Gina Whalen has been named the director of the Millstone Township Performing Arts Center (MPAC).
The MPAC is on Dawson Court and shares the site with Millstone Township Middle School.
Whalen has been a well-known name in local theater for many years. She will succeed Barbara Schulze, who was the Millstone Township K-8 School District’s director of community education and coordinator of the MPAC. Schulze recently retired from her position.
Whalen was appointed in a 9-0 vote of the Board of Education on Feb. 23. She will work part-time until April 1, when the position becomes full-time, according to Superintendent of Schools Scott Feder.
Feder said Whalen has experience in theater production at the MPAC.
“She puts on our plays every year,” he said. “She has been a part of the MPAC council for longer than I have been here. She is dedicated, with a massive background in professional theater. She has a lot of great connections, and she has presented great ideas for the MPAC council. When it came down to it, she was the best candidate.”
The position is salaried at $50,000 per year, according to Business Administrator Bernard Biesiada.
Board members Amy Jacobson and Ramon Recalde asked for additional information pertaining to Whalen’s background and the future plans for the performing arts center.
Biesiada said he would provide the board members with the requested information.
Whalen, who could not be reached for comment, comes to the school district with impressive theater experience, according to Feder.
She has performed in musicals all over the world. She portrayed the Mistress in the international and national productions of “Evita.” Her regional credits include Anita in “West Side Story,” Maggie in “A Chorus Line,” Florence in “Chess,” Joan in “Dames at Sea” and Susan Wilkes in “Big River.”
Whalen is also an experienced cabaret singer.
In Millstone, Whalen has been seen in “One Night on Broadway,” “Annie” and “Seussical.”
Feder said he hopes to see the MPAC become a source of revenue for the school district.
If all remained the same, MPAC would pull in $50,000; however, he said Whalen wants to improve that number.
“Gina is not satisfied with that and wants to pull in more,” he said, adding that Whalen volunteered her services for years. “This is someone who is doing this for nothing other than because she loves it and has a commitment to the district and the theater.”
In discussing Whalen’s position, Feder said a decision was made to have one person handle rentals at the MPAC, including theater bookings and performances, as well as the community education program.
Feder said progress has been made in building recognition of the MPAC.
“As of today, all of our screens are installed, our sound system is finished, and the MPAC is now fully upgraded,” Feder said. “That gives us an opportunity to do some things we could not do before. Our sound system is not having the problems it once had. We had facility issues. We have that under control now.”