Melissa's Mentors Melissa has many mentors and people she admires, but two especially continue to color, inspire and delight: Donald Saddler and Tony Walton. Donald is the oldest living member of the original American Ballet Theater, and an esteemed choreographer in the ballet, Broadway and film worlds. He has worked with such major artists as George Abbott, Natalia Makarova, and Rosalind Russell, not to mention the countless legendary composers. Melissa met him when he choreographed MY FAIR LADY. He is a member of the Theater Hall of Fame, and returned to the stage in the most recent revival of FOLLIES, stealing the show every night by dancing on air. Donald and Melissa are like family, and share tales of artistic process. His advice and positive outlook are invaluable. Tony Walton is a vastly accomplished set and costume designer, who has won Tony Awards, an Oscar and an Emmy. He did the sets for the films of MARY POPPINS, ALL THAT JAZZ, and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS to name a few, and designed the original Broadway musicals GUYS AND DOLLS, PIPPIN, CHICAGO, SHE LOVES ME, GRAND HOTEL and dozens more. Though British, he is a treasure of the American theater. Tony has designed many shows with Melissa and made his directorial debut with her in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Tony is forever visiting Patrick and Melissa with his wife (playwright Gen LeRoy) coming to tennis events, taking them to theater, or just home for dinner. Both Tony and Donald remind Melissa that the theater and acting and creativity are a way of life, a gift, a source of joy and laughter. It is a sometimes-quiet, sometimes-loud passion of the soul-not a fad, a race, a game. She is in awe of their decades of perseverance, humility and originality.
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