Frank Pullano musical presented as dinner theatre Aug. 20 & 21

The original musical theatre show, “Stories and Dreams,” written by Professor Emeritus Frank Pullano, ’56, and produced by David Culver, ’02, will be presented on campus in August and October.

The show will be in the form of dinner theater in The Spot at The Grind Café in the Williams Center. The first performances will be Friday and Saturday, Aug. 20 and 21, and the next on Saturday, Oct. 23, during Family Weekend. The event begins with dinner at 6 p.m. with the show to follow at 7 p.m.

“Stories and Dreams,” is formed of a series of “real-life vignettes” woven together by an engaging and diverse musical score. Each vignette has its own story, song and vivid characters, and is full of clean and lively humor. It was first staged 10 years ago as a performance project. With an expanded cast, some restructuring and the addition of new stories and music, it has been reworked for new audiences.

To ensure the show will be a success, Dr. Pullano enlisted the help of Mr. Culver, who has produced shows on and off for 10 years. Mr. Culver graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a major in speech pathology and was chair of the Unicorn Folk Music Series while he was a student. Mr. Culver said he is most excited “that Frank gets to stage the show again and that now more people will get to see it.” He also said, “I hope the production is well received; our goal is to raise the bar, move on to a larger venue and audience.”

The actors include two music students, one alumnus, and a community member. The show even features a song all about the Village of Fredonia.

Kyle Sackett of Webster, N.Y., and Anna Atwater of Barker, N.Y., are junior music education majors and voice students in the Fredonia School of Music. Mr. Sackett has performed in opera scenes selections in various Italian venues through the Lyrics Arts-Italy Program and also in the Hillman Opera production of, “La Bohème.” He is president of the Student Opera Theater Association and a member of the Fredonia Chamber Singers. Ms. Atwater has been active in ensembles such as the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, College Choir and Masterworks Choir. This summer she attended the Crittenden Opera Workshop in Washington, D.C., and in the fall will be performing in the cast of the Hillman Opera “La Contes d’Hoffmann.”

Greg Wollaston of Fredonia received a B.A. in Theater Arts from Fredonia in 1996 and has enjoyed a career of regional, off-Broadway and operatic productions throughout New York and New York City. His most notable roles are Jojo in “The Life,” the emcee in “Cabaret,” and his highly acclaimed one-man-show, “Broadway Bad Boys!” Currently, he is the co-owner of the Buster Brown Bean Company.

Simone Bernhard of Fredonia is a professional vocalist and choral conductor. She most recently appeared in Opera Sacra’s Buffalo production of Leonard Bernstein’s “MASS.” Ms. Bernhard currently serves as director of music at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fredonia, and her husband, Christian, is chair of Music Education at SUNY Fredonia.

Dr. Pullano is well known as an opera and concert artist performing as a soloist and with many opera companies including the Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Erie Philharmonic orchestras. He became a member of the faculty at the Fredonia School of Music in 1960. In 1972 he was appointed Professor, in 1973 named an “Outstanding Educator of America,” and for many years coordinated the annual Hillman Opera. After he retired from the faculty in 1991, he taught voice and opera for a year at the D’Angelo School of Music at Mercyhurst College. In recent years, Dr. Pullano collaborated with Dr. John Joy in the creation of musicals, “Generation Rag,” and “Daddy’s Little Girl.”

Corporate sponsor of the event is the Buster Brown Bean Company, co-owned and operated by Mr. Wollaston and Mr. Culver. Further support is provided by the Fredonia Alumni Association and the Fredonia College Foundation.