TheatreZone's Cast of BRIGADOON Blends Opera and Musical Theatre

TheatreZone founder Mark Danni and Steffanie Pearce, founder of Gulfshore Opera, today announced the 25 cast members of Brigadoon, the Tony-award winning musical about two American tourists who stumble upon a misty little Scottish village that reawakens for one day every one hundred years.

"Over the past 25 years, many contemporary opera companies have been trying to move toward casting for the voice and the character," says Danni. "Steffanie and I worked together to cast a dynamic group of talented individuals blending opera singers with music theatre performers," he adds. Danni is directing Brigadoon with TheatreZone choreographer Karen Molnar and music direction by Trent Brown and Charles Fornara conducting a live 19-piece orchestra.

Brigadoon stars lyric baritone Gabriel Preisser in the lead role of the attractive American tourist Tommy Albright. Preisser's matinee idol's charm and charisma will be paired with soprano Meredith Lustig as the lovely and graceful Fiona MacLaren. A recent graduate of the Julliard School, Ms. Lustig made her New York City Opera debut in L'Elisir d'amore. Equally accomplished in musical theatre repertoire, she made her debut at New York's Town Hall, where she was named one of 2010 Broadway Rising Stars.

Tenor Zachary Devin's strong voice plays the role of the sandy-haired tenor Charlie Dalrymple who is engaged to Jean. Mr. Devin is currently Artist in Resident with Dayton Opera whose roles have included Tamino (The Magic Flute), Cassio (Otello), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Dr. Caius (Falstaff), Don Basilio (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Beppe (I Pagliacci).

The slender and sensitive looking Harry Beaton will be performed by dancer Jarret Ditch who was recently on a national tour of Showboat with the Kennedy Opera. Dancer Megan Jimenez will perform Maggie Anderson. Megan was last seen in the TheatreZone productions of Grand Hotel (Flaemmchen), The Boy Friend (Maisie) and Little Women (Meg).

Soprano Alana Ferraro, who wowed audiences in her recent TheatreZone performance as the muse Kira in Xanadu with Eddie Mekka, will play the role of Jean MacLaren, the shy and diffident younger sister to Fiona. Actor John McKerrow (Artistic Director, Shakespeare in Paradise) will act the role of retiring and good-natured Jeff Douglas with actress/soprano Kara Konken, memorable as the courtesan Tintinabula in TheatreZone's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as the brassy and overly flirtatious Meg Brockie.

Brigadoon Tickets On Sale Now

Brigadoon is a joint production between TheatreZone and Gulfshore Opera. Three performances only. Friday, Nov. 20 at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmalita Street in Punta Gorda at 7:30 pm; Saturday, Nov. 21 at Bishop Verot High School Anderson Theatre 5598 Sunrise Drive in Fort Myers at 7:30 pm and Sunday, Nov. 22 at Gulf Coast High School 7878 Shark Way in Naples at 4 pm. Tickets range in price from $25 - $75. To order, visit www.gulfshoreopera.org or call Gulfshore Opera (239) 529-3925.

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