Move over Bob Funking  & Bill Stutler!  Bob Amaral & Joel Newsome will wear the producer’s hats beginning on August 7th!!

                                                    Bill Stutler & Bob Funking  are the Producers/Owners  of WBT

For 34 years, they’ve put on a show….157 shows…..to be exact !   Not always smooth sailing, sometimes, downright hairy…In any case, the show must go on! And it does…..beautifully!   Marisa LaScala at Westchester Magazine wrote a wonderful behind-the-scenes expose.  You can see the full story at:  http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/August-2008/Live-From-New-York/

                Rena Strober, our spunky Belle, will join the cast of of the new Broadway-bound musical Angels. Robert Cuccioli, who was our breathtaking Phantom, heads the cast as Lucifer. Based on Milton’s "Paradise Lost" poem.  Angels tells the extraordinary story of the ancient war between the Angels and Lucifer’s fallen minions. A timeless tale of good versus evil and hope versus despair.  FUN!  But the question is, will Belle fall for the Phantom & leave The Beast behind? Hmm..

                                                                                      Producer/Director/Composer, George Puello with some of his treasured cobalt glass pieces. He says they help inspire his musical compositions.

 Rick Hilsabeck (Lumiere in Beauty & the Beast) shed some light on a few things!  

                            I grew up in Hinsdale, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). I was always around music (singing mostly). My mother has a beautiful soprano voice and also taught voice. She definitely could have had an opera career, but instead, happily chose to raise a family. I have two older brothers. My Dad was a wonderful man. He was a high school social studies teacher for many years in at Hinsdale Central H.S. He loved music as well. He played the trombone and loved all sorts of music. He and my mom have had the greatest influence on me. They will always remain my greatest heroes. They always encouraged me to follow my heart and my dreams. And that was to be on the stage. I always loved singing from an early age and was convinced by a good pal in H.S. to get into the choral program there. And that is where I discovered my calling I guess. The school was known for its high quality musicals and it was there I performed in my first full length shows. Also, my H.S. choral/voice teacher was a big influence. She first taught me the meaning and value of good discipline and healthy, correct singing. I was also a gymnast when I was young, which eventually led to my love of dance. (I spent eleven years in Chicago’s acclaimed Hubbard Street Dance Company.) Read the rest of this entry →

Jonathan Burgard chatted with me about his role and more!

               Growing up was sort of a difficult task.  My father starting his basic training in the Air Force in 1971, He didn’t retire until he reached final rank of a recruiter, Chief Master Sergeant in 2001, so from my birth, relocation was inevitable.  By the time I was 18, I had lived in roughly around 25 cities, but the main locations were Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Syracuse, and Wilmington, NC.  Read the rest of this entry →