Joe Levanti’s background Includes 50 years in Show Biz and the Arts, as an  Actor, Dancer, Magician, Ventriloquist, Author, and Motivational, Goal Setting – Workshop Leader. For two years, he traveled the United States and Canada,  with the Arena Touring Show Disney On Parade, ending the Show’s run, with six weeks of performances in Mexico City. It was like an Ice Show, without the Ice.

    He Acted and Danced in Large production numbers and later took on the parts of a Circus Clown working with Professional Ringling Brothers Clowns, and performed a Comedy Car Act as Goofy with the Love Bug, plus consulted with the Orchestra Leader  and Drummer about musical sound effects to enhance the comedic effect. 

     A few years later he performed as one of Captain Hooks Villainous Pirates and as “Nana” the Family Dog with Olympic Gymnast Cathy Rigby in her first Peter Pan Show.  This included working with choreographers, costumers and the wardrobe department.

     A couple of years after that, he was drawn to  the technical side of the business, working as a Stage Hand on many network Game Shows and Sit-coms.

 The last 18 years before retiring and moving to SW Missouri, he worked as a  Prop-man on the ABC Soap Opera - General Hospital.

 This too, required working with the Director of that days episode / the Art Director /

Asst. Art Director / Set Designers / 

Set Dressers /Scenic Artists /

Lighting Director & Special Effects etc.

   Joe’s wife Phyllis, died of Breast Cancer three and a half years ago. On her death bed, she told him to keep the dream of the theatre alive.
  His overall dream now, is to obtain the Former - United  Methodist Church and Education Center or some other facility as good or better, in Monett  and transform it into a full fledged Arts Center with Classes in the Arts, plus  Produce Three Act Plays, Melodrama’s, Jam sessions, Barber Shop Quartets, Swing Bands, Opera, String Quartets and much,  much more.

Joe also speaks to schools. -- Using Brainstorming and Creative Thinking Techniques, he encourages student participation - to discover and define their talents, by getting them to think in areas not immediately thought of as being in the realm of the Arts world, where they may earn their living and actually love their career at the same time.

He shows Photo’s of - Sets stored on A-Frame Dollies / Props stored on Flatbed and Double Decker Dollies and the Carpet and Linoleum used in the sets which are all part of putting together a major production.

 In addition to some great local musical talent at the Horseshoe Theatre - Monett

                                                                  (previously in Mt. Vernon)

Several famous groups from out of state have performed under the Horseshoe Banner thanks to the help of retired  Bluegrass  Disk Jockey, Dale Reed and still active Sunday Morning Gospel Music Host 
 Duane Garren.

Both men of KRMO Radio Monett.

Opening the Horseshoe 2009 Season

Saturday March 7^th we had

                                                                   Dusty Sourdough from Wasilla, Alaska.

Unless Noted:

All Shows are Saturdays 7 to 9 pm

Donation $5. – (Age 10 & under $2.50)

                                                                   Monett City Hall Auditorium -- Fifth & Bond