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A theater can be a building—or a beacon. We sit down with volunteer tech lead and musician Ted Hillman to reveal how Hanford Multicultural Theater Company turned a small downtown space into a living hub for acting, improv, comedy, puppetry, and a fast-growing music scene. From the company’s early nomadic years to its permanent home on North Douty Street, Ted shares how one simple idea—the Jam Lab—helped break the “no scene here” myth by removing barriers and inviting musicians to create together on the spot.

You’ll hear how providing a backline drum kit and reliable sound turned an open mic into a collaborative improv night where strangers become bandmates, teens find mentors, and working artists connect with players for paid gigs. We dig into the power of improv to spark trust, why all-ages participation builds a resilient arts community, and how clear, consistent programming—from acting classes to marionette theater—brings more people downtown. Along the way, we round up city council highlights, including a million-dollar Urban Forest Master Plan grant, groundwater planning, and a proposed e-mobility ordinance, plus a full sports update with playoff seeds, upsets, and next matchups across basketball and soccer.

This episode is a playbook for growing culture at street level: start with access, remove friction, and welcome everyone from first-timers to seasoned pros. If you’re local, you’ll leave with concrete dates, links, and ideas. If you’re listening from another city, you’ll hear a model worth borrowing—one stage, many voices, real momentum.

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