Only in Ohio – Ohio Light Opera 32nd Season Preview
From an ingenue to Broadway’s Grand Dame, and nearly every heroine of noble rank in between—that’s been the on-going role for Julie Wright [pictured] at The Ohio Light Opera Company during the last 22 years. The vivacious performer – offstage for a breather during rehearsals before the season begins on June 19, comments, “My first season here was in 1988! I portrayed Nadina in Oscar Straus’ The Chocolate Soldier.” And now, she’s preparing for perhaps the most demanding stage role in the repertoire: Mama Rose in Gypsy.Even with all her singing and teaching (during the school year she serves as a tenured professor of voice and chair of the voice area at the University of Utah’s School of Music), Julie still had to learn a new type of vocal technique – belting. As in Everything’s Coming Up Roses, and Rose’s Turn. They may be only 7 or 8 minutes total on the stage, but they’re electrifying minutes. All eyes are on the singer/actress portraying Mama Rose. It is every actress’s dream – and nightmare, all at the same time.
“I never really thought about performing this role,” says Julie. “Of course,” she adds, with a giggle, “when I was younger I wanted to play Gypsy, but that didn’t quite work out.” She spent time at the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library this past year, listening to and watching the archived films of all the ladies who’ve so notably portrayed Rose: Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and possibly her favorite – Patti LuPone. “I’d not seen her version previously, and it was really enlightening. It made me more willing to explore. Not to imitate, of course, but to maybe dig deep enough to find Rose’s softer side. I still had to change my own voice coach and teacher for the belting part, though.”
She went on. “But that’s the great thing about Ohio Light Opera, really. You get the chance to do multiple roles and stretch yourself. You go to other companies and you’re onstage at times, of course, but here—you’re on stage all the time! If you want to be in the spotlight, this is the place for you!”
Would it were that easy! The company of singers (who must also be rather proficient in acting, and to a lesser extent, dancing/movement) is usually 36-40 persons, depending on the musical theater pieces chosen for the summer performances. Some of those will be returning favorites such as Julie and local baritone Boyd Mackus, tenor Kyle Knapp, baritone Cory Clines, and soprano Karla Hughes. Absent for the least year or so but returning this year are local bass James Mismas, plus Nicholas Wuehrmann, Anthony Maida, Alta (Boover) Dantzler and Nancy Maria Balach.
A few years from now, music lovers will anticipate seeing this year’s relative newcomers as they return: Elisa Matthews (first season), Chelsea Basler and Raina Thorne, who have been here before, but they’re still among the younger performers.
Julie and company Executive Director Laura Neill went on casting expeditions this year, after winnowing down the applicants by about half. “I’d have to count up how many singers we actually listened to, after the screening process, but I’d say around 200 or so singers received an actual audition,” advises Julie. “We look for beautiful, expressive singing, but I’m also on the lookout for a clear speaking voice, acting chops and a performer that moves well. We also look for a few singers that can fill specific dancing needs, per the season’s demands. Last but certainly not least, you have to gauge whether a singer is personable and whether they will be a good colleague … or not. Ten weeks is a long time and you have to choose singers that will contribute to the ‘family’ atmosphere of the company. It is vital that performers embody the esprit d’ corp that Dr. Stuart and Steven Daigle have established. It’s a big part of what makes OLO special – that bonding time is the glue that holds 7 shows, in repertory, together!”
“We both felt that Elisa (Matthews) sang beautifully and possessed particular qualities that fit the bill for both Louise (Gypsy Rose Lee) and Angèle (The Count of Luxembourg). When casting for musical theatre roles, especially, I do think that “type” is somewhat of an issue. Elisa has a physical quality that I was looking for in Louise – vulnerable and yet determined – ultimately fearless. Cecily Ellis, who shares the role of Louise, also fit the bill perfectly.” Gypsy, The Count of Luxembourg and Kismet all have alternate casting.
Artistic Director Steven Daigle [pictured] (who may be found at Eastman School of Music in Rochester NY during the off-season, where he is associate professor of opera and dramatic director of Eastman Opera Theatre, as well as Chair of the Voice and Opera Department) first came to OLO as a stage manager (1990-93), moved up to assistant director (1994-95), and then general manager (1997-98), before being appointed AD in 1999. An obvious advocate of multi-tasking, prior to and simultaneous with these functions, Daigle served on the faculty at Kent State University and as assistant director (1989-96) at Kent State University and acting director (1994, 1996-97) of the Opera Theater program at the Oberlin Conservatory. He still does wander around the country at times, directing opera here and there and yon.
Ohio Light Opera, however, is unique to the world. There is NO other professional company anywhere that devotes itself so entirely to the musical theatre repertoire. So, how did this all come to be, anyway? Briefly, (you can read the full history at http://ohiolightopera.org/company_history.html) it was the bright idea of the much-beloved and revered James Stuart who, while teaching at Kent State University, had founded the Kent State Light Opera, which performed in various venues around the area.
In 1976, The College of Wooster had a beautiful new, appropriately-sized theatre, and Stuart’s company was invited to perform there at Freedlander Theatre. Two years later, KSU bowed out of any connection to Stuart’s troupe, so in 1979, Ohio Light Opera moved to Wooster. They’ve been there ever since, although the season has expanded from five to ten week seasons, featuring seven or eight fully-costumed and staged productions in repertory.
Originally, the accompaniment was a piano or maybe two pianos. The orchestra was formed in 1981, and is usually about 30 strong. It even has it’s very own solo performance – a well-attended Pops Concert in the public square in downtown Wooster. This year, it will take place on July 4th, in the evening. It is free and open to the public, and will be led by Music Director Michael Borowitz, who will conduct four of the troupe’s productions. Also, this year, long-time favorite Steven Byess returns as Principal Guest Conductor for the other three productions.
The first few years, the emphasis was on Gilbert & Sullivan and Continental operettas such as Die Fledermaus and The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss, Jr. In fact, the first non G&S was Strauss’ A Night in Venice in 1981, which was happily reprised last season. “The Company’s mission,” Daigle says, is “to promote, produce, and preserve the best operettas ever written, and to do them in traditional settings.” This philosophy has introduced U.S. audiences to 19th and 20th century operettas from England, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, and even our own United States – some of them rarely if ever performed professionally in this country, and all of them sources of ingratiating melody. Daigle sees the decision to add Broadway musicals to the repertory beginning in 2000 as another step in the company’s evolution.
The Playbill for the 2010 season begins with the OLO premiere of Kismet, based on melodies by Alexander Borodin. It was not the first Broadway show to use music by classical composers, but it is probably the most famous. Music and lyrical adaptation are by Robert Wright and George Forrest, and you will easily recall This is My Beloved plus Baubles, Bangles and Beads as well as A Stranger in Paradise. Directed by Mr. Daigle and conducted by Mr. Byess, the cast includes returning favorites Cory Clines and Boyd Mackus, with newer favorites Chelsea Basler and David Kelleher-Flight.
Next on the menu is the afore-mentioned Gypsy, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Lawrence. You won’t want to miss this quintessential Broadway musical. Julie Wright, Elisa Matthews, Karla Hughes, Cecily Ellis-Bills and Nicholas Wuehrmann star. Also directed by Mr. Daigle, Michael Borowitz gets to conduct such classics as Let Me Entertain You and Together.
Franz Lehar contributed greatly to the operetta oeuvre, and after The Merry Widow, his next big smash was The Count of Luxembourg. It’s the usual sort of whipped cream on a merry-go-round full of luscious songs and much laughter. The team of Daigle and Borowitz are in command, and among the cast are Cory Clines, Drake Dantzler, Karla Hughes, Kyle Knapp and Elisa Matthews.
The first Gilbert and Sullivan for this season is Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri, which will certainly keep you guessing, replete as it is with fairies, peers, politicians and gorgeous music. Stage direction by Daigle and the conducting of Byess assures the smoothness of the production, which will feature Jon Gerhard, David Kelleher-Flight, Tania Mandzy, James Mismas and Will Perkins.
The other G & S delight is Patience or Bunthorne’s Bride, the satirical look at the ‘hero’ (read: idol) culture, as big a deal today as it was 130 years ago. Daigle and Borowitz are in charge, and among the singers are Julie Wright, Boyd Mackus, James Mismas, John Gerhard, Cecily Ellis-Bills and Kyle Knapp‘.
In between these two are a returning old favorite by a composer not-quite-discovered by OLO, but certainly their efforts have done much to make his music popular around the world again – the Hungarian Emmerich Kálmán. When new (1915) The Gypsy Princess wowed everyone, but for some reason, it and the composer sort of fell off the radar screen. To date, OLO has produced nine of his confections, (with more to come, they say). In 1993, when Die Csárdásfürstin was last produced, Mr. Daigle directed and Julie Wright starred as the ingenue. This time around she’s directing. Mr Borowitz conducts and among the performers are: Chelsea Basler, Boyd Mackus, Anthony Maida, Gary Moss, Raina Thorne and Nicholas Wuehrmann.
OLO’s advance brochure says that they’ve produced 106 works from the lyric stage repertoire. Of the ones not yet done, El Capitan by America’s March King John Phillips Sousa has been the most often requested. And now, finally, it will be done! Proving the wish was not just a will-o-the-wisp, demand for tickets for this show has been so great, they’ve added an extra performance! (Evening, August 4th). Jacob Allen will direct and Mr. Byess will conduct this OLO premiere that proves Sousa could write more than just marches! The cast includes Nancy Maria Balach, Alta Dantzler, Anthony Maida, Tania Mandzy and Nicholas Wuehrmann.
Of course, Spiro Matsos will make an appearance in one or more productions as he’s done for years. Important contributions are made to what you see on stage by people who are never seen. Krystal Kennel is resident lighting designer; Kimberly Cox is scenic designer, along with newcomer Erich Keil; Carol Hageman is the incredible choreographer, with some assistance from Karla Hughes and Charlene Gross is resident costume designer joined this year by Whitney Locher.
And there you have it! The 32nd season of Ohio Light Opera presented at Freedlander Auditorium on the campus of The College of Wooster. It’s very easy to get there from almost anywhere, and the town will welcome you with an assortment of great restaurants and inviting bed-n-breakfast or hotel accomodations. A wide variety of information including ticket availability may be found at the web-site: http://www.ohiolightopera.org. Or you may call 330.263.2345. You won’t regret it, but be advised OLO is highly addictive!
But don’t fret! Three weeks after this season ends, they’ll start on next year!
Ohio Light Opera 2010 runs Sat 6/19 to Sat 8/7. Complete schedule and ticket information can be found at http://www.OhioLightOpera.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an se-book, but perhaps will be in print later this year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!
By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there’s always been the writing. I can’t imagine my life without it.
And now, after more than a few requests, I’ve started a blog about writing. You can find it here.