This week we talked with Guy McUmber, one of our brand new board members. Some people may know Guy for his environmental work with PADEP and now the city, but he is also an unabashed theater lover and very occasional actor. Guy is a member at large and on the MCT marketing committee.
Q: What does the return to live theater mean to you?
My wife and I regularly go to local performances and have really missed that. We also make a yearly trip to NYC and are looking forward to going to Broadway shows again. We have seen dozens.
Q: What is your favorite show/composer/writer?
Although there are so many great candidates, I would have to say that my heart still belongs to West Side Story. I think the movie is perfection. On top of everything else, we even have a family friend who is participating in the Broadway revival.
Q: What is your best live theater experience?
I have been on the local stage a few times and they have been wonderful experiences. But I have to claim that I can take pride in being a Broadway actor. We saw the Marvelous Wonderettes in NYC a few years ago and I was pulled up on stage to play the part of Mr. Lee. I volunteered before the show but had no idea that would happen.
Q: Do you have a pre-show ritual?
For my last show, I ate a salami sandwich before each performance. And for all my shows and rehearsals, I always have a bottle of Coke (not Diet!) nearby. When we finished The Full Monty five years ago, they gave me a six pack. I still have an unopened bottle.