Sal Mistretta
High School Graduation 1962 and
from
****************************************************************************
Hello All,
It's been too
many years since I set foot in
I graduated in 1962 and entered
My website, although not as current as I wish, tells the tale of my career in Theatre
This is pertinent because a marvelous
teacher named Kay "Mama" Fletcher at HHS saw my potential as an artist
and pointed me and guided me into what was, unbeknownst to me at the time, a
pretty terrific future.
I have done many Broadway
shows and National tours and am immortalized as Pirelli (I
modestly add) in the DVD of SWEENEY TODD with Angela Lansbury!
I
have had an incredible time in the theatre arts and in music as well. I was
elated to get the part as Magaldi in
the 1st National Tour of Evita in 1980
Original Cast
Eva Perón...
Loni Ackerman
Ché...
Scott Holmes
Juan
Perón... Jon Cypher
Magaldi... Sal
Mistretta
Perón's
Mistress... Kelli James
People
of
Equally
thrilling was performing as Max in Sunset Boulevard at the Ogunquit Playhouse in
2010 opposite Stefanie Powers who played a superb Norma Desmond/
Take a peek at the Website.
I semi retired to
Since
then I have been performing in concerts and benefits as well as doing actual
productions.
I even had the fun and joy of
playing Wilbur in HAIRSPRAY opposite the indomitable Bruce Vilanch who played
the lead in the Broadway production. I tell all this not to toot my own horn but
to connect Art to Education. On the merits of my performance in a FOLLIES
(Sondheim) concert at the Galen PAC here, I was asked to do a Master Class with students.
As a result of all that and a few other performing outings I was asked to be a
part of the teaching staff for a very amazing theatre program called
theatre program from 3:30 to 6PM.
Students have to audition and the program is FREE.
The
great thing about it is that ALL the staff are Professionals in their fields;
Dancing -Acting-Singing.
And all of us have major Broadway
and Touring credits. After the first year, and on the merits of the fine work
done by all, including the students, the
It is a
terrific thing to be instructing and sharing my knowledge of professional
theatre with these talented and dedicated youngsters. I never thought I would
ever be in this configuration and am so glad I was asked. I emphasize to them
that in my High School in Hicksville I was put into the Art and have loved it
ever since. So when I teach I make sure they know that I sat years ago
where they are sitting, in a terrific school on Long Island in NY.
Luckily
Palm Springs is a mecca for entertainers. There are many concerts and events
that involve performers from Broadway and LA and all over. So I actually get to
see more of my NY colleagues and friends form the theatre here than I did in New
York. And
the students performed this year in a very prestigious charity concert called
ONE NIGHT ONLY. It is a yearly event which offers major name stars and Broadway
performers and benefits the Jewish Family Service charity. It is held in the
McCallum Theare in Palm Desert. It is a full size Broadway house holding 1100
seats..It is always SOLD OUT!
HHS did
three productions a year at the time I was there as well as a Summer theatre
program. I involved myself in all of it thanks to the prompting of Kay Fletcher
and her foresight. She taught Speech and Drama and came to me to replace someone
who fell ill in the Fall Variety Show. She had me in class and knew I sang in Mr
Goleke's Chorus. I accepted her invitation with reservation. It all worked
out even to the fact that she sponsored my entrance into Ithaca College where
she had studied theatre. It was a Perfect Fit!
I hope they now have a Kay
Fletcher-like teacher in the Arts department at HHS. Thanks for listening
and I hope the Arts are thriving in my ole home town.
PS: As a side perk I have worked
with local theatre companies and have also taken photographs for their shows and
events. That is such fun.
His home was in New York whe he enjoyed
working with the team on Law & Order and with Spike Lee on a New York Knicks
commercial. Rob Marshall and Sam Mendes' innovative production of Cabaret took
him all over the country twice and then to Tokyo and Broadway. He was born in
Brooklyn, New York and has spent most of his professional life between there and
Los Angeles. He holds a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Radio/ TV from Ithaca
College. His Lecture/Master Class series was lauded throughout the country and
he enjoys coaching acting in New York. His journey in the Arts has placed him
onstage opposite such major names as Lauren Bacall, Madeline Kahn, Kevin Kline,
Mandy Patinkin. Patti LuPone, Bob Gunton, Glenn Close, George Hearn, Dyan
Cannon, Audra Macdonald, Mary Louise Parker, Mareitte Hartley, Faith Prince, the
incomparable Angela Lansbury and others.
Among the illustrious directors
he has worked with...Chris Columbus, Edward Zwick, Dick Wolf, Spike Lee, Terry
Hughes, Trevor Nunn, Rob Marshall, Sam Mendes and Hal Prince.
**************************************************************************
A shot of Glenn
close and me opening night at Sunset Blvd party
A shot of Audra
MacDonald after her concert at the McCallum
And my pal
Christine Ebersole after her Annenberg Theatre Concert i
A photo of Hal
Linden and me at the CVRep Theatre's
Luminary
Luncheon event.. Hal was the Luminary!
Me and Shirley Jones...
Me as Gus/Growltiger
in the First National Tour of CATS
(my first Helen Hayes nomination).
I
actually was honored to win in 1998 for THE FIX
Photos of Sal
over the years...