In the Spotlight | Melanie Wilson
In our mission to support Central Cass students in the arts, our “In the Spotlight” series aims to showcase alumni deserving recognition.
Melanie (Moos) Wilson | Central Cass Class of 1980
Professional Musician
Conversation about the performing arts with Central Cass 70s and 80s alumni unanimously brings Melanie (Moos) Wilson into the forefront.
Melanie Wilson, 1980 Central Cass graduate, was very fortunate to come from a musical family. Her mother, Mitzi, taught piano, organ and coached voice and solo musicians preparing for competitions and performances. Her father worked for Ludwig, Musser and Paiste, a music supply company. Melanie shared, “I got to audition for scholarships and really took advantage of those opportunities. My parents told me to never talk about this at school. They said no one would believe me, and I would probably be bullied if I did. I kept my mouth shut and spent my summers in college programs and theatre.”
Melanie’s sister, Renée, was her first dance instructor. According to Melanie, Renée was an excellent dance teacher and an amazing choreographer. She and the famous Jim Dunn at College of Marin cast Melanie as a cheerleader in ‘Bye, Bye Birdie” in the Bay Area of San Francisco the summer of 1978. When she returned home that fall, she auditioned and was cast in the Red River Dance Company in Fargo, under the direction of Kathy and Eddie Gasper.
Wilson participated in band, choir, theatre and speech in high school at Central Cass. She embraces memories of starring at state for vocals and vibraphone solos. After graduating from high school, Melanie double majored in Theater and Music at Moorhead State (Minnesota State University, Moorhead). She started teaching dance classes when she was 14, loving every minute of it. She continued dance instruction while in college and between that, sang and played for weddings. “I realized a college degree was not in my best interest and put it on hold to pursue my coaching and music aspirations.” She began coaching at American Gold Gymnastics and also had the opportunity to work with the FM Acro Team.
In 1986, Wilson was cast as a Burning Hills Singer in the Medora Musical. She was invited to go to Minneapolis and audition following that awesome summer. The coaches she worked with in Fargo hooked her up with gymnastics centers in Minneapolis, and she was off and running. A couple years later, Wilson became a full-time performer and had to leave the coaching world in order to handle the heavy load of performances. Melanie shared, “I got really lucky and was able to work with the absolute best, singers, musicians, actors and artists.” In 1991, she and her partner, the late great Tom Garven, put together their our own act called “Carlotta & the Cool-Lots” They were booked and busy right out of the gate. 18 months later, they were hired as the house band for the newly formed Bogart’s Night Club in Apple Valley, MN. They changed their name to fit Bogart’s brand, and The Casablanca Orchestra was born. After two years of a wonderful run, they were hired by the Gatlin Brothers’ Music City restaurant at the Mall of America. It was then that they began planning corporate shows, which worked well after Gatlin’s abrupt closing. They were on their feet in no time and were invited back to Bogart’s where they performed for decades—when they weren’t traveling the U.S. doing corporates, high-end weddings and festivals.
The biggest show performed by The Casablanca Orchestra was the 2005 Presidential Inaugural for George W. Bush in Washington DC. They had the honor of performing at the “Freedom Ball” in “Union Station”. Melanie fondly recalls, “The honorees for this sanctioned ball were veterans from WWII, the war my dad and two uncle’s served in and also graduates from Casselton’s Lincoln High School.”
Melanie’s message to students interested in the performing arts: “If you intend on making this your career, make sure to set goals and achieve them. Anything less won’t cut it. Winning the lottery will be easier. Increase your goals annually. Don’t rely on someone to do this for you. Stay focused and organized. Always be true to your values and stay positive, humble and kind. Never lose sight of the basics and what brings you happiness and success. Muscle memory is key.”
Thanks for sharing your story, Melanie!
“In the Spotlight” features Central Cass alum who have excelled in the arts. Do you know a squirrel deserving recognition? Nominate them here!
