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By Richard Zoller
Sean Zimmerman is returning to Sierra Vista through the Art Discovery Series. It may be for only a day, but we Sierra Vista people should be excited about it.
It may be our last chance to see him before he gains star status.
That may be an exaggeration, but many locals believe that Sean has everything needed to become a pop star. He is tall and handsome, an excellent dancer, an accomplished actor and most important, has a beautiful, unforgettable voice.
 Sean Zimmerman |
Sean was born in Sierra Vista and lived here until he went off to college.
He was a first-year student at Buena High School, singing in a school choir, when somebody persuaded him to sing a duet during a choir concert. Until that time, Sean had considered going out for soccer and track. He had no idea that his voice was exceptional or that he had acting ability. That original duet revealed something — the quality of his voice.
Then his fellow choristers persuaded him to take a part in a musical play about to be produced by the Buena Fine Arts Department. He was selected to play Sir Harry in “Once upon a Mattress.” That role attracted considerable favorable attention, leading to other major roles during his high school years.
He played Ambrose in the Cochise College production of “Hello, Dolly!” In other Buena productions he was in “Anything Goes,” was Anne’s father in “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and was John in The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
After his success at Buena, Sean applied for entry into the University of Arizona.
The college authorities, to their credit, immediately recognized Sean’s talents and offered him a full scholarship. While he was earning his degree in musical theater, he played Rapunzel’s Prince in “Into the Woods,” then KoKo in “The Mikado.”
He was MacHeath in “Threepenny Opera,” Curly in “Oklahoma,” and Oberon King of the Fairies, in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
College shows are kept to very high standards and are probably more difficult to perform than most professional theater, because of the constant supervision the players must endure while perfecting their parts.
For Sean, the effort was worthwhile because he went to New York and soon was accepted in professional plays.
He played Whizzer in “Falsettoland,” Swing in “Forever Plaid,” Gaston in “Gigi,” Cable in “South Pacific,” Perchik in “Fiddler on the Roof,” and Nicely, Nicely in “Guys and Dolls.”
It is obvious that Sean has been fully accepted as a professional actor in the theater world. If you can make it in New York theater, you are well along the way to being one of the world’s foremost actors.
Sean credits several Buena teachers and friends with instilling in him the quest for perfection that has sustained him during his efforts in the world of professional theater. He remembers the guidance of Karen Del Vecchio, Rick Klein and Helen Harris.
He also says that the many friends and well-wishers he left in Sierra Vista are a constant source of inspiration.
This pundit admittedly has a special attraction, amounting almost to an obsession, with Sean Zimmerman’s voice. There is no other man’s voice that has such particular appeal, a sort of natural vibrato together with resonance that makes the back of one’s neck break out in gooseflesh.
Unfortunately, there aren’t enough singing roles available to make it possible to hear Sean’s voice very often. He also has a terrific speaking voice, but the general public will have to hear him sing before his top popularity will be established.
Sean is coming to Sierra Vista in the cast of Little Women. Of course, in this show there are no important male roles, but we will be happy to see Sean in any role, no matter how small.
The show is coming as a part of the Art Discovery Series and will be performed in the Buena Performing Arts Center on March 11.
Sean says that he is thrilled to be returning to his hometown, though he probably will have very little time here. He is nonetheless anxious to talk to his old friends, if the show schedule allows time.
Sierra Vistans are urged to make advance reservations. Call 417-6980.
Go to the show
“Little Women” is part of the Art Discovery Series and will be performed in the Buena Performing Arts Center on March 11. This musical, starring Maureen McGovern, is based on Louisa May Alcott’s iconic novel and comes to Sierra Vista as part of its first national tour. 7 p.m. Tickets available at Ethel Berger Center, 2950 E. Tacoma St.; Oscar Yrun Community Center, 3020 E. Tacoma St.; Sierra Vista Aquatic Center, 2900 M.L. King Jr. Parkway. $35. 417-6980.
Jenna wrote on Mar 11, 2008 11:35 AM: