P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
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P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
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Joe Willis - Two-time Director of Crowd Pleasing Musicals By: Roy Riedy |
Joe Willis began his successful career at Highlands Little Theatre in late 1997 as a member of the ensemble of Sue McCollum's production of Godspell which earned him a nomination at the following Zenon Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Since that time, nine years ago, Joe has been associated with 36 other plays including his dazzling production of Webber and Rice's biblical epic, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Easter time in 2002. The musical won seven Zenons including Best Play and made Joe the Director of the third most decorated show in Little Theatre history; and most recently, the fun packed musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers..
He was nominated at the 14th Zenon Ceremonies in 1999 for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his brilliant interpretation of the Cowardly Lion in Melanie Boulay's famous production of The Wizard of Oz in November, 1998, and this time he won the award. Between the Wizard of Oz and his first Zenon, Joe was on the stage crew of the 1998 Sounds Of The Season, and served as Beverly Brando Gillilan's producer for her revival of Arsenic and Old Lace, in June, 1999.
John Lovelette's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, November, 1999, opened the Twenty-sixth Season at HLT and Joe was a member of the cast playing the catatonic Chief Bromdon, a part that nominated him for a Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Fifteenth Annual Zenon Awards. Also during this season he was on the stage crew for the next show of the Twenty-sixth Season, Frank Oberhausen's Annie Get Your Gun. Joe continued in that seasom as a vocal director and a member of the orchestra in Sue McCollum's retro musical, Bye Bye, Birdie; and played Bobby Franklin, the Streatham frock maker, in Mike Logsdon's Best Play of the Season, Run For Your Wife.
Joe was just as busy in the Twenty-seventh Season. He was part of the kitchen staff during the runs of On Golden Pond, and The King and I; he was the Vocal Director for Jim McCollum's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and the Stage Manager for Steve McDaniel's production of Moon Over Buffalo for which he received a Best Stage Manager nomination at the Sixteenth Annual Zenon Awards; and again he was the Vocal Director for Tammie Pollard's pioneering production of West Side Story, the season's final play.
The Twenty-eighth Season at Highlands Little Theatre opened with Frank Oberhausen's revival of Frank Loesser's enduring musical Guys and Dolls and was followed by Peter Pollard's engrossing drama, Foxfire. Joe was again part of the kitchen staff during these productions. He emerged from the Gourmet Section of HLT to take charge of his Easter offering at the Little Theatre, his not-soon-to-be-forgotten production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a show that claimed the enviable position of being the third most decorated show given at the Lakeside Playhouse.
In June during the presentation of Mike Logsdon's Move Over Mrs. Markham, Joe was back at his station in the kitchen and during the run of Melanie Boulay's outstanding production of Peter Pan, Joe was a member of the musical's orchestra.
At the concluding Zenon Ceremonies Joe received two more Zenons, the Best Play Zenon for his wonderful Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and another for being part of the team of Willis, Wollangk and McCollum that created the Best Set Design that season, another of Joseph's seven Zenons, the other five awards included Best Actor, Larry McCandless, who played the title role of Joseph; Best Stage Manager, Dick Boyce; Best Lighting Design, Mark Elliott and Thor Knutson; Best Costume Design, Denise Miriani and Helen Curcio; and a Best Musical Coordination Zenon that was presented to Wayne Lambright and Vealda Lambright. It was a glorious remunerate for Joe to see his dreams for his show so well rewarded.
During the Twenty-ninth Season (2002-2003) Joe accumulated 14 more citations: his name appeared in four HLT main stage programs as a member of the Sou Chefs and Kitchen Line Staff; he was mentioned in eight Newsletters and in two news articles that applauded his title role in the musical play The Journey of Sir Douglas Fir, directed and produced by a joint effort of talented choral, dramatic, and musical artists and technicians who are residents of favored Highlands County.
The Thirtieth Season brought more acclamation. Joe was involved in five main stage productions with the Sous Chefs and Kitchen Line Division of the Gourmet Department. Joe married Jennifer Whitacre on Valentine's Day and even managed to act in the important role of Annas in Tammie Pollard's splendid Jesus Christ Superstar in August of 2004. Joe was also mentioned in six HLT Newsletters and two news articles which raised his accumlative citation total to 109.
Joe was not idle in the Thirty-first Season either: He was involved in all of the five main stage presentations as a member of the Sous Chefs and Kitchen Line of Gourmet and as a Lighting Technician for the record breaking production of Cabaret II. His name also appeared in seven HLT Newsletters and three local news articles which added 15 more citations to his credits at HLT and boosted his performance quotient to124.
Even though the Thirty-second Season still has five more months to run, Mr. Willis has already accumulated 27 more citations, his name has appeared in seven HLT Newsletters and he has been associated with three plays: Joe played Little John in Mike McMillian's Hoodwinked in November; was part of the Sou Chef and Kitchen Line and also a Lighting Techician for Denise Miriani's thriller Wait Until Dark; and he danced into fame in March when he directed the pleasing musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. During the first half of this current season Joe's name has appeared in 17 local new articles.
In all, since Mr.Willis came to Highlands Little Theatre in 1997, he has been involved on stage and off in 37 productions, been cited in 4 Zenon Awards and won three of the coveted trophies and accumulated a grand total of 141 theatrical citations, a number that I predict will continue to grow.
I know I represent the feelings of all the members of HLT in congratuating you Joe on your many labors for the Little Theatre and wish you many more successes.
