And while the cast gets to take centre stage and enjoy a bow at the end, it is the faces in the shadows of backstage that deserve just as much applause.

If you have been to a Bendigo Theatre Company show in the past 20 years, there's a high chance you have seen a set built or designed by Ken Wells.

When you meet Ken, you get the feeling that the job is going to get done.

After I asked him if any set idea ever felt unachievable, he thought for a few seconds.

"Not really. We just make it work," he said.

It is the sort of attitude that helps make any theatre company successful.

Twenty years ago a BTC member asked Ken to help build a light. Since then he has come back to help bring countless shows to life in Bendigo.

"It started off with Colin Brown, who is a long time member," Ken said. "He knew I had a welding background and building experience and said 'can you come make this light up for us?' So I made that.

"The next year, he said 'can you give us a hand putting this bit together?' Righto. And I got hooked.

"The year after that was Oliver and they said 'come give us a hand'. Then it was 'the bloke who was going to do it can't do it. Do you want to to do the whole lot?' It snowballed from there."

While it is all well and good to go and help out, what kept bringing Ken back each year?

"Stupidity? No, it was a really good feeling at the end of it all to see the audiences really appreciate what you've done," he said.

"There's a hell of a lot of shows that I have had something to do with. You walk around (BTC's Arts Shed) looking at old posters, there's not many I haven't had a hand in somewhere.

"(It is good) to put on the best show you can for the company and build our reputation. It's getting pretty high now, which is good."

This year Ken took on the role of technical director for BTC's production of Wicked. Last week the show yielded 13 awards at the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria including best settings and excellence awards for Ken and his team.

It is another boost in reputation for the Bendigo organisation.

"We're all still flying high at the moment," he said.

"We were in the guild years ago and they weren't really taking notice of regional (companies) so (BTC) went away from it.

"Then we paid up again two or three years ago and have been nominated for something each year. This was the second time we have been nominated for sets but the first year we went over the top (and won).

"We had a core group of around about 10 people who did a lot of the work but there were a lot of other helpers come in even for a bit of painting. A lot of people were involved."

Wicked's sets were immersive for audiences, something Ken was excited to hear about after the show. During the show, from his spot backstage, he just wanted everything to go right.

"It was immersive theatre. The overall look of everything (stood out)," he said. "It all fit so well together, the cast was brilliant and it all meshed in. You just hope everything goes right. For Wicked, I never got to see the show from the front because I was working the flies with two other blokes.

"This was one of hardest shows for the flymen. In the first 12 minutes there were 12 flies (to pull or down). So you were nearly running from one spot to the other.

"On opening night the biggest thing you hope is that you have marked everything off and ticked all the boxes so it all runs correctly. There are always a few hiccups but hopefully audiences don't realise."

RELATED

When the show is all finished and packed up, then Ken gets his chance to reflect on the work the whole production team has done.

"You get quite a bit of feedback from people you know in the audience," he said. "Quite a bit of what I have heard is that it blew audiences out of the water. They had no idea something like that could be done outside Melbourne or a professional show."

"Wicked was a big show. It was the biggest we've done by far. It was the most expensive show we have put on but, in the end, it was really good to get that recognition."

Making his time as a set builder, technical director and, currently, vice-president of BTC more enjoyable is that Ken's family is also involved in helping to create community theatre magic.

Ken's wife Anne has been involved in sets, props, costumes and set dressings among other roles over the years while his daughter Melissa has performed but is also developing her audio engineer talents.

"It's good support to have and we're all here together," Ken said. "I don't think there are many shows the three of us haven't been involved in. My son also did some stuff early on."

Away from theatre, Ken was born and bred in Bendigo. With his family ties to the city going back a few generations, Ken never considered leaving his home town.

He grew up on a poultry farm in Lockwood and has called Huntly home for more than 30 years. But Ken's first taste of performing came as a teenager many years before he was the set building expert he is today.

"When I was much younger I did tap dancing for a few years. But that was a long, long time ago. I was about 15 or 16 and still at Kangaroo Flat Tech," he said.

"That was as close as I got to a stage. It was quite a few years later before I (was near a stage) again. And I've always been beside the stage, not on the stage."

Comparing present-day community theatre with what it was in years gone by is something Ken is in a good position to do.

"It probably was not as organised as it is now but there was probably less pressure back then," he said. "We didn't do as many shows, now we doing quite a few shows and with Tribe Youth Theatre involved as well, it makes the calendar fairly busy.

"There's not much of a break. It's almost one show into the next, into the next. Hence the need of a few more hands (backstage), otherwise you get burnt out.

"There was a time when it was only three or four of us (building sets). Every now and then you might have a few more come in to help us put bits together. It's always good to have helpers."

The facilities on offer for today's performer is also a luxury according to Ken.

"In years gone by, before we had the shed, (casts) never had a set to rehearse on. Maybe just some lines on the ground and a couple of chairs," Ken said.

"They never saw the set until they got to the theatre. So now, they're spoilt quite a bit. Most of the shows have a resemblance of a set to rehearse on and get an idea of where everything is. It's a luxury. But the future of company is very strong. We keep going up. I'm not sure if we can beat Wicked's performance but our next major musical, We Will Rock You, will be a good show."

Do you know someone with a story worth sharing? Contact the newsroom on 5434 4470 or addynews@bendigoadvertiser.com.au