Meet the Toast of the Town: Tony Calzaretta

Tony Calzaretta, the soft-spoken, unassuming assistant director for nearly 30 of Saint Viator’s musicals and plays, will find himself front and center April 25, when members of the Patrons of the Arts present him with their first “Tony Award.”

“The brand-new award recognizes Calzaretta for the lasting impact he’s made to the theater, and all of the students and their families whose lives he’s touched,” said Chris Bremner, director of admissions and Patrons member.

Calzaretta’s long tenure at Saint Viator started back in 2005. He had casually mentioned to his friend, Kate Costello, that if she ever needed any help with the musicals, to let him know.

“I can hammer a nail and paint a flat,” Calzaretta remembers saying, thinking he could help out backstage.

The next thing he knew, Costello invited him to come and meet the cast of “The Music Man” she had just assembled. Calzaretta thought that was odd. Why would he need to meet the cast if he was only going to be working backstage, he reasoned?

“And now I want you to meet our new assistant director,” Costello told the 100 or so cast members assembled, pointing to Calzaretta.

For his part, Calzaretta looked behind him to see if she was pointing to someone else, but of course, no one was there. Thus began a 15-year partnership, with Costello directing the actors on stage and Calzaretta serving as her indispensable assistant director.

“I knew I would need help with more than just scene construction,” Costello says now. “With Tony, I knew early on that he brought with him a great combination of the sort of attitude and aptitude that makes for a great collaborator.”

Calzaretta brought legitimate theater experience to the role. He, like Costello, majored in theater in college. In fact, it was in the theater department at Northern Illinois University where he met his wife, JoAnn Calzaretta, for whom the Saint Viator stage is named.

Immediately before directing at Saint Viator, Calzaretta directed six musicals for the St. James Theatre program in Arlington Heights, but he also had appeared in shows there beginning in 1974. Calzaretta also performed in shows with Music on Stage in Palatine and with the Des Plaines Theatre Guild.

Right from the start of his years at Saint Viator, Calzaretta made it his mission to get to know every student.

“Tony jumped right in, making his own handprinted attendance sheets, taking attendance at every rehearsal and knowing every student by name,” Costello said. “He not only took notes for me, but I trusted him to share his own observations and coaching tips with the actors.”

“He never lost his patience when students got too noisy or forgot lines or stage directions,” she said. “He even swept the stage before rehearsals.”

When Costello announced her retirement in 2020, Calzaretta and the rest of the production team decided to step away as well, wanting to let the incoming director bring in her own people.

But Calzaretta continues to remain in touch with many of his former actors, sending them birthday cards and graduation notes.

“I loved those kids,” Calzaretta says. “We got to be friends; they trusted me, and I always appreciated that.”

For her part, Costello says Calzaretta played a big part in making Saint Viator shows so successful.

“Tony’s humility, sincerity, meticulous attention to detail, and genuine care for the students,” she says, “as well as an understanding of what is required of young actors in musical productions, made him an invaluable partner.”

The reception takes place from 5-6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, and includes a ticket to see the musical “Godspell,” which begins at 7 p.m.

Purchase tickets at shorturl.at/gGBJa

Proceeds will benefit the Patrons of the Arts and its support for the fine arts at Saint Viator.