WP dentist holds star studded fundraiser

Richard Tedesco

With the help of two  “Phantom of the Opera” cast members, Williston Park dentist Louis Pannullo turned his East Williston home into a concert hall on Dec. 16 and raised $11,000 for victims of Hurricane Sandy 

The featured performers for the two-hour concert included two understudies for the leads in the current Broadway production of  “Phantom of the Opera” and Philip Edward Fisher, a professional concert pianist who is Pannullo’s patient. Pannullo, an accomplished pianist, also accompanied the singers on some songs.  

“I knew that Long Island was seriously affected by this,” he said in explaining the event.

Pannullo put together the concert over a six-week period following the storm with the help of a generous patient and some good luck.

The patient, Pannullo said, gave him, his wife and two children tickets to attend a performance of “Phantom” in September. 

Along with his tickets, he got a bonus when he and his family were ushered backstage to meet Jeremy Stolle, the understudy for the Phantom who acted the role that night.

During their backstage visit with Stolle, the actor told Pannullo he needed a dentist.

Pannullo, who had considered pursuing a musical career when he as younger, immediately agreed to take him on as a patient, and a fast friendship was formed around music. 

After the hurricane struck, Pannullo said, he got the idea to hold a concert fundraiser, and he asked Fisher and Stolle for their thoughts. 

The two, he said, immediately agreed to perform. Stolle also enlisted Elizabeth Welch, who is the understudy for Christine in the current production of “Phantom.” 

Pannullo rehearsed with Stolle and Welch at the Majestic Theater in Manhattan, where “Phantom” is being performed, and also accompanied them on some selections 

“We were just floored,” Pannullo said.

Pannullo invited friends and patients to attend and 70 people went to his East Williston home on Dec. 16,  contributing $11,000 to the hurricane relief effort. 

Pannullo presented a check to Major Philip Wittenberg of The Salvation Army’s Hempstead office in his Willis Avenue office last Thursday afternoon.

“This is extremely timely. It’s greatly appreciated,” Whittenberg said.

Pannullo said he’s planning to stage another fundraiser next summer.

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