BWW Interviews: Tony Winner David Gallo Talks What's Appealing About Doing Theater in the Philippines

As of this writing, Gallo is fresh off a vacation at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida with his wife, Sarah, and their two children; and without missing a beat, Gallo and his wife, who also functions as his business/studio manager, are also all set for their next overseas work: this time for Dreamworks' "Madagascar Live!" tours in nine cities in the United Kingdom. 

However, Gallo's fondness to do more work in the Philippines in the near future remains intact.

"I'm currently in talks for a 'top secret' project in the Philippines," said Gallo.

"I love working in the Philippines because every person that I've dealt with there has been wonderful. The desire to get it right there is very strong. Everybody has the same kind of 'theater spark' that I think we all started off with. You kind of get jaded throughout the years. The gloss starts to sort of rub off on you inevitably.  But all the people there, no matter how long they've been in the business, they all have that incredible energy and enthusiasm for what they're doing -  in every person: from  the director to the choreographer to the stage manager (even the person in charge of support services). It's just great to be around people that really care so much."

As a scenic designer, Gallo's basic job is to help tell the story, and provide a physical environment for the play to take place. His set for "Nine" was conceived in order to tell that story. 

"My set was nothing; it was just an inanimate object. The work that Bobby did, the cast did, and the choreographers and the lighting people did - they all told a really clear story. My gratitude is really for the people who helped me tell the story, and the audience members who got the story," he said.

"I wish that the show could have had a longer run; I wish more people would get to see the work," he sighed.

For more information on Gallo, visit his official website at davidgallo.com.

To vote for his design at the 2012 BroadwayWorld Philippines Awards, click HERE.

Photos by Oliver Oliveros, Atlantis Productions

Oliver is about to earn his M.S. degree in public relations and corporate communication from New York University while serving as regional editor for BroadwayWorld.com. Over the past 18 years, Oliver has been handling public relations and corporate communication for numerous brands (including Pepsi), Broadway shows, Broadway stars, non-profit organizations, and mainstream celebrities. He also teaches public relations at De La Salle University-Manila. Follow Oliver on Twitter: @OliverOliveros

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