By Larry Wayne Morbitt

When I graduated from college, I began my pursuit of a musical theatre career by participating in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Musical Theatre workshop. I was 5' 7 ½", weighed 160 lbs. and had this big voice. It wasn't likely that I was going to be cast as the leading man in many shows, but my coaches and directors told me that I was definitely a character actor and probably wouldn't find my better roles until I was older. I was also drawn to the ministry and felt free to go in that direction at that point. After spending about fifteen years in full-time church ministry as a minister of music, I decided to go back to school and finish my degree. During this time I participated in the Des Moines Metro Opera Summer Apprentice program, where I was cast as the lead in Gilbert and Sullivan's TRIAL BY JURY. Agents from Chicago saw my performance and told me I was Piangi. I figured that was flattering, though I had no idea who Piangi was. They subsequently represented me in three auditions over a period of a year and a half. I was eventually cast in the Basel, Switzerland production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. When it ended after two years, I came back to the States and auditioned for the production staff in New York. There I was cast in the First National Touring Company and that's where I finally got my Equity Card. By then I was in my forties. A year later I joined the Broadway company and worked there non-stop until last spring, when I left to join the Las Vegas production of PHANTOM, where I am currently. I am not only honored to be a member of Equity, but look forward to many more years of exciting work.