SoundstageEDU: Building Better Theater Tech
by SoundstageEDU
🎭 SoundstageEDU began backstage — among the headsets, cables, and quiet heroes who make the magic happen. Today, it’s a movement for every parent, student, and educator fighting for the heart of fine arts. From burnout to booster culture, we’re rebuilding what support really means. Because what happens behind the curtain matters just as much as what happens under the lights.✨ Subscribe for bonus training + extended episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/soundstageedu/subscribe
Episodes
-
The Kid Inside of the Machine
This time of year is crazy, isn't it? I have not disappeared, I have just been busy like the rest of you out there! But today, I did something a little out of character. My kid wanted to explore the horror genre, so we did that together, and what happened was a realization about youth performance...
-
Marching Band Is for Everyone. But Not Like That.
Should every student in marching band be guaranteed a drill spot, solo, leadership role, or performance opportunity? As debates over marching band alternates, fairness, and inclusion get louder, parents and educators need to separate belonging from entitlement... and disappointment from…
more -
"Are These Band Fees LEGAL?" The 501(c)(3) myth explained
There are fees associated with all of our kids activities. This is nothing new. But, they are getting expensive and now some parents are questioning them. I am not saying pay them blindly, please, question them. But, let's ask the right questions. This episode is the first in a series of coming...
-
Belonging - The True Lesson We Teach in the Arts
It sounds so simple... Belonging. Of course we belong, right? Somewhere? It's not really that big of a deal... is it? This is one of those topics that we just don't address often enough inside of these programs. We all want to belong to the room... Are we making that an accessible thing for them?...
-
REST STOP: The Season Begins...
I said that when it was needed, I would bring back the Rest Stops. I feel that this is the perfect time as many of us are now officially starting our seasons. Some of you parents are experiencing the first Friday Night Iights... And some of you are experiencing the First Last of the season......
-
Maybe Your Volunteer Opportunities just SUCK
Ouch... Ok. Let me explain. We have spent a lot of time here working through this whole "No one wants to volunteer anymore" mess. And it is a mess, I know... But, maybe we have been considering the wrong value proposition the entire time... Maybe... Just maybe... Your presented volunteer...
-
Hey Dinosaurs - Listen up... This one is for you
So, you saw Dinosaur Rant #1 most likely. I mean, over 100,000 of you did. Then I posted again in response... And now, I did what any level headed podcast producer does and I responded verbally. I recorded this, edited it, prepared to upload it, and while it was exporting, I found a couple dudes...
-
The Last Note: A Reflection on the End of something that MATTERS
I struggled with this. I don't like being vulnerable in public. I listened to this multiple times and almost just deleted it. I also recorded this over a week ago and say on it... Which is why there has been a stall in my production of episodes here. But, even though this story has a lot to do…
more -
The Weight of the Uniform: Legacy, Expectations, and the Pressure We Ask Young People to Carry
What does it feel like to wear the uniform of a legendary program? Whether your jacket says Avon, Carmel, Broken Arrow, Blue Devils, Bluecoats, or the name of a small hometown band working toward its own legacy, every student eventually faces the same question: "Can I live up to the expectations...
-
The Invitation They Never Heard: Why Good People Don't Volunteer (And What We Can Do About It)
What if the problem isn't that people don't want to help... What if they were simply never invited? In this episode, we explore one of the biggest misconceptions in volunteer organizations. The issue isn't a lack of willing people - it's a lack of intentional connection. We talk about the quiet...
-
To the Students, to the Directors, to the Parents, to the Community
Look... I never expected this response to the content that I produce. But, I do react to what you all tell me. I am human, and I have emotions... This is fine arts. It just comes with the territory... But, it was the students responses that drove this short episode. It's important. Give it a...
-
Live Streaming Series: Charlie Rankin - Fundraising
This was a great conversation I had with fundraiser Charlie Rankin from Florida. A former band director turned fundraiser gives him an excellent perspective on what works and what doesnt... And in this conversation, you will discover some things you may not have even considered. Follow along for...
-
WHEN THE MISSION BECOMES A SHIELD: A Nonprofit Fraud Warning for Every Booster Club
A nonprofit can have a beautiful mission, passionate volunteers, generous donors and families it has genuinely helped—and still become dangerously vulnerable when trust replaces oversight. In this episode of SoundstageEDU, Mike DeJohn examines the criminal allegations involving the founder of...
-
CULTURE MINUTE: Dear School Administrators
This culture minute was another request from a listener. They asked that I speak to the administrators about the gap in support that exists between the arts and athletics. This is not criticism, this is an invitation. An invitation to see, to REALLY see what the arts are doing for our children....
-
CULTURE MINUTE: You Can Do Hard Things
Today, I want to talk to the parents, and even myself... I had just recorded this when I got a message from a parent who was going through this exact situation. I was going to wait to upload this, but felt this needed to go up now despite all the other episodes I needed to finish and get…
more -
Culture Minute: You Matter More Than You Think
This one is for the students. We spend most of our time talking to the parents and directors about the students , but now it is time to speak to you directly. This is for the nervous new kid, or even the nervous vet. Now matter where you land on the totem poll here, I want you to know that you...
-
Lunch and Learn: Percussion and Influencer Pedagogy with Chris Wolf
Those of you who have been in the percussion arena for at least 2 decades have given witness to a new "Trend." Influencers. And a rise to algorithmic pedagogy... In this episode, I speak with Chris Wolf, a percussion instructor from North Carolina. He, like myself, has seen some stuff. So, we sit...
-
It's The SoundstageEDU Anniversary
I can't believe we have been doing this for an entire year! Seriously... I had no real plan when I started this, but, here we are. This is the origin story and the plan that we have now... Thanks for being here. For real. Thanks. We ain't goin nowhere.
-
Culture Minute: Band Dads
This one's for the band dads. Somewhere between pulling the trailer, filling water jugs, and standing on the sidelines, many of us discover something unexpected—we fall in love with marching band too. This episode is about giving dads permission to care deeply, to be proud, to be emotional, and…
more -
Conversations with Booster Parents: Episode 1
Join SoundstageEDU as we sit down with a parent booster and discuss life as a booster! I am joined by Christine Rognerud from the Great State of Texas! Interested in joining me on an episode like this? Reach out to us and let us know.
-
Heat Doesn't Care How Tough You Are
This wasn't a planned episode. It's an Emergency Episode. With Fourth of July parades, summer rehearsals, and band camps beginning across the country, thousands of students will spend hours performing in dangerous heat. Every year, preventable heat illnesses send students, staff members, and...
-
CULTURE MINUTE 2: Excellence, Mediocrity, and the Line Between Them
What happens when "good enough" becomes the standard? In this Culture Minute, Mike explores the delicate balance between excellence and perfectionism, and why organizations rarely become mediocre overnight. Whether you're leading a booster club, a student organization, a nonprofit, or a…
more -
SoundstageEDU Culture Minute #1: The thing Nobody Talks About
Culture is the operating system underneath every system currently running within our organizations. This series of brief talks will address a lot of the issues we have seen inside of the booster and volunteer led organization space and we will connect them to culture. The aim is to give you...
-
The Myth of Keeping Everyone: A Green Room Conversation About Leadership, Culture, and Letting People Go
Why healthy leaders stop measuring success by who leaves and start investing in the people who stay. We spend so much time worrying about retention that we sometimes forget the real purpose of leadership. In this Green Room conversation, Mike explores a powerful lesson he heard from another...
-
The Parent's Bleachers: A Different Conversation About Being a Band Parent
Every parent eventually asks the question: "What am I supposed to do now?" In this episode, we explore the real role of a band parent—not as a manager, fixer, or sideline coach, but as a steady source of support while students grow through the challenges and opportunities that music education...
-
When They Come Home Different: A Drum Corps Letter to Parents
This episode is a letter to drum corps parents, especially those sending their kids off for their first summer on tour. When they come home, they may be different: tired, quiet, grieving, independent, restless, and still emotionally connected to the people and world they just left behind. That...
-
Exposure Doesn't Pay the Mortgage
Every year, as marching arts programs begin hiring staff, designers, arrangers, clinicians, consultants, and support personnel, the same conversation resurfaces: "We don't have a budget, but it would be great exposure." Today, we're tackling a difficult truth that many organizations need to hear....
-
Your Booster Problem Isn’t Fundraising
Everywhere I look right now, I see the same conversations happening inside booster organizations across the country. “We need more fundraising.” “We can’t get volunteers.” “The boosters and director are fighting.” “The school won’t fund us.” “The same parents do everything.” “We’re exhausted.”…
more -
Selective Outrage: The Art We Protect vs. The Art We Fear
If controversy is the standard, then why are only certain stories considered dangerous? A Wisconsin school board removed a student concert piece because of the historical figure it honored. That decision sparked a much larger question: Why are some controversial artists, composers, and historical...
-
When a School Board Is Afraid of a Piece of Music
What happens when a school board removes a piece of instrumental music from a student concert because of the historical figure it honors? In this episode, we unpack the controversy surrounding the removal of Omar Thomas’s A Mother of a Revolution! from a Wisconsin high school concert program…
more -
You Cannot Build a Healthy Program on Burnt-Out Parents
Every year, the same exhausted handful of parents quietly carry entire fine arts programs on their backs… until they can’t anymore. In this episode of the SoundstageEDU Podcast, Mike DeJohn dives deep into the real volunteer crisis happening inside marching bands, theater boosters, choir…
more -
When Music Becomes Dangerous: The Wisconsin Band Controversy Nobody Wants to Talk About
A Wisconsin school board is considering pulling a wind ensemble piece from a spring concert just days before performance because of its ties to LGBTQ+ history. No lyrics. No explicit content. Just instrumental music. But the controversy surrounding “A Mother of a Revolution” raises much bigger...
-
Is a 501(c)(3) Worth It for Boosters… Or Is It Just More Trouble?
Every time the topic of 501(c)(3) status comes up in booster groups, the same question follows: “Is it really worth it… or is it just more trouble?” And if you’ve ever been part of one of those conversations, you already know… This isn’t just about paperwork. It’s about trust. It’s about control....
-
This Is Not Political. This Is Personal. | Standing With Westfield High School
A recent controversy surrounding Westfield High School has sparked outrage across the marching arts community after comments made by Micah Beckwith questioned the nature of a student indoor percussion performance. In this episode, SoundstageEDU founder Mike DeJohn breaks down what’s actually...
-
The Fundraising Trap No One Sees: When “Fair” Starts to Drift
There’s a conversation happening right now across booster groups, parent forums, and leadership teams about fundraising models that “give money back” to participants. On the surface, it sounds fair. It sounds modern. It sounds like a solution to one of the biggest tensions in school-based…
more -
Stop Taking Advice from Facebook: The Truth About Booster Club Fees and 501(c)(3) Rules
If you’ve recently found yourself deep in a Facebook thread about booster club fees, fairness, or “what’s legal”… this episode is for you. Because right now, across the country, parents and board members are trying to solve complex nonprofit governance issues in comment sections—and it’s creating...
-
Real Cases, Real Arrests: When Booster Noncompliance becomes REAL
I recorded this sometime last week and apparently never uploaded it. So, we will fix that today. If I did publish this and I can not find it, for whatever reason, well, listen to it again. In this episode, I talk about a few real cases that are currently ongoing right now in our nonprofit booster...
-
When Governance Gets Called Drama
A parent asked a simple question: “Are our bylaws even being followed?” Within 50 comments… she became the problem. In this episode, we break down a real-world booster conflict that spiraled fast—and what it reveals about governance, culture, and the uncomfortable truth behind “just keep the...
-
The Myth of ‘The Nature of the Beast’ (And Why It’s Burning Your Program Down)
Everyone says burnout is just “part of the deal.” It’s not. In this episode, we break down the myth of “the nature of the beast” and expose what’s really happening inside many programs: systems built on overextension, unclear structure, and unspoken expectations. If you’ve ever wondered why: the...
-
Incremental Drift: How Good Programs Slowly Go Off the Rails
You don’t wake up one day and decide to run a broken organization. It happens slowly. Quietly. One decision at a time. In this episode, we unpack the concept of incremental drift—how well-meaning booster organizations gradually move away from structure, compliance, and clarity without even...
-
The Fundraising Lie That Could Cost You Everything
Most booster organizations don’t realize they are operating in high-risk territory… until it’s too late. In this emergency episode, we break down a real-world conversation happening right now among band parents and booster leaders—and why the most common fundraising practices may be exposing your...
-
Why It’s Always the Treasurer (And Why That’s Not the Real Problem)
“It’s not that treasurers steal. It’s that we built systems where they can.” ~Mike Every time it happens, the headline is the same: Booster treasurer arrested. And every time, the reaction is the same: anger, disbelief, outrage. But what if we’re asking the wrong question? In this episode, we…
more -
Your Term Is Ending… Now What?
This is a question most booster leaders avoid... Why? Because we honestly love the programs we support and the idea of actually walking away is a hard pill to swallow. So, we do what most avoidant people do, and we, well, we avoid it. But, that puts the incoming class in a bind. So, lets address...
-
The Same 5 People Are Doing Everything… And The Lie That Keeps It That Way
There’s a conversation happening in booster programs everywhere right now: “We just can’t get anyone to help.” It sounds simple. It feels frustrating. And eventually, someone says it out loud: “People just don’t care.” But what if that’s not true? In this episode, we break down what’s actually...
-
'Just Follow the Bylaws’… Okay, But How?
Booster Club Bylaws Explained (What They Actually Mean & How to Use Them) There’s a phrase that shows up in almost every booster conversation: “Just follow the bylaws.” But if you’ve ever stepped into leadership and felt completely unclear about what that actually means… you’re not alone. In this...
-
Helping vs Overstepping: The Line That Breaks Booster Programs
Most booster programs don’t fall apart because people don’t care. They fall apart because everyone cares… but nobody defined the line. In this episode, we break down one of the most common—and dangerous—phrases in booster culture: 👉 “We just help the director with whatever they need.” Sounds...
-
Why WGI Feels So Different (And Why That’s a Good Thing)
Every year around WGI Finals… it starts. The questions. The frustration. The debates about scoring, placements, and “what went wrong.” But what if the issue isn’t the results… What if it’s that we’re trying to understand WGI through the wrong lens? In this episode, we break down the fundamental...
-
Fixing the System Is Easy… Talking About It Isn’t (How to Bring This to Your Booster Board)
You understand the problem. You may even know what needs to change. But you haven’t said anything yet. Not because you don’t care… But because you don’t know how to bring it up without causing tension, conflict, or confusion. This episode is about that moment. The one where you walk into a board...
-
ASK MIKE: The Debit Card Disaster and the Rental Truck
This was quite the situation but not as uncommon as you would think. Everyone was well intentioned, everyone was trying to just get the work done. It is in these moments that mistakes can become costly when solid governance is absent. Listen to this and then send us your question. We would love…
more -
Okay… Now What? How to Fix Booster Club Fundraising Without Violating IRS Rules
A lot of you asked the same question after the last episode: “Okay… we get it… but what do we actually DO now?” That’s a fair question. Because this isn’t just about understanding the rules—it’s about figuring out how to move forward without breaking your program, losing volunteers, or creating...
About this show
🎭 SoundstageEDU began backstage — among the headsets, cables, and quiet heroes who make the magic happen. Today, it’s a movement for every parent, student, and educator fighting for the heart of fine arts. From burnout to booster culture, we’re rebuilding what support really means. Because what happens behind the curtain matters just as much as what happens under the lights.✨ Subscribe for bonus training + extended episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/soundstageedu/subscribe
Hosted by
SoundstageEDU
Categories