Studio 4109: LIVE is a live, comedy sketch show held near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The idea for the show came about in a conversation between Doug Frood, Associate VP for Finance and Thomas E Goddard, Producing Director for Destiny Drama Co. Frood and Goddard discussed introducing a sketch comedy show, using the dining hall as a venue for live programming. Frood also desired an alternative activity to going into Chattanooga for entertainment on Saturday night: Enter Studio 4109: LIVE.
Goddard quickly set to work organizing the event, approaching Kevin Christenson as one of the initial creators. Kevin immediately got on board, planning the structure and flow of the show. Soon a core group formed, performing the first show on Saturday, January 28, 2012. Two more shows followed to close the semester of the 2011-2012 school year, with the final show being hosted by university president, Dr. Gordon Bietz.
What began as the combination of dinner and a show has since moved to a larger venue to accompany its growing audience. Increased sales through the dining hall on its initial seasons, the show’s drawing of over 600 in attendance (plus online viewers), and its effect in recruitment for the university has made Studio 4109: LIVE a huge success.
Studio just wrapped up its fifth season with Kevin Christenson leading as Executive Director. The organization has grown from a small, comedy group of volunteers to a large, all-paid, professional production that now lives on under SA at SAU. Studio 4109 has been able to provide students with paid opportunities in writing, acting, directing, producing, filming, editing, and musical performance, as well as bringing in a variety of musical guests (from local Chattanooga, to the hip-hop scene in Boston, to Billboard-topping Grammy-award winner).