For decades, the name Merle L. Stutzman has been synonymous with fine, quality musical entertainment, and he's delighted many in the area with well-staged musicals, concerts and symphonies. His latest project is directing the Christmas show being performed Friday through Dec.
10 at the Mt. Pleasant Church of God. Stutzman's resume reflects his love of music.
After graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in music education, Stutzman continued his education at Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned a master's degree in opera performance. After studying with the Opera Barga in Lucca, Italy, he returned to the area, where he performed as tenor soloist at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church and worked with the Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera and the Mendelssohn Choir. Stutzman currently serves as minister of music at the Mt.
Pleasant Church of God and also teaches private voice lessons. However, he is best known for his 35 years of teaching choral music at Connellsville Area High School, where he produced and directed decades of popular high school musicals. Stutzman's first year with the district was also the first year for the current high school building -- and once Stutzman laid eyes on the new stage and auditorium, he knew it was a match made in heaven.
"I just took one look at the stage and said, 'You must let me put on musicals here,'" Stutzman remembered. "I even did my first one, 'Oklahoma!,' for nothing.
" Stutzman retired from the Connellsville shool district in 2005, leaving a legacy of student talent. "The students were always so enthusiastic," he said, "and I had a lot of talent to work with over the years." Memorable spring musicals performed at the high school under Stutzman's direction include such classics as "The Sound of Music," "My Fair Lady," "Crazy for You" and "The King and I.
" But Stutzman's favorite and most challenging production was his final show, "Beauty and the Beast," performed in the spring of 2005. "With everything that it had, with all its special effects, it was a challenge right up to the end," the director said. "The costumes, the lighting, sound -- we even had people flying.
" Stutzman acknowledges that in every memorable performance, he was only one of a great number of people who made it all possible. "I always had incredible support," he said. "I had a great staff of adults and faculty that made it all work.
They had faith in me to see if it would all work, and it did. And the administration and the school board were always very supportive." Although Stutzman retired from the school district, his directing days were far from over.
He is now in his second year as director of the Christmas show at Mt. Pleasant Church of God. "We built this new building, and we wanted to use it," Stutzman said of the large fellowship hall built by the church.
"We wanted to reach the community, not just the people of the church. We thought that if we would do a Christmas musical, we could attract people from the community." Although this is the second year for the show, this is the first year for a full-blown musical.
"Last year was a show with music," Roger Rhodes said. "It had characters and music, but this is a musical." Rhodes, who plays the lead role of Henry Richmond in the production of "Four Tickets to Christmas," said he is pleased to be working with Stutzman.
"He is great to work with," Rhodes said, "and although we have a lot of work still to do, I think it's going to be fantastic." After working with high school students for years, directing adults has proven to be a bit of a different path for Stutzman. "I loved how the students would come to practice all enthusiastic, but these adults come to practice prepared," he said.
"They work extra on their parts, and they work on them outside of practice on their own." "There is so much talent in the church," said the show's female lead, Diana Lasko, "and (Stutzman) is an incredible director. He has a way of pulling from within you singing ability that you did not realize you had.
He's remarkable." Stutzman called on Tara Marrow, a former student, to help with choreography, and he enlisted Chip Rowan to act as coordinator and plan publicity. Rowan, who worked with Stutzman for years at Connellsville Area High School, said he is pleased to help.
"Last year was the first year that they put on a show here that was open to the public, and it was highly successful," Rowan said. "It was so well received that this year we added additional seating. I think Merle has put together a fine show for this year.
He knows how to involve people and how to get them excited." "We have been blessed to have Merle," said Pastor Ben Tobias, who plays Luke Wilcox in the production. "It's really incredible to see what he is able to do.
" Stutzman remains active in other areas, as well. In addition to taking care of his 72-acre farm in Acme, complete with two cows, he sets up the farm market for Sand Hill Berries in Pittsburgh and works for a greenhouse construction company. A family man, Stutzman enjoys spending time with his four children and is the doting grandfather to his four grandchildren.
He's planning a Christmas visit to Hawaii to visit his newest grandson, A.J. "He pulls out the music within you," Tobias said.
"He's patient as he works with us, and he really listens to us. He is a real blessing, but he's very humble." "Four Tickets to Christmas" will be staged Friday and Saturday as a dinner theater production.
Tickets must be purchased in advance between 10 a.m. and 3 p.
m. Monday through Friday at the church office, corner of Braddock Road Avenue and West Main Street in Mt. Pleasant.
Ticket price is $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-12. Price includes dinner starting at 5:45 p.m.
with the show to follow. The musical without dinner will be presented at 7 p.m.
Dec. 10. A free-will offering will be accepted to cover production expenses.
For more information, call 724-547-7110.
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