My wife and I are thrilled to be living in Victoria and now part of this wonderful community. Becoming the Producing Artistic Director of Theatre Victoria is truly a dream come true for me.

So what brought me to South Texas and Theatre Victoria? For starters, I have been involved in the theatre since I was a child actor in Miami, Florida and later went on to participate in high school plays and musicals. A trip my senior year to Washington, D.C. and visit the historic Ford Theatre to see the debut of the musical, Godspell, had a huge effect on my development and interest in theatre. You may recall that Godspell is a musical based on the Book of Mathew in the New Testament. Like many of the shows which came out of the 70’s, Godspell was a high energy experience where the actors literally danced in the audience and belted out such marvelous songs as Day by Day. I left the performance in tears along with the rest of the audience. This was not only great entertainment, but a transforming experience. I never knew that theatre could have such a profound effect on me and others. I still believe that.

My subsequent journey as a college and graduate student allowed me to pursue interests as a director, playwright, composer, and lyricist. I was privileged to serve as a contributing writer of a musical which opened off-Broadway at the Circle-in-the-Square Theatre and went on to write the script and direct a musical which appeared off-off Broadway and other venues. Later works included a musical which opened in Austin and various radio plays which were broadcast on National Public Radio stations.

Now, there is a rumor circulating around Victoria that I am a former litigation attorney. Although tempted to take the “5th”, I must humbly confirm the accuracy of this report. While pursuing my interest in theatre for over 35 years, I worked as a trial attorney in the government, private practice, and opened my own law firm in Austin in 1996. Apart from supporting theatre projects over the many years, litigation provided an excellent vehicle to utilize my creative skill set. In the Courtroom, I was notorious for stepping in front of the podium and adding a dramatic flair to my arguments. Humor, in particular, was a most effective way to present a winning argument. What I learned very quickly was that my competition was (how should I say this) “a little on the dull side”. Most lawyers (but not all!) were more adept at engendering an afternoon nap then making an emotional plea to the Court. Bottom line, a healthy respect for the theatre put me and the associate attorneys whom I trained at a decided advantage!

Several months ago, I made the decision to leave my law practice and devote all of my energies to theatrical projects. As part of this process, I wrote the music and lyrics to a new play about the life of Candy Barr, the burlesque icon who hailed from Edna, Texas. Alice Adams, a journalist and author with extensive experience, wrote the script and selected Victoria, Texas and its wonderful theatre as a possible venue for this new musical entitled, Candy’s Last Dance, because of its reputation, talent base, and proximity to Edna. In so doing, both of us were truly blessed to have met Scott Mohon, the Executive Director of Theatre Victoria. A few months after we met, Scott decided to leave the theatre and accept a new opportunity in Rhode Island. I remember receiving Scott’s email and sharing it with my lovely wife, Telena. Here’s what she said, “Honey, why don’t you apply for that position?” And I did. And there you go.

Being the new Producing Artistic Director is one of the very few “meant to be” things that have occurred in my life. It truly is a remarkable blessing and I am honored to serve the theatre and Victoria community in that role.

Over the next few months, I will have an opportunity to share my goals and dreams with all of you. Aside from producing excellent shows, I truly want to shine a spotlight on this incredible theatre so that Victoria can truly appreciate what a gift it has. In my opinion, the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts rivals anything Austin has to offer and other major cities. What a blessing for all of us at Theatre Victoria and the community!

Please join us in finishing out a super 2009 Season with the final performance of Neil Simon’s, The Dinner Party, which opens April 30th. And keep an eye out for the announcement of our new 2010 Season which continues the tradition of great musicals, plays, and special shows featured in our very own Presenting Series.

Don’t forget that Neil Simon’s, The Dinner Party, is premiering Friday, April 30th, with other performances May 1 thru May 2, and May 6 thru May 8. Call us at 361-570-8587 to reserve tickets or online at www.theatrevictoria.org.

Special thanks again to Scott Mohon who labored long and hard to build this wonderful theatre institution! All of us wish him well on his new journey!