Valerie Accetta, 2013 MFA, Theatre Pedagogy
Valerie cites David Leong for giving her one of her most exciting early opportunities. He was hired as fight director on Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage. Valerie became rehearsal accompanist and “got to spend hours in the room with Kathleen Turner as she created her character.”
Valerie started piano at age five and choir in middle school, where she became, “totally a theater kid after that.” She started college, but became “an undergrad school drop out.” While she was a freshman at the University of Miami, she and some friends drove up to Orlando to audition for the first tour of State Fair starring John Davidson. She got cast as his daughter and went on the national tour.
After the tour, Valerie returned to her hometown of Columbus, Ohio where she attended Otterbein University. They allowed her to individually design her own major, so she received a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre Pedagogy.
Then came numerous tours and shows in regional theatres, including Maria in Sound of Music, Lady Larkin Once Upon a Mattress, and “lots of Rodgers and Hammerstein.”
Valerie’s next gig took her further away…to Greece! She was in a production titled The Magic of Musicals and worked in Athens for seven years. Valerie was also the Head of Drama at Campion School, a prominent international school, where she taught grades 6 – 12 and directed shows seven shows, including Godspell, which played at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010.
Even though her first class with David Leong was mime, her inspiration from him was “How do you continually surprise people? That’s a part of my everyday work.” Valerie also assisted Leong and Patti d’Beck (former Movement Professor) on shows in DC and Utah. During her second year at VCU, Valerie applied to the University of Alabama Birmingham and was hired before her last semester at VCU ended.
She moved there ten years ago and is now Head of Musical Theatre. “It’s been a dream.” Valerie still loves to perform, “I’m still in the union and have had opportunities to get back on stage, including an upcoming cabaret.”
Compiled by Liz Hopper (professor emeritus) and Jerry Williams (BFA ’71) for the May 2023 Theatre Alumni newsletter