The Vocal Company of Digital CLOC

Alisha Sheth (Soprano) was a Classical Vocal Performance major in the voice studio of Professor Jamon Maple. Her credits at NYU include: Albert Herring (Nancy), Die Fledermaus (Adele), and Daphnis et Chloé (Calisto). She is a returning CLOC Vocal Company member, having played Jesus in Godspell, Josephine in Knickerbocker Holiday, and Margie/Sad Girl #1 in Bye Bye Birdie. She has also recently begun directing - credits include Prime Real Estate written by Haley Jakobson and an abridged version of Die Fledermaus. She is excited to join CLOC for this unique season in hopes to explore new ways to approach this art form!

Amber Kiara (Soprano) is a NY based actor from Portland, Oregon. She has performed in venues such as the Lunt Fontanne Theatre and Carnegie Hall, and collaborated with names such as Kristin Chenoweth, Randy Graff, Bebe Neuwirth and more. Amber has written two musicals, one of which was produced in the Fertile Grounds 4X4=8 Festival. She also wrote, produced, and starred in a one woman show that managed to raise over $8,400 for the World Vision Organization. Additionally, Amber volunteers as a teacher through ASTEP - an art-oriented charity organization run by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. She has lived in several countries and remains a Dual Citizen of the US and England.

Grace Margaret Craig (Soprano) is heading into her senior year at The Crane School of Music, where she is double-majoring in Vocal Performance and Music Education. Her most recent credits are the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas (although the latter was cancelled due to COVID-19). Grace grew up studying the cello and still enjoys playing it in recitals and shows.

Julia Ragusa (Soprano) is a singer/actor/dancer with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theatre Arts from Gordon College.  Additionally, she studied at Fordham University’s Musical Theatre Intensive at Lincoln Center where she also received dance training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.  Her professional experience includes Bridget Bishop in Cry Innocent: The People Vs. Bridget Bishop with History Alive Inc. and The Baker in Witch Cakes: The Musical at the Providence Fringe Festival.  College experience includes Henrietta Leavitt in Silent Sky, Rosa Bud in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Titanic, Senior Voice Recital, and her cabaret entitled The Collective Experience.

Sophie Thompson (Soprano) is known for her “pure soprano and immaculate articulation,” giving informed and honest performances (Big Island Music). Recent opera performances include Jessie in Mahagonny Songspiel (Weill) and Bubikopf in Der Kaiser von Atlantis (Ullmann) with Eastman Opera Theater, Eliza in Dark Sisters (Muhly) at the Miami Music Festival, and Isabelle in Le Carnaval de Venise (Campra). In concert and recital, Ms. Thompson has recently performed Benjamin Britten’s Les Illumination in Kodak Hall as winner of the 2019 Concerto Competition at Eastman, and a recital of German Lieder as winner of the 2019 Jessie Kneisel Lieder Competition. Sophie received Second Prize in the 2020 Friends of Eastman Opera Competition, and was a Semifinalist in the 2020 Lotte Lenya Competition. Ms. Thompson recently graduated with a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music in May 2020 and holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Leah Mae Aldridge (Alto) is a rising Senior BFA Musical Theatre student at the University of Memphis! She is so excited for her first summer with the College Light Opera! In addition to performing; she is a Nonprofit Professional (CNP), Yoga Instructor, and an extreme dog lover! ( leahmaealdridg.com | @aldridge_leah )

Bridget Perrotta (Alto) is thrilled to be a part of the CLOC 2020 Vocal Company during this unique, virtual summer. Bridget is a soon-to-be college senior getting her BFA in Musical Theater at Syracuse University. She plans to move to NYC and pursue a career in theater this upcoming January! Recent credits include scenes from Twelfth Night at Shakespeare’s Globe (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), The Addams Family (Morticia Addams), A...My Name Will Always Be Alice (Alice), Shrek The Musical (Humpty Dumpty), Heathers: The Musical (New Wave Girl/Veronica u/s), The Wolves (#11, #00, #25 u/s), and Into the Woods (Swing). @bridgetperrotta

Lindsay Connolly (Alto) graduated with a Masters of Music from McGill University under a Joseph Armand Bombardier SHHRC scholarship for her research in Feminist Musicology. Since graduating, Lindsay has performed with Opera Nova Scotia, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and Lachine International Vocal Academy. She has assistant directed at the Segal Centre and was a 2018/2019 Alumna Artist in Residence with Opera McGill. Lindsay is currently pursuing an opera diploma with Laura Tucker at University of Toronto Opera. While there, she has performed Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Julia Bertram (Mansfield Park) and as a soloist with the Contemporary Music Ensemble under Wallace Halladay.

Eleni Hanson (Alto) is thrilled to be returning to CLOC. She is a recent graduate of Huntington University with a Theatre Performance major and a Music minor.  Some of her favorite roles include Polly Baker (Crazy for You) and  General Poffenburgh (Knickerbocker Holiday), both with CLOC, as well as  Eurydice (Eurydice) and Lucy Van Pelt (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown) with Huntington University.

Karis Brizendine (Alto) is a senior BFA Acting major at Baldwin Wallace University. She is a Los Angeles native who greatly enjoys avocados. Some recent credits include Freedom Summer (Carolyn, *cancelled), Medea (Medea), and American La Ronde (the Famous Singer). Karis spent last summer as a company member at Pioneer Summer Theatre in Marietta, OH, and she was a 2019 Irene Ryan Regional Finalist. She is so excited to be making her (virtual) debut at CLOC this summer!

Sabrina Brush (Alto) is a rising junior at Oklahoma City University, studying Musical Theatre and Vocal performance. Her favorite college credits include Fastrada in Pippin and Dorotheé in Cedrillon.

Colin McGonagle (Tenor) is thrilled to be a part of this most unusual season with the College Light Opera Company. A native of Chicago, Colin is entering his senior year at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he is getting his BFA in Musical Theatre. Colin was most recently seen in Chicago as Mary Sunshine, Ragtime as Father, and Sondheim's Company as Paul. This will be his first summer with CLOC, and he could not be more thrilled.

Ethan Chan (Tenor) is from Queens, New York City. He is a graduate of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art, and Performing Arts and has just finished his freshman year at Western Connecticut State University as a BFA Musical Theatre Major (Recent credits include A Little Night Music and The Who's TOMMY).  He is excited to start his first summer season with the College Light Opera Company!

Connor Shirshac (Tenor) is an undergraduate baritone Vocal Performance Major at the University of Connecticut. His most notable classical and musical theatre experiences include: Tommy Albright in Brigadoon, Lefou in Beauty and the Beast, Don in A Chorus Line, a soloist in the UConn Voice Department’s Songfest 2019: American Songbook, Songfest 2019: Spanish Songbook, a soloist in Meredith Ziegler’s Summer Studio Recital, and Papageno in Opera Workshop’s Radical Mozart. Alongside his solo performances, he is also in UConn Concert Choir and Glee Club.

Jason T. Gonzalez Larsen (Tenor) is a senior B.M. Music Theater and Vocal Performance double major at Oklahoma City University. Originally from Santa Barbara, CA, he now studies voice with Prof. Jeffery Picon. His past shows at OCU include The Zombies of Penzance (Frederick), Gianni Schicchi (Rinuccio), and Spitfire Grill (Joe Sutter). Jason would love to thank Claudia, Peter, and Nick Slaughter, as well as Marian and Radu Asdril, and his parents for all their love and support.

William Paddock (Tenor) is a Graduate Music Education major at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Will has studied voice with Lonel Woods, Margaret Chalker, and David Pittman-Jennings. Will has been involved in Crane Opera Ensemble’s productions of The Magic Flute (Ensemble), The Pirates of Penzance (Major General), Speed Dating Tonight! (Ensemble), and the world premiere of Tom Cipullo’s opera Mayo (Leader of the Eugenicists). This is Will’s second season with CLOC as a tenor. He is excited for all that this virtual season has to offer. 

Seth Patterson (Tenor) is a Junior Music Theatre student from Central Michigan University. He has a passion for working with others and using the performing arts to make a difference in small and large ways. Seth has had the privilege to play roles in both stage plays and musicals such as Eddie in Fool For Love, Father in Ragtime, and William Carlisle in Punk Rock. He is so lucky to have found a company that shares his interest in theatre and its ability to touch the lives of all who experience it.

Jeffrey Laughrun (Bass/Baritone) is a graduate of Oklahoma City University and former member of CLOC’s 2019 Vocal Company, currently living in Los Angeles. Past credits include Knickerbocker Holiday (Brom Broek), Ruddigore (Robin Oakapple), and The Red Mill (Con Kidder). Aside from his performance endeavors, Jeffrey is a fitness enthusiast and a recently certified personal trainer.

Kevin W. Egan (Bass/Baritone) attended Elon University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2019 with degrees in both Music and Arts Administration. Recent NJ regional performing credits include the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. Other credits include She Kills Monsters, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Les Miserables. He was the music director of Smooth Progressions A Cappella which produced two albums that can be found on Spotify and iTunes, as well as an assistant music director with Kids of the Arts. Kevin is also a private vocal and piano instructor.

Trenton Mosty (Bass/Baritone) is a rising junior transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma to study Musical Theatre. Past credits include I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, Side Show, Children of Eden, Dogfight, and Evita. He has even had the honor of performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Thomas Smith (Bass/Baritone) is thrilled to be returning to CLOC for his second season.  He is a fourth year BM student in Musical Theatre at Arizona State University.  Some of his favorite roles have been Hero in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Velociraptor of Faith in the Arizona Premier of Triassic Parq, and The Narrator in the Arizona Premier of Fly by Night.  He would like to thank his Mom, his friends and his family for all their love and support and he hopes you enjoy Digital CLOC!!

Ryan Washington (Bass/Baritone) is a recent graduate of the Theatre Arts Department at Centenary University. Ryan’s credits range from musicals, operettas, to straight plays, and Shakespeare. Favorite credits include Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Editor Daily in The Cradle Will Rock, Enjolras in Les Miserables, Willard in Footloose, and Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor. He is an Equity Membership Candidate (EMC). Ryan is grateful to be a part of the College Light Opera’s 2020 Summer Season. Much love to his family and friends for all their support!

Sam Joseph (Bass/Baritone, Assist. Editor of Vocal Company) is a rising sophomore at NYU double majoring in Vocal Performance Music Theatre and Music Education! This is his first year at CLOC and he is so excited for what’s to come! He was most recently cast as a Wiffle in Cry-Baby and the ensemble of Wonderland, both at NYU. Favorite roles include Captain von Trapp (Sound of Music) and Jack (Into the Woods).