LaToya Lain (mezzo-soprano)
Mother
Applauded for her “wonderfully rich,” “powerful,” and “captivating” voice, American singer LaToya Lain, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, currently serves on the voice faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she provides private, individual vocal instruction as well as teaches The History and Performance Practice of the Negro Spiritual. Equally at home in the teaching studio and on the performance stage, LaToya recently made her Metropolitan Opera Debut as part of the star-studded cast of The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
Luca Smith
Amahl
Luca Smith is 10 years old and is a member of the Raleigh Youth Choir. He began singing in the Naples Philharmonic Chorus at the urging of his first piano teacher, Stacy Kastner. He currently studies piano with Dr. Kent Lyman at Meredith College. This production is Luca’s professional stage debut. He has been preparing the role of Amahl with the help of his vocal teacher, Liz LaBelle. In his free time, Luca likes to play Fortnite and hang out with his pet Chaweewee “Bruno."
Matthew Anchel (bass)
King Balthazar
Bass Matthew Anchel, called "a voice to watch" by the Wall Street Journal, has performed with many of the world’s leading companies and orchestras In recent seasons, Mr. Anchel has returned to the Metropolitan Opera, covering in new productions of The Exterminating Angel and Cendrillon. He also joined Santa Fe Opera to cover Tsar Dodon in their production of The Golden Cockerel, made his company debut with St. Petersburg Opera as Sarastro, returned to Spoleto Festival USA as Lamberto in Pia de' Tolomei, and performed the Bass Solo in Mahler’s 8th Symphony at Carnegie Hall.
Darren Drone (baritone)
King Melchior
Winner of the esteemed 2024 George London Competition, baritone Darren Drone is quickly making a name for himself in the opera world. Described as having “a gorgeously warm tone and deep resonance,” Mr. Drone recently returned to the Metropolitan Opera to perform the roles of Foreman and Adult James and cover Chester in Fire Shut Up in My Bones and cover Moralès in Carmen, presented as part of the “Met Live in HD” series. Additional recent engagements include his highly anticipated house debut with Florentine Opera as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore. Thrilling upcoming season highlights include leading roles with the Berkshire Opera Festival, Portland Opera, Seattle Opera, and Utah Opera.
Dylan Morrongiello (tenor)
King Kaspar
Dylan Anthony Morrongiello is known for his “over-the-top committed” portrayals and “stentorian” tenor (Words and Music, Boston Classical Review). Recent season engagements include a return to The Metropolitan Opera as the Second Priest in The Magic Flute, and in the coming season he will cover Don Pizarro in Chicago Opera Theatre’s Leonora, and will appear as Goro in Madama Butterfly with Amelia Island Opera and as Syvert Tonseten in Giants in the Earth with South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, and also will appear in recital with Brooklyn Art Song Society.
Eric Love
Page
Eric Love is a New York City based theatre director specializing in magical plays and epic musicals. From 2016-2022 he served as Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director for Northern Stage, a LORT-D regional theatre in White River Junction, Vermont. While at Northern Stage, Love championed the Youth Ensemble Studio, a troupe of 32 actors from 12-18 years old performing three productions a year. Love was also the Director of Boot Camp, a scholarship pre-college training program for juniors and seniors in high school who are passionate about pursuing a career in the arts.
SONAM
​Singers of New & Ancient Music
Singers of New and Ancient Music (SONAM) is a chorus committed to creating high-quality sacred and secular music and giving back to the community. Our mission is to make excellent choral music that supports local non-profits through benefit concerts.
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SONAM was established in 2012 and officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2022. The group consists of about 30 talented singers from central North Carolina, led by music director Allan Friedman and accompanist Jane Lynch.
Sarah Bowdoin
Dancer
Sarah Bowdoin began her classical ballet training in Houston, Texas. She holds a BFA in Ballet Performance from The University of Oklahoma and a graduate degree in Arts and Cultural Management from The College of Charleston. Sarah has danced professionally with Charlotte Ballet, Palmetto City Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and others, and has taught for numerous studios and schools in the greater Southeast region. Passionate about raising support for the arts, she is currently the Director of Development for the American Dance Festival, and a freelance grant writer for other nonprofit organizations.
Bethany Miller
Dancer
Bethany Miller Sullivan holds a BFA in Dance, cum laude, from Florida State University and a MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa. Bethany has had the honor of performing in works by Stephan Koplowitz, Gerri Houlihan, Tim Glenn, Rick McCullough, Urban Bush Women, Monica Bill Barnes, Melinda Jean Meyers, Kristin Marrs, Shannon Alvis, Armando Duarte, and Christopher Rasheem-McMillan, among others. In addition to performing, she has extensive experience in dance education, arts administration, and Pilates instruction. Bethany lives in Durham with her husband, Blake, and two young children. She is thrilled to be a part of this production!
Beth Starosta-Desmond
Dancer
Beth Starosta-Desmond received her BFA from Juilliard. While there, she performed notable works such as Alvin Ailey’s Streams, in the PBS broadcast Live from Lincoln Center: Juilliard at 80, and Paul Taylor’s Cloven Kingdom. After graduating, she joined MOMIX, where she performed and collaborated with artistic director Moses Pendleton for over 8 years. She has performed in theaters and opera houses throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Japan—notably La Scala in Milan, Sadler’s Wells in London, the Joyce Theater in New York, Delphi’s Ancient Olympic Stadium in Greece, and the Piazza di Miracoli in Pisa, Italy. In her earlier years, she trained with the Joffrey Ballet School, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Pennsylvania Ballet.
Allan Friedman
Choir Director
In addition to being the founding music and educational director of SONAM, Allan Friedman is the Director of the Duke University Chorale and Director of Music at Judea Reform Congregation in Durham, NC. Allan also leads the PopUp Chorus in the Triangle and was the artistic director of the Women's Voices Chorus (WVC) from 2007 to 2019. From 2004 to 2012 he served as the associate conductor of Duke Chapel Music. Allan is also an active music teacher and clinician in the Triangle, teaching music history courses for retirees, working with the Kidznotes program in East Durham, training young conductors, and leading choral clinics and workshops throughout the state.
Gerri Houlihan
Choreographer
Gerri Houlihan studied at The Juilliard School and performed with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, the Paul Sanasardo Dance Company, and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. From 1991 to 1999 she directed her own company, Houlihan and Dancers, based in Miami. Ms. Houlihan serves on the Advisory Board for the American Dance Festival. As an international representative for ADF, she has participated in 17 international linkage programs. Currently, she teaches at the ADF studios in Durham and is the Artistic Director of the Big Red Dance Project.
Lauren Carmen
Costume Designer
Lauren Carmen is a costume designer, maker, craftsperson, ballet dancer, artist in NYC. She comes to the performing arts first and foremost through a life of dancing, having worked as a professional ballet dancer, dance & pilates instructor, before diving more fully into the world of costume. Projects of particular excitement include teaching costume courses to Undergraduate students at NYU and working with dancers of American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet.
Q Lee
Costume Assistant
Originally from Santa Barbara, California, Q Lee is currently a student at Pace University in NYC pursuing a degree in Production and Design with a concentration in costume design. Q enjoys creating garments that play with color, texture, sparkle, and shine! Additionally, he has a strong passion for youth theater. The privilege of being a part of a child’s journey in the theatrical world, and helping them find their place in the arts is the most fulfilling experience in the world.
James Clotfelter
Lighting Designer
James Clotfelter is committed to the creation of collaborative and socially conscious work for the built environment, live performance, and public space. Working broadly as a designer with a specialization in light, James works to articulate design sensibilities that nurture a shared experience, inspire thoughtfulness and curiosity, and awaken us to our surroundings. With over twenty years of design experience, James strives to situate design as an evolving narrative that is time-based, empathetic and distinctly relevant.