Some kid Sterling native Joe Stezar stars as Wilbur the Pig in the touring production of 'Charlotte's Web'

Sep 29, 2008 (The Times-Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TKTM | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- When Joe Stezar left his Sterling home in 2003, his friends and family waved goodbye to a young actor full of ambition. This weekend, they will welcome home their budding thespian from the darkened rows of the Scranton Cultural Center's Shopland Hall.

Mr. Stezar, 23, is cast as Wilbur in a traveling Theatreworks USA production of "Charlotte's Web," which will stop in Scranton for a performance Saturday at the Cultural Center.

While Mr. Stezar has yet to get his big break, he has hammered away at any opportunity presented to him.

As a student at Western Wayne Middle School, Mr. Stezar realized early that the stage is where he belongs.

"The effect the theater has on people stays with them when they leave the show," Mr. Stezar said. "That, as well as the joy it brought me, made me say, 'Hey, this is what I should do because this is what makes me happy.'"

Once Mr. Stezar reached Western Wayne High School, his desire for personal satisfaction gave way to determined ambition.

After playing roles in school productions of "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Anything Goes," Mr. Stezar decided to test himself.

During the fall of his senior year at Western Wayne, Mr. Stezar auditioned for and earned his first role outside of school productions in the Ritz Company Playhouse's production of "Norman, Is That You?"

"It was thrilling," Mr. Stezar said. "The rehearsal process was only two weeks and at the time I was used to rehearsals being more extensive. Two weeks is a much more professional rehearsal length."

Later in his senior year, Mr. Stezar both assistant-directed and starred as Charlie Brown in his school's production of "Snoopy."

"I did whatever I could behind the scenes," Mr. Stezar said. "I've always enjoyed it (theater) so I always offered to do whatever they needed me to."

Busy guy

In addition to participating in his school's productions, Mr. Stezar also took advantage of "Arts Alive," a University of Scranton summer program for local high school students interested in the arts.

"It introduced me to the life of rehearsals and hard work," said Mr. Stezar. "Having a performance at the end of the summer showed me how a certain amount of hard work and dedication can lead to a worthwhile experience."

After graduating from Western Wayne in 2003, Mr. Stezar left the Sterling home he'd lived in all his life for the bright lights and late nights of New York City where he attended American Musical and Dramatic Academy to pursue a degree in acting.

After his first year in the two-year conservatory program, Mr. Stezar transferred to AMDA's Los Angeles campus to test his merit in Hollywood.

"I was happy I decided to do New York first," Mr. Stezar said. "New York is a lot stricter of a town, so it helped me learn the dedication you need to be an actor, while Los Angeles is more laid back."

After graduating from AMDA in 2005, Mr. Stezar decided to stick around Hollywood for two years to see if any opportunities arose.

"It's always difficult to find work," Mr. Stezar said. "There's so many steps you have to take just to be able to get work."

Headshots, manager, agent ... Mr. Stezar tried everything, but finding work was tough.

Tough, but not impossible as it turned out.

"Shattered Lives," a low-budget, indie horror film was looking for actors and found Mr. Stezar. Mr. Stezar earned a small role with a few lines before being the first character killed off by the film's protagonist, a schizophrenic girl named Rachel.

Mr. Stezar also found work on the small screen in Los Angeles.

"Why Can't I Be You?" an MTV reality show, hired Mr. Stezar to play a stranger in a coffeeshop where the show's subject worked. Ten minutes of orchestrated banter amounted to about 30 seconds of screen time according to Mr. Stezar.

"It was some nice screen time," Mr. Stezar said. "I thought it was funny being hired as an actor on a reality show."

Despite his small amount of success, Mr. Stezar still had bills to pay and took a job as a backlot tour guide at Universal Studios, escorting hundreds of people through the sets of their favorite TV shows and movies.

"We all had our survival jobs," Mr. Stezar said. "Universal was one of the best ones to have, though, because almost everyone you worked with were actors and Universal understood that and were very flexible about letting us go on auditions."

Mr. Stezar remained loyal to the stage despite his brushes with the silver and small screens.

In December of 2005, Mr. Stezar performed as George Bailey in place of a rotating celebrity cast during rehearsals for Pasadena Playhouse's production of "It's a Wonderful Life."

Though Mr. Stezar didn't actually get in front of an audience, he proved talented enough to fill in for the likes of both Michael Richards, of "Seinfeld" fame, and Tony Shalhoub, star of the hit cable comedy "Monk."

Moving ahead

In the summer of 2007, Mr. Stezar took his last acting job before moving back to the East Coast in the Lillian Theatre production of "20th Century." Mr. Stezar played multiple roles in the comedy.

After two years in Hollywood, Mr. Stezar returned to Sterling in October of 2007. Last April he found the Staten Island apartment where he now resides.

Mr. Stezar had much better luck in New York, earning the role of Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web" at his first audition.

"Charlotte's Web" will come to the Scranton Cultural Center Saturday at 11 a.m. as a part of the center's children's series, marking Mr. Stezar's first visit to the area as a working actor. Seating is general admission and tickets cost $11.

"I was absolutely thrilled," Mr. Stezar said of his upcoming performance in Scranton. "We got the schedule and one of the first dates was Scranton, P-A, so I called my family real late to tell them."

Contact the writer: domalley@timesshamrock.cmIf you go

What: "Charlotte's Web" starring Sterling native Joe Stezar as Wilbur the Pig

When: Saturday, 11 a.m.

Where: Shopland Hall, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple

Details: Seating is general admission. Tickets are $11 and are available through the Cultural Center box office by calling 344-1111 or TicketMaster at 693-4100 or Web site, ticketmaster.com.

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