ARTS GUARDIAN. Steve Renfree is the new executive director of the
Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts.

For Steve Renfree, taking on the role of executive director of the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts is the culmination of a decades-long love of theater and education. Renfree, who began his new job at Menomonie’s landmark theater on Feb. 1, is a former high school English teacher who’s been heavily involved in the local performing arts scene both through the Menomonie Theater Guild and the Firefly Arts Company. He directed the musical Oliver! at the Mabel Tainter; first laid eyes on his wife, Tami Rae Weiss, on its stage while she performed in the musical Godspell; and was even married in the theater.

“All of those experiences of theater and getting married and directing shows were the stepping stones to becoming executive director,” explains Renfree, who spent about 30 years in education, including stints at schools in Boyceville and Greenwood. “It was the right time in my life to retire from teaching and pick up a career that I’m passionate about.”

“It provides a very intimate environment for the theatergoer that you rarely can find because you’re so close to the performers.”– Steve Renfree, new Mabel Tainter executive director, on the theater’s magic

And it’s clear that Renfree is passionate about both a career in the arts and the theater itself, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. The turreted sandstone building was built by lumber baron Andrew Tainter in honor of his daughter, Mabel, who died at age 19 in 1886. When the theater was dedicated in July 1890, it was called “one of the finest and most imposing public buildings in the state” by the Milwaukee Sentinel.

Renfree, who replaced Amy Reise as executive director, says the building’s beauty and history make it unique. “(The Tainter family) wanted to use this theater to connect the community through the arts, and Mabel loved the arts,” he says. “And that vision and generous donation I think is what strikes all of us as so meaningful. This theater is such a beautiful architectural jewel.” In fact, last year the theater landed on a CNN.com list of the 15 most beautiful theaters in the world. “It provides a very intimate environment for the theatergoer that you rarely can find because you’re so close to the performers,” Renfree says.

Among the goals shared by the arts center’s board and Renfree is to more fully showcase the historic building. To that end, the Mabel Tainter’s box office will be open from 11am to 3pm Thursdays and Fridays, and a docent program will soon be launched to provide drop-in tours of the buildings one or two days a week. (Tours can currently be scheduled upon request.) In addition, between April and September three exhibits highlighting the theater’s 125th anniversary will rotate among three Menomonie historic sites: the Wilson Place Mansion, the Russell J. Rassbach Museum, and the Mabel Tainter. The exhibits will feature Victorian-era dresses, original artwork featuring Menomonie, and vintage toys.

Another of Renfree’s goals is providing a diversity of programming for people of all backgrounds and ages. Upcoming events include jazz, rock, and classical concerts; plays for children and adults, including Into the Woods; and even a UW-Stout anti-discrimination event called Let’s Break Barriers, which will include everything from choral music to a drag show. Renfree adds that the Mabel Tainter will feature extensive children’s programming in the near future.

Despite his background as a theater director and performer – he last appeared on stage in December in the Menomonie Theater Guild’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life – Renfree says he won’t necessarily miss being in the literal spotlight. After all, he’s married to a theatrical director, and his new job entails facilitating the kind of artistic projects he’s been involved in for years. In addition, he sees his role as further connecting audiences, donors, and the community with the Mabel Tainter. “We want to be the center of Menomonie,” he says, “and we feel we can be the center – a unifying force that connects the university with the arts community with nonprofit organizations. Everyone can benefit from what we have to offer.”

To learn more about the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts (205 Main St. East, Menomonie), visit www.mabeltainter.org, call (715) 235-9726 or email info@
mabeltainter.org.