Behind The Scenes
When Contra Costa Musical Theatre raises the curtain for the first time in over two years, audiences will be delighted to meet the beloved characters of the renowned show “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!' As theatre lovers everywhere know, a lot goes into putting on a musical, and it begins with a vision. So, we want to give Bay Area theatre lovers an exclusive peek behind the curtain and introduce them to the artistic staff of our upcoming production, starting with a Q&A with the show’s director, John Maio. Meet John!
Meet John Maio
Director of CCMT’s
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
John, please tell us who you are.
I was born and raised in an Italian family in New York City, I’m the father of two grown sons, Michael and Mathew (both involved in the entertainment industry - Lighting Design, Cinematography), and I’m married to Jollyne Toste, an award-winning Textile Artist. I have been acting and directing in the Bay Area for the past 45 years and am a member of both the Screen Actors and Actors Equity Association.
What is your favorite theatre piece (musical or not)?
Don’t be cruel and make me pick only one! Sweeney Todd, Side Show, Next to Normal, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and of course all the classics, West Side Story, Carousel, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls. If you have an hour or two I can list some more.
What is the first show you ever saw?
When I was 17 years old, I saw “Butterflies are Free” on Broadway, not because I was in the least bit interested in theatre at the time. I was trying to impress a girl!
What is your dream role? Dream directing job?
Whether, as a director or performer, the ability to work side by side with creative people of all genders, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, and sexual orientations and collaborate and create something that brings joy to all involved and all who come to see, IS the dream job.
What is your biggest theatre pet peeve?
Watching a show, something on the stage falls or is dropped and nobody picks it up.
Can you please share your artistic vision for the show?
We have an incredibly diverse cast and production team behind the scenes. I am proud of that. Diversity was intentional. I’m hopeful in the future even more diverse artists will audition for our shows.
In an effort to ensure that our performances will go on as planned during this volatile COVID environment, we intentionally double cast our production (the show will go on!). The casting is much more creative than other productions of this show - for example, we looked at the qualities and backgrounds of the characters and cast folks who we think will bring new and different elements to the personalities written on the page. While many of the characters are written with backstories, the casting and character development is open to interpretation. We look forward to watching these skilled and talented actors bring their own flair and portrayal to these special characters.
What are you most excited about for this show?
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is rare because it doesn’t have an antagonist, every character is sympathetic and shows growth. More importantly, it is a delightful, funny, warm, lovable show that (because of the audience participation) is uniquely theatrical. The only purpose of the show is to put a smile on people’s faces and it does exactly that for a solid two hours.