Our Guest: October 7, 2014

Posted by Wes Brooks

on Oct 07, 2014

MIke Lopinto - Festival South

Mike Lopinto is a Pine Belt arts icon. At Southern Miss, he coordinated events with classical celebrities from Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, and Sir James Galway to pop icons Dionne Warwick, the Pointer Sisters, and Patti LaBelle as well as designing and directing the award-winning Symphony Galas and later, the Arts Galas.

He is the PR/Marketing and Event Coordinator for the School of Music, recently named artistic director of FestivalSouth® and founder of The Hub City Players. A true Renaissance man, he has written, directed, music directed, designed sets and lighting for numerous productions, most recently directing Showbiz Showstoppers (2014), Sweeney Todd (2013) and the upcoming production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins for the School of Music. He also directed Sondheim in the City in its Off-Broadway premiere in 2011. On stage, his theatrical credits include Les Misérables (Thenardier), Hairspray! (Edna Turnblad), The Producers (Roger DeBris); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Cats (Old Deuteronomy), Annie (Daddy Warbucks), Carousel (Mr. Snow) and many more. His voice can be heard at all Southern Miss games as “The Voice of The Pride” and on commercials across the South.