Wayne R. Scott is the president of LifeHouse Theater, a nonprofit community theater company in Redlands, California. Before joining a Zócalo/James Irvine Foundation panel discussion on community art programs—“How Do We Keep Community in the Community Arts Scene?”—he talked in the Zócalo green room about racquetball, skipping breakfast, and being a “Hero of the Arts.”
What would you do if you had an extra hour each day?
Read. I love to read. And I don’t ever get enough time to do it.
What is your hidden talent?
I play racquetball. I’ve played since junior high. I love Scrabble as well.
Do you have any recurring dreams?
I have one where I’ve been thrown into a play and I don’t know the lines.
What did you eat for breakfast?
I don’t usually eat breakfast. I’m usually up very late, so my first meal tends to be lunch.
What’s one of the best theater performances you’ve ever seen?
Probably Les Misérables, at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theater.
When was the last time you performed on a stage?
It’s been about a year now. I was the storyteller in our version of A Christmas Carol.
You were named a Redlands “Hero of the Arts” this year. How does it feel?
It’s humbling. I was shocked when I was told. More than anything, it’s a great responsibility.
You write musicals. How do you come up with a good tune?
It can happen out of the blue, whether I’m in the shower or doing chores. But generally it comes from developing a really good outline of the musicals, so I know what’s appropriate for the mood, etc.
You’ve directed Beauty and the Beast. What’s your favorite song?
In Disney’s musical version, “Home.”
What’s the ugliest article of clothing in your wardrobe?
I have a very old pair of black shorts that I wear when I’m painting. They have all different sorts of splotches on them.
Surfing or skiing?
Skiing. I’m afraid I don’t do either as much as I’d like, but I’m a little more coordinated on the skis.