Ron DeStefano ONLINE: Biography

The question I get asked most often by new friends is “Why did you decide to pursue a career in theatre?” Well, below is my answer...in my own words.

Born in the small Florida sugar-cane town of Clewiston, I didn’t have showbiz aspirations at all as a youngster. My father, Ronald Sr., worked for the local sugar corporation as a research chemist, and my mom, Karen, studied and practiced nursing before my sister Kimberly and I were born. Needless to say, science was in my blood from the very beginning!

After my parents separated and my mother moved our family to Royal Palm Beach (a suburb of West Palm), I made academics my primary focus. Science fairs, spelling bees, and getting “straight A’s” all ranked as top priorities during my elementary and middle school years. Of course, my sister and I studied piano (and I always enjoyed singing around the house), but no one (including me!) had any inkling of my artistic leanings.

While attending Cardinal Newman High, an academically challenging Catholic school in West Palm Beach, I slowly started to get involved in some extra-curricular activities. My piano teacher heard that my church Youth Choir was in need of an accompanist, so I started to explore all new sorts of musical styles through my involvement with St. Rita’s Parish. At around the same time, I followed a whim and auditioned for the school musical (THE WIZARD OF OZ) and, to my own amazement, landed the plum role of The Scarecrow. These two events began my love affair with music and performance. In my science-minded Italian family, however, schoolwork always came first, so I studied harder than ever and always kept my artsy endeavors on the sidelines. Although I continued to perform in school plays and musicals (and compete with the swim team for a little exercise), by the end of my junior year my mind was made up: I wanted to attend Florida State University and major in chemistry.

During my senior year of high school, I decided that I had lost my love for piano-playing, so I decided to take voice lessons for a year instead. Seeing my interest and dedication (and natural abilities), my voice teacher Arlene Sparks uttered an off-the-cuff remark that would change the course of my entire life: “FSU has one of the best music programs in the country. Why don’t you just sing for their voice department and see what happens?”

Following her advice, my father and I took a spring trip to the Florida State campus for their annual auditions. I guess I did something right, because they offered me a four-year scholarship to complete a major in vocal performance. Of course, being the stubborn guy that I am (but not one to turn down free cash!), I still wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a research scientist, so I decided to double-major and get degrees in BOTH chemistry and music!

Fast forward four years later (and weeks upon weeks of balancing organic chemistry study sessions with play rehearsals), and I was at a major crossroads. I had completed both my chemistry and music programs, and I had alternated my summers between lab research and summer stock at the Seaside Music Theater in Daytona Beach. What next? I knew what my heart was telling me, but I decided to follow my brain and apply for graduate programs in chemistry. When my acceptance letter came in the mail from Rutgers University, I didn’t know whether to be excited or disappointed. How could I turn down a full scholarship to a great graduate school to follow some artsy-fartsy career in play-acting? I decided to allow myself a compromise: one more summer of theatre after graduation, and then off to Rutgers to begin the rest of my life.

Through a national theatre conference, I landed my “last-hurrah”: a summer-stock job with the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, New York. It was a crazy and intense season...nine shows over the course of a few short months...but I loved every second of it. I knew that the theatre bug had bitten, but I was doing my best to resist its lures and stick to my original plans. During the middle of the season, however, a New York City-based actress by the name of Melissa Giattino joined the company, and we developed a friendship that was truly life-changing. Over the course of many late-night talks and countless hours of rehearsal, she convinced me that I should move to New York and give a career in theatre a try. I eventually agreed, although under one condition: I called Rutgers and asked them to defer my scholarship and acceptance for one year. That way, if I failed miserably in the Big Apple, I could return to Plan A and pick up right where I left off.

So I did it. My FSU pal and Mac-Haydn castmate Jeff Williams and I packed his car and drove to New York City. I moved into my little Manhattan closet-sized apartment, and I immediately started auditioning. I remember asking someone for directions to the music library at Lincoln Center before I even had unpacked my bags. Things were slow at first, but then I actually started to figure things out. I landed an unpaid reading of a new musical, then a non-union Christmas concert, and before I knew it, I had booked the European Tour of the musical EVITA. And the rest, as they say, is history. I can still remember sitting in my German hotel room placing the long-distance call to Rutgers to inform them that I wouldn’t be joining their next graduate class. If they could have only seen the beaming grin on my face as I told them the news that would create an entire world of possibilities and excitement for me.

Now I’m proud to say I’m an actor. And I live in New York City. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been the most fulfilling thing I could ever imagine myself doing. I’m constantly learning lessons about myself, the business, and life itself, but regardless of the heartache and occasional disappointments that come my way, I know I’m where I need to be. I hope you enjoy your visit to my little online home, and I hope you enjoyed my story as well! Best wishes and...follow your dreams!

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The question I get asked most often by new friends is “Why did you decide to pursue a career in theatre?” Well, below is my answer...in my own words. Born in the small Florida sugar-cane town of Clewiston, I didn’t have showbiz aspirations at all as a youngster. My father, Ronald Sr., worked for the local sugar corporation as a research chemist, and my mom, Karen, studied and practiced nursing before my sister Kimberly and I were born. Needless to say, science was in my blood from the very beginning! After my parents separated and my mother moved our family to Royal Palm Beach (a suburb of West Palm), I made academics my primary focus. Science fairs, spelling bees, and getting “straight A’s” all ranked as top priorities during my elementary and middle school years. Of course, my sister and I studied piano (and I always enjoyed singing around the house), but no one (including me!) had any inkling of my artistic leanings. While attending Cardinal Newman High, an academically challenging Catholic school in West Palm Beach, I slowly started to get involved in some extra-curricular activities. My piano teacher heard that my church Youth Choir was in need of an accompanist, so I started to explore all new sorts of musical styles through my involvement with St. Rita’s Parish. At around the same time, I followed a whim and auditioned for the school musical (THE WIZARD OF OZ) and, to my own amazement, landed the plum role of The Scarecrow. These two events began my love affair with music and performance. In my science-minded Italian family, however, schoolwork always came first, so I studied harder than ever and always kept my artsy endeavors on the sidelines. Although I continued to perform in school plays and musicals (and compete with the swim team for a little exercise), by the end of my junior year my mind was made up: I wanted to attend Florida State University and major in chemistry. During my senior year of high school, I decided that I had lost my love for piano-playing, so I decided to take voice lessons for a year instead. Seeing my interest and dedication (and natural abilities), my voice teacher Arlene Sparks uttered an off-the-cuff remark that would change the course of my entire life: “FSU has one of the best music programs in the country. Why don’t you just sing for their voice department and see what happens?” Following her advice, my father and I took a spring trip to the Florida State campus for their annual auditions. I guess I did something right, because they offered me a four-year scholarship to complete a major in vocal performance. Of course, being the stubborn guy that I am (but not one to turn down free cash!), I still wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a research scientist, so I decided to double-major and get degrees in BOTH chemistry and music! Fast forward four years later (and weeks upon weeks of balancing organic chemistry study sessions with play rehearsals), and I was at a major crossroads. I had completed both my chemistry and music programs, and I had alternated my summers between lab research and summer stock at the Seaside Music Theater in Daytona Beach. What next? I knew what my heart was telling me, but I decided to follow my brain and apply for graduate programs in chemistry. When my acceptance letter came in the mail from Rutgers University, I didn’t know whether to be excited or disappointed. How could I turn down a full scholarship to a great graduate school to follow some artsy-fartsy career in play-acting? I decided to allow myself a compromise: one more summer of theatre after graduation, and then off to Rutgers to begin the rest of my life. Through a national theatre conference, I landed my “last-hurrah”: a summer-stock job with the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, New York. It was a crazy and intense season...nine shows over the course of a few short months...but I loved every second of it. I knew that the theatre bug had bitten, but I was doing my best to resist its lures and stick to my original plans. During the middle of the season, however, a New York City-based actress by the name of Melissa Giattino joined the company, and we developed a friendship that was truly life-changing. Over the course of many late-night talks and countless hours of rehearsal, she convinced me that I should move to New York and give a career in theatre a try. I eventually agreed, although under one condition: I called Rutgers and asked them to defer my scholarship and acceptance for one year. That way, if I failed miserably in the Big Apple, I could return to Plan A and pick up right where I left off. So I did it. My FSU pal and Mac-Haydn castmate Jeff Williams and I packed his car and drove to New York City. I moved into my little Manhattan closet-sized apartment, and I immediately started auditioning. I remember asking someone for directions to the music library at Lincoln Center before I even had unpacked my bags. Things were slow at first, but then I actually started to figure things out. I landed an unpaid reading of a new musical, then a non-union Christmas concert, and before I knew it, I had booked the European Tour of the musical EVITA. And the rest, as they say, is history. I can still remember sitting in my German hotel room placing the long-distance call to Rutgers to inform them that I wouldn’t be joining their next graduate class. If they could have only seen the beaming grin on my face as I told them the news that would create an entire world of possibilities and excitement for me. Now I’m proud to say I’m an actor. And I live in New York City. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been the most fulfilling thing I could ever imagine myself doing. I’m constantly learning lessons about myself, the business, and life itself, but regardless of the heartache and occasional disappointments that come my way, I know I’m where I need to be. I hope you enjoy your visit to my little online home, and I hope you enjoyed my story as well! Best wishes and...follow your dreams!
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