2018 Davis Shakespeare Festival

ON THE 20TH
CENTURY

On the 20th Century

CAST

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Robin Fisher: Letitia Primrose

Previously at the Festival: Vocal Coach for BELLS ARE RINGING and Hermione in A WINTER EVENING.

Recent credits: Featured soloist with Camellia Symphony (Beethoven and Mozart), also with her group, SongTrust, in “Chance or Choice?” a program of American songs at the Crocker Art Museum and UC Davis Noon Concerts, and as the soprano soloist in MESSIAH with the Auburn Symphony.

Regional Opera credits: Susanna in LE NOZZE di FIGARO (Sacramento Opera)Pamina in THE MAGIC FLUTE (Townsend Opera)Frasquita in CARMEN (Sacramento Opera). 

Ms. Fisher sang opera professionally in Germany for six years, holds an M.M. from the University of Vienna, Austria, and a D.M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. www.csus.edu/music/faculty/fisher.html

Tim Gaffaney

Tim Gaffaney: Lockwood/Ensemble

Previously at the Festival: Oberon/Theseus in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Lonegan in WONDERFUL TOWN, Capulet in ROMEO AND JULIET, de Guiche in CYRANO DE BERGERAC, Dr. Kitchell in BELLS ARE RINGING, Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHT, Bazzard in DROOD, Don Pedro in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Head Waiter in SHE LOVES ME.

Other local credits: Woodland Opera House: Ferallion in A FLEA IN HER EAR, La Fleche in THE MISER, and Wayne Wellacre in INSPECTING CAROL. DMTC: Applegate in DAMN YANKEES.

Regional credits: OUR TOWN, FORTINBRAS, CURATE SHAKESPEARE’S AS YOU LIKE IT, PATIENCE.

Ian Hopps

Ian Hopps: Bruce Granit

Previously at the Festival: Athos in THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Frank Lippincott in WONDERFUL TOWN, Mercutio in ROMEO & JULIET, Jeffrey Moss in BELLS ARE RINGING, Ligniere/Ensemble in CYRANO DE BERGERAC, Feste in TWELFTH NIGHT, Deputy in DROOD, Claudio in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Georg Nowack in SHE LOVES ME.

Other Theatres: LUNA GALE and STUPID F##KING BIRD at Capital Stage, THE TEMPEST and MACBETH at Sacramento Theatre Company, AN IDEAL HUSBAND, THE 39 STEPS, and THE ROVER at Big Idea Theatre, SPOON RIVER at Eclectic Company Theatre, EDWARD GANT’S AMAZING FEATS OF LONELINESS with 99 Stock Productions (2012 NY Fringe Festival), HENRY VI PT I & II with Do It Live! Productions, and W.S. GILBERT’S ENGAGED at the SFSU Mainstage.

Ian studied Theatre Arts at San Francisco State University. www.ihopps.com

Nicole James

Nicole James: Ensemble

Recent credits: Sacramento State Opera Theater: Soprano in BERLIN TO BROADWAY, Elmire in TARTUFFE, and Elisetta in IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO.

Originally from Los Angeles, Nicole has studied voice in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Italy. She holds in a B.A. in Music from Sacramento State, where she studied with Dr. Robin Fisher and Omari Tau.

Charlie Lavaroni

Charlie Lavaroni: Max Jacobs/Ensemble

Recent credits: Pippin (PIPPIN), Lady Macbeth (MACBETH), Brick (CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF), Jackson (GIBRALTAR), and Queen Elizabeth (RICHARD III).

Charlie is a San Francisco native and current sophomore at UC Davis studying Theater and English. charlielavaroni.weebly.com

Martin Lehman

Martin Lehman: Owen O’Malley

Recent credits: Stockton Civic Theatre: Kolenkhov in YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, Professor Callahan in LEGALLY BLONDE, Captain von Trapp in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Brian in AVENUE Q, Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Judge Turpin in SWEENEY TODD. Pacific Opera Theatre: Frost Genius in DIDO AND ANEAS, Baron Gondremark in LA VIE PARISIENNE, Colonel Frank in DIE FLEDERMAUS.

Other credits: Davis Musical Theatre Company: Georges in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS, Fred/Petruchio in KISS ME KATE. Rocklin Community Theatre: Sister Mary Hubert in NUNSENSE: A-MEN, Doctor Frankenstein in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

Other favorite roles: Norman Bulanski in THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Officer Lockstock in URINETOWN, John Wilkes Booth in ASSASSINS, Horton in SEUSSICAL!, Father in CHILDREN OF EDEN, Major General Stanley in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Husband/CPA in SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE, Koko in THE MIKADO.

Martin holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from University of the Pacific.

Andrea J. Love

Andrea J. Love: Imelda Thornton/Ensemble

Previously at the Festival: Titania in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Helen/Ensemble in WONDERFUL TOWN, and Constance Bonacieux in THE THREE MUSKETEERS.

Recent credits: Currently touring with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival playing Mercutio/Friar Lawrence/Prince in ROMEO AND JULIET; Jane Bingley in MISS BENNETT: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY with Capital Stage Company; Hope in URINETOWN with Berkeley Playhouse (Theatre Bay Area Award Winner); and Viola/Sebastian in TWELFTH NIGHT with SF Shakespeare Festival.

Other credits: Sacramento Theatre Company (SENSE AND SENSIBILITYCINDERELLA); The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville (LA RUE’S RETURN, A FOUR-LEGGED FORTUNE); Maples Repertory Theatre (RING OF FIRE, JOSEPH…)

Andrea holds an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Alabama. andreajlove.com

Sean O'Brien

Sean O’Brien: Conductor

Local credits: Big Idea Theatre, Sacramento Shakespeare Festival, Runaway Stage, and Art Theatre of Davis.

Having retired from a long career teaching theater, Sean has recently established Every Corner Productions, which presently boasts two one-man shows: “The Portable Poe Show”, a dramatic recitation of Poe’s most famous short stories and poems, and “Bob”, the speeches of 19th century orator, The Great Agnostic, Col. Robert Green Ingersoll. Sean regularly presents both shows in local schools and various community. venues.  In addition, Sean is a second tenor with the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus.

Sharon Rietkerk*: Lily Garland

Bay Area credits: TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: CYRANO, TRIANGLE (Bay Area Critics Award), EMMAMARRY ME A LITTLE (Theater Bay Area Award), LITTLE WOMEN, and THE SECRET GARDEN. San Jose Repertory: Candida in A MINISTER’S WIFE. Center REPertory: Billie Dawn in BORN YESTERDAY (Theatre Bay Area Award), THE LIAR, RUMORS, XANADU, and SHE LOVES ME. San Francisco Opera Guild: Mabel in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.

Regional credits: Creating the role of Elinor Dashwood in the new musical SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Old Globe Theatre, Noel Craig Award nomination, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVESTHE ILLUSION and GUNMETAL BLUES (North Coast Repertory Theater, San Diego); TRIANGLE (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma); Marian in THE MUSIC MAN (South Coast Symphony).

Ms. Rietkerk performed in concert with the San Francisco Symphony in its SoundBox series with her husband, Principle Trombone Timothy Higgins. Rietkerk will be seen as Jane Fairfax in a film of EMMA to be released in 2019. She has also performed  with the Grammy-nominated Bay Brass, South Coast, and Bear Valley Symphonies, and at Feinstein’s San Francisco with her two woman cabaret. www.sharonrietkerk.com

Christopher Ryan

Christopher Ryan*: Oscar Jaffee

National tours: First National Tour of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN in title role of Dr. Frankenstein, the Las Vegas production of SPAMALOT, and touring productions of MY FAIR LADY, THE MUSIC MAN, and CAMELOT.

New York City (Off Broadway & Showcases): NEXT TO NORMAL, FLIRTATION, RED HOT & BLUE, IF YOU COULD SEE: THE ALICE AUSTEN STORY, and THE BONE WARS.

Other regional shows have included MY MOTHER’S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING, YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, THE 1940’S RADIO HOUR, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ANNIE, CHESS, and EVITA.

Kyle Stoner

Kyle Stoner: Oliver Webb

Previously at the Festival: Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Rochefort in THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Chick Clark in WONDERFUL TOWN, Romeo in ROMEO AND JULIET, Ensemble in CYRANO DE BERGERAC, Sandor in BELLS ARE RINGING, James Throttle in DROOD, and Sebastian in TWELFTH NIGHT.

Recent credits: Venticello in AMADEUS at Cinnabar Theater and The Inkeeper in O WONDROUS NIGHT at SeaWorld Nautilus Amphitheatre.

Other local credits: Princeton/Rod (AVENUE Q, NCTC); J. Pierrepont Finch (HOW TO SUCCEED, BAM!); Jesus (JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Bay Area Stages).

Regional credits: Sierra Repertory Theater (LES MISERABLES, MACBETH).

Sarah Williams

Sarah Williams: Emily/Ensemble

Recent credits: Nurse/Benvolio in San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s touring production of ROMEO AND JULIET.

Regional credits: Chiron in TITUS ANDRONICUS (Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park), Paulina in THE WINTER’S TALE (LAMDA, London UK), and Maggie in THE SHADOWBOX (Arizona Western College).

Sarah holds a B.A. in Theatre Performance from San Diego State University and has also trained in a Shakespearean acting program at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).