Behind the Scenes - A Man with a Vision

Building Our Community One Musical at a Time...

Ray A. Rochelle is a man with a vision, a vision borne of a lifetime in music theatre, steeped in all the glamour, heartache, blood, sweat and tears that it takes to make a successful career in this uniquely demanding and wonderfully rewarding world.

He’s a man with a plan and the kind of unstoppable energy which lets you know right away that the plan is going to work. You could say “failure is not an option” but failure is not even in his vocabulary.

Rochelle’s plan is to bring a unique Concert Performance of Miss Saigon to the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse on Saturday May 1st and raise funds for the long-established much-loved San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre.

But if bringing a superbly realized, ambitious and unique performance to this historic and hugely atmospheric venue wasn’t enough, Rochelle’s vision isn’t just plucked out of the air – his relationships with both venue and show are as deep as they are long.

Rochelle started as a young ensemble performer back in 1984 in San Gabriel Civic Light Opera’s production of Music Man on the stage of the Mission Playhouse (then known as the Civic Auditorium). Again for the SGVCLO, he won a Dramalogue Award for his performance of Paul in their production of A Chorus Line.

In the ten year period until 1999, Rochelle performed in a staggering 26 of the 54 SGVCLO/Music Theatre productions.

In 1992, he became a member of the original First National Company of Miss Saigon and in 2000, joined the Stuttgart company of Miss Saigon for Stella Productions, singing the whole score in German before becoming Associate Director/Choreographer for Fullerton Light Opera’s 2005 Western Regional Premiere which won four LA Ovation Awards. The show received 11 nominations, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Actor and Best Choreography.

So 26 shows later and almost 26 years on to the date, Rochelle premieres his stunning new production at the venue steeped in both theatre history and personal memories. Rochelle says: “It’s a huge dream of mine – to leave a legacy to the theatre that helped me get to Miss Saigon – the show that put me on the map and on the road to launch my professional career.”

When he’s not creating theater, Rochelle is a private life coach, an inspirational speaker, for those “seeking to turn dreams into reality.” Just watch him. And if you want to see a vision made manifest – a dream truly realized, visit the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse for one of two very special performances of Miss Saigon on May 1st at 2pm & 8pm.