Production Plus’ recent work for a pharmaceutical giant was punctuated by a giant nasal sprayer, fabricated entirely in the Production Plus shop.  It was a highlight of the corporation’s general session, helping raise the employee’s level of excitement about the new product their company was releasing.

How does it work?  Only one man can answer that; the notoriously tight-lipped Greg Kieta, part owner and technical wizard of Pro Plus.  But asking, either directly or indirectly, will not pry a response from him, nor will wheedling, cajoling, or bribery.  Not because how it works is any great secret, per se–but because the inner workings of any prop, in any show, are best left to the imagination.

Larger than life.

The employees and owners of Production Plus pride themselves on their theatrical backgrounds.  More than 75% of the staff come from the light booths, scene shops, and wings of theatres around the Chicago area and elsewhere.  Ask anyone in the office or shop where they developed their love for stagecraft; odds are they will tell you about a production of a play or musical.  They’ll be able to tell you the difference between a leko and a fresnel, a teaser and a tormentor. (Do YOU know the difference? Find out here.) 

The shows and the budgets may have gotten bigger from the days in those old theaters, but the desire to produce shows with an air of theatrical magic has not.  Corporations who are looking to create excitement around their new products or their annual meeting should take note; the spirit of theater is alive and well at Production Plus.