Northeastern Illinois University - Opera Workshop Scene Recital

Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music presents

Opera Workshop Scene Recital Sasha Gerritson, Director Jane Kenas-Heller & Kay Kim, Piano Jodi Jean Amble, Assistant Director

Scenes from: Don Giovanni, Abduction from the Seraglio, Rigoletto, Carousel, Last Five Years, Parade & The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Performance running time: approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes (including one 15 minute intermission)

Opera Workshop Scene Recital

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l e t t e r f r o m t h e d i r e c to r

Dear friends, Thank you so much for being here tonight to celebrate and support this Summer Opera Workshop Scene Recital. It has been great fun! The students have worked very hard and the results are fantastic.

The first half is opera, taken from some wonderful and beloved standard repertoire operas. Since all the students are at different places on their singing and acting journey, you’ll notice that some scenes are sung in Italian, and some in English. And one is half and half!

You may also notice there are no sets, very little furniture and only a handful of props. This is due to the nature of the class, which is devoted to the growth and development of the performance skills of each student, not the “tech” of the show, but the artistry. This is a very valuable and critical step in their singing and acting experience. This is something I learned the importance of first-hand here at NEIU, when I was a student myself. Without valuable stage time, the students aren’t really able to grow as artists.

I would like to dedicate this performance to my teacher and mentor Dr. Ronald Combs, who, among others, inspired my passion for stage directing and opera. Thank you, Ron, for your encouragement; I wouldn’t be doing this today without your support. Much love!

Certainly there is NO way I could’ve pulled this off without the hard work and dedication of so many people – especially Jodi, Tasha, Kay K, Jane, Shayne, Chris, CJ, Bill M., Sarah and of course my wonderful husband Eugene Jarvis, who supports my efforts in every way.

Thanks my friends – I don’t know what I’d do without you!

This November we will present another scene recital like this one and in April of 2014 we will present La Vie Parisienne by Offenbach. Please keep in touch.

Fondly, Sasha Gerritson Director

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Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music

progr a m Don Giovanni...................................................... W.A. Mozart (sung in Italian & English) Zerlina........................................................................................................................................... Robyn Falasz Masetto................................................................................................................................. Gabriel Muenzer Don Giovanni.........................................................................................................................Brennan Roach Leporello....................................................................................................................................... Billy Jozwiak Donna Anna..................................................................................................................... Margot Kinscherff Don Ottavio............................................................................................................................. Alex Makkawy Donna Elvira.................................................................................................................. Gretchen L. Sheirok Due Ragazze....................................................................................... Erica D. Bland & Allison Hennessy Abduction from the Seraglio........................................... W. A. Mozart (sung in English) Blonda.......................................................................................................................................Angela Zuniga Pedrillo...................................................................................................................................Joseph Schuster Konstanza...........................................................................................................................Erica Rose Sauder Belmonte.................................................................................................................................. Alex Makkawy Rigoletto...................................................................................... G. Verdi (sung in Italian) Gilda...............................................................................................................................Mary Lutz Govertsen Giovanna.................................................................................................................................. Jazmin Panfilo Duke................................................................................................................................................Aldo Perrelli INTERMISSION Carousel...................................................................................... Rodgers & Hammerstein Julie Jordan................................................................................................................................ Erica D. Bland Carrie Pipperidge.............................................................................................................. Allison Hennessy Billy Bigelow................................................................................................................... Wellington DaSilva Enoch Snow............................................................................................................... Anthony DeFrancisco Nettie Fowler....................................................................................................................Erin Thomas-Lobo Last Five Years....................................................................................Jason Robert Brown Cathy..............................................................................................................................Jessica Lauren Fisher Jamie.........................................................................................................................................Brennan Roach Parade.................................................................................................Jason Robert Brown Lucille............................................................................................................................................Theresa Egan Leo..................................................................................................................................... Wellington DaSilva Britt Craig................................................................................................................................Brennan Roach Mrs. Fagan...................................................................................................................................Jessica Fisher The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.............................................William Finn Rona Lisa Peretti................................................................................................................ Dwan K. Buetow Vice Principal Douglas Panch......................................................................................... Jerry Lee Brown Olive Ostrovsky....................................................................................................................Alyssa LaTragna Logainne Schwartz-Grubinerre.............................................................................................Jillian Mayer Marcy Park........................................................................................................................... Allison Hennessy Leaf Coneybear........................................................................................................ Anthony DeFrancisco Chip Tolentino............................................................................................................................ Billy Jozwiak Carl Grubinerre......................................................................................................................Brennan Roach Dan Schwartz.......................................................................................................................... Alex Makkawy Spelling Bee kids......................................................................................... Erica D. Bland, Robyn Falasz, Gabriel Muenzer & Jazmin Panfilo Opera Workshop Scene Recital

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t e c h / N EI U p e r s o nn e l Director.................................................................................................................................. Sasha Gerritson Assistant Director..............................................................................................................Jodi Jean Amble Accompanists................................................................................................ Jane Kenas-Heller, Kay Kim Lighting Designer........................................................................................................Christopher Burpee Costume Designer.........................................................................................................................Bill Morey Stage Manager........................................................................................................................Tasha Sargent Props Mistress...............................................................................................................Gretchen L. Sheirok House Manager.............................................................................................................................Steve Zivin Audio.....................................................................................................................................Charles Johnson Assistant to Director.................................................................................................................Sarah Linske Programs........................................................................................................................Marcus Promotions Photography.....................................................................................................................................Joe Davis Biogr aphies Jodi Jean Amble (Assistant Director) is pursuing a Masters Degree in Applied Vocal Pedagogy at NEIU and studies with Dr. Heitzinger. She was recently seen as Johanna in NEIU’s production of Sweeney Todd. Other theatre credits include work with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Remy Bumppo, American Players Theatre, Bialystock and Bloom (Milwaukee, WI) and Maine Shakespeare Festival. She is a singer and songwriter, performing in Chicago and throughout the Midwest with the Jodi Jean Band (www.jodijean.com) and Jenny Dragon (www.jennydragon.com).

Erica D. Bland (Una Ragazza in Don Giovanni, Julie Jordan in Carousel & Kid in Spelling Bee) is very excited to be singing the role of Julie in her first performance at NEIU. Prior to attending Northeastern, Erica attended the University of Colorado. She decided that singing classically was her calling, after winning the Nationals of the National American Miss Talent Competition in 2009. Erica has been in performances of Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), L’Elisir D’Amore (Chorus), Dido and Aeneas (Chorus), and Grease (Patty Simcox).

She would like to thank her parents and siblings for being there to support her all the way, but above all to thank God for this talent that He blessed her with.

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Jerry Lee Brown (Vice Principal Douglas Panch) A NEIU graduate of the TCP program in 2009, Jerry has longer connections with NEIU through stage work. He has appeared in several Opera Workshop productions including Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience in 2007, Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods in 2009, Puccini’s La Bohème in 2010 and, more recently, in the 2011 productions of The Secret Garden and A Christmas Carol, plus the 2013 production of Sweeney Todd. He is pleased to appear here again, working with this fine ensemble of friends and musicians.

Dwan K. Buetow (Rona Peretti) is an NEIU Alumna, full-time employee in the Pedroso Center and current student working on a second BA in Vocal Music Performance. Dee, the nickname she goes by, is currently studying voice with Dr. Phyllis Hurt and has performed in several community operettas and musicals, a long time ago... Dee’s biggest fans are her two daughters, Zephranie and Dana Buetow.

Dee spends her rare spare time cooking for her daughters and friends, cheering for the Chicago White Sox, dancing and traveling.

“It feels good to be on stage again, especially at NEIU.”

Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music

The Park Ridge Community Church is proud to support the

NEIU Department of Music

SCENE RECITAL

Join us for worship every Sunday 8:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

All are welcome!

In the heart of Park Ridge!

Rev. Dr. Brett W. McCleneghan, Senior Minister Sasha Gerritson, Music Minister

100 S. Courtland Avenue Park Ridge, IL 60068

847.823.3164 | www.parkridgecommunitychurch.org Opera Workshop Scene Recital 5

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Chris Burpee (Lighting Designer) Previous NEIU design credits include Sweeney Todd, Street Scene, A Christmas Carol and Secret Garden. Chris is also the resident lighting designer at Redtwist Theatre, where his recent credits include Body of Water, Broken Glass, Opus, and Man From Nebraska. Other recent designs include Avenue Q for NightBlue at Stage 773.

Chris, in addition to designing, is also the Technical Director here at NEIU.

Theresa Egan (Lucille) is thrilled to be singing the role of Lucille in this summer’s scene recital. She can also be seen making her American Chamber Opera debut singing the role of Papagena in the company’s August production of Magic Flute. She recently earned a Masters in Applied Vocal Pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University where she studied with Dr. Heitzinger. She was most recently seen as Mrs. Lovett in NEIU Opera’s April production of Sweeney Todd. Some of Wellington DaSilva (Billy Bigelow in her favorite performance credits include: Carousel & Leo in Parade) is a student in Musetta (La Bohème), Susanna (Le nozze di NEIU’s Music Performance program. He Figaro), Gianetta (Elixer of Love), Adele (Die has performed leading roles in numerous Fledermaus) and Mrs. Cratchit (A Christmas operas and musicals at Northeastern and Carol). She lives in Evanston and teaches is so pleased to have been a part of this private voice and piano lessons in the scenes recital. He was last seen as The Evanston and Skokie areas. She also is the Beadle in Sweeney Todd, Sam Kaplan in assistant conductor for the Angeli Choir Street Scene, the Ghost of Christmas Present in Park Ridge. She is eternally grateful to in A Christmas Carol and Archibald Craven her husband, Tim, and her parents for their in The Secret Garden. Wellington is the unending support and love. winner of the Orvieto Musica Scholarship award and has just returned from Italy Robyn Falasz (Zerlina) is a Vocal after spending three weeks there studying Performance major at NEIU, and studies Italian language and chamber music. with Dr. Heitzinger. Previous roles include Mabel in Pirates of Penzance in high Anthony DeFrancisco (Enoch Snow in school, Liesl in The Sound of Music with Carousel & Coneybear in Spelling Bee) is the Bethesda Summer Music Festival, an instrumental music education major at Ines from La Favorita and Frasquita from NEIU. Anthony is found more commonly Carmen both in the opera scenes recitals in the pit rather than on the stage, as he at NEIU. She would like to thank Sasha for is first and foremost a trombone player, the opportunity to be in this wonderful but loves the stage no less than the pit. production.

Anthony has played shows such as Gypsy, Ragtime, Urinetown, and will be playing Jessica Lauren Fisher (Cathy) is thrilled to Cabaret this fall. Anthony was most be performing in this production! She has recently seen singing as The Interpreter performed throughout the Chicagoland in The King and I and Roger in his senior and Indiana areas in both operatic and year production at Lane Tech HS in Grease. theater productions portraying many Last year at NEIU he was seen as Falke in characters from mice to men. She is Die Fledermaus and in the core ensemble currently pursuing her degree in music for Sweeney Todd. Anthony looks forward at NEIU after completing her degree in to being a part of as many productions as theater from DePaul University. She is a possible at NEIU and would like to thank proud student of Professor Melton and his director, Sasha Gerritson, for being an gives her thanks to her family, friends and instrumental part of his second semester partner in crime, Andrew. “LVYA Mom!” at NEIU. 6

Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music

at Northeastern Illinois University

Scholarship Auditions Saturday, February 22 & March 29, 2014 Contact

Sasha Gerritson Recruitment and Scholarship Coordinator,

Department of Music

s-gerritson@neiu.edu (773) 442-5906

music.neiu.edu

Opera Workshop Scene Recital

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Biogr aphies

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Sasha Gerritson (Director) is extremely grateful to all the people who helped make tonight’s show possible. A graduate of NEIU and DePaul, Sasha has been the NEIU Opera Director for seven years, in addition to teaching Music Theory. Last year she took on the role of Recruitment and Scholarship Coordinator for the Department of Music, a job she loves! In her spare time she sings opera and musical theatre and serves as the Music Minister of the Park Ridge Community Church. Sasha lives in Glenview with her husband Eugene Jarvis and their sons Nate and Josh.

Allison Hennessy (Una ragazza in Don Giovanni, Carrie in Carousel, and Marcy Park in Spelling Bee) is a music education major who will be attending Northeastern in the fall. She has sung and toured with the St. Olaf Choir under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong, and studied with Dr. Christopher Aspaas at St. Olaf College.

This summer, she spent a month touring Norway and recording a Christmas special for PBS with the St. Olaf Choir. She is a member of the Park Ridge Community Church Choir under the direction of Sasha Gerritson, and has toured to Italy, Austria and Belgium. She is thrilled to be participating in the opera workshop this summer at NEIU. Billy Jozwiak (Leporello in Don Giovanni & Chip in Spelling Bee) is going to be a junior at NEIU this fall. He is an instrumental music education major, and his primary instrument is the tuba. This is his first scene recital and he has been taking voice lessons with Theresa Egan.

Jane Kenas-Heller (Accompanist, Vocal Coach) served as the staff accompanist for the NEIU Music Department until her retirement in December, 2010. Jane earned her Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy degree at NEIU and accompanies the Park Ridge Chorale, is organist at Edgewater

Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and enjoys performing with her clarinetist husband, Irwin.

Margot Kinscherff (Donna Anna) is a vocal performance major earning her second bachelors degree at NEIU, studying under Dr. Hurt. Other performances at NEIU include Sweeney Todd, Street Scene, A Christmas Carol and the role of Cherubino in the summer and fall 2012 scene recitals.

She is thrilled to be a part of this scenes recital.

Kay Kim (Accompanist, Vocal Coach) An active collaborator, pianist Kay Kim performs an average of over 50 concerts a year both domestically and internationally.

She has been one of the pianists of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s conductor’s rehearsals, performed with the Stradivari Society artists and collaborated with Chicago Chamber Musicians. As a member of musical ambassador group Trio Chicago and Friends, Ms. Kim performs worldwide in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. She has been heard in CBS ‘Early Show’, WFMT ‘Impromptu’ and Dame Myra Hess Series. Ms. Kim serves as a full-time staff pianist and as an instructor of piano accompanying at NEIU. Her previous teaching and staff positions include Northwestern University, Indiana University and the Juilliard School. She holds a doctoral degree in piano performance from Northwestern University.

Alyssa LaTragna (Olive Ostrovsky) is an incoming senior at Maine South and has been seen in various productions such as Legally Blonde and The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. She is super excited to be a part of Spelling Bee. She is a private student of Jessye Wright and a soloist and section leader of the Angeli HS girls’ choir of the Park Ridge Community Church, directed by Sasha Gerritson.

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Mary Lutz-Govertsen (Gilda) is thrilled to be back performing with NEIU, where she earned her teaching degree in 2011 and is currently a student-at-large. At NEIU, performed the role of Anna Maurrant/ Street Scene; Ghost of Christmas Past/A Christmas Carol; Lily/The Secret Garden; and Mimi/La Bohème. Mary has performed with many companies in Chicago, where she has been seen as First Lady/The Magic Flute; Rusalka/Rusalka; Madame Lidoine/ The Dialogues of the Carmelites; and Mlle.

Silberklang/Der Schauspieldirektor. She was an apprentice at Opera New Jersey, where she covered the role of Clorinda/ La Cenerentola and at Opera Cedar Rapids, as Fiordiligi/Cosi fan tutte. Upcoming engagements include the soprano solo in Elijah, Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni.

Alex Makkawy (Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Belmonte in Abduction and Dan Schwartz in Spelling Bee) is a recent graduate of NEIU, with his BA in Vocal Performance. He is thrilled to be returning to the NEIU stage for yet another fabulous production. He was last seen as Sam Kaplan in NEIU’s production of Street Scene. Other NEIU roles include Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Dr. Craven in The Secret Garden and Schaunard in La Bohème. Alex also participated in the Opera Training Institute of Chicago this summer. “It has truly been an honor to get to work with such talented cast, crew and of course director.”

Jillian Mayer (Logainne SchwartzGrubinerre) is thrilled to be performing her favorite role, Logainne SchwartzGrubenierre in scenes one of her absolute favorite plays this summer! Jillian was last seen on the NEIU stage this spring as Mrs. Lovett (another dream come true) in Sweeney Todd. Other favorite credits include Martha in Secret Garden, Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, Sour Kangaroo 10

in Seussical the Musical, and Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables. “Thank you to family, friends, and Linas for all your love and support. Now on with the bee! Enjoy the show!”

Bill Morey (Costume Design) designed NEIU’s Sweeney Todd, Street Scene, The Secret Garden and A Christmas Carol. He is a two time Equity Jeff Award winner as well as the recipient of two After Dark Awards and a BroadwayWorld Chicago Award. For more info please visit www.billmorey.com Gabriel Muenzer (Masetto in Don Giovanni & Spelling Bee Kid) is a Junior at Lincoln Park High School. He has recently started taking voice lessons with Dr. Ron Combs and is a part of a recruitment program here at NEIU. This is his first vocal performance, although he has performed as an supernumerary actor several times at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He also studies violin and guitar.

Jazmin Panfilo (Giovanna) is a NEIU student majoring in Elementary Education.

This is her first time being in an opera workshop. While in HS, she attended the Merit School of Music where she sang and did theater.

Aldo Perrelli (Duke) is thrilled to be a part of Opera Workshop at NEIU again! Aldo recently completed his Master’s degree in Opera Performance from The University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the direction of William Farlow. During his time in Madison, Aldo performed the role Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème (also performed at NEIU where he received his undergraduate degree). He most recently sang the tenor solo in the Verdi Requiem at the Overture Center in Madison, WI. Other roles performed include Gaisone in Cherubini’s Medea and Fritz Cobus in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz. Aldo has been a finalist in numerous vocal competitions, including

Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music

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NATS and the Bel Canto foundation (Chicago). Aldo has also been a member of the Opera Training Institute of Chicago for 2 years.

Brennan Roach (Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, Jamie in Last Five Years & Carl Grubinerre in Spelling Bee) is a graduate student in the NEIU Vocal Pedagogy program, where he studies with Dr. Heitzinger. A native Chicagoan, Brennan has been seen recently in: Sweeney Todd, Street Scene, A Christmas Carol and The Secret Garden at NEIU, as well as professionally in: Whistle Down the Wind at JPAC, Shadow of a Gunman, with Seanachai Theatre Company, The Student Prince, at Light Opera Works, 50 PLAYS by Joe Janes, as part of the WNEP director’s series, Sweet Bird of Youth and Murphy’s Law with The Artistic Home, and Finding Eleusis with Terra Mysterium as part of The Chicago Fringe Festival. He appeared regionally in Into the Woods at Reagle Musical Theatre of Greater Boston. Brennan is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory.

Tasha Sargent (Stage Manager) is a rural Oklahoma transplant into the big city of Chicago. She graduated with a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and will begin a Master Theological Studies degree this fall.

An avid lover of the fine arts, this is Tasha’s first production.

Joseph Schuster (Pedrillo) is a tenor studying with Theresa Brancaccio at Northwestern University. In June and July, he worked with Sasha Gerritson at the Opera Training Institute of Chicago, and spent last summer in Italy through Music in the Marche. Northwestern opera credits include Liberto/Soldato II/Consoli in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea,

Chorus and Featured Dancer in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath, and Chorus and Featured Dancer in Die Fledermaus.

Gretchen L. Sheirok (Donna Elvira) is thrilled to be in another show at NEIU. This makes her 20th appearance singing and being the prop mistress. She also enjoys singing in local choir groups around the city and suburbs.

Erin Thomas-Lobo (Nettie Fowler) earned her Bachelor of Music in Opera Performance from DePaul University (where she became friends with Sasha Gerritson) and has since performed in Chicago with Light Opera Works, Lifeline Theatre, The Savoyaires, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company and Emerald City Children’s Theatre. She also performed as a Singing Gondolier at Tokyo Disneyland Resort. For the past 4 years she has been the Musical Director for the Elk Grove Park District and she recently joined the Allegrezza Singers, which is an SATB choir which focuses on celebrating diversity.

When she is not singing or teaching she is working as a Physical Therapist Assistant at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and she and her husband are thrilled to welcome their first child, a boy, in October.

Angela Zuniga (Blonda) is a Music Education major at NEIU in her senior year.

She studies voice with Dr. Phyllis Hurt and piano with Dr. Susan Tang. She has performed in scene recitals as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro and Annina in La Traviata.

She also performed in NEIU productions of Sweeney Todd, Street Scene, A Christmas Carol and The Secret Garden. Angela aspires to teach, perform and conduct music of various styles. She is involved in the NEIU jazz band as well. Angela is grateful and honored to learn with such supportive and talented people.

Opera Workshop Scene Recital

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a b o u t t h e o p e r a / m u s i c a l t h e at r e p r o g r a m at n e i u In order to give our students a variety of experiences, as they go forward with their performing and teaching careers, an intentional four year repertoire rotation was established in 2007.

In between major productions we supplement the student learning experience with scene recitals drawn from all types of repertoire.

YEAR ONE: Modern opera, sung in English.

YEAR TWO: Modern musical theater (approx. 1965 and later) YEAR THREE: Standard repertoire opera/operetta YEAR FOUR: Standard/”legit” style musical theater.

2007- 2008 (Year one) Susannah by Carlisle Floyd The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti 2008-2009 (Year two) Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim 2009-2010 (Year three) La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini (sung in original Italian) 2010-2011 (Year four) The Secret Garden by Lucy Simon 2011-2012 (Year one) A Christmas Carol by Ronald Combs Street Scene by Kurt Weill 2012-2013 (Year two) Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim 2013-2014 (Year three) La Vie Parisienne by Jacques Offenbach

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Northeastern Illinois University Department of Music