We have a star! RIT President Destler Answers Curtain Call at Geva Theatre
There’s more ‘Trouble in River City’ as celebrities raise funds for educational programs
A. Sue Weisler
RIT President Bill Destler is one of the stars in Trouble in River City, a Geva Theatre production that raises funds for Geva’s education and outreach endeavors.
Can he sing? Can he dance? Can he act?
When Geva Theatre Center raises the curtain on June 3 for the 11th annual Summer Curtain Call, RIT President Bill Destler will be there—on stage!
He will be one of the stars in Trouble in River City, a musical spoof of The Music Man, written and directed by Geva’s artistic director Mark Cuddy.
The gala event raises funds for Geva’s education and outreach endeavors—which serve more than 20,000 children and youth each year—including in-school teaching curriculum, teacher workshops, and other programs designed to cultivate theater education in the Rochester community.
“Since RIT is upstream of Rochester, I’ve seen this trouble coming for quite awhile,” says Destler about his new venture into the acting arena.
Destler will join a host of notable celebrities such as WHAM-AM (1180)’s Joe Lomonaco, Essie Calhoun of United Way of Rochester, Tony Infantino of WRMM-FM (101.3), Jennifer Johnson of WHAM-TV (channel 13), Carlos Carballada of the city of Rochester, Arunas Chesonis of PAETEC, state Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, state Sen. James Alesi, Rufus and Thomas Judson of the Pike Co., Geva’s Executive Director Tom Parrish and more.
Geva’s Summer Curtain Call is one of the most anticipated events in the theater’s calendar. The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. under the festival marquee on Woodbury Boulevard, followed by the performance at 8 p.m. in the Mainstage.
If you want to see Destler’s acting debut before he heads off to Broadway, tickets are $150 per person for general admission and can be purchased online at Geva or by calling 585-232-1366, extension 3011.
Recommended News
-
April 30, 2024
![Shakierah Smith is shown standing in front of a gray wall wearing a hot pink dress with her hands crossed across her torso.]()
Attorney finds her home in real estate law
As a child, Shakierah Smith loved watching Law & Order. Now a real estate associate, Smith says that her success was thanks to her support system and positive experiences at RIT.
-
April 30, 2024
![Joi Conti sits in a wicker chair that is facing backwards. She is wearing a sleeveless black top, a black hat, and is holding a camera near her head.]()
Celebrating Filipino artists in Austin
To help draw attention to the thriving Filipino community in Austin, Texas, Joi Conti created a new magazine guide called TAYO NA: Austin Filipino Artists & Makers Guide in October 2023. -
April 30, 2024
![the words Latinx Graduation appear on a black background that has orange and yellow arrows pointing from the top right to bottom left.]()
RIT to hold inaugural Latinx graduation
RIT will host its first Latinx graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 5, at 1 p.m. in the SHED. The event is a chance to honor and celebrate graduating Latinx students and is organized by RIT’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). -
April 29, 2024
![a student is standing at a lab table testing micron glass beads to improve visualization under fluorescent microscopes.]()
Students discover research opportunities on the path to graduation
Independent research projects can help cultivate critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Whether it’s late nights spent in a RIT lab or a field study in the mountains, research experiences can be a cutting-edge way for students to prepare for the future.
