Gillas, John 2011-07-27
John Gillas discusses six productions he directed at Texas Tech University including Rigoletto in 1976 and concluding with Music Man in 1978
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: John Gillas
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: July 27, 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Amy Mire
Length: 00:37:13
Abstract
Rigoletto, 1976, One of the big operas done at the Lubbock Auditorium, Peter Wolf, scenic shop in Dallas, supplied sets, Cast, Kyung Wook Shin, new Baritone faculty member, Jana King, Lyric Soprano, Gilda, Ed Quillin, won NATS, Midland Odessa Symphony Concerts, Won a spot in the Young Artists Program at the Chicago, Lyric Opera, Terry Cook, Won the auditions his senior year, Young Artists Program at Chicago, was there for 3 years then went right to the Met, Sarah Watkins, Lyric Mezzo, Drew good audiences, successful production, The Impressario/Gianni Schicchi/Sweet Betsy from Pike, 1977, First time to do these productions, Did Gianni Schicchi quite a few times at Indiana University, In the role of Gianni Schicchi, The Impressario, comic one act by Mozart, Cast, Jana King, Diana Riddle, Young Jai Yough, The Impressario himself, Mr. Cash was James Toland, Gianni Schicchi, Cast, Ron Carter, went on to be a Wagnerian Tenor in Germany, Jan Sisson, Lyric Soprano, fine voice teacher in Littlefield, Cathy Crist, Carol Johnson, John Priddy and Donny Burke, Sean Gillas, his son, never made a mistake, tricky part, Mike Medley, Terry Cook, Small role at the end was David Zepeda, comic ability, Sweet Betsy from Pike, Did it numerous times, All based on the folk song, 20 minute creation, 3 characters and a cast of imaginary thousands, Sarah Watkins, Jana King, Mike Medley, Description of the show, Patience, 1977, Gilbert and Sullivan, Spoof on Oscar Wilde and Aesthetic Movement, Peggy Willis, choreographer Did piece as her graduate dissertation at TCU, Costumes from TCU were used, Cast, Jana King, Sarah Watkins, made up as old hag, played cello, Jim Toland as Reginald Bunthorne, used a peacock feather to write with, Tim King, as Idyllic poet, Conductor was Kyung Wook Shin, Korean accent saying “bring on the dragons”, First production done in the new Allen Theatre, Done as Dinner Theater dinner in ballroom, dragoon guards took audience over, The Marriage of Figaro, 1978, Work by Mozart, play by Beaumarche, Quite long, had to cut some, Only production he ever did that had to be postponed, Large, double cast, Full of secco recitative, special kind of training, Moved to January for extra rehearsal time, Cast:, Count Amaviva: Joel Armstrong/Ross Ellis, Countess: could find a student ready to do the part, quite intense, Mary Gillas, at the last hour, consented to do it. Had to do four consecutive countesses, Diana Riddle, Wendy Davis, Ron Carter, Terry Cook, Sarah Watkins, Shannon Campbell, Carol Johnson, Cindy Garrett, Jim Toland wasn’t double cast, only one with comic sense for part, Allen Theatre had just been completed didn’t have a flyloft, they had cut 44 feet off the planned flyloft. Everything had to be a hard set. Set by Peter Wolf, rented. One of the last rentals during his time, couldn’t rent a set with drops because the theatre wouldn’t take it., Finian’s Rainbow, First musical presented in the new Civic Center, Large cast, white chorus and an African-American chorus, Charlotte Greeson, choral director at Dunbar HS and had most of her better singers in the show, No original budget from the school, Hal Mack, friend from Indiana University, came and built set, Huge tree occupied most of the stage, City production, people from all walks of life, Show description, Gospel Quartet, Sydney Perry, T.J. Patterson, Marcel Murray, Cast, Shannon Campbell, Mike Morgan, Songs, Jennifer Smith, Dancer, plays mute girl who talks by dancing, Went to Broadway, last count about 15 Broadway shows to her credit, Music Man, Civic Center, End of first act, arrival of Wells Fargo Wagon, Arch Lamb, loaned a Belgian Draft Horse, 2,000 pounds to pull the wagon., Quartet, Already formed, Joe Goodin, high tenor, Dean of Arts & Sciences, Lowell Caddel, Lloyd Thompson, Len Webster
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