Bill "Uncle Bill" Sapsis: Bill Sapsis, President of Sapsis Rigging, Inc., began his career in 1972. His work on Broadway includes the original productions of A Chorus Line and The Runner Stumbles. Bill opened Sapsis Rigging in 1981 and has grown the company into a multi-faceted installation/production/service company with clients on six continents.
Bill’s articles and lectures on rigging and safety can be found in numerous publications worldwide. He has authored two books; Heads and Tales and Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century. Bill is the chair of the ETCP Arena Subject Matter Experts and a member of the ETCP Council. He serves on ESTA's Technical Standards Committee and is co-Chair of the ANSI accredited Rigging Working Group. Bill sits on the Board of Directors for the Behind the Scenes Charity.
Bill is a USITT Fellow and a member of ABTT. He is a founding member (retired) of the Long Reach Long Riders, an industry-based charity motorcycle group. He is the Executive Producer of BackStage Pass, a video interview series on YouTube and was one of the organizers of the New World Rigging Symposium. Bill is also the Executive Director, Emeritus, of the North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (NATEAC). email Bill |
Camille Petrillo is a relatively new acquisition to the SRI crew, starting part-time writing safety documentation before coming on full time with SRI in early 2023. As a self-proclaimed safety nerd, she has a diverse background in the industry and can be found on inspections, at rescue trainings, and managing the inspection division out of her home base in the Washington, DC area. She is a member of the ETCP Rigging Working Group and has an OSHA-30 certification.
When not on the road, she enjoys tending to her garden, playing boardgames with her roommate, and cooking up enormous quantities of tasty food.
email Camille |
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David Gillispie has been the operations manager for Sapsis Rigging since 2020. He comes to us from Southern California, where he was previously the Rigging Coordinator at the Anaheim Convention Center. David Holds an ETCP certification in Arena Rigging.
When not working David can be found surfing during the summer months, or hiking with his wife, and dog cooper. He is also a huge Tampa Bay Lightning fan. David currently lives in Baltimore Maryland with his wife, Olivia, dog Cooper, and cat Storm. email David |
Jeff Prorok started at SRI as a shop assistant and now heads up our Sales Department. When we can pry him out of the warehouse, Jeff likes to golf but doesn't do it enough. He is an avid reader and a huge Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles fan. He enjoys movies and loves all types of music. Enthusiastically plays guitar and sings in a band every Friday, at his house. He has been living in the Philly area for 15 years and now lives in Manayunk with his girlfriend Dacia and their fish. email Jeff |
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Lisa May has been the bookkeeper for Sapsis Rigging since 1994. Born and raised in Northern Ohio, she has enjoyed living in the Philadelphia area since moving here with her husband, Dan and son, Adam. Lisa received her Bachelor’s Degree from The Ohio State University, and also worked in the mortgage business prior to coming to work for Sapsis.
When she’s not juggling the numbers, Lisa can usually be found spending time with her husband, Dan, a singer songwriter. email Lisa |
Loren Schreiber—BA, MA, MFA, ETCP-T. Loren began his professional career as Technical Director for the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, where he was instrumental in the production of more than 150 shows, including the world premiere of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, Neil Simon’s Rumors and Jake’s Women, the national tour of James Lapine’s Falsettos and the Broadway revival of Damn Yankees. After 12 years in Regional Theatre, Loren joined the faculty of San Diego State University, where he founded the San Diego Theatre Arts Research Laboratory (STAR-Lab), which developed one of the first commercially available stage automation systems. Loren’s association with Sapsis Rigging began in 2005 with the inspection of the automated rigging of Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio, Las Vegas. He currently manages the SRI cruise division, responsible for safety and rigging inspections of the performance venues on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. He has made 60+ cruises in the last 10 years, visiting more than 50 countries on 6 continents in the process.
Loren is a former, multi-term board member of USITT, and currently the USITT Technical Production Commission liaison to OISTAT. He is a founding member of the Long Reach Long Riders motorcycle charity ride, raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and Behind the Scenes. In his spare time, he enjoys flying small planes upside down and riding motorcycles right side up. email Loren |
Paul “Luke” Lewkowicz has been working in professional theatre since the Carter Administration as a rigger, lighting designer, set designer, and technical director in Boston, NY, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He has extensive experience in rigging lights, sets, and sound in places they were never meant to be and has worked with professional and regional theatre companies, national dance companies, university & school drama departments, and touring companies. Luke is an ETCP Certified Rigger for Arenas & Theatres and has OSHA 10 and MEWP Certifications. Luke is a proud member of USITT and the ESTA/TSP Rigging Working Group. email Luke |
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Mark McKinney has a BA from SUNY Fredonia in Theatre Design & Technology. His production experience includes work with the National Playwrights Conference, Hartford Ballet, SUNY Purchase/Pepsico Summerfare and South Coast Repertory. With over 30 years of experience in entertainment, industrial, military systems and expendable sales, Mark has worked with many of the top manufacturers and distributors including Rosco, Strand Lighting, Lex Products, W.A. Benjamin Electric and Texas Scenic. When he is not supporting his customers, you can find him on a local golf course with his wife, Tracey. In the off-season hiking the Hudson Valley and working on his photography keep him busy.
email Mark |
Michael Sapsis has been with Sapsis Rigging since the early 80’s. During his tenure with SRI he has been head rigger for innumerable high profile projects around the world, including the original Seventh on Sale AIDS Benefits, Anthropordino at the Park Avenue Armory, the Crystal Ball at Mt. Sinai and special events in London, Hong Kong and Cheng Du, China. Prior to joining SRI Michael was the road manager for Judy Collins and the LD at the Savoy/Hudson Theatre in NYC. Michael holds an ETCP Certification in Theatrical rigging.
Any resemblance to his twin brother Bill is purely biological. email Michael |
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Sarah Gowan has been with SRI since 1984, when she was hired as a scenic artist before the ink had dried on her Temple University theater degree. She's worn many hats since, including paint charge, bookkeeper and office manager. Most recently she serves as the company materials editor, graphic artist, webmanager and, because she has read more computer manuals than anyone else, default IT manager.
In her life outside of SRI she performs with a percussive dance group, and plays for contra, square and English country dances - activities which mortified her two children until they grew up and thought she was cool again. When asked how she manages to pack so much into her busy life she replies, "Easy - don't clean." email Sarah |
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