The Cast of Orpheus in the Underworld

The Principals

Jim Ahrens – Orpheus

Jim appeared in his first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta twenty years ago playing Dr. Daley in The Sorcerer.  He is relieved that that and subsequent appearances with the company (most recently as the Duke of Plaza-Toro in last spring’s production of The Gondoliers) have at least been good enough that he can come back for more.  Jim’s performing career in the Twin Cities has covered entirely too many years.  As an actor, he has appeared with many local companies, including Jungle Theatre, Park Square Theater, nimbus, and Theatre Coup d’Etat, where he was last seen in the recent production of The Crucible.  Jim is also served as a dialect coach for productions by Coup d’Etat, Shadow Horse Theatre, Girl Friday, and other organizations.  He has sung principal roles with many organizations, including Skylark Opera, Theatre Latte Da, Cerulean Productions, and Angels and Demons Entertainment (in last year’s acclaimed production of Marriage of Figaro at the James J. Hill House).  Jim has also appeared as a soloist with The Minnesota Orchestra, The Oratorio Society of Minnesota, the Des Moines Symphony, and the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra.  For the last few years, he has sung principal roles with the annual Picnic Operetta, which combines grand opera, popular music, and fresh food in performances throughout Minnesota.  Jim is also the tenor soloist at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.  In addition to working on this production, Jim has been the Dialect Coach for Theater Coup d’Etat’s production of Moby Dick, which runs at the Fallout Arts Initiative from November 3 to 20.  He can next be seen onstage this March in Elision Theatre’s production of Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical by Sarah Ruhl and Todd Almond.

 

Nelle June Anderson – Eurydice

Nelle graduated with honors in Music from Bard College.  She’s charmed. I’m sure, to be home after discovering her opera voice in New York.  Nelle has attended the OperaWorks Emerging Artist Program, was invited to the Classical Singer Magazine Competition in 2016, and won First Prize in the Schubert Club Annual Scholarship Competition in 2014.  Recent roles include Montana Wildhack in Slaughterhouse Five: A Musical at the Minnesota Fringe Festival (adapted and directed by our very own propmeister, Alexander Gerchak,) Elisetta in Il matrimonio segreto with the Oberlin in Italy company, soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra, and Editorial Intern for Opera News Magazine at the Metropolitan Opera.  This is her first show with the GSVLOC.

 

Jennifer LeDoux – Eurydice

Jennifer is thrilled to be making her GSVLOC debut as Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld.  No stranger to the Howard Conn Stage, she grew up attending Plymouth Congregational Church’s summer Theater Playshop, and since graduating college has become a staff member and even co-operated the program for two summers.  A graduate of Luther College with a degree in music and the University of Minnesota with a graduate degree in voice and opera, Jennifer has performed many roles at the collegiate level including Liza Elliot in Lady in the Dark, Pamina in The Magic Flute, and the title role in Suor Angelica.  Jennifer has also performed for three summers with Mill City Summer Opera, and in 2017 served as the cover for Johanna in Sweeney Todd.  Just this past June, she made her debut with The Lyric Opera of the North, performing in the chorus and covering the role of Gilda in Rigoletto.  So much love and gratitude goes out to the cast and crew of the GSVLOC for all that they have done!

 

Philip Eschweiler – Aristaeus / Pluto

Orpheus in the Underworld is Philip’s second production with the GSVLOC, after having appeared as Luiz in the company’s spring 2017 production of The Gondoliers.  An avid thespian and musician, he has performed in works ranging from Enjolras in Les Mis and Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, and as a concert soloist for numerous works by Handel and Bach and Orff’s Carmina Burana.  His biography was supposed to be funny, but Mr. Eschweiler is German and therefore efficient, but ill-suited to humor.

 

Lara Trujillo – Public Opinion

Lara was seen most recently in the Ordway’s production of In the Heights, in the role of Camila.  She also appeared at the Ordway in My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, at the Guthrie, with 7th House Theater Company, in The Passage, at the History Theater in River Road Boogie: The Augie Garcia Story and J.D. Steele’s Snapshots: Life in the City, with, at The Pantages in HAIR, as well as in productions with Theater Latte Da, Teatro del Pueblo, New Breath Productions, Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, Bloomington Civic Theater (Artistry) and Mu Performing Arts.  Some of her favorite roles include The Witch in Into the Woods, Anita in West Side Story and Eva Peron in Evita.  Lara recently co-authored and appeared in a production of Theater: A Sacred Passage, with Rick Shiomi’s Full Circle Theater Company, for which she also serves as an Advisory Council member.  This past spring, she cameo directed the Full Circle’s production of 365 Days / 365 Plays.  Lara performs regularly with Minnesota Opera and will appear in Mill City Summer Opera’s production this summer.  This is Lara’s eighth appearance with the GSVLOC, having performed previously as Iolanthe, in two productions of Iolanthe, Katisha in The Mikado, Phoebe Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard, Lady Sophy in Utopia, Limited, Lady Sangazure in The Sorcerer and Mad Margaret in Ruddigore.  She has also performed with the GSVLOC and the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, appearing as Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance and Katisha in The Mikado.  Lara is immensely grateful to her husband, Stephen, and to her family and friends who continually offer her their love, support, and encouragement.

 

Wally Benbenek – Jupiter

Waldyn has been doing this a long time.  His children grew up on Gilbert and Sullivan and now his children’s classmates are on stage with him.  All this came about from his being part of a fateful gathering in a now-demolished Kenwood basement where the GSVLOC was formed. The high point of his continued checkered career with the group has been his marriage to Mary Mescher Benbenek (the Fate with the scissors) and the arrival of their three aforementioned children.   He really likes playing Jupiter.  It allows him to relive fine moments of family history like the “great food rebellion.”

 

Victoria Valencour – Venus

Victoria is proud to be playing the role of Venus in this fall’s production of Orpheus in the Underworld with the GSVLOC.  Some of her favorite past roles with G&S include Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Ms. Partlett in The Sorcerer, and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado.  Victoria has also enjoyed working with Skylark Opera in The Vagabond King and New Breath Productions at the Fringe Festival.  She graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Music in Vocal Performance and received her teaching degree through Saint Mary’s University.  Victoria currently teaches seventh grade English, as well as maintaining a private voice studio, south of the cities.  She would like to thank the directors, cast, and crew for the opportunity to share this wonderful experience together and with you!  Victoria would also like to thank her family, friends, and cat Wanda for their unconditional love and support throughout her life and especially during this production.

 

Ryan Johnson – Mars

Months after returning to Venice from Barataria, Ryan divorced his wife Tessa, commandeered a vessel to go protect Rome, marry the Goddess Anna Perenna, and ascend to Mount Olympus.  But enough with Tessa and Anna, he’s also kind of into this other Goddess, and Venus is her name.  Isn’t mythology confusing?  Just enjoy the show.

 

Maggie Burr – Cupid

This is Maggie’s fourth show with the GSVLOC, appearing recently in The Gondoliers (Tessa), The Mikado (Pitti-Sing), and covering the title role in Iolanthe.  She has also performed with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Skylark Opera, The Guthrie Theater, and Minnesota Opera.  Maggie moved to Minneapolis in 2011 to study with Barbara Kierig, and currently sings as part of the Mindekirken Church Choir.  She completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

 

Eric Mellum – Mercury

Eric is delighted to be back onstage with the GSVLOC playing this crafty and eloquent messenger god.  He has been developing skills for this role through several previous GSVLOC productions – by engaging in knavery as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance and Prince Hilarion in Princess Ida, practicing eloquence as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore, The Duke in Patience, and Lord Tolloller in Iolanthe, stealing (kisses only) as Luiz in The Gondoliers, navigating life after death as Ernest Dummkopf in The Grand Duke, and enjoying delicious food while singing in several concerts at Lake Harriet.  With the Minnesota Opera for the past twenty years, Eric’s been featured as a soccer-playing Scottish fighter in the world premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night, as Pump Guy 2 in the world premiere of The Grapes of Wrath, as The Condemned Guardian in The Handmaid’s Tale, and also delivering messages, consuming beverages, and recently passing fake money in La Bohème.  Other credits include roles with Mill City Summer Opera (Sweeney Todd, Daughter of the Regiment, Barber of Seville), Skylark Opera, New Breath Productions, Ashland Productions, Rochester Aria Group, Minnesota Orchestra and Colorado Opera Festival.  He is grateful for the opportunity to perform again with such a talented and fun group of gods, goddesses, and exceptional humans (and dogs).  Eric is also grateful to his lovely wife, Jennifer, for her love, support, and skill as a pouncee.

 

Claudia Finsaas – Diana

Claudia is thrilled to be playing the role of Diana in this production of Orpheus in the Underworld with the GSVLOC.  No stranger to the stage, Claudia was born into a family of musicians and started her musical studies on the violin at age four.  She recently graduated from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music with a B.A. in Vocal Performance.  Creating memories on stage with her artistic friends/colleagues is one of her favorite past times, and she relishes each and every opportunity.

 

Thore Dosdall – Dr. Morpheus / John Styx

Thore is thrilled to perform in his first production with the GSVLOC, but he hopes the opportunity to play both a rather creepy god and a decidedly pathetic ex-king doesn’t constitute type-casting.  Last year, Thore performed in the premiere of Black Death: The Musical, Really Spicy Opera’s production of Rigoletto as Matteo Borsa, and in the ensemble for Mill City Summer Opera’s Sweeney Todd.  While completing a performance degree at Saint Olaf College, Thore performed in eight lyric theater productions.  Perhaps his most memorable experience was performing in a red sequin dress, complemented with a curly red wig and large sunhat, as the nursemaid Arnalta in The Coronation of Poppea.  Maybe he should audition for Buttercup in future GSVLOC auditions …

 

Alyssa Burdick – Juno

Alyssa has played the cheated lover plenty of times onstage, and finally she’s found one who actually gets to have fun!  This is Alyssa’s first show with the GSVLOC and her first year in Minnesota.  Some recent roles include Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Nerone (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Nancy (Albert Herring), and Tolomeo (Giulio Cesare).  Can you tell she loves the pants roles?  Alyssa is especially enthusiastic about early and baroque music, and the highlight of her season last year was a concert in the Berkeley Festival fringe series featuring seldom-performed works by Barbara Strozzi.  Alyssa earned her M.M. from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and her B.M. from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.  When she’s not singing, she’s teaching piano and voice lessons, goofing around with her toddler, or exploring the great Minnesotan outdoors.

 

The Love Police

Anna Maher – Love Police

Anna is delighted to take her third trip around Howard Conn with the GSVLOC, with previous appearances in The Gondoliers and Iolanthe.  Anna was spotted this past July playing Josephine in Mounds View Community Theatre’s production of HMS Pinafore, under the direction of the incomparable Joe Chvala.  She can also be seen performing with the Minnesota Chorale.  Upcoming projects include Shoot the Glass Theatre’s production of Into the Woods (Rapunzel), opening in June of 2018, and studying for her Certified Beer Server with her mother. When at home, she enjoys cooking and meowing back at her cat, Mabel. Anna would like to thank Eric Mellum for being such a supportive “overstudy.”

 

Sarah Mehle – Love Police

Sarah is delighted to return for her second show with the GSVLOC! Sarah’s love for Gilbert and Sullivan was sparked as a child, when she discovered a lovely trio of dusty VHS tapes in her parents’ basement, which included The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and Iolanthe.  This love only grew as Sarah began to perform, most recently in the chorus of La Bohème at Minnesota Opera.  She enjoys the opportunity to play a humorous role, providing a nice contrast to her bloody insanity as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor.  She has also appeared as Angelina in Trial by Jury, Gretel in Hansel & Gretel, and Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte.  She has also enjoyed performing in elementary schools with Lyric Opera of the North and Voyageurs, where she taught children about healthy habits and friendship in Little Bigfoot and the Bully and The Pirates of the Carrot Bean.  Outside of the realm of opera, Sarah is always willing to talk about her beloved cat Toulouse and dog Oliver, and is happy to show an embarrassing amount of pictures of them to any poor soul who mentions animals in her presence.

 

Cassandra Utt – Love Police

Cassandra is thrilled to be working with the GSVLOC family again and was most recently seen as Casilda in The Gondoliers.  She has also performed locally with Skylark Opera Theatre, Artistry, Garden of Song Opera, and the Minnesota Chorale.  Cassandra received dual degrees from Bowling Green State University in both Computer Science and Vocal Performance.  She moved to Minneapolis from Ohio for her career in Information Technology at Eaton Corporation.  Cassandra is a co-founder of a new company, Monicat Data, where she leads data analytics and technology projects for artists and art organizations.  She recently participated in a program called Remote Year, where she spent a year traveling around Europe, Asia, and South America, all while working remotely.

 

The Imps

Mary Bair

Mary is glad to be back with the GSVLOC!  She enjoys the music, dancing and incredible artists.  Mary is in the Eighth Grade at Barton Open in Minneapolis and likes to perform, locally she has worked with 7th House Theater Company, the Guthrie, and Youth Performance Company.  She filmed the title role in the independent film: Kid West; available now on Amazon.  Mary is a member of Colfax Theatre Company and Minneapolis Youth Choir, in partnership with the Minnesota Chorale.  In addition to theater, Mary also participates in robotics and soccer.  A grand shout out to her grandfather who doesn’t miss a GSVLOC production.  Mary is glad she could be in this one, she has had a ball learning the Can-Can!

 

Liam Hage

Liam made his first appearance on the GSVLOC stage in the company’s 2010 production of The Sorcerer, well hidden under his mother, Lara Trujillo’s, generous Victorian costume.  Since then he has grown up backstage.  Liam made his first appearance on stage, in person, last year, along with his mother, in Mill City Summer Opera’s production of Sweeney Todd.  He first appeared in Act I as a boy being sentenced to death for stealing and then opened Act II as another boy who unknowingly ate his father, who had been baked into one of Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies!  No … Sweeney Todd really isn’t a children’s show!  After appearing in this spring’s production of The Gondoliers, this is Liam’s second GSVLOC production, sharing the stage with his cousin, Rhianwyn, as well as his mother and his father … who has recovered nicely, thank you, from being baked into one of Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies!

 

Rhianwyn Hage

Rhianwyn is excited to be making her theatre debut with the GSVLOC. She is turning twelve in November and is in the sixth grade.  Rhianwyn’s other interests include fencing, Irish dance, acrobatics at Circus Juventas, history, Latin, reading, spending time with children and with her dog Freya and other pets.  She hopes to be a certified Red Cross babysitter soon.  Rhianwyn hopes you enjoy the show!

 

The Judges

Joe Allen – Minos

This is Joe’s fifth mainstage production with the GSVLOC!  A proper Joe-of-all-trades, his passions pull him in directions performative, holistic, and philosophical.  You may have seen him onstage this year in: Joe Chvala’s H.M.S. Pinafore, Latte Da’s Man of La Mancha, the GSVLOC’s The Gondoliers, Shit-Faced Shakespeare, or as Darth Vader in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  Unable to decide whether to focus on acting, dancing, or singing, Joe has been privileged to work onstage at The Guthrie, The Southern, The Ordway, The Ritz, The Kennedy Center, banquet halls, parks, and alleyways.  He is most fulfilled when lending his body, soul, voice, and mind to the creative process.  Joe graduated from Hamline University in 2012 with his Bachelor of Arts’ Degrees in Theatre Arts and Philosophy, as well as the coursework for K-12 Theatre Arts Education licensure.  By day, he is the Office Manager for Orion Associates, where he juggles hats and learns new skills.  By night, his other interests include video and tabletop gaming; reading books, articles, and journals; robust conversation/debate; constant heart/mind work; dismantling the patriarchy; politics of poverty and literacy; and good beer. He has two remarkable cats.

 

Christopher Michela – Rhadamanthys / Bacchus

Christopher is excited to be back performing with the GSVLOC after being away for several seasons.  A homecoming of sorts, he first appeared in Orpheus as Mars, back in 2000.  Now as a judge of the dead and the god’s wine steward, Christopher reminds you to drink responsibly, lest ye be judged.

 

Anthony Rohr – Aeacus

After a hiatus, Anthony is excited to be back on the GSVLOC stage! Where else are you given the opportunity to play a punky college kid, a Roman god, a corrupt underworld judge, an innocent child violin student, and a stalk of corn all in the same show?!  A software engineer by day, Anthony holds a degree in opera performance from Luther College and moonlights as a singer.  Anthony’s last performances with the GSVLOC included Patience in 2012 and The Yeoman of the Guard in 2013.

 

Cerberus

Clyde Gerber

Clyde is excited to be performing in his fourth GSVLOC show, having previously appeared in Patience ‘12, The Grand Duke ’14 and Iolanthe ’16.  While he occasionally has to do a song and dance at his job as a Software Development Manager, he counts himself very fortunate to actually sing and dance with this talented cast and crew!

 

Ron Giroux

This is Ron’s first production with the GSVLOC, and he feels so very fortunate to be cast as Vulcan / Hephaestus, the notoriously ugly blacksmith to lord Jupiter / Zeus, and cuckolded spouse to Venus/Aphrodite.  That’s the retribution you can expect, after spilling hot coffee in the director’s lap during your audition. *wink wink* Ron received a BA degree in theatre from Gustavus Adolphus College, and recently became an Equity Membership Candidate, after performing as an essential in Sense and Sensibility at the Guthrie.  Favorite past roles include Marcus Lycus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Lancelot in Spamelot, and Hamm in The Happy Elf.  To support his theatre habit, Ron entertains tables at a restaurant in Rosedale Center.  Which one?  That’s for him to know, and you to snoop out!  In his free time, Ron likes to clown around with his young niece and nephew, scope out movie theaters with the best amenities, and serve at the whim of his feline lady and mistress, Luna.

 

Jerry Kurek

Hello there, reader!  Jerry would like to take this small moment to break the fourth wall and thank you for your interest in and/or support for the GSVLOC.  He’s had a wonderful time singing, dancing, laughing, and cheering with these folks.  In 2014, he graduated from Ripon College, and since then he’s worked as an actor, a videographer, a barista, and a mortgage claims analyst throughout the Twin Cities.  But that’s all in the past, what matters is right now!  Look around, you’re alive!

 

The Chorus

Mary Mescher Benbenek

Mary performed with the GSVLOC the last time they did Orpheus in the Underworld, although that production was somewhat tamer than the current one.  She has gravitated from playing the moon goddess, Artemis, to portraying one of the three fates (it must be fate).  She is married to Waldyn Benbenek who plays Jupiter.  Thankfully, to her knowledge, he hasn’t metamorphosed!

 

Doug Freeman

Doug’s glad to be back with the GSVLOC after last spring’s The Gondoliers and is having a ball with Offenbach’s off-the-wall wackiness! Over the years and across several states, he’s done all but three G&S operettas, but he also enjoys musicals (Narrator / Mysterious Man in Into the Woods and El Gallo in The Fantasticks, both with Eat Street Players), opera (Leporello in Don Giovanni with Twin Cities Fringe Opera and Dr. Gibbs in Ned Rorem’s Our Town with Skylark Opera), and even an occasional straight play (Harold in The Boys in the Band—okay, not that straight).  Doug’s cats and partner will all be glad when he’s done with the show; his singing and dancing at home frighten them, except for the pretty but dumb one … cat, that is.

 

Taylor Ann Grand

Taylor Ann is elated to be back singing with the GSVLOC!  She received her Bachelor of Music in performance and vocal music education from Concordia College of Moorhead Minnesota.  Taylor has since enjoyed pursuing opera performance with programs including Spotlight on Opera in Austin, Texas, AIMS in Graz, Austria and the Amalfi Coast Festival in Maiori, Italy.  Some roles she has really enjoyed singing include Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Sarah in The Ballad of Baby Doe and the scene of Olympia in The Tales of Hoffman.  Aside from singing, Taylor has a deep passion for her Danish heritage and lives at the Danish American Center of Minneapolis as a resident caretaker.  She enjoys performing at many celebrations and gatherings within the Danish community here in Minneapolis and is learning to speak Danish!  Aside from performing, Taylor’s second passion is teaching music to children, which at a younger age was instilled after watching the 1999 film Music of the Heart.  She is self employed as a violin teacher and hopes to continue to teach alongside pursuing opera performance.  This fall she is applying to the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen for a Masters’ degree in vocal performance.

 

Eleanor Gustafson

Ellie is excited for her first show with the GSVLOC and to really dance things up in this operetta!  A Bachelor of Music graduate from the University of Northern Colorado, her recent roles include Mary (Mary Poppins), Irene Malloy (Hello, Dolly!), and Frasquita (Carmen). Naturally playing a goddess is an agreeable progression in performance.

 

Stephen Hage

Stephen has been member of the GSVLOC since his hair was considerably darker and there was more of it!  In all those years, he has appeared in every show the company has produced … except for the company’s 2000 production of Orpheus in the Underworld.  Stephen attended that show … more than once! … and thought that it was one of the most delightful productions that he’d ever seen.  He vowed that if the company ever did it again, he’d be there!  Stephen is keeping his vow!  In addition to performing on stage, he serves as the company’s Producer.  Stephen has also performed with Bloomington Civic Theater (Artistry) and as a supernumerary with Minnesota Opera.  He enjoys the opportunities that performing in the opera affords him … to carry spears, to flirt with or rough up world famous sopranos … usually in different operas … and to be killed in battle … sometimes several times in the same opera!  By day, Stephen is responsible for Human Resources for the Orion Associates organization of companies, which he does with his wonderful staff of Human Resources professionals, all the while enjoying far too many cups of coffee.  Stephen is delighted to share the stage in this production with his son, Liam, and wife, Lara.  Stephen dedicates this, and all that he does, to his delightful daughters, Lyndsay, Madeleine and Maya, to Liam, and to his lovely and loving Lara.

 

Kaitlin Klemencic

Kaitlin is delighted to be appearing in her third production with the GSVLOC, having previously appeared in the chorus of The Gondoliers and Iolanthe.  Originally a cheesehead (Go Pack), she earned her B.F.A in theater arts and a secondary education degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University.  After graduation, Kaitlin moved to New York City.  She returned to the Midwest in 2015 and currently resides in Saint Paul where she works as a nanny.  Along with Orpheus, Kaitlin is currently appearing as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the international repertory company, Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare.  She has also appeared as Amy in Company (Shoot the Glass Theater) and will be working with Shoot the Glass again next June on their production of Into the Woods, playing The Baker’s Wife.  Infinite amounts of love and thanks to family, friends, Pat and the GSVLOC for this wonderful experience.

 

Julia Knoll

This year Julia marks a decade of singing with the GSVLOC (which, she’s often reminded, still makes her a rookie for this company).  Favorite roles with the GSVLOC include Lady Angela in Patience, Ruth in Ruddigore, chorus member in Iolanthe and The Yeomen of the Guard, and singing the part of Pitti-Sing in the summer concert performance of The Mikado.  Julia has performed in various other musical theater productions with Morris Park Players, Chameleon Theatre, and the Northfield Arts Guild.  Although she’s missed working on G&S patter songs for this production of Orpheus, it’s been very nice to spend time tapping into her inner goddess.

 

Blanka Melbostad

Blanka is thrilled to be part of the GSLVOC’s production of Orpheus in the Underworld, after having performed with the company for the first time in last spring’s production of The Gondoliers, in the role of Gianetta.  She has previously appeared in productions of The Music Man (Alma Hix), Nunsense (Sister Mary Leo), Cosi Fan Tutte (Fiordiligi), and The Magic Flute (Queen of the Night).  Deepest gratitude to Orpheus team, family and friends!

 

Eric Pasternack

In real life, Eric is a peripatetic petrophysicist rapidly approaching retirement.  Nobody knows what a petrophysicist is, so he does other more recognizable things for fun, such as singing the second tenor part in the GSVLOC chorus and doing whatever the director tells him to do on stage.  Eric’s first G&S experience was in 1963 as Jack Point in The Yeomen of the Guard.  Despite that auspicious start, he stayed off the stage for thirty years before joining the chorus of the (late) Texas Gilbert & Sullivan Company from 1994 to 1998.  He joined the GSVLOC in 2000 after moving to the great state of Minnesota.   (Note for the curious: a petrophysicist evaluates data from oil and gas wells in order to determine how much oil and gas is really down there.  Now you know).  

 

Rhea Sullivan

This production marks Rhea’s second trip to Hades in Orpheus in the Underworld.  She is delighted to be making the journey with so many talented gods and goddesses.  When she’s not singing, Rhea is an Account Executive with The Harrington Company (an association management company).  This marks her thirty-fifth year with the GSVLOC.