Stephen Ferri’s accomplishments in the world of theater would be notable even for someone much older than 27: He’s a veteran of Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional theater — a tally of more than 150 shows — with a wide-ranging background in music, management, producing, and design. This makes him, to say the least, a perfect fit for the White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC).
Bitten by the theater bug in high school, Ferri went on to earn a BFA in stage management from Purchase College. “I went into the industry doing a little bit of everything in the theater world, from musical directing and playing in orchestra pits to stage management and various tech positions,” Ferri says. This background serves him well at WPPAC, where he oversees “an entire production from start to finish, which is very rewarding.”
WPPAC turns 15 this year, and their premiere productions of Heathers and The Hunchback of Notre Dame brought “thousands of patrons to see a show they truly couldn’t see anywhere else,” says Ferri. “We are a one-of-a-kind venue, where you can see high-quality professional Broadway shows, as well as great youth theater, concerts, and much more.”
Even in the sequestered age of cyberspace, Ferri says that live theater is alive and kicking. He looks forward to not just entertaining WPPAC’s regular patrons but also “introducing a whole new generation of theatergoers to the magic of live theater.
