Ken Zommer
Senior Project Manager

kzommer@chicagoscenic.com

Ken’s interest in technical theater started in his freshman year of high school and ultimately resulted in his pursuit of a BFA in theatre and design from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater. Early on, Ken says, he understood that working ‘behind the scenes’ was the best way to be present at an event and not actually be in the event.

After graduating from Wisconsin, Ken worked for in theaters from Denver to La Jolla, eventually spending five years as the technical director for The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. When the theatre’s collection of shows began to move into their second rotation, Ken knew it was time to leave; he headed home to Chicago and joined Chicago Scenic in 1993.

In his role as one of three senior project managers, Ken acts as the direct contact with clients and as the conduit between clients and the shop floor. It’s his responsibility to oversee and coordinate projects as they move through various shop departments (carpentry, metals, paints, for example) and ensure that projects adhere to their budgets and timetables. Because of Ken’s past experience as a stage mechanic, he also oversees CSSI’s automation and control systems and staff, as well as staff in the company’s Rentals Department, Traffic Department, and Special Projects area. 

A few of Ken’s projects repeat each year; Radio City’s annual traveling show, “Christmas Across America”, is one of those. “It’s nice to see the same teams come back together” on a project, Ken says. “It gives you confidence in the other members of the team and it makes the job you have to do easier because you know you can count on the team.” 

In 2007, Ken was also the project manager for the 75th anniversary presentation of New York City’s “Radio City Christmas Spectacular”. “This was a special project,” he says, “because we were the only contractor not located in New York.”  Ken credits CSSI’s past experience in working with the show’s producer and designer that led to CSSI being asked to work on the 75th celebration.

Ken has also served as the project manager for the Democratic National Conventions of 1996, 2000 and 2004. In high school, Ken had always dreamed about being on the floor at a national presidential convention when the party candidate was nominated. Through his work at Chicago Scenic, he’s been able to realize that dream not just once, but three times.

Ken also recently led the CSSI team that contributed to the construction and installation of “Ancient Americas”, a new and permanent exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History.