New Star Theatre Chief Debuts With Broadway Revue
- May
- 11
7:30 pm Live News
“A Salute to Broadway” is an event with multiple purposes. First of all, it is a concert fundraiser for the Star Theater Co. Second, it’s a retrospective of last season’s musicals. Third, it’s a preview of musicals planned for the next season.
But the fourth purpose may be the most critical one of all —- it introduces Michael Wallot as the company’s new artistic director. Wallot is best known to local audiences as the director of last summer’s “The Pirates of Penzance” at the Star. Until recently, he served as artistic director of the 100-seat Camino Real Playhouse. Before that, he spent 20 years performing, including roles in the Broadway and national touring productions of “The Phantom of the Opera.”
“I’ve always been a big picture person,” said Wallot, explaining his migration from performing to theater management. “I used to stage plays in my backyard, but preferred the dining room because I could use the dimmer for more effective lighting.”
After working with the Star Theater on “Pirates,” he felt the time was right to make a change.
“I had a great time directing that show and I fell in love with the theater,” he said. “I wanted the opportunity to expand to a bigger stage and the Star people are good people to be associated with.”
His vision for the theater is to increase the number of shows in the season from three to five in the next year, and eventually increase it further to a seven- or eight-production season.
“I want to turn the theater into a performing arts center with year-round entertainment,” said Wallot, a San Clemente resident. “I want to bring in professional touring shows and concerts. Hopefully, those events will produce income for our season.”
Another task on his “to-do” list is to make people more aware of the Star.
“I want to re-brand people’s idea of what the Star Theater is,” he said. “There are people in Oceanside who still think it is a movie theater. I want them to know that we have this great live theater right here in Oceanside.”
One way he’ll accomplish that is with this concert. The first half will include songs from past shows, such as “The Sound of Music,” “The Pirates of Penzance,” “Annie” and “Guys and Dolls.” The second half will feature numbers from upcoming productions, such as “The Mikado,” “Hello Dolly!” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” Also, Wallot and Megan Starr-Levitt, who was also in the Broadway and touring companies of “The Phantom of the Opera,” will perform songs from that show.
The remaining cast includes North County residents Chris and Emily Hoolihan, Paul and Iris Lafferty, Suzanne Tinscher, Tom and Tracy Scutti; Kirsti McCleary, Katie Nicol, Ella Wallschlaeger, and Dianne Greiner of San Clemente; Linzey Christy of Dana Point; Jason Holland and Marc Montminy of Huntington Beach; and Karen Matranga of Beverly Hills.
Special guest appearances will also be made by members of the Coast Kids Company (Friday and Sunday) and Christian Youth Theater (Saturday). The live band will be conducted by Giuseppe Montelione of Los Angeles.
It’s also a wonderful chance for the audience to see the kind of shows that Wallot has in mind for the theater.
“I love musicals,” he said. “I’m not trying to create a cutting-edge theater or change the world. I want to create a pleasant experience for the audience.”
Tags: aeg, artistic director, beast, big picture, concert fundraiser, day, dining room, disney, Live, Live Theater, love, movie theater, music, musicals, phantom of the opera, pirates of penzance, retrospective, salute to broadway, san clemente, star people, star theater, touring productions, wallotRelated posts
