WELCOME TO PARADISE Debuts at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater Next Month

People know Doug Anderson as the local impresario who created Town Hall Theater and the Opera Company of Middlebury. But the community is about to see him in a new role: the composer of a new musical.

Anderson has had a long career as a writer of award-winning plays and a stint as head writer on the CBS soap opera, The Guiding Light, with two daytime Emmy award nominations to his credit. But he'll tell you that his first love has always been musical composition.

"Musicals have always been in my blood. As an undergraduate, I wrote a musical for my senior thesis, and I've gone on to teach college courses in the History of the American Musical and Stephen Sondheim. I've directed something like 40 musicals and operas, which is maybe the best training for writing your own musical."

Anderson began writing Welcome to Paradise 30 years ago with his friend, Patti McKenny. Two things happened that put the musical in the bottom drawer. "Patti died, tragically, unexpectedly," says Anderson, "and I took on the Town Hall Theater restoration project. Since then, all I have written are press releases and grant proposals."

Anderson began to think that he'd never have the time complete the work, but the Covid crisis had a silver lining. "Town Hall Theater was closed, and I was laid off for the first time in my life. My wife Debby urged me to use the time to finish the musical, and my friend and arranger Jerry Shedd said that the musical needed to be heard and I needed to use that time to finish it." Anderson loved the chance to be a writer and composer again. "I know it's not very sensitive to say that my Covid year was perhaps the happiest time in my life, but it's true. To get up every morning and do nothing but write...it was a dream come true."

Welcome to Paradise is a musical for six women, based on the true story of a woman Anderson knew in England. Her husband, who worked often in the Middle East, simply disappeared. Unraveling the mystery of his life became a journey to learn about herself as well. The musical is by turns funny and touching, with a lot to say about how world events, though seemingly distant, can deeply affect our private lives.

Anderson has put together a seasoned cast for this workshop. Suzanne Kantorski, who has starred in many of Anderson's opera productions, plays the leading role, supported by Cathy Walsh, Jillian Torres, Melinda Hinsdale Bickford, Nessa Rabin and Sarah Stone. The 7-piece orchestra is made up of musicians from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Company of Middlebury orchestra. Ronnie Romano is musical director, with musical arrangements by Jerry Shedd.

"This will sound corny, but I feel my entire career in music theater has been leading up to this moment," says Anderson. "It's a thrilling time for me."

Welcome to Paradise will run from August 12-14 at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater. Tickets can be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, or at the door, if available.

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