The Team
James Rocco
Rocco's theatrical career started at three years old as the youngest member of the (Art) Linkletter Totten Tots! He appeared in Oliver! with Ray Walston and Jules Munschin; Carousel as Enoch Snow Jr, with John Raitt; and as Sheppard in Sidney Lumet & David Merrick's thriller, Child's Play. James produced his first show in New York at 16 (Henry, Sweet Henry, at the Mercer Arts Center and the Lamb Theatre). As a performer, he appeared in the original Broadway production of Cats (ironically stepping in for Terrance Mann as the Rum Tum Tugger, while Terry appeared in the film version of A CHORUS LINE). In addition, Rocco was seen in the International and TV Ashai Productions of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, sang back up for Frank Sinatra, and was the lead singer for Herbie Hancock and the Super Sounds.
His freelance work as a director/choreographer includes award-winning productions of 33 Variations, Grey Gardens, Yankee Doodle Dandy (World Premiere), Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, Chess, She Loves Me, Violet, South Pacific, White Christmas, As Bees in Honey Drown, A Little Night Music, Songs For A New World, In The Heights, Damn Yankees, Pirates of Penzance, Guys & Dolls, On the Town, A Christmas Story, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more from classic repertoire to world premieres.
He co-founded Thirty Saints Productions, which created The Broadway Songbook® Series. Together with Broadway Asia, Thirty Saints toured Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat® to Tokyo and led the artistic team for the US Air Force's 9/11 tribute video, There Are No Words, seen by millions of viewers on 9/11/2016. Thirty Saints is an investor in Come from Away's current Broadway, National Tour, and Toronto productions.
From 2005-to 2017, Rocco was the VP of Programming and Producing Artistic Director at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. In 2019, he was recognized by The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds for 30 years of dedication, craft, and contribution to the theater.
Currently a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, he serves on the Alliance's New Works committee. Rocco commissioned the holiday musical A Country Christmas Carol and was part of the creative teams behind the off-Broadway cult hits Nite Club Confidential and Streakin'! In addition, his re-visioned stage production of Singin' in the Rain has been seen around the world.
Emily Villano
Emily Villano is a dynamic Singer, Music Director, Vocal Coach, Teaching Artist, and Arts Administrator, blending her unique talents to support her passionate commitment to supporting the Arts.
As one of the founders and the Managing Director of ETC Productions, she has cultivated a platform that empowers young artists, fostering their creativity and helping them discover their unique voices. ETC Productions is a collaborative theater company founded by longtime arts educators, Erin Schwab and Emily Villano. Through School partnerships, Community Education programs, and their annual Tour, ETC offers programming serving the Twin Cities Metro and beyond.
In addition to her work with ETC Productions, Emily serves as a Senior Licensing Associate for Thirty Saints Music Licensing, where she supports Clients in getting their songs cleared. Whether the Client is working on a small Jukebox musical or big-budget blockbuster, Emily ensures that songs are cleared efficiently, allowing the Client to showcase their work without copyright worries and to focus on their creativity.
