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

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 25 OLIVIER MEDUS | DANCER Lyric debut In 2019, Medus made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the company’s production of Porgy and Bess . He began his dance training at the Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theatre of French Guiana, and later trained at The Ailey School in New York City. He began his career as a member of Ailey II, with whom he toured nationally and internationally. He was among the dancers chosen to perform with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater during their New York seasons at Lincoln Center and City Center. He is a full-time instructor for the professional and junior division faculty at The Ailey School. MICKEY NIX | DANCER Lyric debut The dancer’s regional credits include Dreamgirls , Aida , A Raisin in the Sun , Ruined , James and the Giant Peach , Mahalia the Musical , After Midnight , The Wiz and Saturday Night Fever . Mickey’s film and television credits include Get On Up and Complexions . ERIC PARRA | DANCER Lyric debut Parra’s recent performances include Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera and Awaited at the Arnoff Center for the Arts. He has danced for Limón Dance Company, Carolyn Dorfman Dance, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Von Howard Project, and Doug Elkins Choreography. Most recently he has served as a teaching artist for the José Limón Dance Foundation, NJPAC, and Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts. In 2020, he and his cousin Erica Kika Parra co-founded Parra La Gente, a project company designed to celebrate Afro-Colombian heritage through music and dance. Eric is currently in his first season with Camille A. Brown & Dancers. JUDE M. PERRY-EVANS | DANCER Lyric: debut Perry-Evans was featured in Harlem Opera Theater’s 100th Anniversary Presentation of Shuffle Along . He is a featured dancer in the Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance documentary and Hal King The Musical and was featured as the principal dancer in the Queens College Opera production of The Image Maker . Perry- Evans has also appeared in such productions as Dance Africa at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and Voices of Congo Square in his hometown of New Orleans. He has performed with De La Soul Dance Company, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Long Island Ballet Theater, Sekou Miller Dance Company, Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company, The Workshop Theater, Balance Dance Theatre, and was a founding member of Urban Souls Dance Theater in Houston. He is currently on faculty for both the Dance and Musical Theater departments at The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA). VOLTAIRE WADE-GREENE | DANCER Lyric debut Voltaire Wade-Greene appeared recently at the Metropolitan Opera in Fire Shut Up in My Bones and The Magic Flute . The California native’s Broadway credits include Hamilton , and Jesus Christ Superstar , and he appeared in The Wiz (The Muny) and Hairspray (Dallas Theater Center). He also served as the resident choreographer for the first national tour of Hamilton and supervisor for Hamilton in Chicago. Regional performances include In the Heights , A Chorus Line , Annie Get Your Gun , and Some Like It Hot . MARCUS WILLIAMS | DANCER Lyric debut The dancer is a previous company member with Ailey II, Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), The Phantom of the Opera World Tour (Asia), and Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera. He was part of the Emmy-winning production The Let Go at the Park Avenue Armory in 2018, and has performed in Debbie Allen’s Hot Chocolate Nutcracker . He has taught at Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ailey Extension, I.M. Terrell Academy, UArts (Philadelphia), Ailey II, and IABD (International Association of Blacks in Dance). Also a choreographer, Mr. Williams has choreographed works for Lincoln Center, Ailey II, and Global Harmony (The Ailey School).