We’re excited to announce the appointment of our new Box Office Manager, Melanie Wallace!
Melanie is no stranger to The Growing Stage. She made her Palace Theatre debut at age 8 as a townsperson in Babes in Toyland. Now, as a theatre professional, Melanie brings extensive customer service experience, including work on multiple Broadway productions and national tours. We’re thrilled to welcome her back to TGS as our new Box Office Manager. Recently, we sat down with Melanie to ask her a few questions about her theatre background and this new position at TGS.
Welcome home Melanie! Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I’m a born and raised Jersey girl, growing up in Mt. Arlington and Netcong. I began performing mostly as a dancer and gymnast, but as I got older and began doing plays and musicals, my focus shifted primarily to theatre. After my time with The Growing Stage through my middle school and teen years, I went to Marymount Manhattan College, where I earned a degree in acting, and a minor in creative writing. After college, I worked in theatre merchandising, both on Broadway and on national tours, working on shows like The Lion King, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, and Hamilton for the next 10 years, and after some twists and turns, have found myself back in New Jersey, and back at the Growing Stage.
You first performed with The Growing Stage as a young person. Do you remember your first show with us?
Of course! It was Babes In Toyland. I think it was 1998, but I’ve done that show here 3 times in total, I believe. What are some of your favorite memories from your time at TGS? My favorite memories as a young child were just being in the theatre for any reason (even accompanying someone else in my family to a rehearsal for a show I wasn’t in), and making friends here that I’m still friends with to this day.
What excites you most about beginning this new chapter with The Growing Stage?
What excites me most about beginning this new chapter here is the knowledge I will gain in an area of theatre work that is new for me, and also I hope to be someone who truly contributes to the team here and to the audience experience.
What do you hope to gain from this new experience?
While I have a lot of varied experience working in theatres in New York, and across the country, I am excited to grow my box office knowledge and have a deeper understanding of another aspect of the world of theatre. And hopefully I’ll gain some new friends, too.
What has been your favorite TGS production of all time, and why?
I have two answers, because one I was in and one I wasn’t. My favorite production I saw was The Secret Garden, because I love that musical so much and the cast was fantastic. My favorite show I ever performed in here (or anywhere, honestly…) was when I played a Bird Girl in Seussical. But that’s a tough call and there are many close seconds.
Thank you for chatting with us, Melanie—and welcome home to TGS! The next time you visit the Palace Theatre, be sure to stop by the Box Office window to say hello. She can’t wait to meet you!
