Family:
Grandmother’s family on Teresa Elena Gallar’s mother’s side immigrated from northern Italy in the mid-
1920’s, originally settled in New Orleans. Because of the Sacco and Vanzetti trail Italians were
being lynched in Louisiana. The family moved to Ybor for the Italian community and the work in
the cigar factories.
Grandparents on Gallar’s father’s side immigrated to New York in late 1930’s. In 1944 the family
moved to Tampa between Ybor and College Hill.
Mother graduated from Hillsborough High School. Held a career as a beautician, a commercial
real estate agent and has been an aesthetician the last thirty-five years.
Father graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) in Ybor, undergraduate at University
of South Florida in Tampa and Pharmaceutical School of the University of Florida.
Gallar attended Academy of the Holy Names High School and received her Bachelor of Arts
from the University of South Florida of Tampa. Primary focus on performance. Secondary focus
on Stage Management and Lighting Design.
Favorite roles:
The Wife in Suitcase
Mrs. Trotsky in The Variation of the Death of Trotsky
Nina’s ID in Swoop
Emma Goldman in Emma Goldman: Love, Anarchy and Other Affairs
Macbeth in Macbeth
Was a founding member of The Alley Cat Players, Inc 2000-2006
Technical work:
Started by stage managing and as master electrician for dance.
In 1996 was asked to stage manage Return the Forbidden Planet, a co-pro between the then
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (Straz Center) and the Warehouse Theatre. After that Gallar
started working with the TBPAC (Straz Center) opera productions (now Opera Tampa) and
Anton Copplla.
1997 Gallar stage managed and lit a dance show in Tunisia.
In 1998 Gallar became part of TBPAC (Straz) Production department. Became Production
Manager for the Patel Conservatory in 2004 and then Banquet Event Manager for the Straz in 2008.
In 2014 left the Straz to return to a freelance career as a stage manager and an as-needed stage technician with the Tampa Theatre.
Will occasionally still light design for dance and opera on occasions.