New role wins former South Jersey teacher Broadway accolade

VINELAND – Steven Calakos is at home on the stage.

Sing, dance, act ­— he does it all.

But it’s his talent as a teacher that won him Broadway’s limelight.

Calakos was one of 19 educators nationwide to win an Excellence in Theatre Education Award honorable mention during the 75^th annual Tony Awards. Theater Director Roshunda Jones-Koumba from G. W. Carver Magnet High School in Houston took the top honor.

“I found out that my name was in the Playbill,” said an elated Calakos, whose life took an unscripted turn about two years ago.

A lifelong Vinelander, Calakos made a name for himself performing at greater South Jersey area theaters and teaching in Vineland Public Schools classrooms.

When his life seemed stable and secure, he set off on a new adventure that took him to the Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, Florida.

“I just happened to learn of the Gulfshore Playhouse when I was taking the Vineland All-Middle School Productions to Bucks County Playhouse for the student theater festival,” he said.

When the southwest Florida regional theater posted help wanted, Calakos responded.

“Being the director of education at Gulfshore Playhouse is exactly the role that I was looking for for quite some time,” Calakos said.

His lifetime resumé aligned with the job requirements.

At 18, he auditioned to be the next “American Idol.”

A few years later, he joined the cast of NBC’s reality show “You’re the One That I Want” trying to land the lead role as Danny Zuko in the Broadway production of “Grease.”

Calakos didn’t win, but he learned.

Pursuing his duo career path, he graduated Rowan University in 2008 with bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and theater/child drama.

Calakos fulfilled both goals teaching in Vineland Public Schools while creating theater arts opportunities for students from elementary to high school.

He took on the Vineland All-Middle School spring musical after the passing of long-time director Mark Melamed and formed the CHS Theatrical company that sponsored summer theater camps.

“I really didn’t start performing on stage until high school,” said Calakos, now an Actors Equity Association member. “Through my high school, college, and professional career, I realized that theater arts create better human beings.”

“My mission in life is to help students and adults see the value in theater and how invaluable it is to our society,” he said.

That philosophy mirrors his job description at Gulfshore Playhouse.

“Not only am I directing the student productions at the theater, honestly that’s not the biggest part of my job,” he said. “I’m largely responsible for providing professional development for teachers in the middle schools and high schools to enhance and develop their theater arts programs.”

“It’s challenging me in ways that I wasn’t as a classroom teacher,” he said.

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It wasn’t the smoothest transition taking a job in theater and education just as a pandemic shut schools and shuttered stages.

The pandemic prompted Gulfshore Playhouse to slash their staff by 90 percent but Calakos was spared. He turned his attention to their program called “Think Theater,” a supplemental resource to help educators find creative ways to teach the state standards.

“I started writing curriculum,” Calakos said. “I started writing lessons K-12, math, social studies, language arts, science, all the core content areas but through the lens of theater arts.”

“We created virtual lesson plans,” he said.

Those lessons are being implemented in East Coast classrooms, including the Bridgeton Public School District’s 21^st Century Learning Program for students grades 4-8.

One lesson is a bridge between math and the Yellow Brick Road.

“Ding! Denominator! The Witch is Dead” is a Wizard of Oz themed lesson focused on fractions and graphing.

“It’s not more work for the teacher, it’s meant to help them and make the lessons more engaging and interesting,” Calakos said.

His work did not go unnoticed.

When calls went out for theater educator nominees ahead of 2022 Tony Awards ceremony, Gulfshore Playhouse founder and producing artistic director Kristen Coury submitted her director of education for consideration.

The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University present the annual award and honorable mentions to those inspiring a new generation of theater talent.

“I was excited to nominate Steven Calakos because I knew he was the ‘full package,” Coury said. “A former in-school educator for 11 years, he had founded his own theatre company producing student shows, is a great director, and an all-around great guy.”

“He has increased the quality, accessibility, and breadth of our programming since he arrived, and I have no doubt there is more on the horizon as we move into our new theatre and education center,” she added.

Calakos said his hopes his Tony honor brings more attention to Gulfshore Playhouse.

Founded in 2004, the regional theater is preparing to move into the Baker Theatre and Education Center, the crown jewel in its $60 million new campus project. A groundbreaking was held in December with a projected December 2023 opening.

“We have an entire wing dedicated to education,” Calakos said. “There are classrooms and rehearsal spaces."

“My job now — this is our transition period — is to plan our education productions for the first season we’re in the new building and the classes we are offering throughout the day and evening for students of all ages,” he said.

“A class during the day could be our Broadway Baby class where a caregiver comes with their toddler,” he said. “They are introduced to musical theater, instruments, and singing.”

“Naples is a big retirement community, we have people from all walks of life who love the arts and want to continue taking classes,” he said, looking to offer adult tapdancing lessons and perhaps a musical theater Pilates program.

In the evening, the center will offer instruction for students looking to fine-turn their theater skills.

Calakos is eager to encourage those keen to pursue their own Broadway dreams.

One day they might see their name printed in the Playbill.

Calakos, a steadfast theater enthusiast, is hoping to score his own copy of that Tony Awards program announcing his honor.

“eBay has one for $20, he said. “Of course, I’m going to buy one."

Deborah M. Marko covers breaking news, public safety, and education for The Daily Journal, Courier-Post and Burlington County Times. Got a story idea? Call 856-563-5256 or email dmarko@gannettnj.com. Follow on Twitter: @dmarko_dj Instagram: deb.marko.dj Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Vineland NJ alum Steven Calakos finds Tony Awards spotlight