As a real estate broker, mortgage loan officer, a professional musician, songwriter, husband, and father to three, Mike Rago, resident of Downers Grove, still has the passion to see another dream become reality. Though his days and nights are tenaciously filled with work, life, family and music, Mike will be watching the curtain rise on his first production, Romeo and Juliet, 10 years Later in March at Center Stage Theater in Naperville.
"I have had the idea to write a comedy sequel on Romeo and Juliet who manage to fake their death and secretly run away as husband and wife," he comments.
While inspiration strikes at those wee hours of the morning, Mike woke one morning during the Christmas season of 2011, lines taking shape in his imagination of what he wanted to see on paper. He transcribed thoughts with his trusted lap top by his bedside, writing scene after scene, one re-write after another until he felt that his play was completed, for the moment, anyway. As a creative composer, he knew that there really isn't a final copy of anything and Mike utilized associates in the theater to analyze his work. The next step was to mail, overnight, hand deliver and email his script to theaters, directors and producers. Finally, after a relentless search, a producer from a local theater contacted him with a positive critique and prediction that his play could possibly be considered for a future season.
Now, Mike was fueled even further to find a home for his show. It was then that Mike found Hugh Kelley, a local actor that had been actively involved in Chicago theater since childhood. Hugh had suggested that Center Stage Theater in Naperville might be an option. After Mike spoke with the owner, a student theater was offered to organize a workshop and read through with family and friends willing to participate.
"Everyone played a character and my show was born that day."
"Center Stage offered to produce the show, organizing show dates, rehearsals, technical expertise and the necessary details to make my dream possible. The theatre suggested that I direct the production advising me that my vision could truly be defined appropriately on stage for the first time."
Passion and enthusiasm are certainly the front runners to creating something you really want but action is necessary to any personal or professional success. So many have a wealth of talent but hidden by a lack of confidence and knowledge to market that self-made product. You have to step beyond the bounds of fear, confusion, procrastination and create a strategy, a network of trusted mentors, and faith that you have something worth their attention just like Mike Rago did.
Celebrate Mike’s success and others like him by reserving a seat for Romeo & Juliet, 10 Years Later. Performances will be held Friday, March 22nd, 2013 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 24th, 2013 at 3 pm at Center Stage Theater in Naperville, one of the community’s newest performing arts center and home to KidzKabaret. To order tickets, call the Center Stage Theater box office at 630-355-9212
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