Meet Bruce Nutting. PCS Wall of Honor Inductee 2011.
Bruce Nutting first came to PCS in 1964 when asked to play Richard Rich in in A Man for all Seasons. “I realized I was in community theater heaven, and I have been at PCS ever since.”
“The most fun I’ve had onstage was being Major General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance in 1985.” Another of Bruce’s favorite shows was Something’s Afoot. “I did the special effects and got to kill off all 10 members of the cast (I guess that’s cheating since 2 of them were poisoned which didn’t take much special effect work at all). They were gassed, electrocuted, blown up, clubbed, strangled, and killed with a poisoned dart – all done by the set.”
“My wife Millie was not a theatre person when I married her.” As with so many of our life partners, Millie started out supporting Bruce in small ways. Director Bob Kerr asked her to be his “rehearsal secretary” in order to secure Bruce for the comedy lead in Little Mary Sunshine (1967). “When I started directing shows, it became obvious to me that Millie had a better ‘eye’ for what was happening on stage, while I was the technician who was able to correct things. We worked as a team for many years.”
Outside of PCS, Bruce designed military and commercial computers for Burroughs corporation “back when most people had never seen a computer.” He transitioned his career to designing and conducting training and consulting on business process improvement and quality.
Bruce took a ten year hiatus from PCS starting in 2012 when his beloved Millie became ill and needed his care. After she passed, he returned – “doing a little bit of tech work and enjoying seeing great theatre at PCS once more.”
Bruce is currently the lighting designer for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike which opens at PCS October 30. “It is a little bit intimidating to try lighting again after a pause of more than 10 years. A lot has changed in that time, including my own physical abilities. Luckily, I have Brian Papa to help me – we last worked together at PCS when he was in high school.
“I enjoy singing and I’ve been in the church choir for many years. Even before I joined the choir I often helped with special performances as part of our church services. Over the years I have played many biblical characters, from Jesus to Satan (Satan is more fun – bad guys are always better parts). I’m always available to take a role onstage if there is a part for a mature gentleman.”
“I’m attached to PCS as a physical place as well as a community of talented people doing great theater. I am proud to be able to stand literally anywhere in our theater and point to something that I wired, installed, or designed. We truly are blessed with a wonderful place to pursue our art.”