Rand Becker has earned accolades from Playhouse

Rand Becker, president of the Youngstown Playhouse’s board of directors, has received a well-deserved honor for his tireless effort in keeping the eight decades-old community theater alive — and financially well. The lobby of the playhouse was rededicated on Dec. 9 in honor of Becker and his wife, Eleanor, and a plaque will be mounted in permanent recognition of his service to this important institution.

It is ironic, however, that the dedication ceremony took place before the opening-night performance of “Scrooge, the Musical,” because no one who has known Becker either through his long community involvement or his calling as an educator would ever think of him as cold hearted.

Indeed, the word “angel” is more likely to be used to describe him — as it was by Mary Ruth Lynn, executive director of the Playhouse.

“He has been an angel to this place,” Lynn said in an interview with The Vindicator. “Had he not been on the scene, the Playhouse would have closed. We would not be here today.”

No, the executive director was not being dramatic in talking about the theater’s rendezvous with death. At the end of 2008, the Playhouse had a debt of close to $1 million, a roof and furnace that had to be replaced and other repairs to the building that had to be made. The board of directors canceled the rest of the season, and in January 2009, a lien for unpaid federal taxes was placed on the facility. And then the pipes burst — literally — flooding the building.

Most people believed the final curtain was days away.

Enter Becker, whose credentials as an educator are acknowledged far and wide, and whose commitment to the Mahoning Valley is undisputed.

While not a theater person — “He’s a theater lover,” in the words of board member Dr. John Cox — Becker had the ability to analyze how the Playhouse had reached the point of near extinction and what needed to be done to revive it. He worked with the creditors to reduce debt, cut expenses, implemented austerity measures and did whatever was necessary to keep the doors open.

Fast forward to the 2010-2011 season when the community theater emerged financially sound and with a new focus artistically. The turnaround has not gone unnoticed in the community. The selection of plays has brought audiences back in force, with ticket sales this year up 64 percent over last year.

“This is a learning curve,” the president of the board said. “The learning curve has been steep because I have spent most of my life as an audience member.”

Becker did not know he was being honored until he was called on stage the night of the dedication of the lobby.

Dr. Cox was effusive in his praise for his colleague.

“Without someone of his integrity, knowledge and connection, we would not have been able to sustain the Playhouse. He jumped in and contacted bill collectors and personally financed a lot of things. He was a godsend.”

Political aspirations

With an individual of his caliber, you would think that a bid for elective office would be embraced by the public. Unfortunately, voters of the Youngstown City School District chose not to give him a chance to serve on the school board when he ran several years ago.

With his knowledge and experience in public education, he certainly would have been able to help steer the district away from academic and fiscal emergency.

The district’s loss has been the Playhouse’s gain.