Anchorage Daily News

WASILLA -- Kevin O'Connor brings a wealth of experience to his new job as general manager for Valley Performing Arts, but none of it is in theater.

His resume reads like that of a guy who's always broadening his horizons. O'Connor, 57 and a Chugiak resident, is a former Air Force major, a University of Alaska Fairbanks administrator and a current life coach. He plays six musical instruments. He's a budding dog musher and world traveler. He writes science fiction and runs an e-commerce site. He is always up for adventure, but even O'Connor couldn't have guessed that a one-day gig in the heady heights of India's Bollywood would lead to a desk in VPA's office.

Q. First, describe your Bollywood experience.

A. I went to India for my son's wedding. He married a nice Indian girl and the reception was there. While my daughter and I were out touring Bombay (now known as Mumbai), a guy comes up and says, "We need Westerners for a scene in our movie." We were kind of skeptical of it being a scam but my daughter, who did some research prior to our trip, said this kind of thing happens. So we looked at each other and said, OK, we'll do that tomorrow. They needed Westerners for a scene shot in Australia at a bar, so it was an Indian version of an Australian bar. We stood around pretending we were at a party. We had their version of a costume -- I wore a suit with tie. My daughter wore a cocktail dress. It was eight hours. ... It was probably 15-20 seconds of the movie. I can't remember its name.

Q. And that was your first experience with theater?

A. Bollywood was my first experience. It was pretty neat, a chance to do some stuff. It was fun to be creative.

Q. Why did you apply to become general manager at VPA?

A. I saw the advertisement for the position of general manager back in March. The ability to be creative really intrigued me. So I thought I'd apply for it and see what happened. It's part-time and works out well for the other things I'm doing.

Q. What do you think of the lineup for the upcoming season?

A. It's absolutely outstanding. We're starting off with a funny play, "Love, Sex and the IRS," then we go to "Dial M for Murder," a good mystery. We have a "Christmas Story" for kids and families, directed by Kelly Larson, our office manager. We have a couple plays in the spring people haven't heard of, but if they give them a chance, they'll have a good time. "Spitfire Grill" is a great one. And "Night of the Iguana" will be directed by Grant Olson. "A Bad Year for Tomatoes" will be directed by one of our local dentists, Dr. Kevin Cochran. And we'll finish out with "Anne of Green Gables."

Q. Are you directing any productions? Have any favorites among them?

A. I'll be assisting on two plays, "Love, Sex and the IRS" and a "Christmas Story." I want to get involved to figure out how it works.

Q. Auditions for "Dial M for Murder" are this weekend. What would you say to people who've never auditioned?

A. Give it a chance. It's a time to enjoy yourself, be a little crazy and have fun. We also have a need for stage crews, lighting people, set and costume designers.

Q. What are some goals for VPA?

A. I'd like to see a summer production for tourists and families. One of my favorite things in Fairbanks was going to the Malamute Saloon that had a one-hour show. People who saw it thoroughly enjoyed that kind of entertainment. We've gotten public feedback that we need to do more offerings in the summer.

To outreach into the community, we're trying to (create an opportunity) for children of those that are incarcerated, for foster parents and kids, and for (families of) emergency services personnel. We'd try to get sponsors so admission would be free for them.

Another goal is to let more people know we're in existence. With prices going up, this is still a great value for the dollar. People who are anxious about elections, gas prices, food prices, it's a good place to come for a couple hours to be entertained.

YOU CAN TAKE PART

• Auditions for "Dial M for Murder" will be at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at VPA's theater, 251 W. Swanson Ave., Wasilla. Visit www.valleyperformingarts.org for details.

• Season tickets: $95 seniors and youth under 18; $108 for adults. Go online for order form or call 373-0195.

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