Lyric Opera 2021-2022 Issue 7 Fire Shut Up My Bones

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 24 CHARLES-CURTIS | YOUNG WILLIAM Lyric debut The Michigan-born performer’s TV credits include The First on YouTube and True Powers on BET. Theater credits include Ruined and The Brother Size . He received his BFA from Western Michigan University. EJIRO OGODO | YOUNG JAMES Lyric debut The Brooklyn-based performer started acting in the 5th grade, where he appeared as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet . He has trained at Broadway for All’s Summer Youth Conservatory for several years, and has been studying at the Susan Batson Studio while attending college. His credits include shows at Playwrights Horizon, Joe’s Pub, and The Sheen Center as well as the Metropolitan Opera. KENNETH LA’RON HAMILTON | YOUNG ROBERT Lyric debut Kenny is originally from the greater Cincinnati area and studied theater at the University of Kentucky. He has performed with the American Shakespeare Center, American Players Theatre, the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Nashville Shakespeare Festival. DARIUS BARNES | DANCER Lyric debut The dancer appeared in Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera, and has six Broadway credits including Mean Girls and the 2019 revival of Kiss Me, Kate . A former member of New York City Ballet, he has danced with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet and The Dance Theatre of Harlem. Darius produced the inaugural Antonyo Awards on YouTube in collaboration with Broadway Black and the Black Theatre Society. He is the Associate Choreographer of Kimberly Akimbo at the Atlantic Theater and was Assistant Choreographer for MJ the Musical . CHRISTIAN PARIS BLUE | DANCER Lyric debut Blue appeared at The Metropolitan Opera in Fire Shut Up In My Bones . His other performance credits include Nascimento , Boiling Point , The 4 Temperaments , Na Floresta , Esplanade , Clytemnestra , and Megalopolis . He earned his BFA at the University of Arizona School of Dance in his home state. RHAAMELL BURKE-MISSOURI | DANCER Lyric debut Burke-Missouri appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in Fire Shut Up in My Bones . Their Broadway credits include King Kong at Foresight Theatrical, and they appeared in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Work Light Productions). Other musical theater credits include The Wiz (The Muny), Annie (The Muny), My Fair Lady (New Bedford Festival Theatre), Pippin (The Woodstock Playhouse) and Guys and Dolls (The Woodstock Playhouse). MIKHAIL CALLISTE | DANCER Lyric debut The dancer, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, began his training in New York and received a BFA in Dance in 2018 from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He appeared in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2021), and was a solo artist with the Seattle Opera for its production of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird (2020). From 2018 to 2021, he was a company member with Spectrum Dance Theater. MARCUS HARDY | DANCER Lyric debut After receiving his BFA in Dance Performance from East Carolina University, Hardy joined the Inaside Chicago Dance company, where he spent five years. He has performed as a guest artist with SueMo Dance Company, Waterstreet Dance Company, and Chicago Dance Crash. CHRISTOPHER FIGARO JACKSON | DANCER Lyric debut The Maywood, Illinois native’s recent credits include Fire Shut Up In My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera, where he also danced in and served as assistant choreographer for Porgy & Bess . He will appear in the Met’s forthcoming X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X . His dance credits include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Elisa Monte, River North Dance Chicago, New Jersey Dance Theater, and the Victory Dance Project. Jackson is an Adjunct Professor of Dance at NYU and has taught at Spelman College, Montclair State University, Roosevelt University, The Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Ballet Theatre (JKO school), The Joffrey School, Harlem School of the Arts, Ballet Tech, and the American Dance Academy.