff on it, and so we actually had the finger or the symbol smash and monkey iPhone vintage one, and we're actually able to attach that to the Calliope. I think he did it basically, even turned it on so it like smashed a couple times before we started the act two. So, yeah, it's been fun, cool.
Ryan Paul 44:39
Well, let's take our next break, as we're talking about monkeys, we'll talk about animals. This is a song that haven't heard for a long time that I smiled when I saw it on there. And I, you know, I've known you for 20 years, maybe, and I've learned so much about you from these songs that you have have shown have chosen. So this is a song which you may have heard, called The Fox, or What Does the Fox Say? By Ylvis, so what's up with this?
Ben Hohman 45:11
I sort of came across it on the radio one day, and I was like, what is the song? And so I started doing research, and I've sort of fallen in love with the band Ylvis, like they are just so crazy, and all their songs are so weird that it kind of fits my personality. So I just, I just love it. So we, every time I need, like, I'll pick me up at the shop, I like, throw out some Ylvis and the song in particular.
Ryan Paul 45:30
Okay, this is The Fox, or What Does the Fox say? By Ylvis.
Ylvis 45:44
Dog goes "woof", cat goes "meow" Bird goes "tweet" and mouse goes "squeak" Cow goes "moo", frog goes "croak" And the elephant goes "toot" Ducks say "quack" and fish go "blub" And the seal goes "ow ow ow" But there's one sound that no one knows What does the fox say? "Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!" What the fox say? "Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow! Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow! Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!" What the fox say? "Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho! Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho! Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!" What the fox say? "Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff! Tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff! Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!" What the fox say? Big blue eyes, pointy nose Chasing mice and digging holes Tiny paws up the hill Suddenly you're standing still Your fur is red, so beautiful Like an angel in disguise But if you meet a friendly horse Will you communicate by Mo-o-o-o-orse? Mo-o-o-o-orse? Mo-o-o-o-orse? How will you speak to that Ho-o-o-o-orse? Ho-o-o-o-orse? Ho-o-o-o-orse? What does the fox say? "Jacha-chacha-chacha-chow! Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow! Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow!" What the fox say? "Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow! Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow! Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!" What the fox say? "A-hee-ahee ha-hee! A-hee-ahee ha-hee! A-hee-ahee ha-hee!" What the fox say? "A-oo-oo-oo-ooo! Woo-oo-oo-ooo!" What does the fox say? The secret of the fox, ancient mystery Somewhere deep in the woods I know you're hiding What is your sound? Will we ever know? Will always be a mystery What do you say? You're my guardian angel hiding in the woods What is your sound? (Wa-wa-way-do Wub-wid-bid-dum-way-do Wa-wa-way-do) Will we ever know? (Bay-budabud-dum-bam) I want to (Mama-dum-day-do) I want to, I want to know! (Abay-ba-da bum-bum bay-do la)
Lauren Bird 47:22
All right, that was The Fox, or What Does the Fox Sy? By Ylvis, you're listening to the APEX Radio Hour here on K SUU Tunder 91.1, I'll turn it back to you, Ryan
Ryan Paul 47:22
Thank you. Lauren, I'm not exactly sure how to come back from that. I mean, if I realized that radio is an auditory medium, but if you had just seen what I just saw here in the studio, you would be transformed, as they say. So let's talk about inspiration. So tell me in your definite What do you think creativity means like? How would you define creativity?
Ben Hohman 47:22
Be able to look at the world in a non traditional manner.
Ryan Paul 47:22
So where do you. You think your creativity comes from? Is it something that that you're born with? Is it something that you you learn? He's talking about learning skills on YouTube, right? But where do you I mean, how do you feel creativity? Where does it reside?
Ryan Paul 48:08
That's a good question. I would say mine comes from my ADHD, my non diagnosed ADHD, ADD, I just love sort of noticing details. I always have my whole life, like, like, you know, carvings on furniture, or just specific things like phrases and books. And all my life, I've sort of found those little things that are just like, Oh, that's really cool. And I've clipped like, little sayings or things like that. So it's just looking at the world through a different lens and and props is all about that. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but that's that's what I would say.
Ryan Paul 51:00
So do you think your creativity comes from internal sources or external sources?
Ben Hohman 51:06
A little bit of both. I think it's, I find things that are interesting in the world, and then part of it is how my brain then interprets it. It's like, it's a little bit of both.
Ryan Paul 51:17
So in your like, in that same vein, when you're I would imagine you driving around, or when you you, you buy stuff, not necessarily, not not for you personally, but like for the prop shop or whatever. You buy things proactively, like, oh, we might be able to use that sometime.
Ben Hohman 51:36
Yes.
Ryan Paul 51:36
So what do you throw away?
Ben Hohman 51:40
Very little. We normally like tear things apart to use the pieces. We just got two. We bought a couch for a show this year, and somebody donated a really cool couch. We have space for no more couches. So we got to go through our couch stock and to choose two couches to get rid of so we could save these two new couches. And so we pulled these two couches that we thought were less desirable to go in the shop. And I was like, well, we can't just throw these away like, there's so many, there's, like, this one has cool carved feet, and this one has a whole bunch of foam in and everything else. So we spent three or four days, like, tearing these two couches apart, and we got probably five or $600 worth of upholstery foam and some batting, and one of them was a leather couch. So we saved all the leather because it's really worn and used, because the couch was really old. We're gonna use that to, like, make future books. Like, we'll cover books with this leather because it just looks like it's been around for a long time, and we saved all the feet and the decorative carvings off of that they'll become a chair or something else in the future. So anything that's useful, like, we like, go. I mean, it might be a piece of like, we're like, oh, this whole entire piece we could use in a future production, or it might be this has a really cool shape that we could turn into something else.
Ryan Paul 52:48
So have you ever felt sad we talked about, you know, like actors the show closes, they're sad. But have you ever felt sad that this prop is no longer going to be what it once was?
Ben Hohman 52:59
No. No, early in my career, that happened a couple times. Like, I remember building a bench one of my first, my first projects at actors theater. I built this bench for a show, and I literally went to rehearsal for one day, and then it got cut, and I felt like I had done something wrong. And it was like, no, they just they don't need it to tell the story anymore, like they've changed that scene, and they don't need to sit down. So they don't need to bench. And I got it went into stock, and it got used for a future production. That's why I try to tell artisans nowadays, because we cut a lot of stuff in the process, and they feel bad about it, like, you know what? We'll put it in stock. You could still put it in your portfolio. You built it. It's like, you didn't do the work, and it'll get used in the future, or we'll tear it apart and use the pieces for something else. Like, it's not, it's not a waste, because you you had this, you had the process, and you learned how to do it, so it's not a negative thing. But no, I mean, I collect things personally, my wife and I do at home, and if those things got destroyed or modified and took away some of their value or their interest, that would hurt me. But at work, I tell people like props is where antiques go to die like you could donate anything you want to me, but don't expect to come back in 20 years and be like, Oh, can I see my couch? Or can I see my desk? Well, the legs of it are on that thing over there, and the arm is on this thing over here, and we painted it pink and like, it's, they're, they're tools or components for us to help tell stories. And so I don't feel bad when they have to be modified, or we don't have space for them. We have to get rid of them to get something better that will tell a better story.
Ryan Paul 54:27
That's a job. So you're like Dr Frankenstein, you just take a bunch of parts and create something new, right?
Ben Hohman 54:32
Sometimes, yeah.
Ryan Paul 54:33
So who or what inspires you
Ben Hohman 54:39
So many things. Walt Disney, Jim Henson, a really good story. My wife, my dad. There's my, short list.
Ryan Paul 55:01
Okay, what? Let's talk about something else. Let's shift gears just a little bit before we go on her next break. Let's talk about Christmas. Because you, I know,
Ben Hohman 55:11
Surprisingly not my favorite holiday, yeah, but yes, I do some stuff for Christmas.
Ryan Paul 55:17
I do know that. I will tell you this. I do know your favorite holiday is Arbor Day?
Ben Hohman 55:21
No, it's Halloween, but yes, so my wife and I both are big fans of the Christmas holiday, and for 20 years now, I first before I got married, and she with me since we've gotten married, decorate our house a little obsessively for the holidays, we do an outdoor display that many people help with. You've come for many years and helped put it up, and it runs from December 2 through December 31 and it's a walk through display. So we decorate not only our front yard, but our backyard as well. And we asked for donations for the Make a Wish Foundation, and in 20 years, we have raised over $30,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation. And we add a little bit every day, every year. This year will be close to 70,000 lights. There's, I don't know, like 50 or 60 inflatables, about as many blow molds, some large pieces we've built over the years, we mix it up a little bit every year, add new things to keep it interesting. Some things are very traditional, but we do that and then, and then we also decorate the inside a little bit as well.
Ryan Paul 56:32
Yeah. I mean, that's pretty understated, but yeah, yeah, that's true. So I mean, 70,000 lights, and it is an incredible thing. And I, I find great. It is one of the highlights. I mean, walking through it's cool but, but the peace of mind that I get working on that stuff is really priceless. I mean, it's pretty amazing. And where would I, where would one go if one wanted to see a past,
Ben Hohman 57:04
You'd have to look up Ben's holiday lights on YouTube. I think all what maybe like the first year or two are on there. I also have a website, oh my goodness. What is my website? It's a Wix site. Might be bensholidaylights.wix.com, but if you search, you could probably find it and there's a link to all of the there's a video page there that has links to all the videos
Ryan Paul 57:28
And light lighting is like, when, when? When does the switch flip? December 2, at five o'clock. So if you're in town in Cedar City at some point in December before you two go anywhere for the holiday break. Elena and Lauren. Me take a look. Bring your friends. It is an incredible thing and and a beautiful story for Make a wish.
Ben Hohman 57:50
Yeah, it started. I was a wish granter over two decades ago, and did one wish, and it was kind of mentally devastating to me, because the we granted the child's wish, but they did not survive long after the wish, which is not typically the case anymore. Most of the most of them, survive well into adulthood, but at that point, she just did not and I realized that maybe being a wish granter was not the right thing for me, but I wanted to be involved with the organization, and so this became a way I love decorating, so I can sort of expand every year a little bit and not get in trouble. Because it's for it's for the it's very good cause, and for the children. And so it's been a fun thing to do, and the community is, like, amazingly supportive of it and and helps out and and stuff. So it's a cool community thing that we do cool.
Ryan Paul 58:38
All right, let's take our last break before we get into our final segment. This is a song that I love for a variety of reasons. It is Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland from the movie The Wizard of Oz. Yes, so tell me why you chose this song.
Ben Hohman 58:56
I have loved the Wizard of Oz since I was a small child. Actually did a history report on the Wizard of Oz when I was, like, in fourth or fifth grade, and I have worn out more DVDs of this movie, and I have a small Wizard of Oz collection of things, DVDs and books and other paraphernalia from this and I've read all the other books as well in the oz series. And it's just, it's just a visually stunning thing that is watched. I'm just always blown away when they when she steps out of that house into the, you know, Oz, and it's all colorful, and it's just an amazing story and just super fun.
Ryan Paul 59:33
So are you a Scarecrow, Tin Man or Cowardly Lion?
Ben Hohman 59:36
I'm probably a cowardly lion.
Ryan Paul 59:37
Me too. I'm totally a Cowardly Lion. Totally, all right, this is Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland.
Judy Garland 1:00:29
Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why, then, oh, why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh, why can't I?
Lauren Bird 1:02:28
All right, that was Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland, you're listening to the APEX Radio Hour here on K SUU Tunder 91.1 I'll turn it back to you, Ryan.
Ryan Paul 1:02:37
Thank you, Lauren. Thanks to Ben Hohman for being here. This is the last, our last part of our segment. Those who listen to the show before know that we always end with a very important question where we get new ideas and thoughts, and everyone here in the studio gets to answer. So we'll give it to you first. Ben. Ben Holman, what are you currently watching, reading, listening to or playing that is bringing you joy?
Ben Hohman 1:03:03
My wife and I are watching the Wrexham Season Four on Hulu. We just finished Wednesday Season Two on Netflix.
Ryan Paul 1:03:13
I don't think you can say Wrexham on the radio.
Ben Hohman 1:03:15
Really?
Ryan Paul 1:03:17
What that is, what's it about?
Ben Hohman 1:03:18
It's about the soccer team, soccer team in Wales that Ryan Reynolds and the other guy own.
Ryan Paul 1:03:25
So you start a Wednesday season two, and we finished,
Ben Hohman 1:03:28
Finished Wednesday Season Two. I'm listening to a whole I listen to TED Talks daily podcast, as well as several Disney history podcast, which I really like. I'm currently reading a novel which is a fictionalized version of the story of Mrs. Tom Thumb, which I'm finding really interesting and fascinating. Yeah, those things I can think about top my head.
Ryan Paul 1:04:00
Cool. Elena Moreno, what are you currently watching, reading, listening to or playing that is bringing you joy?
Elena Moreno 1:04:09
Yeah, thank you. Ryan, well, I recently decided to be an exercise physiologist. So a lot of people love this field, like certifications and information about that career. So, yeah.
Ryan Paul 1:04:25
That's what's bringing you joy?
Elena Moreno 1:04:27
Yeah, a lot. I really motivated in that decision.
Ryan Paul 1:04:31
So, cool, cool. All right. Lauren Bird, what are you currently watching, reading, listening to or playing that is bringing you joy?
Lauren Bird 1:04:39
So this week, for the first time, I've started watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice like from 1999 or something. I love the 2005 movie, but I haven't seen this version before, so
Ryan Paul 1:04:52
This the Colin Firth?
Lauren Bird 1:04:54
Yeah. So I'm like slowly making my way through it, and it's just bringing me a lot of joy. Like watch it for a few nights, for a few minutes every night before bed, after doing far too much math for my homework. So that's been bringing me a lot of joy,
Ryan Paul 1:05:09
You know, my wife and I once planned a whole trip to Washington, DC, specifically to go to the Folger because they had on exhibit the shirt that Colin Firth wore in that scene where he dives into the pond and comes out, that was the impetus to go.
Lauren Bird 1:05:27
Fantastic.
Ryan Paul 1:05:27
They had this like Jane Austen, Shakespeare exhibit, and we the whole trip was planned around that specific artifact.
Lauren Bird 1:05:35
That's delightful. What about you, Ryan? What are you currently watching, reading, listening to or playing that's bringing you joy.
Ryan Paul 1:05:42
I thought a lot about this, because I know Ben and I have talked a lot about Disney, because I'm teaching a class, and he's gave me a lot of resources. And the thought, well, I've just finished a great book, and I should talk about that, but I changed my mind. My wife and I are watching a show on Netflix called the Residents, which is hilarious and amazingly wonderful. So it's by Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and the whole premise is a guy, the chief butler of the White House, dies during a state dinner with Australia, and they bring in a consulting detective to solve the crime in during that night. And so each episode is, and she's just quirky and amazing, and it is beautifully written, and just the right amount of offensive humor, but still the great just like, I wish I could talk to people like that and not get hit, but it's just a fun, cool show. So it's called The Residence. It's an it's like a limited series, so it's like eight episodes on on Netflix. So that's what's bringing me joy this week. So thank you to Ben Hohman for being here and sharing your story with us. We're gonna go out with a song that I'm glad you chose, and
Ben Hohman 1:07:01
I'm so sorry, people.
Ryan Paul 1:07:02
It makes me happy. And we could all tell stories about this particular song, but in reference to our conversations multiple times about Disney and everything else, this song you chose is It's a Small World After All, by the Sherman Brothers, which is an incredible story, if you ever, if you have Disney plus, you should watch the episode of beyond, behind the attraction on It's a Small World ride. It is transformative in the story of Walt Disney, I would say, and his style. But why did you choose this song, Ben?
Ben Hohman 1:07:36
I have loved this ride since my first time at Disneyland, and I've learned so much more about it and the World's Fair that it was in. And to this day, the Disneyland attraction still has some of the pieces from the World's Fair that were literally thrown together with sawdust and random paint and just plastic. They are laying around the shop to get it finished on time. And it is so theatrical in the way that it is put together. Put together. Yet the message of that ride is so universal and so needed in the world today, every day, that it's it's just blows my mind that it is so simple and yet so could be so world changing. And it just it. Just every time I write it, I'm just like, this is just phenomenal.
Ryan Paul 1:08:25
So it's one of the greatest pieces of prop craft. Yes, and I should say very quickly, before we get to the show, Ben is the author of a book, and I should have brought that up. You write a book, tell them what it's called.
Ben Hohman 1:08:36
101+ Tips and Tricks Every Prop Maker Should Know, it's been out for about a year.
Ryan Paul 1:08:41
And you may say to yourself, I need to be a prop maker to read that book. And it's one who has read it. I say, no, sir, you do not need to be. It is it is some thoughtful life lessons as well. There's a couple in there, right? So pick it up all right. So thanks to Ben for being here. We're gonna go out with It's A Small World After All, by the Sherman Brothers, and as always, in the words of the Great American poet Bill Withers, I wish you well.
The Sherman Brothers 1:09:52
It's a world of laughter, A world of tears. It's a world of hopes, And a world of fears. There's so much that we share, That it's time we're aware, It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world. There is just one moon, And one golden sun. And a smile means, Friendship to every one. Though the mountains divide, And the oceans are wide, It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world