The show will go on at Allegheny Valley School District with a new musical director for the upcoming season.
The school board unanimously voted to hire Anthony Martello.
“He was chosen for his willingness to work for our students, his understanding of theater and the ability to share that knowledge with our students as well,” board President Larry Pollick said.
Martello, 30, brings expertise in both dance and theater.
He started taking dance classes at 2½ years old. He was in his first musical in seventh grade. A Woodland Hills School District graduate, he went on to Duquesne University for a degree in education. It was his experience at Woodland Hills, he said, that helped him learn how to run a show.
Martello served a similar seasonal role last year as musical director at Shaler Area High School and has worked on shows at Woodland Hills.
“The theater world and high school theater have given me so much,” he said. “It gave me a place to feel comfortable and a place to call home.”
When he saw Allegheny Valley was looking for a musical director, it was a no-brainer for him to apply. Martello looks forward to giving students a secure and fun environment to perform.
“Getting to know the kids is my favorite part of the process,” he said.
The students chose to perform “The Wizard of Oz” for this year’s musical in April. It will be a full-circle moment for Matrello, who performed in the musical during his senior year of high school. Between those on stage and the stage crew, 35 students will be participating.
Martello is excited to see the generation split between young kids performing the musical and their grandparents, who grew up with the movie, seeing a re-creation of it.
“I want to provide an experience for the audience where they feel like they forget they’re in a high school theater,” Martello said.
