When asked where he was born, as a true entertainer, Ted quipped, ” Well, I wasn’t born in a trunk,” and so began the wonderful saga that eventually brought Ted Soares to us!

Ted was born in the traditional way on the beautiful island of Maui. As a child, he loved going to the movies and sat in the front row any chance he got. Life in Maui with his brother and sister was happy and uneventful until he was drafted for the war and headed off to Texas for basic training. After a leave in Maui ‚Ted was sent to Guam and the island of Saipan where he worked in the finance department of the service. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned to Hawaii, where he worked for the Maui News.

He enjoyed this but always felt there was something more in life. At 22, he had a visit from his sister, who lived at that time in San Francisco.

This visit would put the wheels in motion for some big changes in Ted’s life. At her invitation, Ted headed off to the “Mainland”, as the Hawaiian islanders called the rest of the country. Now, as a youth, Ted had read movie magazines and was enthralled with the exciting life portrayed through those magical pages and he noticed the advertisements for the Pasadena Playhouse in Southern California that taught acting and theatrical skills. While in San Francisco, Ted once again saw the ads for the Pasadena Playhouse with offers of enrollment under the GI Bill. Well that was all it took and off he went! For three years, he studied the entertainment and technical skills and then worked another two years at the Pasadena Playhouse as a Stage Manager. Ted thrived in this environment. He wasn’t as crazy about the acting as he was with the behind the scenes. (A man who liked telling folks what they should do?!). From Pasadena Playhouse he went on to NBC and with television, he found that show business niche he was looking for. One of his first jobs was prop managing with the products that were popular in the late 50’s. Think glycerin on Blue Bonnet margarine!

While at NBC he met an apprentice named Stan Kramer whom he would train and eventually collaborate with in the shows he was working on, including Peyton Place, Queen For A Day, and Truth or Consequences to just name a few. He and Stan would go on to become life partners not only working on television shows as Stage Technicians and Property Managers but continuing with Stan’s family passion of Marionettes and Doll creations. The two together made industry history with their fabulous Doll works of art and the entertaining puppeteer shows they created with them. “Les Dollies Poupettes”, a Vegas style full extravaganza, was a huge hit. In the early 60’s the show caught the eye of a Northwest agent, Ted and Stan had previously met, who brought the show to the greater Seattle area and Vancouver BC.

The show was a big success with the Elks clubs and the theme fit in with the vibe of the popular Vegas acts. The show expanded and they had close to 150 dolls! Ted designed the costumes and he and Stan collaborated on the design of the dolls with Stan painting the amazing expressions and details. For five years, the show toured, including trips back east and as far south as New Orleans with many jaunts back and forth to the Northwest. In the late 60° as the shows run was winding down the call came from Hollywood that Ted was needed back on set and so a return to the land of sunshine brought new experiences. In the late 60’s Ted enjoyed success working on the sets of Laugh-In and Punky Brewster with the added pleasure of having many of his & Stan’s doll collection used in an episode of Punky Brewster!

Ted continued to enjoy a full career for many years working on show sets with such stars as Doris Day, Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope until the late 80’s when he and Stan considered retirement. The two visited the San Juan’s upon suggestion of a friend. It took a few trips back and forth but the perfect home was found and Ted set the stage for a new life in Friday Harbor. It did not take to long for t h e newly constructed San Juan Community Theatre to become a part of Ted and Stan’s extended family. With the fabulous Bye Bye Bijou musical Revuem, Ted and Stan were established as the theatres favorite directors transforming many local islanders into stage stars! Ted’s contributions to our Community Theatre have been too numerous to count, including our beautiful stage curtain and the years of wonderful shows that have just kept on coming. Festival of Trees has been the successi tis year after year because of the love and dedication to showbiz that Ted in his “retirement,” has given all of us.