Chasing Nicolette's sidekick: Nick DeSantis crafts a career in theater

October 30, 5:49 PMSeattle Theater ExaminerRosemary Jones

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Matthew Kacergis (Aucassin) and Nick DeSantis (Valere)

Photo: John Pai (Village Theatre)

Belltown resident Nick DeSantis is chasing the dream of Seattle actors: making a fulltime career out of doing what he loves.

DeSantis began his career as an entertainer by double majoring in theater and computers in college. He also began training as a dancer in his 20s (an art that most practitioners start in their childhood) and eventually became a principal dancer at Spectrum in 1996.

As even professional dancers need a fall back career, DeSantis worked as a computer systems developer with AT&T, Microsoft and Expedia Inc. But the lure of the theater proved stronger than a steady paycheck from the giant of Redmond. These days, DeSantis makes the stage his day job, with gigs at ArtsWest, 5th Avenue, and Second Story Repertory.

Currently, he is playing the hero’s sidekick in the Village Theatre’s medieval romantic musical comedy Chasing Nicolette.  Valere “is the perfect character,” said DeSantis. “He’s the anti-hero who ends up saving the day in spite of himself.”

In Chasing Nicolette, the Christian count Aucassin has fallen in love with the Muslim princess Nicolette. Obstacles abound for the lovers, not the least of which is a scheming Mother Superior at a convent. Valere does what he can to help his count get his girl, including the quick knock-out battle with the conniving holy woman. “It’s a big laugh moment,” said DeSantis, who assures everyone that nobody really gets hurt. “We set it up that she is this superhuman villain, not your typical sweet nun.”

DeSantis has been involved with Chasing Nicolette since the Village Theatre did a workshop for the new musical. As the first actor to play Valere, he has seen the character develop with a definite DeSantis flavor. “In this experience, of creating a new work, so much of yourself ends up in the character. No matter how ridiculous or comic, you also want him to be real and likable,” DeSantis said. “In the original workshop, Valere was much more of a joke. But he really does have have a great affection for his master Aucassin. He also develops a fondness for Nicolette.”

Selling a character across the footlights come naturally to DeSantis. It was the basis of his late-starting career in dance. “I didn’t have the flexibility or the balletic technique of many dancers, but I could perform,” he explained. “The things that I loved about musical theater, I brought to dance.”

About his sidestep away from the arts for work at Microsoft, DeSantis wisely said, “Starving artist is only romantic until you are starving. I worked in the industry until I had a nest egg.”

Still, even while working at Microsoft, DeSantis kept acting. He was part of the Microsoft Theater Troupe, a collection of “very smart, very talented people” who performed on the company campus and has helped raise more than $100,000 for charity.

These days, DeSantis is concentrating on a career in theater and he loves gigs like Village Theatre, which stretches their shows’ runs with performances in both Issaquah and Everett.

“Just doing theater is a very, very difficult way to make a living,” DeSantis pointed out. “Most of the runs in this area are limited. Any role may last two months at the most. Once that job is over, you’re unemployed.”
As an actor, he finds the Village Theatre’s commitment to new works like Chasing Nicolette encouraging. “I have a lot of respect for the fact that they do a new musical every year. That’s important because it supports young composers and writers.”

Oddly enough, Nick DeSantis ended up competing against his old boss this year. Both he and Bill Gates ended up nominated for Best of Western Washington Man of the Year. For a few days, DeSantis led Gates in the online poll. “I guess you should never underestimate the power of Facebook and the Seattle theater community to garner votes,” he said. “But he is Bill Gates, and I’m not expecting to beat him.”

Chasing Nicolette opens today (Oct. 30) at the Everett Performing Arts Center, and runs through Nov. 22. Ticket information available online through Village Theatre.