Feature: Dennis Tamblyn Talks Musical Career, New Theatre Company, and More at SAPAC

It's a common presumption to ascribe natural talent to a genetic blueprint. But some will defy the notion and perceive talent as a by-product of one's environment. While the debate lingers, we have a chance to appraise a talented artist who knows a thing or two about genes: Dennis Tamblyn.

Reared in Scottsdale by a large family of performers, Dennis is a classically trained singer who holds an unlikely degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Arizona.

A towering presence with a genial demeanor, Dennis exudes a spontaneity befitting a man who thinks on his feet. If you indulge him, he'll be glad to sing on cue, perhaps dish random lyrics about molecules and DNA.

He is the youngest of seven musicians born to parents with a performing arts pedigree. That's a lot of talent in one household, but is it inherited or learned?

Dennis concedes the scientific posture and pays homage to his proud lineage of artists, which includes a famous uncle named Russ Tamblyn (who played Riff in the film version of WEST SIDE STORY), and his actress cousin, Amber Tamblyn of GENERAL HOSPITAL and JOAN OF ARCADIA.

Today Dennis Tamblyn is the founding Artistic Director of Southern Arizona Performing Arts Company (SAPAC), a non-profit organization committed to bringing high-quality theatrical performance to the Tucson area.

You could say he has come a long way from the chemistry lab.

Far be it from me to suggest that a college degree is squandered as a consequence of one's preferred, albeit implausible career. But here's a good reminder that no rules exist to keep us from heeding the primal call and changing our trajectory.

Think of his undergraduate experience as a pretext to validate his left-brain acuity -- or indeed a genuine attempt to pursue a career in medical science, a path he once envisioned in an alternate universe.

"Basically my family always thought that being a musician was a hobby and not a life," he says. "So when I was in high school I didn't do anything musical at all and decided I wanted to be a pediatrician."

Somewhere Dennis saw the proverbial light that impelled him to face an indisputable reality: he is first and foremost an artist, bound for serious fun in the theatre business.

So off he went to the opposite end of the campus in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in Voice Performance. That experience parlayed into memorable appearances with Arizona Opera, Southern Arizona Opera, and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

Subsequently, Dennis relocated to Colorado to refine his opera skills and earn a master's degree in Voice Performance. There he directed and performed in numerous productions, and in the summer of 2007 made his way to a European tour as a tenor with a German opera company, capping off a whirlwind excursion by winning the Eduardo Villa Competition.

Considering his propensity to explore divergent interests, Dennis' foray into contemporary musical theatre is hardly a stretch. He admits to initial misgivings, though local theatre buffs would never know after seeing his scene-stealing performances as Pirelli in SWEENEY TODD and as Thernadier in LES MISERABLES (both with Arizona OnStage Productions). In 2013, he delivered a versatile and heart-wrenching portrayal of Alfie in Studio Connections' production of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE.

SAPAC's timely genesis was a testament to Dennis Tamblyn's collaborative savvy. Asked about his inspiration for starting a company in a city that sees small theatres come and go, he responds with the familiar certitude of an idealist:

"There was a group of us that came together and we realized that we wanted to create more opportunities for musical theater in Tucson. There is an insane amount of talent specific to musical theater in this community but very few companies (at the time we formed there were none) that only focus on musical theater. When we did research on it, we found that there were nine companies in Phoenix doing musical theater that were NOT [about] educational theater. It seemed like Tucson needed to catch up and grow that specific community."

Barely two years from its inception, SAPAC has produced a wide-ranging musical fare that includes Jason Robert Brown's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD and Bell and Bowman's HOT MIKADO. A recent collaboration with Arts Express has set audiences abuzz with a sort of festive nostalgia, churning out a fresh variant of FOREVER PLAID, a tongue-in-cheek jukebox musical that recalls the saccharin-induced ballads of 1950s boy bands.

The company's audacity to stage a public performance, albeit with masked performers, is no small irony given the gravity of a pandemic that has shut down most theatres and relegated a few others to virtual performances. While he was clearly aware of the risks, Dennis was even more clear about the precautions he and his team had to take to mount the show.

"What we did, first of all, was make sure that the cast and crew were comfortable with it. And then we created a bubble from the beginning. We said 'look, this is a short rehearsal process. It's only six weeks, so we want you to minimize how often you are out and about. We also want you to get tested every two weeks. It's a small enough show that we can be around each other'...but we were always masked at all the rehearsals."

As fledgling companies go, SAPAC must endure the growing pains of developing a non-profit startup. Though he retains the distant support of former co-founders Kelli Workman and Danielle Wright, Dennis is faced with the usual challenge of installing a stable board structure and finding a consistent and reliable performance venue. He is up for the task of finding the right folks who can see his vision and appreciate the need for his brand of programming.

The jury is out on SAPAC's future as a purveyor of quality musicals in Tucson. Given his creative wherewithal and an apparent knack for fiscal planning, he's hopeful to build on SAPAC's artistic success and its emerging patronage. And with his eye on a coveted partnership with Actors' Equity, he imagines a company that raises the bar and expectations for musical theatre in the Old Pueblo.

He acknowledges the tough road ahead, but he admits being comfortable in the driver's seat and finds it "fulfilling" to take the lead. For instance, not many companies will go the extra mile to pay Equity dues, but Dennis welcomes the charge of raising community expectations.

"What we want to do is become a bridge between young actors, say, at the university -- U of A has an amazing training program where they follow the Equity rules -- and a real-life [professional] experience. What better place to use that training, while trying to find work in New York or Chicago or L.A. or wherever they want to go; why not have a theatre here that can develop that talent? It's a goal that we want."

Dennis looks up to Arizona Theatre Company, one of the best regional theatres in the land, as a model for doing things right. But he wants to make a clear distinction: SAPAC aims to hire and lift up local talents, as opposed to importing top-level performers from places like New York City.

SAPAC is gearing up for a big announcement about next season's production schedule. While exceedingly giddy about it, Dennis Tamblyn is holding off the big reveal until all pieces are in place. It's a trite sentiment, but Tucson is in for a big treat. If the last production of FOREVER PLAID is any indication, it's safe to anticipate an even better year ahead.

To learn more about SAPAC, visit https://www.sapactucson.org/

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