Porgy and Bess

P R O F I L E S | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

DEV KENNEDY ( Coroner )

throughout Europe, with venues that include the Dresden Semperoper, Lisbon’s Centro de Cultural de Belem, London’s Royal Albert Hall and Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera. KENNETH NICHOLS ( Undertaker ) Previously at Lyric Opera : Chorus member since 2000; nine solo roles since 2002-03, most recently and Second Priest/ Die Zauberflöte (2011-12). Among the American bass-baritone’s roles in Chicago have been the King and the Herald/ The Love for Three Oranges (Chicago Cultural Center) and Leporello/ Don Giovanni (DuPage Opera Theater). He was an ensemble member and sang many performances of the featured role of Joe in Harold Prince’s production of Show Boat (1993-98) in New York, Toronto, Chicago, and London. Since 1998 Nichols has made seven appearances with “Night of 1,000 Voices,” the annual charity concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall. His concert activities have also included “An Evening of Gershwin” earlier this year with Sarasota’s Artist Series. Nichols is an alumnus of the Crane School of Music/ SUNY Potsdam. Servant/ Capriccio (2014-15); Old Servant /Elektra (2012- 13); Second Armed Man

of Bowling Green State University (Bachelor of Music) and the University of Maryland (Master of Music). She currently performs with the Washington National Opera and resides in the nation’s capital. JOHN LISTER ( Detective ) Previously at Lyric Opera: Sheriff Vallon and Maître D’/ Show Boat (2011-12). (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Guys and Dolls (Marriott Lincolnshire), and six seasons of A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre). He has been seen in more than a dozen productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater (among them Richard III, Twelfth Night, The Herbal Bed, and Edward II) and has also appeared in Lady Windermere’s Fan, Red Herring, Inherit The Wind, She Stoops to Conquer and Tom Jones at Northlight Theatre, and As You Like It, Heartbreak House and Yellow Moon at Writers Theatre. His regional credits include productions with Indiana Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Peninsula Players, Notre Dame Shakespeare and the International Mystery Writers Festival. Film and television credits include Public Enemies (Universal), Animals (Schiffli), Prison Break (FOX), and The Beast (A&E). BRIAN McCASKILL ( Policeman) The actor’s Chicago credits include The Crucible

Previously at Lyric Opera: Franz/ The Sound of Music (2013-14). The actor has been seenwith most of the Chicago area’s major theater companies.

Among his roles have been Capt. Brackett/ South Pacific (Marriott Theatre), Potter/ It’s a Wonderful Life (Fox Valley), Murray/ The Odd Couple (Drury Lane Oakbrook, where he has also appeared in seven other productions, among them Barefoot in the Park, Arsenic and Old Lace, Guys and Dolls , and West Side Story ), Cop/ Teddy Ferrara, Hank/ The Night of the Iguana and Moran/ The Iceman Cometh (Goodman Theatre), Oronte/ The School for Wives (Court Theatre), Condon/ Hauptmann and Crowe/ Never the Sinner (Victory Gardens Theatre and Off Broadway). Other companies include First Folio, Mercury Theatre, Live Bait, Wisdom Bridge Theatre, Body Politic Theatre, and National Jewish Theatre. Kennedy’s television credits include Chicago P. D., (NBC), Early Edition and Goodnight, Sweet Wife (both for CBS). He has also acted in nine films, among them Outing Riley (Miramax), Barbershop (MGM), and Hero (Columbia). WARD STARE ( Conductor ) conductor opened the RPO’s 2014-15 season with a special concert featuring guest soloist Midori. Highlights of Stare’s current season include debuts with the Baltimore Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and New World Symphony. His successes in opera include productions at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis ( Il tabarro/Pagliacci, Dialogues of the Carmelites ), Washington National Opera ( L’elisir d’amore ), and the Norwegian National Opera ( The Rape of Lucretia ). From 2008 to 2012 Stare was resident conductor of the St. Louis SymphonyOrchestra, with whom he made his triumphant Carnegie Hall debut. The 2013- 14 season included his return to the Atlanta and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, as well as debuts with the Syracuse Symphoria, Jacksonville Symphony, and Naples Philharmonic with Lang Lang as soloist. He has also led the major Previously at Lyric Opera: Die Fledermaus (2013-14); Hansel and Gretel (2012-13). Recently appointed music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the

SAMANTHA McELHANEY

( Strawberry Woman ) Lyric Opera debut

Previously at Lyric Opera: Pete/ Show Boat (2011-12) The actor’s Chicago credits include productions at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre

The American soprano’s operatic repertoire includes Nella/Gianni Schicchi, the First Lady/ Die Zauberflöte,

Elisetta/ Il matrimonio segreto , Barbarina/ Le nozze di Figaro , and the Strawberry Woman/ Porgy and Bess . These roles have brought McElhaney to the Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Royal Danish Opera, the Washington Symphony Orchestra, the Hines Lee Opera Ensemble, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Maryland Opera Studio. Other significant engagements include appearances as a concert soloist at Washington’s Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the National Cathedral, the Smithsonian, Cairo’s Citadel, the Washington Performing Arts Society, and the White House. Handel’s Messiah , Bach’s Magnificat , and Mozart’s Requiem comprise her oratorio and concert experience. McElhaney is an alumna

Company, TimeLine Theatre, Eclipse Theatre and Raven Theatre. He has received two Jeff Awards and five Jeff Award nominations for his theatrical work. Film and television credits include Chicago P.D. , Crisis , and Prison Break .

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