Clinton News Record, 2016-06-15, Page 13Lee Siegel was born to entertain
Lynda Hillman-Rapley
Postmedia Network
And the crowd goes wild.
As he begins to sing some-
thing from the past, the
small space that circles the
stage becomes a dance floor,
and the party really begins.
Actor, singer Lee Siegel
returns to the Drayton stage
this summer with his rich
baritone, a voice that not
only seems to boom across
an entire theatre but also
shook the Grand Bend
Legion.
As a guest for the semi-
annual Huron Country Play-
house gala, Siegel knows
how to draw a crowd just by
opening his mouth. He told
the Lakeshore Advance he
was thrilled with the
response by the guests of the
gala. "That kind of response
has never happened to me
before," he laughed, adding
it was so much fun to see the
women up dancing and
singing with him.
Born in Buffalo and then
moving to Canada at four
years old, Siegel has always
known his place in the world
included entertaining. He
told the Lakeshore Advance
his mom had him sing in the
church choir from a very
early age and although he
did not know the lyrics- the
reaction from the congrega-
tion was "cool" and he real-
ized this might be his
calling.
He talks about his IT
board that from an early age
was filled to the brim with
Mirvish theatre playbills and
flyers. His was not just a
board though -his filled his
wall. While other kids built
structures with their Lego
pieces, Siegel was building
stages, replicas where he
dreamed his future would
take him. Air bands, talent
shows and then Fiddler on
the Roof in highschool. As a
child, and then later a teen,
he did fit in at school and
music and the stage became
his goal. "I found comfort in
shows, performing," he said.
Then, while playing the
part of Rolph in the Sound
of Music someone from the
audience, someone he
didn't know asked if he
would audition for a
secondary role in their
community production. He
went to the audition but
ended up with the lead. "I
was 15 or 16 and that part
opened the door to other
shows," he said.
He ended up being a
vocalist in 2,000 shows in
seven years at the "Oh Can-
ada Eh?" dinner show in
Niagara Falls.
As he became an avid fan
of Mirvish and other Ontario
theatres, his idol was Colm
Wilkinson (Les Misera-
bles, the title role in The
Phantom of the Opera).
"I was star struck," he said
of this actor's talent. After
one performance, he did
what many theatre goers do
and waited by the stage door
for him to come out.
"He was in a sweat shirt,
ball cap backwards. I
thought, wow! This guy is
just like me." He said this
experience gave his idol a
human side and a feeling
that he could do whatever he
set out to accomplish.
Any artist will attest to the
fact that more often than
not, being a new actor does
not pay the bills. For that
very reason, Siegel was a
server, a telemarketer and
did a stint at a casino. But, by
2005 with auditions and then
parts, he has not stopped. He
travels all over the country
and all over the world with
Drayton entertainment.
And 2016 continues to be
a busy year for Siegel
beginning with Curtis in
the upcoming Sister Act,
Canadian Legends, Leg-
ends... of Rock 'n' Roll and
Smokey Joe's Cafe, all Dray-
ton productions. He is also
writing some Christmas
shows and will be singing
with the Burlington
Orchestra. Then Sister Act
runs in November and
December at Dunfield The-
atre in Cambridge.
His booming voice dic-
tated dance floor moves at
the guild gala and will prove
to again bring crowds to the
theatre.
Siegel loves coming to
Grand Bend and has taken
up painting and photogra-
phy, capturing the beautiful
sunsets and welcoming
beach.
Funding to our health care
system will increase
by over $1 billion this year.
ontario.ca/bettercare
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 • News Record 13
Postmedia Network
Lee Siegel at the Huron Country Playhouse gala.
Investing in new and better ways for all
Ontarians to get the care they need means:
• 700 new doctors and specialists
• 35 hospitals currently being
renewed, modernized or expanded
• $250 million invested in home and
community care
• $345 million invested to improve wait
times and access to care
These investments ensure a strong health
care system for both today and tomorrow.
Paid for by the Government of Ontario
�r Ontario