EDUCATION

Retiring teacher known for creativity

Brianna Childers bchilders@cjonline.com
Mike Callaway, Topeka West High School designer and technical director for 35 years, retired this spring. A reception will be held 2-5 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at Topeka West. [Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal]

After 35 years and over 100 sets built, Mike Callaway can shuffle through hundreds of photos and recall off the top of his head what play the set is from and who helped create it.

Melanie Ralston, Topeka West High School speech and language teacher, will tell you Callaway is able to recall a set design because he adds a unique element to each one.

Callaway retired this spring from Topeka West as the resident design and technical director, and he is taking his unique touch with him.

A reception will be held for him from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 2, at Topeka West.

Callaway has a hard time saying what makes his sets unique, so he leaves it to Doug Goheen, friend and colleague, to answer the question.

"The style and awareness of the context in which they are presented so that they support the work and are well researched into the time period," Goheen said.

Goheen said Callaway's sets are detailed, and he is fairly certain half of their audiences attend productions just for the sets.

"Mike has the unusual combination of being a visionary artist and a master tech," Goheen said. "Sometimes with tech directors you get one or the other but not both. Someone who knows how to build and assemble all this stuff but they don't have an eye, an artistic eye, which it has to start with. If he's ignorant of a particular time period or unaware of certain things associated with the show, he'll research."

Callaway agrees that he loves research.

"You have the plays that are very period specific and demand attention to that detail, and then you have Shakespeare productions where you have more leeway in where you go with it," Callaway said. "You can be more create and yet there are still demands within that you have to fulfill."

Ralston, who has worked with Callaway for 34 years doing props for Topeka West productions, said she thinks the most challenging set they worked on together was "Jekyll and Hyde," because of the props and a revolving stage that had to be timed just right.

Ralston said Callaway also built a turn table with a 30-foot diameter that has been used for several plays.

Ralston said she has always appreciated that Callaway is a perfectionist.

"When we are researching a show it's really important for him to make sure students know how to research even the smallest little prop to make sure we have the time period correct and it's as accurate as possible," Ralston said. "If we don't have it in our stock,which a lot of times we don't, then he comes up with very creates ways that we can create or recreate something."

Over the years, Callaway has designed sets for "Romeo and Juliet," "Man of La Mancha," "Lost in Yonkers," and "Picnics."

In 2016, Callaway celebrated his 100th set design with "Noises Off."

Callaway is quick to say that he can't pick a favorite set.

"Every set is a favorite for a different reason," Callaway said. "Some people may remember being here and say 'this was my favorite show,' or 'this show I really liked.' I'll let them decide which was their favorite show of my shows."

Callaway said working with students is why he started teaching, and he enjoys being able to watch them grow and have an appreciation for the arts. 

In 2009, Callaway got the chance to work with his former student Ryan McCoy, who took over as director of Topeka West Theatre.

McCoy said that as one of Callaway's students, he learned it's OK to be odd and outgoing and that theater is a place for everybody.

"In his shop he works with all different types of students, so it's interesting to see that we don't have to be pigeonholed into one idea of who we work with and what types of ideas we can do," McCoy said. "So I think that's probably what I'll take with me the most. It takes all different types to make theater work and he was able to work with everybody."

While plenty of students have learned from Callaway and gone on to pursue careers in theater and stagecraft, he has learned a thing or two from them, too.

"They've taught me compassion, understanding, energy—I've learned to appreciate their energy because that's what keeps me going — and their eagerness to create," Callaway said.

Some of Callaway's students have gone on to work in construction, light design and the circus.

Goheen said the legacy Callaway will leave behind is his effectiveness and ability to execute and create sets that have been associated with Topeka West since Callaway started 35 years ago.

"The spectacle of the sets has always impressed people tremendously, and I think his legacy will be one that is an invitation to continue that expertise," Goheen said.

Now that Callaway is retired, for now, he said, he will focus on family, friends and traveling.

When asked if he will return to theater at some point, he responded with a firm "no" and said he has been fulfilled.

"I should never say never," Callaway added after a beat.