Back in the early 90's my brother, Greg Bierce, was a bored and restless Architecture major at the University of Florida. One summer, he asked me about what I was doing over in the theater department. I was spending the summer sweating through costumes in the Florida heat doing a stint in our summer rep theater program (who ever thought outdoor theater in Florida was a good idea). I told him he should come see what we were doing in the scene shop. Maybe he would be interested. It was there that is love affair with set construction and design began.
Architecture was soon forgotten (my parents may never forgive me for that) and we was elbow deep in sawdust, paint, and glow tape. It wasn't long before he was off working on shows from Vermont to LA and everywhere in between.
In 1997, I moved back to our hometown of Tampa, FL to start the musical theater program at the new school of the arts. Greg was in LA doing his thing, but two short years later, the technical theater position at Howard W. Blake School of the Arts opened up. I preactically begged him to move back to Tampa to see what we could do together.
We worked together for two years directing and designing together and making magic happen on the stage. I soon moved back to NY and he stayed in Tampa another two years before returning to LA.
For the next 13 years, we were in different areas of the country, but he was always interested in my work, gave his input, challenged my choices and was my biggest supporter. He worked quietly in the background - as most techs do - and cheered me on. What I have never admitted, however, is that he was the more talented of the two of us.
His designs were inspired, artistic, and beautiful. He had the ability to make everyone else look good on stage. The actors, lighting, the story... yes, even the director, was better because of his thoughtful use of space. He was an artist.
Fast forward to 2016. I was once again back at the school of the arts and the technical theater position was open again. It took a lot of coersion, but we decided we wanted to work together again. The program could not make it to the next level without his talent and knowledge. We spent the summer of 2016 making plans and buidling our first set together in almost 15 years.
We always wanted to start a theater company together - to create together. We saw an opportunity here to start something artistic, fullfilling, and new.
In July of 2016, three days before his 51 birthday, Greg suddenly passes away. Everything we were planning was not going to happen. The person who had all the answers when I didn't was gone.
During his tenure in education in Tampa and LA, Greg inspired hundreds of students - most of whom had never touched a drill - to see technical theater as art instead of construction. He taught them that art mattered more than awards, that making something with your hands was as worthy as the song in the spotlight. To this day there are theater technicians working on stages across America because of my brother.
He will always be my inspiration.
To honor his memory, we will be starting a scholarship for students going into an area of technical theater. While the fund may be modest at first, we look to keep this fund growing and nurturing technical theater talent far into the future. Please help us add to the funds the family has already commited. Your donation will go towards making sure art has a place on stage.
