Some may remember him from past Washington High School productions “Damn Yankees” and “Hello, Dolly!” But these days, Washington native Charlie Tingen has a gained a much larger audience as a cast member of “THE PRODUCERS” with a nationally touring music theater company.

Tingen starred in 10 productions on the Washington High School stage before his 2010 graduation, and another 10 while earning a master’s in fine arts from Coastal Carolina University. Since, he’s taken on regional theater, tackling roles such as Tony in “West Side Story” and Enjolras in “Les Miserables,” but landing a role with New York City-based Big League Productions, Inc., and in the Mel Brooks hit that won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards, was different level of acting achievement.

“I knew I nailed the final callback, so I was hopeful (which is always dangerous). I mean, you never know in this business. But of course, once the call came, I was thrilled,” Tingen said.

He auditioned for the role in May and the show opened Tuesday night at the Clemens Center in Elmira, New York. The next five months will be a whirlwind tour of 81 performances in 25 states, from Maine to California.

It’s a far cry from winning Stunt Night skits, but so far, Tingen is on the path he had mapped out in high school, as evidenced by a 2010 Washington Daily News article about his final WHS performance, “Anything Goes.”

“My ultimate goal is Broadway, but until then I’d do regional theater and touring companies — and be a waiter,” he was quoted as saying then.

It’s part of the process — working and making contacts to build a name and future for oneself in theater.

“It’s all about building relationships. Work begets work,” Tingen said.

It may be work now, but his passion for theater emerged at a very young age.

“I fell in love with the audience when I was 3 years old and stole the show during my preschool class’s performance of ‘Miss Spider’s Tea Party’ — it’s a long story,” he said.

Tingen’s story, however, has just begun, as has a tour that will take him from stage to stage in theaters across the U.S.