GET TO KN
BWSD Alumni
5 Things You Should Know about Baldwin High School Alumnus Justin Fortunato
Justin Fortunato is a Baldwin High School graduate and accomplished actor and director . Get to know him and how BHS gave him his start .
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1 . He started dreaming of the stage while under the roof of Whitehall Elementary . “ I began an interest with the performing arts in fifth Grade at Whitehall .” After graduating BHS in 2007 , Fortunato earned his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theater from Point Park University . He now acts and directs around Pittsburgh and beyond .
2 . His days are longer than yours . Fortunato is the Artistic Producing Director of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland , Pennsylvania . It ’ s a role that requires dedication : “ My days usually begin at 7:00 a . m . and end at 11:00 p . m . I begin my day working in the office at Lincoln Park , planning and executing our current and upcoming seasons , and then attending rehearsals in the early evening , and then another rehearsal in the late evening . I have been very lucky to have opportunities to make a living in my field . It is most certainly long hours but I have such fun getting to create stories with other talented artists ”
3 . His career path was set in high school . “ I was involved with the musicals and plays at Baldwin under the direction of Kris Tranter , and from that experience I decided to enter the field of performing arts as a profession . He ran such a supportive and professional process that I realized I wanted to continue performing and directing .”
4 . He ’ s worked with the best of the best . “ I have been very lucky to be involved with some very satisfying productions with some wonderful and talented artists . Some of my favorite acting roles have been George in All My Sons , directed by Arthur Miller ’ s son Bob Miller , Tom in The Glass Menagerie , and Fred in A Musical Christmas Carol . Some of my favorite directing credits include Into the Woods at the Arsht Center in Miami with Tituss Burgess as the witch , the regional premieres of Next to Normal and In the Heights with the company I co-founded , Carrnivale Theatrics , and Les Miserables and The Little Mermaid at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center .” Closer to home , he recently acted in A Musical Christmas Carol at PCLO and can be seen in Prime Stage ’ s upcoming production of 1984 .
5 . He knows dreams take hard work . Fortunato reminds current students , and the rest of us , that achieving dreams takes bravery and tenacity : “ Take every opportunity presented to you . Opportunity is rarely convenient .”
Get to Know BWSD Alumni will feature five things to learn about a Baldwin-Whitehall School District graduate in each issue . If you ’ d like to make a recommendation for a BHS graduate to feature in a future issue , contact the Office of the Superintendent at 412.884.6300 .
Swords and Songs Delight in BHS Production of Zorro – April 5-8 , 2017
This year ’ s Baldwin High School production will be the Pittsburgh premiere of the musical Zorro .
Director Jason Coll is always looking for lesser-known works that will be fresher to the cast and the audience alike . Though Zorro ran for years in London and Paris , only a handful of productions have been staged in the United States . The musical Zorro is inspired by the 2005 novel Zorro , written by Chilean author Isabel Allende . The musical features vibrant music by the Gipsy Kings and John Cameron , and a book by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson . Flamenco music , with many songs in Spanish , transports the audience to nineteenth-century California . The production is ambitious , featuring a cast of nearly 60 students . The director notes that the production is a big show , featuring plenty of fast-paced dance choreography , fight choreography , and special effects .
Zorro is played by Nick Cortazzo , whom many will remember from last year ’ s production of Big Fish . Also featured are Morgan Traud as Luisa , David Johnston as Ramon , Logan Snyder as Sergeant Garcia , and Katie Zemaitis as Inez the Gypsy .
Performances will be held April 5 – 8th at 7:00 p . m . in the Regis V . Shalley Auditorium at Baldwin High School . Tickets are $ 10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance through ZorroBHS . com . aldwin-Whitehall
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