By Dorian Martin ’06

When Jarrett Hervey traverses the Rudder Theatre Complex (RTC), he often thinks of his mother. In fact, this Division of Student Affairs assistant director literally walks in Penny Hervey’s footprints every day. “She essentially did something very similar for 20 years to what I do today — working with student organizations and clients to ensure they get their shows up and running,” he said. “While the organization has changed, I enjoy thinking about her working here too. I get a lot of comfort knowing she was here before me walking the same halls and solving similar problems.”

Now Hervey has extended that family legacy, earning his own 20-year service pin in 2022. He began working as a part-time stagehand at the complex while a student at A&M Consolidated High School and continued in that role while attending Blinn College. After attending Texas A&M University-Commerce for a year, Hervey decided he preferred work to studies. He rejoined the University Center and Special Events staff as a full stagehand and has been steadily promoted ever since. “They kept offering me more responsibility and more positions, and I kept accepting them,” he said. “ I don’t think the job I have and the work that I do exists anywhere else. I’ve just made it my own over these 20 years.”

It’s not a surprise that he met his wife at Rudder Theatre Complex. Both were student workers assigned to work back-of-the-house roles such as wardrobe and spotlight for big Broadway shows. “We were kind of rivals in the beginning, but then we started hanging out more and more,” he said. “The rest is history.”

Now Hervey is passionate about encouraging younger generations to explore the arts. Because the complex is student-funded, students may reserve any Rudder Complex venue while paying only for staff time. “That gives students the opportunity to have professional sound and lighting technicians and stage managers to help them create a show that may otherwise be too expensive,” said Hervey, who advises Texas A&M’s Freudian Slip (an improv group) and the Aggie Magic Circle.

Despite his busy schedule, Hervey is becoming more visible in the local performing arts community.  The credit for his involvement goes to his young daughter. The budding thespian, age 6, was cast as one of the titular pups in “101 Dalmatians” and Munchkin #2 in “The Wizard of Oz” for The Theatre Company of Bryan/College Station. “I tell people that she has her mother’s stubbornness and work ethic, and her dad’s need for attention so she’s going to be great,” said Hervey, who also is offering his time to The Theatre Company’s board. 

Despite being an avid audience member for his daughter’s performances, Hervey normally won’t be found watching Rudder Theatre’s Broadway productions. “It’s our staff supplementing the tour’s staff. I get too nervous, and I can’t watch because if something goes wrong, there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I do the walk-through, check on things, make sure everybody’s good and I am there for the load out, but I usually do paperwork during the big Broadway shows.”