The lights go down, the candy wrappers start crackling, and the previews begin. Moviegoers pay close attention to the film, but rarely give a second thought to who’s behind the scenes running the show.

But that’s OK with Kevin Baggerly, manager of the Landsun Theater. An exuberant, friendly person, Baggerly does his job with enthusiasm and a smile. What that job entails, however, might come as a shock to Artesia’s theater patrons.

"On Monday, I get told what the movies for the week are going to be," says Baggerly. Whereas most theater managers are allowed to request films, Artesia’s theater, Carmike Cinemas’ smallest in the nation, usually has them assigned. Baggerly then spends the day ordering stock for the coming week and making out employee schedules until showtime.

As the week progresses, Baggerly performs his other managerial duties, such as taking inventory, matching up the theater’s income, reporting films’ box office grossing to the Nielsens, and making the week’s reports to the regional office. All of this sounds like typical work for a manager, but most mangers’ jobs end there; Baggerly’s is just beginning.

"I am pretty much the projectionist, secretary, receptionist and cashier all rolled into one," he says. Baggerly alone builds up and breaks down the films, and he alone handles the mishaps, such as breaks or burns, that go along with it. He handles the theater’s state-of-the-art surround sound system. He answers phones. He runs the concession stand, sometimes single-handedly. He also changes the displays and marquee.

That used to involve hanging off of a ladder, precariously when the sidewalk was missing during Main Street construction, but "we’ve got a pole now," Baggerly says.

Saturdays and Sundays are matinee days, and despite a rarely taken two-hour break, Baggerly is at the theater for the long haul. It is not at all uncommon on any day of the week to see him at the theater until three or four in the morning.

"Thursday is my Monday," he says, as Thursday is the day new films arrive, but the employed majority, whose week does begin on Monday, still don’t usually pull a seven-day work week with no holidays off.

On the Fourth of July, although only three or four customers attended the movies, Baggerly was at the theater. He was there through Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well.

Wednesday, Baggerly’s theoretical "day off," generally includes at least one or two trips to the theater and one or two calls from his regional office. It’s usually the only day, however, that Baggerly has time to spend with his kids.

Kathrine, 3, and Lilyan, 2, are usually long asleep when their dad comes in from work. "It’s a struggle to spend time with them...it’s really pretty hard on my family life," Baggerly says of his demanding occupation. With another child on the way, however, the 26 year old Baggerly has begun to contemplate his priorities and longs for time to spend with both his family and his intended career – acting.

Baggerly was born in Joplin, Mo. His family relocated to Artesia when he was only six or seven months old. He was raised here and was a well-known and active student at AHS. "I was in choir, theater, French Club and trouble," jokes Baggerly. He participated in plays and variety shows throughout high school and was also Artesia High’s most memorable mascot; many fondly remember the antics of the boogie-ing, body-slamming Bulldog that was Baggerly.

After graduation, Baggerly began attending school at NMJC in Hobbs. "The theater department needed guys, and they were able to give me a small scholarship," he says. While there, he became involved in student senate, was president of his sophomore class, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and another mascot: "They were the Thunderbirds, but the outfit was really run down and looked like a chicken, so I was called the Thunderchicken."

After two years in Hobbs, Baggerly returned to his birthplace in Joplin to attend Missouri Southern State College, still chasing his dream of becoming an actor. Attending school meant working full time, however, and Baggerly finally had to put school on hiatus.

He heard of a job at the theater in his hometown and moved back to Artesia.

In his limited spare time, Baggerly enjoys playing games and singing and playing guitar in his group, North Fourty. When his schedule permits, he is active in the Artesia Chorale and the Community Theater, and is a big hit conducting occasional children’s services at First Christian Church.

As for his work at the theater, Baggerly is proud of the changes and upgrades that have taken place at the Landsun during his time as manager. "Customers are now enjoying coming to the theater to see the neon lights and experience the new sound system," he says.

As for pursuing his chosen field, Baggerly hopes to return to school to obtain a performing arts degree with an emphasis on educational theater and a minor in mathematics. "I see myself teaching math and theater in a high school somewhere," he says. With the summer time off a teaching position would afford, Baggerly would attend tryouts and auditions.

"I see myself as a Sean Connery," he says. "Sean Connery made it big in the industry late in his life, and that’s what I’m going for."