The Show Must Go On by Bash Creative

What makes an experience actually stay with someone after the event ends? In Episode 5 of The Show Must Go On, Danielle sits down with Tome Wilson, Bash Creative’s futurist and Senior Manager of Event Innovation. Tome has spent more than two decades working across live experience, technology, education, and human behavior. His work spans Disney, Subaru, Comcast, Xfinity, the Olympics, and Universal. He also holds a master’s in themed entertainment and has spent years teaching the next generation of event professionals. They explore how environmental design shapes what guests feel, notice, and remember. Tome breaks down guest journeys, emotional architecture, thresholds, and sensory design. He also shares why the best place to start is by asking, how should the guest feel when they leave? The conversation dives into active listening, creative judgment, and the grit it takes to turn an idea into a memorable experience. For event planners, experiential designers, corporate event professionals, and anyone interested in guest experience strategy, this episode offers a practical look at designing events around human behavior. Find resources and more from this episode at: www.bash-creative.com/podcast/

What does great AV production actually require behind the scenes? In Episode 4 of The Show Must Go On, Annalee sits down with Mike Kuhlmann of Got Light, who has spent 30 years in the events industry and helped produce nearly 2,000 events. During his time with Got Light, Mike has helped grow the company, expand its capabilities beyond lighting into full audio and video production, and lead some of its largest and most complex projects. They unpack the logistics behind strong AV production, why rehearsals and technical site visits matter, and what happens when production partners are not planning together. Mike also breaks down the roles of lighting, audio, video, rigging, and technical direction so emerging event professionals can better understand how each piece contributes to the live experience. And because this is The Show Must Go On, there are stories. Mike shares what happens when weather turns a hilltop event into a mud pit, how Got Light pivoted during the pandemic, and what it takes to respond when a CEO decides to make a last-minute entrance on water skis. For anyone looking to better understand live event AV production, this episode offers a practical look at everything that keeps a show moving. Find resources and more from this episode at: www.bash-creative.com/podcast/

In Episode 3 of The Show Must Go On, Annalee sits down with Tommy Halvorson, founder and owner of The Fire Society, the hospitality group behind Foxtail Catering & Events, Radish Workplace Services, Tonic Beverage Catering, and Wolfsbane. With more than two decades of experience building hospitality businesses and executing complex events, Tommy brings an operator’s perspective to what great corporate event catering actually requires. They unpack why corporate event food and beverage should be approached as part of the event strategy. Tommy explains why caterers need to understand the experience you are trying to create and what separates an order-taker from a true strategic catering partner. The conversation also gets into one of the biggest misconceptions around event food and beverage budgets... That the food itself is only one piece of the cost. He dives into the realities that bringing a restaurant-quality experience to a temporary environment affects catering costs. And then there are the stories you only get from someone who has done the work. Like building nearly 400 delicate potato “nests” for a wedding and figuring out how to transport them 90 miles without destroying them. Find resources and more from this episode at bash-creative.com/podcast

What makes one event space feel effortless while another feels confusing, crowded, or disconnected? In Episode 2 of The Show Must Go On, Annalee Hagood-Earl talks with Bash Creative Creative Producer Natalie Dalton about environmental design and the subtle decisions that shape how people move, interact, and feel inside an event. The conversation goes far beyond furniture and décor. Natalie breaks down guest journey, wayfinding, floor plans, room sets, lighting, activations, site visits, load-in considerations, and the importance of designing for real human behavior. She also shares how travel, architecture, culture, and hospitality have influenced the way she approaches each event she engineers. At its core, this episode is about designing spaces with more intention. Because the strongest environments help people understand where to go, feel comfortable being there, and connect more naturally with the experience around them. Find show notes, resources, and more from this episode at: www.bash-creative.com/podcast/

What does it actually take to manage a corporate event from the inside? In our first episode of The Show Must Go On, Annalee sits down with Danielle Leeke, Director of Event Operations at Bash Creative, to unpack the systems, instincts, and decision-making behind strong event production management. Danielle shares how experienced producers think beyond task lists to manage the full picture of an event. From defining scope and managing stakeholders to building production timelines, tracking multi-million-dollar budgets, preparing contingency plans, and navigating last-minute changes, this conversation gets into the work that keeps complex events moving. Whether you are building your career in events, managing corporate events internally, or simply want a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes, this episode offers a practical look at how great producers approach the work. Find show notes, resources, and more from this episode at: https://www.bash-creative.com/podcast/