Patience Cast Biographies

Directors

Stage Director:
Marian Shulman

Marian has appeared onstage with Troupers as Ida in Die Fledermaus, Vittoria in The Gondoliers, and both Buttercup and Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore. She has performed in opera, oratorio, and operatic workshops in San Francisco, Aspen CO and New York City. A G & S veteran, she has performed with Gilbert and Sullivan companies in California, New Jersey, Texas, and Connecticut and has directed performances in California and Texas. She also participates as Vice-President of Troupers’ Board of Directors, and served as Stage Manager for The Pirates of Penzance and costume coordinator for Iolanthe. Marian lives in Stamford with her husband Arthur, and thanks him for his patience and encouragement during the rehearsal period.

Jim learned conducting in order to perform two music theater pieces he composed in his late teens. He studied theory and composition while at Oberlin College and performed with the Oberlin G&S Players on Cape Cod the year the John Lithgow was in the company. Later he gained experience conducting his compositions for a women's chorus, and still later became the choir director of the First Parish Church in Tyngsboro, MA. Last year, he was the music director of Troupers' Fall Gala and the chorus master for Iolanthe. He has been on the Troupers Board for the past 15 years serving variously as vice-president, president and treasurer. He thanks his wife Vicki for all her support.

Music Director:
James Cooper

Soloists

Miran Robarts -Patience

Soprano Miran Robarts’ performances have been praised as running the gamut from “sweet” to “feisty” as she has taken on roles in productions with the Manhattan Opera Studio, Underworld Productions Opera Ensemble, and New York Lyric Opera Theater. She is thrilled to return to Troupers Light Opera in the title role of Patience. Favorite roles include Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Mabel (Pirates of Penzance), and upcoming performances include The Magic Flute at Carnegie Hall as Papagena this winter (www.miranrobarts.com).

Brett Kroeger -Angela

"Over There: Greatest Hits of the Great War" is Brett Kroeger's new collaboration with Broadway pianist and arranger Christopher Denny in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I period, 1914-1918. It's a concert performance of the era's chart-topping popular music , both at home and abroad. They've performed the cabaret as part of the East Hampton Library's new Tom Twomey Series: Conversations With, at the Liederkranz Club of New York and at Connecticut's Greenwich Arts Council. My website is brettkroeger.com

Brett's other recent performances include a featured spot at the release show for the new CD of classical guitarist Brett Williams, which they will perform again in December at Liederkanz in New York; a medley of World War I songs for a Greenwich Historical Society event, and a solo with Troupers Light Opera at the Pequot Library in Southport CT. With Troupers, she appeared in the role of Edith for the company's 2014 production of Pirates of Penzance and as Gretchen in Victor Herbert's The Red Mill in 2013. She sang with the Taconic Opera for its 2014 premier of the Dan Montez oratorio, Jonah. In Italy, she was most recently the featured vocalist at La Fenice in Venice for Hebrew University’s European conference on “The Song of Songs” and has given solo recitals in the summer festivals of Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, and Camoglia.

Maria Jacobi - Saphir

Maria Jacobi is an active classical singer and music educator across the tri-state area. She has had the pleasure of performing such roles as Oscar (Ballo in Maschera), Tuptim (The King and I) Mabel, (Pirates of Penzance) and Ciesca (Gianni Schicci). She is the current music director for several children's theater programs throughout Westchester. It has been a great pleasure to perform with Troupers Light Opera this Fall, as it will be her last show before welcoming "baby Jacobi" into the world this December. Love to Peter, Stella, and Baby J.

Wendy Falconer -
Lady Jane

Wendy is happy to perform again with Troupers. Past performances with TLO include: Iolanthe in Iolanthe, Kate in The Pirates of Penzance, Bertha in The Red Mill, Katisha in The Mikado, The Duchess in The Gondoliers, Dame Carruthers in Yeomen of the Guard, Lady Blanche (cover) in Princess Ida, Mrs. Partlet in The Sorcerer, Pitti Sing in The Mikado, plus chorus in Ruddigore, and Trial By Jury. Wendy served as President of Troupers from 2013-2015 and 2002-2004. A true G&S enthusiast, Wendy has played Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore with The Connecticut G&S Society, is a member of the Blue Hill Troupe in New York City and has performed in the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, UK with Savoynet and with G&S Opera Victoria, Australia. Other credits include Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore with Musicals-at-Richter, Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady with Theatre Genesius plus chorus in The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and The Music Man with various companies throughout Fairfield County.

Jullia Falkenburg - Ella

Julia is thrilled to be taking part in her first Troupers production. She was recently seen in singing in Seth Bisen Hersh's Cabernet series at Don't Tell Mama (Soloist), Man of La Mancha at Curtain Call Theater (Antonia) and in The Lipstick Project's all female cast of Romeo and Juliet (Romeo). She would like to thank her friends and family for supporting her through this exciting musical journey!

Frank Sisson - Bunthorne

Happy to be walking his aesthetically mystic way in this production of Patience, Frank recently appeared as Lord Mountararat is Trouper’s April 2015 production of Iolanthe. He has sung Ko-Ko (The Mikado), Major General Stanley (Pirates), the Duke of Plaza-Toro (The Gondoliers), Bouncer (Cox and Box), and Florian (Princess Ida) among other G&S roles. Other shows include: Bye Bye Birdie (Albert Peterson), Company (Peter), 1776 (John Hancock), Forum (Hysterium), Phantom (Count de Chandon), and Anything Goes (Moonface). A Harvard Law grad practicing estate planning and trust law in Westport, Frank is also an aspiring (and perspiring) writer of parodies, plays and one-act musicals. His collection of musical Christmas one-acts, Snow Klones: A Merry Musical, including “North Side Story”, “A Reindeer on the Roof”, “I’ll Be Cloned for Christmas” and “A Christmas Line” has been featured as the holiday season show at Stamford’s Curtain Call Theater. Extra thanks to Marian and Jim… and let’s (like them) all strive to keep G&S alive!

David Richy - Grosvenor

David Richy, tenor, is making his third appearance with Troupers Light Opera as Grosvenor. Born and raised in Westchester County, NY, David performs regularly with organizations throughout the Tri-State area. His most recent roles include Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Troupers Light Opera, and Gaston in La Traviata with Taconic Opera. David has also appeared in several other operas and operettas, including Rigoletto, Aida, Macbeth, Turandot, Tosca, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Die Fledermaus, Nabucco, Don Pasquale, Madame Butterfly, Mefistofele, La Fille du Regiment, Pagliacci, Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, L’Italiana in Algeri and Falstaff. David also sings both as a soloist and as a chorister with Sound Shore Chorale in New Rochelle, NY, and has performed several oratorios, including Handel’s Messiah, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor.

Gregory Suss - Colonel

Greg is pleased to be making his Troupers debut in Patience. A devoted Savoyard, his first G&S role was in the 6^th grade as Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore. Under the direction of Bruce Montgomery at the University of Pennsylvania, Greg performed in a variety of principal roles in Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and The Gondoliers. As a member of the famed Blue Hill Troupe in NYC since 1986, favorite roles he performed include Jack Point (Yeomen of the Guard), Sir Despard (Ruddigore), Ludwig (The Grand Duke), Private Willis (Iolanthe), and Colonel Calverley (Patience). An actor/director for over 200 productions, Greg has performed locally with the St. Catherine Players as Max in The Sound of Music, Julius Goldschmidt in Barnum and The Mayor of Whoville in Seussical, along with wife, Kathleen and daughter, Katie.

John Matilaine - Duke

John Matilaine is making his umpteenth appearance with Trouper’s, having played Sir Roderic in Ruddigore, Poo Bah in TheMikado, Arac in Princess Ida, Wilfred in The Yeomen of the Guard, Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore, Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Pish Tush in TheMikado, the Burgomeister in The Red Mill, The Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance and most recently Lord Tolloller in Iolanthe. He has also appeared as the Lieutenant in Yeomen and the Duke in Patience in other venues years ago. He also was Colonel Pickering in Curtain Call’s production of My Fair Lady. John sings regularly with the Taconic Opera in Yorktown Heights NY where he has soloed in several Oratorios, the Gounod Requiem and Puccini Messa di Gloria. He also sings with other singing groups in Westchester County including Charis Chamber Voices and Collegium of Westchester. John has been on several foreign tours (China, Russia, England, South America, South Africa, Holland, Cuba, Istanbul, Yerevan, Tbilisi and the Baltics) with the Yale Alumni Chorus as a soloist and second tenor.

Rob Strom - Major

This is Rob’s eighth appearance with Troupers. . Rob has acted and sung in community theatre, musicals and opera since 1973. He currently sings with the Ridgefield Chorale, and has been a volunteer music director for musical plays in Ridgefield elementary schools since 1994. Rob also performed with Troupers as Featherstonhaugh in The Red Mill, Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, and in the chorus of Iolanthe, Mikado and Yeomen of the Guard. Rob’s other roles include King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, Fezziwig and Old Joe in A Christmas Carol, the Munchkin Mayor in The Wizard of Oz, Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace, and chorus parts in Carmen, Tosca, and Aida. In real life, Rob is a retired computer scientist, and a math, science, and writing tutor.

Chorus

Mary DiRoberts

Mary Di Roberts is a recent graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University where she received her B.M. in music education and her M.A. in teaching. This is Mary’s Troupers Light Opera debut. In the past Mary has been a soprano for the GRAMMY- nominated Williamson Voices, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Westminster CoOPERAtive, and the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses: Master Quest concert series. She also has several community and collegiate musical theater credits. Mary would like to thank the company for being incredibly welcoming, and her family for supporting her.

Barbara Biggs

I am very happy to be a part of this wonderful production of "Patience". I also stay busy singing with the Park Street Singers and the Norwalk Chorale.

Joyce Day

Joyce is happy to be singing with Troupers again. A member of the Board, this is her fifth Troupers show. This is a great area for different kinds of music and Joyce currently sings with the Park Street Singers and the Norwalk Community Chorale. Patience is a delightful show with lovely music and so many talented performers in the group.

Keiko Hayashida

Keiko Hayashida is returning to Troupers for the first time in half a decade. From 2005 to 2010, she sang in the chorus with her daughter. She is thrilled to be participating in this production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, singing with the warm-hearted fairies and the great sound of the orchestra. Keiko, the mother of three children, is a member of Fairfield County Symphony Society, a Greenwich piano teacher by day, and a dainty fairy by night.

Rosa Elena Parrotta

Rosa Elena is delighted to be singing for her fourth consecutive year with Troupers Light Opera. She was in the chorus of The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and in The Red Mill she also played the role of Brigitte. She lived in Italy for 25 years and earned a Master’s Degree in Languages in Rome. She now lives and works in Stamford and sings in the choir of Sacred Heart Church where she is also the Italian soprano soloist.

Peggy Marchi

When she retired in 2006, Peggy Marchi began learning to sing—a lifelong dream. Since then she has sung with many groups in Westchester and Fairfield, including St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Norwalk, Congregational Church, New Canaan, The Soundettes, Yale Alumni Chorus, SUNY Purchase College Choir, Taconic Opera Chorus, Adesso, Westfair, an all-women’s choir, Renaissance Vocal Ensemble, and Music on the Hill. Peggy studies voice with Ellen Sisson. This is Peggy’s third appearance with Troupers. She wishes to thank Katie, Liz and Jon for their love and encouragement and to dedicate this performance to the memory of Claudia Renzsch.

Ruth-Anne is delighted to be back with Troupers in this beautiful and fun production of Patience, since last performing with the company in Die Fledermaus. Past favorites include: Annie Warbucks, I Remember Mama and The Full Monty, The Secret Garden, Funny Girl, Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, several G&S operettas with the Troupers Light Opera Company as well as two original musicals: Wall $treet, The Musical (co-production between Troupers and the Wilton Playshop) and Esther, The New Musical. Stephen Sondheim said “If I can’t fly, let me sing!” Exactly.

Kirsten Scott

Kirsten is thrilled to be performing with Tropers again after debuting Troupers in Die Fledermaus. She is a board member and first alto with the Fairfield County Chorale, sings with the Main Line Ecumenical Choir of Wayne, Pennsylvania and currently studies voice with Perry Price. In addition to her musical pursuits, Kirsten enjoys creating ceramics with her fellow students at the Silvermine Art Guild and thanks her family and friends for their encouragement and support.

Joan is celebrating her 32nd year with Troupers, having performed in The Pirates of Penzance, Sorcerer, Princess Ida, Iolanthe, Patience, Ruddigore, Mikado, and Yeomen of the Guard. She also performed with Troupers in H.M.S. Pinafore and Trial by Jury at the Palace Theater in New Haven. Joan has been singing since childhood and performed in various shows in Norwalk as the Broad River Nightingale. She currently sings with the Danbury Seniors Chorus, Cellmates Chorus, Danbury Music Chorus, Bethel Chorus and her church choir. Joan is thrilled to be back with Troupers and is playing the Queen Mother in The Mikado.& Joan has been presented with the Lifetime Troupers Membership award. She enjoys spending time bowling and with her loving family, friends and grandchildren.

Lisa Waterworth

This is Lisa’s first performance with Troupers Light Opera. She has 25+ years of classical choral singing experience. She has previously performed with New York Choral Society, the New Choral Society, the New York City Master Chorale, the Dessoff Choir, and the Riverside Choral Society. Performances have included Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and numerous churches in NYC. She is currently singing with the Oratorio Society of New York under the direction of Kent Tritle and studying voice with Shirley Love, Westchester Conservatory.

Irene Wielawski

This is Irene's second appearance with Troupers. She has sung with choirs and choruses in New York and California, and is an alto with Charis Chamber Voices in Bedford, NY. Her early music training was on piano and violin. She tried out for a choir while living in Los Angeles, and has been singing ever since. Irene is also a medical writer and editor, and likes to garden and play tennis.

Bill Abbott

Bill has sung bass in the men’s chorus of Troupers Light Opera since 1997. From 1982 to 1984 he performed with the Stanford Savoyards at Stanford University, and he has sung in choirs and choruses in California, Connecticut, and England. Bill was president of Troupers in 2001-2002, and served on its Board of Directors for seven years. Currently he is Troupers’ publicity director. A 1974 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, with a doctorate in British history from Oxford University, he is a full-time member of the History faculty at Fairfield University. He currently serves as President of Troupers.

Ty Goff

Ty Goff (Bass)

This is Ty's third performance with Troupers having previously sung in Pirates of Penzance and Iolanthe. Other on-stage performances include Cosi fan tutte and Hansel and Gretel with Hat City Opera. He has spent most of his musical theatre career playing viola in the pit orchestra for countless operas, musicals and oratorios, including Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Impresario, Fiddler on the Roof, the Music Man, A Little Night Music, West Side Story and Handel's Messiah. He is also currently the bass section leader in the Ridgefield Chorale.

John Hoover

John, a native of Colorado, rejoined Troupers last year after a hiatus of thirteen years. He performed in thirteen previous productions, primarily as a chorister, as well as working on sets and serving on the Board of Directors. A teacher at Fairfield Country Day School, he also directs and produces an annual one-act play there and shares the technical design of, designs and builds sets for, and manages the student technical and stage crews of the school's annual musical production. He was also involved in the technical production of Fairfield Follies for several years.

Bob Scrofani

Robert Scrofani, Bass-Baritone, recently played Private Willis in Iolanthe, The Governor in Victor Herbert's The Red Mill, and most recently the the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. Robert sang for many years with the Connecticut Grand Opera chorus, and also soloed in the roles of Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro and the High Commissioner in Madama Butterfly. Last spring he sang the role of Zuniga in Carmen with the Norwalk Symphony. He recently made his debut with the Taconic Opera as Pistola in Verdi’s Falstaff. He currently sings with the professional chorus Music-on-the-Hill in Weston, CT, and the Mendelssohn Choir in Fairfield, CT. He studies voice with the renowned Metropolitan Opera bass John Macurdy.

Guy Stretton

Guy Stretton, chorus, is pleased to be in his 26th production with Troupers. A CPA and financial consultant, he was formerly Treasurer for 15 years and Board Member 6 years. He and his wife Barbara, both Lifers, live in Old Greenwich with their family of six shelter cats.