Founder of FSCJ Artist Series marks start of 50th season

First Coast News

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/life/2015/03/10/jacksonville-fscj-artist-series-milt-russos-50th-anniversary/24689845/

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When most of us take our seats to watch a Broadway play or musical, we are ready to be entertained.

But not Milt Russos of Jacksonville. For him, his mind is on business from start to finish.

"The first thing I do when I sit down and the curtain goes up, I think about how the show is going to tour and what it is going to cost to tour," he explained.

Russos is the Executive Director of the Artist Series at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

It is the program that brings nationwide touring productions of Broadway shows and other performances to the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts downtown.

For the past 50 years, Russos has been in the director's chair overseeing the series' inception, expansion and success.

"I just love what I do. That is basically what it comes down to," he said humbly.

But here's something funny. Growing up, Russos did not necessarily set out to be part of the entertainment industry.

He explained, "I always had an interest in it, but I knew I would never be a performer."

Russos did not even intend to do theater when he moved to Jacksonville.

"I came here when the college was brand new in 1966. I was young and single. I came here to teach American history," he joked.

But then he got an offer from Florida Junior College, which is what FSCJ was called then.

Leaders wanted him to launch a new activities program for students at the T-U Center's current location on Water St. Back then, it was called the Civic Auditorium.

"It was a very, very small program. I think we had probably $10,000 to spend," he said.

Russos accepted the offer and began booking small musical acts. Then, over the course of several years, demand grew across the city.

"We soon realized the community was going to many of our shows," he explained.

Eventually, the shows and audiences grew larger. And with the advent of major touring productions during the 1980's like "Cats," the Artist Series was born.

"We always had one of the largest stages in the Southeast. That allowed us to do just about any major Broadway show," Russos said.

And under his direction, the series has done just that. Look no further than around Russos' office for proof.

Entire walls and shelves are covered with posters and memorabilia from shows that have stopped in Jacksonville, including "Grease," "Oklahoma!," Hairspray," "Wicked" and "Rock of Ages."

But his favorite of all time?

"Les Miserables."

And the most challenging?

"Phantom of the Opera."

That production during the 1998-1999 season required major structural changes to the theater less than 10 years after it had been completely renovated.

"We had to strengthen the ceiling where the chandelier had to come down from. We also had to strengthen the front wall," he Russos recalled.

"The Lion King" also presented a challenge because performers needed more room with their elaborate costumes to move down the aisles and onto the stage.

And what about the craziest?

A production of "Anything Goes" when the lead character stopped the show to find a doctor in the audience because a supporting character was sick.

"At first, everyone laughed because they thought it was part of the show. Then, we all realized she was quite serious," he said.

But as they say in the business, "the show must go on." And Russos has made it a point in his long career to seek out shows that are challenging.

"Shows today are not getting any smaller. They're getting larger and larger," he said.

And more technically advanced.

A recent production of "Dirty Dancing" used more LED lighting than any other show in series history.

Then there are those that have the potential to offend. Like the infamously mature productions of "Avenue Q" and "The Book of Mormon."

But both went over surprisingly well, Russos said. "I believe we can put on any show we want. We just have a duty to inform the audience about what they're going to see."

Now, he has just revealed the line-up for his upcoming 50th season.

It includes returning favorites like "42nd Street," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Phantom," but also the local debut of "Motown the Musical."

When performances begin this fall, it will mark half a generation that one man has made Jacksonville laugh, dance, sing and cry.

But for him, the audience is what makes it all worth while.

"There's an incredible amount of joy that I get just listening to people talk about the shows and seeing the smiles on their faces," Russos said.

You can read more about the 2015-2016 season of the Artist Series here.