Mark Dillon belongs in the entertainment business; it’s where he has always been. But it wasn’t until 11 years ago that he found his perfect job – stage manager at the Breslin Student Events Center.
“I saw this job opening and I said, ‘Well, this is me!’,” Dillon said. “It was basketball, Muppets, Disney on Ice and concerts; every day would be something different.”
Dillon is responsible for building maintenance and upkeep. He also is responsible for making sure everything that is needed to produce a show (like staging, audio, lighting, etc.) is ready and accounted for.
Basketball season is in full swing. To prepare for the games, Dillon arrives at the Breslin Center four hours before tipoff. He makes sure lights are programed and makes sure the concourse if presentable. In general, he makes sure the building is ready for the game-day crowd.
Because Dillon and his team prepare for all of the Breslin Center events, he sometimes works long hours.
“When a show goes off well, it’s without incident and everyone that attended had a good time, it’s worth it,” he said.
“You can’t [have a schedule] like this if you don’t like what you’re doing,” Dillon said. “Some days I have to pinch myself and say, ‘Oh! I’m getting paid to do this!’.”
So what’s the best part? Meeting Tom Izzo? Watching hundreds of basketball games and performances? No. Dillon said the best part of working at MSU is the collaboration.
“Everyone is willing to help all of the time,” he said. “You have all of these available resources, which is the best part of it, because there’s nothing that you can’t do. If I need welders, the Physical Plant supplies welders. If I need last minute staging, someone on campus can make it.”
“The possibilities are endless.”