Gary no longer lives in the Springfield area, but he was heavily involved with the Muni throughout the later part of the 1970s through the 1980s. Gary was a vocal music teacher with the Rochester High School and later Chatham Glenwood High School. He made his Muni debut as the vocal director for Bye Bye Birdie in 1976. Gary later went on to direct many shows, including Carousel in 1979, Show Boat in 1980, Grease in 1981, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in both 1983 and 1989, Evita in 1985, and The Wiz in 1987. Gary also served on the Muni's Board of Managers, including a stint as President. Gary left Springfield in 1991 and moved to Los Angeles where he taught at the prestigious Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. His star pupil was Josh Groban, whom Gary cast as Tevye in a production of Fiddler on the Roof. Groban credits Gary as a teacher that deeply influenced him. Gary is now retired.
Want to get involved in this project? Email history@themuni.org.
