Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 14 West Side Story

P R O F I L E S | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 24 | May 3 - June 2, 2019 JOSEPH A. HERNANDEZ ( Luis ) debuted at Lyric this season in Cendrillon. In New York he has appeared with e Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Dušan Týnek Dance eatre, and Kate Weare Company. He has also appeared in Chicago with River North Dance Chicago, in Boise with LED Boise, and in San Francisco with ODC/Dance, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, and Opera Parallèle. Hernandez gradu- ated magna cum laude with a B.F.A. in dance from Western Michigan University. He also trained in programs at Springboard Danse Montréal, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and Gus Giordano Dance Center. JOSHUA L A MAR * ( Indio ) has been seen at Ogunquit Playhouse in An American in Paris and as a company dancer with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre (Chicago), Collage Dance Collective (Memphis), and Debbie Allen Ensemble, directed by Kevin Je , Kevin omas, and Debbie Allen. He has performed on television in Save e Planet (Interface/Atlanta Film Studios), a Michael Jackson tribute (ABC), the PAC10 Halftime Show (Fox), and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC). He trained at Dance eatre of Harlem, the University of the Arts, and California’s Charter High School of the Arts (Sherman Oaks, California). JULIO REY * ( Chino ) has appeared in a diverse musical- theater repertoire, with roles including Sawyer/ Holiday Inn (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Melrose Park, New York); Mike/ Oklahoma! (Ogunquit Playhouse); Valentin/ Kiss of the Spider Woman , Gene Kelly/ S’Wonderful , and Dickon/ e Secret Garden (all at Penn State Centre Stage); Gabey/ On the Town (Penn State Philharmonic); and Davey/ Newsies (New York’s Forestburgh Playhouse, where he has also appeared in e Little Mermaid, Funny Girl, e Who’s Tommy , and e Addams Family ). Rey graduates this year from Penn State University, majoring in musical theater. MICHAEL J. RIOS* ( Nibbles, u/s Baby John ) has been seen in national tours as Henry/ Newsies , Pouncival/ Cats , and in the ensembles of Hello, Dolly! (50th- anniversary tour) and The Wizard of Oz . In Cats he played Pouncival in a Canadian and Latin American tour with Ocesca Teatro and Misto elees in Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ production. He also played Henry/ Newsies in the Disney eatricals lm and Brad/ Hairspray at Florida’s Maltz Jupiter eater. He has also been seen in Peter Pan at Vermont’s Northern Stage and Fiddler on the Roof at Syracuse Stage. Rios is an alumnus of Syracuse University. MARTÍN ORTIZ TAPIA* ( Juano ) has appeared at Aurora’s Paramount eater as Victor/ Cabaret ; at the Marriott eatre as Tommy Boy/ Newsies ; at the Drury Lane eatre as Gabriel and Cesar/ Saturday Night Fever ; and in Wisconsin at the Northern Star eater as Chino/ West Side Story and the Cumberland ETC Ruppel Family eater as Lamar/ Godspell. Tapia has toured nationally as a principal dancer with Giordano Dance Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point with a B. F. A. in music and dance. Shark Girls LINEDY GENAO* ( Rosalia ) reprises a portrayal previously seen at Barrington Stage in Massachusetts. She debuted on Broadway in 2015 as Rachel/ On Your Feet! , subsequently appear- ing in over 70 performances of the show in the leading role of Gloria Estefan. She has been featured as Ramona Calderon/ Havana Music Hall (Actors’ Playhouse, Coral Gables), Agnes Crookshank/ A Taste of ings to Come (Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse), and Vanessa/ In the Heights (Olney eatre Center, Maryland). She holds a B. A. in business from the University of Connecticut. ALEXANDRA MATTEO* ( Consuelo, u/s Anita, Francisca ) has been seen on Broadway in A Bronx Tale and Annie (performed Grace, Lily and Star to Be). She has been seen in the Equity National-tours of Anything Goes , e Addams Family (performed Wednesday), and Dirty Dancing (performed Baby, Lisa, Elizabeth). Regional appearances include Diana Morales/ A Chorus Line (Westchester Broadway eatre), Stephanie Mangano/ Saturday Night Fever (Riverside eatre, Walnut Street eatre) and other roles at Goodspeed Musicals and Delaware eatre Co. She graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a B. F. A. in musical theater. ADDIE MORALES * ( Francisca, u/s Rosalia ) has portrayed Maria/ West Side Story in Julianne Boyd’s production at the Barrington Stage Company and Eric Woodall’s production at Casa Mañana. Other Casa Mañana credits include e Buddy Holly Story, Cats, Sweeney Todd, e Wizard of Oz, Cinderella , and Peter Pan. Morales has also been seen in Tick, Tick…Boom! at Playhouse Square, Bring It On: e Musical at the Beck Center for the Arts (Lakewood, Ohio), and Fiddler on the Roof at Lyric Stage (Irving, Texas). KAYLA MONIZ * ( Teresita ), who has toured internationally as Francisca/ West Side Story , has also been seen in Chicago (Marc Robin’s production at the Fulton eatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, also at the Highlands Playhouse in Highlands, North Carolina), Evita and An American in Paris (both at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina in Hilton Head). Moniz has performed extensively with Ballet Hawaii, including e Nutcracker , Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan , and George Balanchine’s Serenade . She trained at Ballet Hawaii and at Broadway Dance Center (New York) and Applause! Performance Academy (Washiawa, Hawaii). ANTONIA RAYE* ( Estella ) has appeared in four productions by Norwegian Creative Studios in Florida, working with renowned choreographer Warren Carlyle. She has also appeared in four Royal Caribbean productions. Raye has been seen in many dance concerts nationwide, working with choreographers Wayne St. David, Hope Boykin, Sidra Bell, and Ayo Jackson, among others. Raye earned a B. F. A. degree in dance performance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She also trained at the summer sessions of Alonzo King LINES Ballet in San Francisco and the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. CAROLINA VILLARAOS* ( Margarita, u/s Anybodys ) previously appeared in Francesca Zambello’s production of West Side Story portraying Estella at Atlanta Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. She also played that role at Vermont’s Weston Playhouse eatre Company. Other musical-theater appearances include Goodie/ Song and Dance (New York’s 13 th St. Repertory eatre) and Louise/ Carousel (Glimmerglass Festival). Villaraos is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory, where she danced in works choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, Daniel Pelzig, Adam Baruch, and Gianni DiMarco. She has also been seen in Miami with the Angel Fraser- Logan Dance Company and Miami Youth Ballet.