Lauren Lynch, a Joliet native who says his family has been connected to the Rialto Square Theater for generations, recounted decades of backstage work and fundraising that helped keep the downtown theater operating.

"My great uncle and my grandfather were both signers on the charter," Lynch said, summarizing a family history he described as stretching back to the union’s charter in 1905 and the Rialto’s opening in 1926. Lynch said he first worked on shows in 1974 and later learned lighting and stagecraft under mentor Robert Kelly.

Lynch listed a string of headline performers who played the Rialto over the years, from Red Skelton to Glenn Campbell and Carol Burnett, and described how the theater combined touring acts with community events. "There’s no business like show business," he said of the emotion live performances can create.

Lynch also described the practical work that kept the theater running: developing group-sales and student‑matinee programs, selling sponsorships, and cultivating donors. He said those efforts helped bridge gaps in operating revenue after restoration work left limited funds for programming.

On logistics and access, Lynch provided the theater’s contact details: the Rialto Square Theater is at 102 North Chicago Street; the box office phone is (815) 726-6600, and listings are at realtosquare.com. He recommended in-person box-office purchases to avoid extra fees.

The anecdotes Lynch shared included the day Jerry Lee Lewis’s band briefly diverted to Memphis, leaving staff to stretch the program until the star arrived; Lynch said the concert ended abruptly when Lewis walked off in the middle of a song. He contrasted such crises with moments like Red Skelton’s arrival, when the performer personally contributed to early fundraising initiatives.

Lynch emphasized theater craft and training: "The most important thing he taught me was how to create a mood with the lighting," he said of his mentor. After more than five decades in the union, Lynch urged local audiences and businesses to continue supporting the Rialto’s season and fundraising efforts.

The program concluded with Lynch inviting listeners to upcoming shows and community events and with a general appeal to support downtown Joliet businesses that benefit from theater traffic.