NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
When he’s not ensuring compliance, Aaron Booth, team lead for audit and compliance with Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, can be found directing or acting in local productions.
“I was involved in theater in middle school and picked it up again in 2014 as an Air Force Lt. Col. for DLA Europe & Africa in Kaiserslautern, Germany,” Booth said.
Booth started performing for the Kaiserslautern military community with his daughters at U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz KMC Onstage Theater. His first performance was in Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with his daughter Slayter. He played the role of Oberon, the ferry king and Slayter was a ferry.
Booth appeared again with Slayter as well as his daughter Caroline in a production of “Shrek, the Musical,” on the KMC Onstage Theater in 2017, after he became a civilian with DLA Distribution. The Booth family trio played various roles as part of the ensemble, including Shrek’s father, baby bear and a villager.
Most recently, Booth made his debut as a director in Ken Ludwig's comedy, “Leading Ladies” at the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, in February. Once again, both daughters joined him for the new venture. Slayter was the assistant director and Caroline digitally designed some of the backdrops and took headshots of the cast.
“They have more experience in theater than I do, so it was great to have both daughters around to give me confidence,” Booth said.
While the process was “initially terrifying,” he reached back to his military training to keep everything organized and running smoothly, with “military precision” to keep the audience engaged.
The publication Broadway World Central Pennsylvania attended the opening night performance, and with over 30 seconds of sustained laughter, touted it as, “one of the funniest,” productions of “Leading Ladies” the reviewer had ever seen.
Booth credits his success to his philosophy of treating everyone with dignity and respect. Similar to the work environment, Booth says directing plays is all about communicating a vision, establishing parameters for success and providing a safe place where people have the trust and freedom to innovate and deliver their best. Now that he’s successfully directed a play, his next goal is to write one. Whether on the page, on the stage or behind the scenes, Booth is certain to be mainstay in his community theater for years to come.