Willow Glen Resident

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CMT board sings its praises for Heath

By Alicia Upano

Living in Willow Glen isn't a prerequisite for managing Children's Musical Theater San Jose, but it could be argued that the community has a proven set of chops. This is the third time the longstanding organization as chosen its managing director from the historic neighborhood.

Rosemary Heath follows in the footsteps of Willow Glen resident Jennifer S. Hull, who ran the organization from 2001 to 2006, and Willow Glen resident businessman Michael Mulcahy, who ran the organization for eight years before Hull. Health took over as the CMT managing director on March 19.

"We were looking for what we found," said Mulcahy, who led the nonprofit group's search committee. "It's hard to describe how perfect a fit Rosemary is."

Although Heath was right in the theater group's back yard, the search went national. Mulcahy says 90 percent of the applicants came from outside of Santa Clara County, and many from outside of California.

Children's Musical Theater artistic director Kevin Hauge says the search committee had to seriously consider more than 60 applicants with solid experience from coast to coast, but CMT's desires were specific.

Not only would the organization's new managing director need the required business' skills, but he or she had to blend with the board, be empathetic to children and their families and share the executive role with theater's artistic director, Hauge says.

In addition, the ideal candidate needed to understand CMT's importance to the community. More than 60,000 children and teens have participated in theater programs during its 39-year history. While some alumni have gone on to perform on Broadway, the theater is a training ground for the leaders, artists and arts patrons of the future, Hauge says.

"Finding someone who understands the emotional piece at the onset would be difficult, but not with Rosemary," Hauge says.

Heath says she was impressed by CMT's work well before she applied for the position.

Heath moved from Los Angeles to Willow Glen in 2004, after working in corporate communications for decades. The move was inspired by her daughter, Willow Glen resident Samantha Fein, and Samantha's newborn twins.

In 2005, she attended the Children's Musical Theater's production of Aida. Heath was so amazed by the performance that she immediately became a CMT donor and called then-executive director Hull to offer her help, if needed.

Heath stayed backstage during her initial years in Willow Glen, where she was settling into the neighborhood, spending time with her grandchildren, consulting and playing competitive bridge with the San Jose Bridge Club at the Campbell Community Center.

Heath's family moved many times--including being smuggled out of Cuba during Fidel Castro's revolution. Eventually the family settled in Los Angeles when she was a high school junior.

In her teenage years, Heath, born in Detroit, was interested in theater and auditioned for school plays. She also competed with the National Forensic League in dramatic interpretation. She entered UCLA in 1964 as a theater arts major, and spent two years steeped in technical theater that included set building and lighting. During this time she also auditioned for roles in the competitive program. She left the school to support her first husband through law school, and raise her two children, Samantha and Mark.

In the years after UCLA, Heath began working for Merrill Lynch and eventually became operations manager for the company. She returned to school to complete a bachelor's degree in Spanish literature in 1983 and began a master's in business administration until a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arose.

Heath was tapped to become a co-director of protocol for the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Olympic committee approached members of the Los Angeles legal community to fill the position, who then recruited Health based on her business and volunteer experience.

As co-director of protocol from 1983 to 1984, Heath became the stage manager for the Olympics' opening and medal ceremonies at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, and was director of ceremonies for the venue.

"It's quite an interesting, exciting life," says Heath, sitting in front of the Montgomery Theater where CMT performances are held. "It taught me about what's important."

For Heath, her children have been her first priority. After the Olympics, she launched her own business, Meeting Resource, which gave her more flexibility and time with her children.

She represented corporations and business associations in the United States and Canada doing strategic corporate events, and frequently trained others in meeting planning at seminars. Heath then closed her business to join DIRECTV.

During her eight years with the satellite TV company, she became the senior director of corporate relations. There, she launched several community-oriented programs, including educational programming for classrooms and charity fundraising events. Her colleagues nominated her for the Gold Quill Award of Merit from the International Association of Business Communicators, and she won.

Her entertainment experience also included the stage. She was a supporter of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Ahmanson Theater and the Los Angeles Opera Guild.

While her work at the Children's Musical Theater combines two great loves, theater and family, Heath says the move was unexpected. When Hull opted to step down after having her second child, she encouraged Heath to apply.

For months after submitting her résumé, Heath heard nothing. Then, early this year, Mulcahy invited her to the theater to learn about the organization. Later, she went through an 8 ¹/2-hour interview process, including lunch with the board and meeting the staff.

Mulcahy liked Heath's experience building communities and relationships with stakeholders. He recommended her as the organization's next managing director, and the board unanimously agreed.

"The organization has nothing but potential. I think with Rosemary's corporate maturity, blended with Kevin's unmatched artistic ability, the sky's the limit for the kids of this valley," Mulcahy says.

For more information on the Children's Musical Theater of San Jose, visit www.cmtsj.org.