Alumni Interview: Valerie Accetta

Who: Valerie Accetta
Years at Weathervane: 1996-current
Position: Actor, Director

Weathervane Playhouse has been one of my theatrical homes for over 30 years.  I was in the acting company in the summer of 1996, playing such roles as Grace in ANNIE and the Narrator in JOSEPH.  Over the last six years, I’ve directed five shows at Weathervane.  From Rogers and Hammerstein classics like OKLAHOMA! And SOUTH PACIFIC to more contemporary shows like MATILDA, the reason I kept coming back to Newark was the opportunity to collaborate with such creative and inspiring artists.

Under the artistic leadership of Adam Karsten and Kevin Connell, such wonderful teams were brought together.  I worked with choreographer, Tracy Wilson, on all five shows I directed and our collaboration made me a better director every summer.  I also got to work with incredible designers like Scenic designer, Matt Hamel, and lighting designer, Dylan Bollinger, and I was so proud of what we accomplished with both PIPPIN and MATILIDA.  In addition to the creative teams, it was a real joy to work with so many wonderful actors who later went on to prominent careers.  Molly Griggs, Paloma D’Auria, Whitney Noelle, and so many more, gave such wonderful performances and it has been thrilling to follow their careers.

I’m even in touch with some of the company from 1996.  My costar of the season, Mandy Politzinger, and I were roommates in New York.  She is now a speech language pathologist in Denver and I’m still in touch with both her and Jim Daly, a talent agent in New York City.  It’s amazing how long these relationships last and how important they have been to my growth as an artist.

In addition to the national talent pool, the local talent in central Ohio is also such a joy to work with and it has been fun to see familiar faces every year.  I have known many of these artist, including Mary Kay Booher and Kirsten Upchurch, for over 30 years.  The theatre really does serve its community.

Weathervane Playhouse truly is magical.  It is incredible what we all can accomplish in a mere two weeks.  I currently run the musical theatre program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and my home is in the South, but Weathervane Playhouse will always hold a special place in my heart.