A Workshop on Wheels
Because Des Moines Metro Opera only occupies the Blank Performing Arts Center (BPAC) from late May to late July each year, the production team must move much of its equipment from the company's off-site scenic shop to the theatre, then move it back again when the season ends. From hardware and tools to cleaning supplies and even hair rollers, everything needs to be transported, organized, and easily accessible at both locations.
Much like a Broadway show on tour across the country, DMMO needed an efficient way to move an entire operation while keeping track of countless tools and items. The solution? Custom-made storage units that roll.
“With the limited storage space in both the theatre and the shop and the limited amount of time we have to load into the Blank Performing Arts Center (BPAC), it only made sense for us to create storage units that all of our equipment can safely live in at both locations and make the journey back and forth without needing to load and unload each time,” Head Scenic Carpenter Nolan Moralez said. As for what they will store, Moralez says “everything!” From hardware to hardhats, and safety cones to dustpans, these rolling storage units can do it all.
Right now, there are 13 different types of storage units, with 39 ready to go and eight more coming down the line before the end of 2026. These storage units were all designed for DMMO's specific needs. Director of Production Clayton Rodney created the initial drafts, and the production team took it from there. “The vast majority were all built in-house,” mentioned Moralez, “with the exception of a couple for which we reached out to an independent contractor to finish while we prepared for our next festival.” Moving these storage units is also easy, according to Moralez. “We back our 26' box truck into our loading dock, roll our cabinets directly inside, then at the BPAC we make use of the truck’s lift gate to safely lower each cabinet into the parking lot where they can be rolled wherever is necessary.” The storage units also fit on a standard forklift, making them easy to lift if needed.
Improvements like rolling storage units are what help make DMMO's festival a success. “In a fast-paced environment like ours, having specific locations for each item helps both returning and new summer festival staff members." Without clear organizational systems, production members spend more time and resources looking for the necessary equipment instead of focusing on the project at hand. Now staff can find exactly what they need, when they need it, and easily return it to its specific place. "Need a wrench? Cabinet #199, 3 drawers down on the right. Power strip? #24, 2 cubbies down in the center. Hardhat? Well, those are all kept in #118.”
Little details like this often go overlooked, but they're more noticeable to festival-goers than you might think. If equipment is lost or not accounted for, design plans can easily fall through. For example, if a crew is required to wear hardhats but many are misplaced throughout the theatre, that limits how many people can work on the project, causing delays or even changes to the original design plan that may not fully capture the production's vision. With improvements like rolling storage units, staff can spend less time searching for items and more time bringing DMMO’s breathtaking new productions to life every summer.
