Music Equals Oxygen for Cynthia Heath

When Bay Area Stage Productions needed a music director for its production of "," it called Benicia resident Cynthia Heath.

Heath and her family have lived in Benicia for 12 years. "All my children feel like this is their hometown," she said. "My husband (who was born in Canada) and I moved a couple of times between Edmonton, Alberta (his hometown), and Las Vegas, Nev., which was mine. His was too cold and mine too hot (for him), so Benicia has been a wonderful compromise."

Heath has seven children, three of whom have graduated from

"Our fourth child is a senior this year, and so next year we'll only have three children left in Benicia schools. Sidenote: My house is NOT spotless and does not smell like homemade bread," she said.  

She began playing the piano at age 7.  "I started accompanying middle-school choirs at age 12 and continued through high school accompanying all the choirs, playing for all the musical productions as well as entering piano competitions," she said.

"I am very lucky that this production fell in my lap as the cast is an amazing group of talented people," said Heath. "You never know exactly who is going to audition for a given production, so working with the talent you have been given is always challenging."

"It's a rock opera of course, so the rhythms are challenging and the ranges for the singers are out of this world," she said. "Many musical theater people dream of doing this show because it is such an icon and of course, it's by Andrew Lloyd Weber."

 "Music is like oxygen for me," Heath said. "Once it's in your blood, you can't live without it.   

"It is a lifelong endeavor. I spend my summer vacations attending music workshops and trying to improve my skills. It's a humbling profession 'cause there is always someone out there much more accomplished than you are. I find that motivating, however to always try and improve and have new experiences."