Venerable Theater Group Offers Virtual ‘Broadway and Beyond’

Drama Dock, Vashon’s non-profit performing arts organization, will launch its 45th anniversary season with a virtual fundraising concert of Broadway and New York-themed songs at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at vashoncenterforthearts.org and Vashon Center for the Arts’ Facebook page.

Led by Drama Dock’s new artistic director, singer-actress-composer-playwright, Lisa Peretti, the evening has a theme of commitment to local performers and audiences.

“Vashon is a place that embraces the essential work of artists – the creative process feeds our souls and inspires our humanity,” said Peretti, in a recent announcement about the performance.

Highlights of the evening will include a performance especially donated to Drama Dock for this performance — a pre-recorded performance, from Benaroya Hall, of Seattle Symphony violinist Arthur Zadinsky with pianist Oana Rusu Tomai, playing “Four Souvenirs for Violin and Piano” by American composer, Paul Schoenfield.

Another highlight will be opera singers Brandon and Elizabeth Hell, recently seen in Vashon Opera’s “La Traviata,” stepping into the spotlight with duets from Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” and Lloyd-Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera.”

Perretti will sing a solo from her new musical, “Winghaven Park,” accompanied by pianist Evan Stultz. A special solo from the Broadway smash, “Annie,” will be performed by islander Utisah Durahim, age 12.

A suggested donation of $15 will support Drama Dock’s mission to foster artistic excellence in the community and showcase new and emerging talent.

Peretti will bring to her new post at Drama Dock an extensive background in recording, performing, writing and directing. She is a soprano classical-crossover songwriter who trained as a singer and actress, receiving an MA in Performance Studies from King’s College, London and RADA, with thesis work in playwriting and directing.

Highlights of her career include touring the United Kingdom with the late songwriter-actor, Anthony Newley; touring Europe in the U.K. production of “Phantom of the Opera;” writing and performing original and commissioned songs; producing an album featuring original, fully-orchestrated songs and classic standards; performing leading roles in Seattle’s Taproot Theatre Company, and working as a full-time professor of Drama at Northwest University. She was raised on Vashon and is a graduate of Vashon Island High School.

Peretti’s most recent work is the full-length musical play, “Winghaven Park,” commissioned by Drama Dock in 2018. The musical, an original story based on Vashon during WWII, features 18 original songs and is a compelling story of love and redemption. As a producer, Drama Dock managed support for “Winghaven” both artistically and financially, with a fundraising campaign and performance plans set for June 2020 at Vashon Center for the Arts. Due to the pandemic, the original performance dates were postponed. The musical will be rescheduled in the near future as part of Drama Dock’s 2021-22 season of performances.

Another Drama Dock project coming up soon is a production of an original screenplay, “The Box,” that features three Vashon young people ages 15, 12 and 9 in the cast and crew. The short film is currently in post-production — stay tuned for an announcement of upcoming streaming through VCA. “The Box” is also part of Drama Dock’s outreach efforts to showcase new and emerging talent.

According to Gaye Detzer, Drama Dock’s president, Drama Dock’s board has been active throughout the pandemic, meeting frequently to plan, reflect, dream and act on the challenges ahead for the organization.

Drama Dock’s legacy includes producing an average of three plays a year for more than four decades, in which thousands of islanders, young and old have participated on stage, behind the scenes and in the audience.