Wallis was selected to accompany the production for its entire year-long tour, which began in September in Dayton, Ohio, will stop in Cupertino from May 6 to 11 at the Flint Center, and will eventually end in Georgia in June.

Long before Wallis was sitting in the orchestra pit, however, she was sitting as a 10-year-old listening to the San Jose Symphony. Little did she know that one day she would be the one onstage—or, at least, two feet below it.

Wallis grew up in Saratoga, attending Argonaut Elementary, Redwood Middle School and Saratoga High School, where she graduated in 1995. Wallis began on the clarinet in the fall of fifth grade, despite desperate pleas to her mother and orchestra teacher to play the oboe. Her mother, Jeannie, says it only took until December before Wallis had an oboe in her hands.

"I guess I was a little stubborn then—I still am," Wallis says. The oboe is one of the most difficult instruments to initially play because it is a double reed instrument, which requires very specific breath movements and changing of the reeds.

Although her mother played the oboe in her younger days, Wallis doesn't think that was a significant influence. "I never attributed my playing to my mom, but I think she made me aware that the instrument existed," Wallis says. However, she does vividly remember the push in elementary school for students to either go into square dancing or band. "I certainly don't regret my decision by a long shot," she says with a laugh.

In addition to playing in the school orchestra, Wallis participated in the El Camino Youth Symphony and the California Youth Symphony, which she played with until her graduation. It was also the group that provided her initial touring experience with a week in France and Asia.

She says playing in those groups allowed her to "get to know and have relationships with people out of the Saratoga bubble. It kept me going, and it was fun," she says. "That environment was very influential."

Wallis also had private training from former San Jose Symphony oboe player Bob Hubbard until she graduated. Although Hubbard was not taking new young students, he immediately noticed a talent in Wallis when she played for him and decided to bend his rule.

"Most children don't want to do it, but their mommy does. Laura was not one of those," he says. "She was enthusiastic and had good intuitive music talent. Instead of just parroting what you did, she was actually speaking it. She always had a focused notion of where she was going with it and never let go of that. No matter what else was going on, oboe seemed to be central."

Living and playing within Saratoga was "definitely" a positive experience, she says. "I still have a lot of good memories from there. It's a community that really fosters musical growth."

Her parents also promoted her musicality, Wallis says, as they went to all of her concerts and were supportive of her musical development. "Being a professional musician is a challenging career to pursue, but rather than dissuade me from doing so, they instilled in me the faith and confidence it takes to find success. For that I'm very grateful!"

Her father, Don Wallis, says it was easy to support her. "She always had an interest in music," he says. "She was really looked up to by her peers because she was a model of integrity as well as being a skilled musician. She is very dedicated."

Although Wallis loved playing in the orchestra, she had a competing love of tennis and softball. In her junior year of high school, she had to make a choice. "I thought about the long term, through college, and realized music would be more lasting," she says. "I still like to go out and throw the ball around, but I thought my chances were easier living as a musician as opposed to a tennis player. I had spent more time and effort and had more passion about doing that, and I always knew I could do sports on the side."

Wallis finds an outlet for her athleticism during free time when she unpacks her baseball glove and Frisbee. The biggest challenge is finding space for the equipment, as performers are only allowed one suitcase and one carry-on.

"It is actually very nice," Wallis says. "I'm low maintenance and you get used to having so much around you." As her mother says, "she's a wash-and-wear girl. And she is very independent. We encouraged that."

After graduating from Saratoga High, Wallis went to UC-Irvine, where she majored in music with an emphasis in oboe performance. She then received her master's degree in orchestral performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 2002.

While attending school in New York, Wallis was able to substitute for Broadway performances of Oklahoma! She remembers being a junior in high school and performing Oklahoma! in Los Gatos. Wallis says she still remembered the music, but it was quite a different experience because "there was this immense pressure by being in an environment that is one of extreme professionalism and musicality—but it was great to be there at the top of the music world."

More than any music she is playing, however, Wallis appreciates the people she meets while performing. "No matter who I am playing next to, I enjoy the interpersonal interactions with people. You don't need to say a word. Just by listening to someone play something, you can respond and react to it. It's an instinctive reaction, I don't know another field where you can do that."

With only three months between graduation and leaving on tour, Wallis was one of the lucky few to be picked up right away. Although this prospect was exciting to her and her family, it posed serious questions about the future.

"I had a lot more to experience in New York. I need to build my career, and it's easier to establish yourself when you're not on the road," she says. "It was a hard decision, but it was great to get a job out of college. And now I can save up, do what I love, see the country and come back with that experience under my belt."

By the end of the tour, Wallis will have played the theme music to Miss Saigon nearly 400 times, as the group puts on eight performances per week. All of the musicians are on one-year contracts, which might be up for renewal, as the tour is planned to extend two more years. Wallis has not decided if she will sign up for another 400 shows, because the schedule is so taxing and she misses New York.

Wallis admits that it can be tough to stay engaged with the music. "This is your job, so even if you're playing for the 200th time, for everyone in the audience it is their first time. And when you see the people dressed up and watching it, you want to put out the best product you can."

Although Wallis enjoys having her bed made and new towels every day, she misses the small comforts of home, such as having a familiar room and home-cooked food. This is why she is thrilled the tour stops in Cupertino, which provides her a chance to visit her family in Saratoga.

"Just to sleep in my own bed and be able to open the fridge and have food right there will great. It will seem more like I'm living a normal life by having a home to go to, at least for a week."

Tickets for "Miss Saigon" are available through www.ticketmaster.com. The Flint Center is located at 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 95014.