Theater lovers seek local talent

A pair of theater-loving friends will be taking their shared passion and creating a show that they hope will delight audiences while also giving fellow Valley Streamers a creative outlet this summer.

Danny Ferro and Catherine DelCastillo, who have known each other since their days attending a summer drama camp in Valley Stream, are launching the In The Wings theater troupe and are planning a performance for late July. Now college graduates, the pair say they want to do something fun for the community.

“We’re looking for people who are just interested in being part of a team,” DelCastillo said, adding that it is a good opportunity for people who want to pursue their interest in theater, but perhaps have been too shy in the past to try out.

DelCastillo graduated from Ball State College in Indiana with a degree in theater education. She is a drama specialist with an afterschool program in Manhattan’s lower east side, and also works for a children’s theater company. At Holy Trinity High School, she was in several shows, and played the lead role of Grusha in “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” her senior year. Her beginnings in theater date back to the “Showtime” performances at Blessed Sacrament Church when she was younger.

Ferro is a recent graduate of Boston University, where he took part in numerous student productions and was co-director of “How to Succeed in Business” last fall. He used to perform in the musicals at Central High School, and was the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” his senior year. Ferro was also known for putting on backyard theater productions with his friends in the summers, where shows included “Beauty and the Beast” and “Once Upon a Mattress.”

The pair met in 2007 while taking part in the Central High School District’s summer drama program. They are now looking to combine their theater expertise and put on a show for the community. They will be holding auditions on June 7 at the Valley Stream Community Center in Hendrickson Park. The exact show is undetermined, by Ferro said it will likely be a collection of songs, including show tunes and pop music.