TOM TITUS -- THEATER

Back in the mid-1990s, when my daughter Mindy was a drama student at

Estancia High School, her performing troupe was pretty hot stuff --

capturing two “best production” MACY awards during her three years in the

program.

I must hasten to admit, however, that -- as talented as she is on

stage -- Mindy wasn’t the primary reason the Estancia shows succeeded so

well. That credit must go to the young lady with the golden voice who

played the leading role in all three shows, Amy Decker.

Amy starred in “Kiss Me Kate,” “She Loves Me” and “Carnival” at

Estancia, winning performance awards for all three. She was the first

actress in Orange County to win two MACY best actress awards -- for the

latter two shows -- and she snared best comedy actress for her “Kate” as

a sophomore.

Those of us who witnessed those shows predicted she’d go a long way

in show business if she chose to do so. Well, that career is now under

way.

A month ago, Amy took on the title role in the off-Broadway world

premiere of a new musical called “Ophelia,” based on the character from

Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” who’s dumped by the prince and goes off the deep

end -- literally, drowning herself in the palace lily pond.

If this weren’t enough to keep her busy, Amy’s also preparing for her

graduation from the Manhattan School of Music, where she’ll pick up a

degree in classical voice, which is somewhat akin to Michael Jordan

enrolling in an instructional basketball program.

“It’s kind of hectic, going straight from classes to the theater,”

Amy said in a telephone interview from New York. “But it’s really great

to be back performing again.”

She described her role of Ophelia as “emotionally draining,” adding

that “I get to go mad and kill myself five times a week. Since the show

is from Ophelia’s perspective, I’m on stage 75% of the time. When I’m not

on stage, I’m changing my costume.”

“Ophelia” closed March 10, but Amy wasn’t around for closing night.

She flew back to Costa Mesa for her sister’s wedding, giving her

understudy the final three performances.

Before tackling her second musical heroine based on a Shakespearean

character -- she was Katherine in Estancia’s “Kiss Me Kate” -- Amy got a

taste of summer stock at the College Light Opera Company in Cape Cod,

Mass., where she played Laurey in “Oklahoma,” Valencienne in “The Merry

Widow” and Princess Zora in a little-known Gilbert and Sullivan operetta,

“Utopia Unlimited.”

Of her “Oklahoma” performance, reviewers remarked that she was “a

lovely young woman with a wonderful, big-league soprano” and “gives a

charming portrayal and has a lovely voice to match.” Another noted that

“she has a beautiful voice and makes a grand leading lady.”

“Amy is one of those rare students a teacher is fortunate to direct

and work with on any production,” raves her Estancia High drama teacher,

Pauline Moranian. “She is the quintessential ingenue -- stunningly

beautiful and a mega-talent. Even as a teen, Amy exhibited great strength

of spirit and character. She could hold an audience in the palm of her

hand with her breathtaking voice and charisma.”

“There was never any doubt in my mind that Amy would make it in New

York,” Moranian added. “She has the necessary ingredients for success --

surpassing talent and unrelenting tenacity. I used to call her my little

Cinderella, because Amy would frequently be caught sweeping the theater

and doing the unpleasant tasks that no one else wanted to do, all the

while playing the lead in everything. She was pure joy to work with

because of her amazing work ethic.”

Part of that work ethic, no doubt, was instilled by Amy’s mother,

Mary Jane Hoogewind, who taught piano and violin in Costa Mesa for many

years and was instrumental in getting her daughter started in that

direction. “She found me a good teacher,” Amy commented.

Her father, Ed Decker, is a former trustee in the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District, and he handed Amy her diploma during her 1997 graduation

ceremony.

Now Amy Decker is ready for another graduation, and she’s on the

bottom rung of a ladder that could well lead to musical theater stardom.

“I’ll be staying in New York after graduation,” she said, “getting

involved with summer stock or something. Then I’ll find a day job and

start auditioning.”