About the THCA -
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Published on: 10/20/2009
Last Visited: 10/20/2009
Tony Walsh, THCA Executive Director
THCA Executive Director's life prepares him for latest starring role
The culture of New York City, his Italian heritage, strong arts educators, an encounter first with Katherine Hepburn and later with Tennessee Williams, melded with an inherent passion for the performing and visual arts have prepared and influenced Tony Walsh for his starring role as the first Executive Director of the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts (THCA), at St. Johns River Community College (SJRCC).
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It was while writing and directing a television program, for the State Association of Community Colleges, that Walsh first learned of SJRCC's plan to construct the $21 million cultural arts center.
Three years later, Walsh accepted the position as the THCA's first executive director.
Arriving when the building was nothing more than a set of architectural blueprints, he lent his career experiences, creative input and detailed touches to the project, as he saw the building from its inception to finish, in August of 2004.
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Furthering the THCA's position in the cultural arts business, Walsh became active regionally and nationally with the Arts Presenters Association (APAP), serving on the executive board of the Florida Presenters Consortium and The Performing Arts Exchange (PAE) of the Southern Federation of the Arts.
Walsh recently served as a PAE panelist at the group's annual conference.
Born in Brooklyn, New York Walsh attended St. Cecilia's Parochial School.
"I had a very Catholic education," said Walsh.
"St. Cecilia is the patroness saint of music and at the school, l learned about music from Sister Sylvester, while Mrs. Burns opened my eyes to the visual arts.
My love for the arts started there."
When Walsh was in the third grade his grandmother, a major influence in his life, took him to a performance at the world famous Metropolitan Opera House.
The experience moved Walsh and fueled his desire to perform.
"The opera was La Traviata," explained Walsh.
"I was not sure what was going on throughout the performance, but I was captivated.
I knew I wanted to perform."
As Walsh grew, his love for the arts blossomed.
"Both my mother and father supported my love of music with voice and music lessons," said Walsh.
"I was asked to sing on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour, but my mother thought it would be a bad influence.
She of course did make sure I learned the instrument that all Italian boys growing up in Brooklyn play-the accordion!"
Walsh attended Delehanty High School where he was exposed to yet another great influence, his music teacher Bridget Maloney.
Under the tutelage of Maloney, Walsh landed lead roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas HMS Pinafore and Trial by Jury.
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This exposure prepared Walsh for leading roles in professional productions of The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance later on in his acting career.
After graduating Walsh headed to Long Island and Hofstra University.
There, for his first two years he studied music, but he later switched to a double major in theatre and speech.
Life at Hofstra afforded Walsh a wealth of experiences, and he was fortunate enough to study vocal interpretation with Richard Mason and Lois Crews, whose dear friend Margaret Hamilton, stared as the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz.
"Ms. Hamilton would come to classes and teach us how to do character voices," said Walsh.
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Following graduation in June of 1968, Walsh went on the road with his first professional Broadway musical Sweet Charity.
He spent the next eight years acting and singing professionally in New York City and on the road, starring in off-Broadway productions, dinner theatre productions and national touring productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Mame, and Oliver.
Walsh also spent time working in nightclubs in New York City and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Additionally, Walsh lent his talents to some small roles on the daytime dramas: Search for Tomorrow, Guiding Light and As the World Turns.
While forming the backbone of his professional career, Walsh continued studying his craft working with theater legend Sue Seaton.
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"Ms. Hepburn, who was appearing in her only Broadway musical Coco," explained Walsh.
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One day as Walsh was waiting, Hepburn emerged from the studio doors and exclaimed, "I'm sure it would be a much better experience for all of us if I sat in the waiting room and listened to you vocalize!
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Through Seaton, Walsh met his first professional mentor, award - winning actor Jose Ferrer.
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After leaving Hope College, Walsh attended Adelphi University, but it wasn't all books as he worked on his masters of arts in educational theatre while operating his one-man Storyteller Theatre and appearing in small roles on the daytime drama Search for Tomorrow.
Receiving his master's in 1976, Walsh did not attend his graduation ceremony; instead he packed up his belongings and headed south to North Carolina, where he joined the faculty of the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts.
Walsh adapted to life on the Winston-Salem campus teaching, writing and directing plays.
In the summers he would return to the Big Apple, staying active in the competitive theatre market the city is famous for.
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Through Barnes, Walsh met Tennessee Williams.
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The meeting gave Walsh the unique opportunity to have his play reviewed by the legend.
"I came away from that experience with advice on my writing skills and suggestions on how to focus my creative energy in a different more successful way," said Walsh.
"It was truly one of the highlights of my career."
Barnes later introduced Walsh to his future writing partner Louis St. Louis.
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In 1990 a collaboration of St. Louis' and Walsh's would receive artistic recognition, when their musical Sugar Hill was nominated for the prestigious Audelco Award, which is given annually for contributions in African-American theatre.
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Walsh was enjoying success in North Carolina, his plays were being produced and recognized regionally, but New York called.
For months several agents tried to persuade Walsh to return to his native city, at the same time a smaller arts school in Palatka, Fla. was calling.
In 1981, Walsh left New York City arriving in St. Augustine, he joined the faculty of the Florida School of the Arts (FloArts), beginning his long relationship with both SJRCC and the Northeast Florida Community.
Two years later SJRCC president Dr. Robert L. McLendon appointed Walsh to serve FloArts as dean.
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Upon an invitation from Walsh, Mitchell served the school as an artist residence.
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His support to SJRCC and Walsh continues today in the form of donated collection.
The photographs his donated are now part of the THCA permanent collection and were celebrated in 2004 as part of the Center's inaugural season.
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In 1991 Walsh left FloArts to head up the Institute of Entertainment Technologies at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Fla. While in the position, Walsh started a television production department and was responsible for writing and directing several television programs which aired regularly on Time Warner Cable.
"My most memorable experience in Orlando," said Walsh, "was working with four-time Academy Award winning film director Robert Wise, as assistant producer for the short film Best Two of Three."
Today Walsh awaits the success of the THCA, under his guidance it is sure to happen.
"I've had the unique opportunity to work with many creative and gifted individuals in my career," said Walsh.
"I am truly indebted to them for their mentoring and for the friendships and relationships that have evolved.
I feel this support will help me make the THCA a major player in presenting the cultural arts in Northeast Florida."
See you onstage and in the gallery... Tony Walsh
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