Ronnie DiMaria Interview by Jen Bush
The neon colors will be shining brightly at The Emelin Theater in November! Choices: A Rock Opera is headed for Westchester and it’s going to be a big 80’s party! Ace is the lead singer of a rock band called Choices. His intense drive and focus have brought the band great success but has left Ace emotionally underdeveloped and lacking any life experience beyond the stage. Enter a mysterious and intriguing woman leaving Ace to make some difficult “choices”.
Ronnie DiMaria is perfect for his role as the Security Guard. He is a former police officer who worked in places like the Bronx Task Force and the Manhattan Gang Squad. He’s a bass player and vocalist who has been in numerous bands. He’s keeping it in the Choices family by being in a band with the writer and drummer of the production. It was a thrill to chat with him about this show and his life as an artist.
Ronnie gives us his interesting perspective on the 80’s. “To me, the Eighties was the start of a prolonged party that was a result of decades of civil unrest and protest. Musically, the music of the 60’s & 70’s was soaked in protest, offered in the drab genre of folk or “storytelling styles,” casting an era of “seriousness” and the necessity for change. The 80’s marked a turning point of no longer being held accountable for social change, and the focus turned to fashion, party drugs and technology, all the perfect recipe for a party.”
Ronnie would like the audience to take away some strong messages from this show. “Ultimately, the message I hope to convey is that, no matter how big the party, we are all struggling humans, full of an underlying fear and/or anxiety, and no matter what role we play in society, we are still accountable to ourselves and our loved ones. Unfortunately, we normally circumvent that accountability with alcohol or drugs, but it always catches up to us in the end.”
An artist can learn something from every show they participate in. Some things are surprising. “From my experience in this show, I’ve learned that I have an unexpectedly closer connection with just about every character in this play, especially my own. But, at the end of the day, the goal is that I can perform my role in life and on the stage without taking myself too seriously. As we learned in this play and many others, your ego is the enemy.”
Ronnie is not concerned with what’s next at the moment. He’s concentrating on Choices right now. “I don’t normally consider “what’s next.” I just want to do my best in helping make this play an enjoyable success.”
Life is full of choices. Make a fun choice and see Choices: A Rock Opera!
CHOICES: A Rock Opera
THREE PERFORMANCES
Friday, November 24, 2023 @ 8pm
Saturday, November 25, 2023 @ 8pm
Sunday, November 26, 2023 @ 2pm
https://choicesarockopera.com/
Emelin Theatre
153 Library Lane
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
ARTIUM: OMNI 