Gillas, John 2011-07-15
John Gillas continues his discussion on past musical productions he directed at Texas Tech University from 1973-1976
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: John Gillas
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: July 15, 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Amy Mire
Length: 01:05:44
Abstract
Don Giovanni (1973), Held at Lubbock Christian University, Gillas designed the set, had to be creative, Students in production, Tim King, Peggy Dosset, Carol Faucett, Steve Davis, Ed Quillin, 1st student of Gillas’s to win large awards including NATS, Ed’s voice, Tim King again, Married Jana Bullard, Appeal of Don Giovanni, Madame Butterfly (1974), Gillas’s work on Madame Butterfly for his master’s thesis, Harold Luce became new School of Music Director, Production had a faculty and student cast, Gillas had performed as Pinkerton before in Italian and German, Appeal of Madame Butterfly for Gillas, Cast, Judith Klinger, Kyung Wook Shin and how Gillas met him, Rented costumes, Sets by Ron Rummel, Gillas’s professor, Ross Allen, came to see production, Isabelle Howe’s son, Chris, played the little boy in the second act, Carmen (1974), Harold Luce and establishing the visiting artist program, Theresa Treadway, Production was profitable, Ronald Schultz did stage direction and worked with Gillas, Local St. Christopher’s chorus participated as the children’s chorus, Cast, Judith Klinger, Bill Hartwell, Sherry White, Jana King, Kyung Wook Shin, Ron Carter, David Zepeda’s comic timing and tenor voice, Ron Carter again, Surviving financially as a young musician, Gillas raised funds to help send his students to auditions, Carmen was the most attended opera to date at Texas Tech, Selecting productions to perform, Gillas takes over as head of Music Theatre after departure of Campbell Johnson, Bringing students into the opera program, Gillas enjoyed singing with Treadway, Lubbock newspaper critic Jack Sheridan supported the opera program and the Lubbock Symphony, The Diary of Adam and Eve / Trial by Jury (1975), Dinner theatre, Took a long time to build stage in the University Center Ballroom before even building the set itself, Ross Allen introduced “The Diary of Adam and Eve” to Gillas, First production of The Diary of Adam and Eve originally starred Alan Alda and Jerry Orbach, Cast, Reg Grant, Sherry White (former Miss Lubbock), Alice Toliver, Steve Bartell’s costume and his having to dance as “the Snake”, Trial by Jury, Ross Allen introduced “Trial by Jury” to Gillas, Terry Cook’s first time on stage, Ed Quilleran and Jana King enjoyed their roles, Dinner theatres were well received during this time period, The Mikado (1976), Held in the University Center Ballroom as a dinner theatre event, Ed Quillin and Jana King had a good feel for, Gilbert and Sullivan pieces, Tim King, Sean Gillas [Gillaspy] made his stage debut, Students Ed and Jana studied under Gillas for several years, Jana’s work on Nashville Now and as lead backup singer for many big country stars, Showboat (1976), Lubbock Theatre Center approached Gillas to do this production, Difficulty doing this show with only a $50 budget, Sets, Linobock (?) projector used to project river scenes, Used Department of Interior film footage to show paddle wheelers, Charlotte Greeson got her student choir for the show, Problems with student transportation, Gillas had to run transport at times, The part of Joe, Terry Cook, Johnny Ray Watson, Got the part, Gospel singer from Ralls who later toured with Billy Graham, Dunbar kids enamored with him, Sang “Ol’ Man River” like a gospel song, Sold out each performance, Got standing ovation every night, Other cast, Tim and Jana King nicknamed “Barbie and Ken” by kids, Jim Toland, Terry Eoff, Mom, Bea, helped with costumes for many of Gillas’s productions, Weldon George was a crop duster pilot and great clarion voice, Carla Snell was psychologist at the State School, Daphne Walker, Relationship with Lubbock Theatre, which was struggling at the time, Had to bring dressing rooms and portable bathrooms due to lack of facilities, Johnny Ray Watson would hold revival prayer for kids before shows, Watson’s dynamic personality, Barber of Seville (1975), Theresa Treadway, Harold Luce convinced her to stay another year, Cast, Ed Quillin, Gillas as Figaro, Kyung Wook Shin, Reg Grant, Bill Hartwell, Mary Quillin and Carol Johnson, Terry Cook, David Zepeda, Appeal of the Barber of Seville to audiences, Performed in an old auditorium with primitive light board, Tech Theatre helped with lighting, Rented costumes and sets, Gillas had fun singing with Ed Quillin and Theresa Treadway, Iolanthe (1976), Ross Allen introduced “Iolanthe” to Gillas, which is his favorite Gilbert & Sullivan (G&S) work, Performed this production three times while at Texas Tech, Cast, Jim Toland had a flair for comedy, Mark Rogers, Sarah Watkins, Why Iolanthe is a favorite of Gillas, Cast again, Why Mary Quilleran was his fondest production memory, David Zepeda, Dancers, Leslie Thurman (Alexander), Sheryl Walker, Production successful, Held in the University Center Ballroom, Created a giant fairytale book as the set and pages were changed to denote changes in scenes
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