Our
Favorite
Stagehand

How do you become a military brat when your parents aren't even in the military?  That's easy, if your parents happen to be Robert Rector and Marsha Roberts and they tour a play called Letters From the Front to military bases all over the world.

To say that Matt Rector is worldly would be an understatement.  He has toured with the play since he was eight years old and his travels have taken him to virtually every major city in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii.  Overseas, Matt's journeys have taken him to England, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, S. Korea, Japan, Guam, Diego Garcia, and Kwajalein Atoll.  He has flown on almost every type of commercial aircraft, as well as military cargo planes, where he is often invited to hang with the flight crew in the cockpit.  One of his most memorable flight experiences was being allowed to "fly" the fueling hose on a tanker.  He also deemed "extremely cool" touring Europe in a concert bus that slept 12, previously used by Paul McCartney.

As Stagehand, Matt's duties consisted of helping the Production Stage Manager load-in and setup, assisting the Stars backstage, performing offstage sound effects, resetting props between scenes, occasionally running the follow spot for curtain call, and helping to strike the set and load out.  After hours Matt could be found sharpening his musical skills in the music rooms found in nearly every military base rec center.  

Matt no longer tours with our show because he is busy putting together a tour of his own for his popular DC-based band, "Shedding Skin."  Matt not only writes original music for the group but is also its lead singer.  Check it out at www.sheddingskinband.com.