Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 10 - West Side Story

25 | Lyric Opera of Chicago PRINCIPALS RYAN M C CARTAN | TONY Lyric debut McCartan has most recently had a recurring role on The CW network’s The Winchesters . He has appeared on Broadway in Disney’s Frozen , playing Hans; and played the male lead of Fiyero in Broadway’s Wicked . He originated the role of J.D. in Heathers: The Musical Off-Broadway . McCartan played Brad Majors, leading Fox’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show alongside Laverne Cox and Victoria Justice; and is known for his role “Diggie,” on Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie over its four season run. He had recurring arcs on USA Network’s Royal Pains , NBC’s Midnight , Texas , and Hulu’s Freakish . KANISHA FELICIANO | MARIA Lyric debut Feliciano recently originated the role of Ann/ Judith in Flying Over Sunset at Lincoln Center. She was in the closing cast of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway as a Christine understudy. Other credits include Lily from The Secret Garden at Music Circus in Sacramento, along with operatic roles such as Susanna/ Le Nozze di Figaro (Shepherd School of Music), Baby Doe/ The Ballad of Baby Doe (Moores Opera Center), and Blonde/ Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Amy March/ Little Women (both Opera in the Ozarks) AMANDA CASTRO | ANITA Previously at Lyric: Anita/ West Side Story (2018/19). This season, Castro has been seen at New York City Center with Ayodele Casel, at Joe’s Pub with her all-female percussive trio Soles of Duende, and as Anita in West Side Story at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Italy. She has also appeared as Anita at Atlanta Opera and The Glimmerglass Festival, and in Lyric’s 2020/21 Season she appeared as a vocalist in The New Classics: Songs from the New Golden Age of Musical Theater . Castro appeared as Kathy Seldon/ Singing in the Rain (Olney Theatre), as Lorraine/ 42nd Street (Ordway Center for Performing Arts), and Consuelo/ West Side Story (Lyric Opera Kansas City, Houston Grand Opera), and has appeared widely in the U.S. and abroad. She was a principal dancer of the Brooklyn-based company Urban Bush Women for four years, and was dance captain at the Geva Theater (Rochester, NY) for In the Heights . BRETT THIELE | RIFF Previously at Lyric: Riff/ West Side Story (2018/19). Thiele has appeared in multiple Broadway productions including Miss Saigon , Escape to Margaritaville , and Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark . A native of New Orleans, Thiele has appeared Off-Broadway in Clueless, The Musical at the New Group. Regionally, he has appeared as Tulsa/ Gypsy at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, in The First Wives Club at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Follies at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and as Dakin/ The History Boys at the Uptown Players in Dallas. He has also appeared as Riff with the St. Petersburg Opera Company and as Action at the Asolo Theatre in Florida. YUREL ECHEZARRETA | BERNARDO Lyric debut Echezarreta has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including West Side Story, La Cage Aux Folles , Matilda , Aladdin , Head Over Heels , and, most recently, Moulin Rouge the Musica l. He appeared in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story lm and in the independent feature The Last Five Years with Anna Kendrick. Television credits include Barry on HBO, Alternatino on Comedy Central, and Odd Mom Out on Bravo. Regional credits include Pasadena Playhouse’s production of Head Over Heels , the Hollywood Bowl’s Kinky Boots , and many others. THE JETS NATHAN KEEN | ACTION Lyric debut Keen has been seen on Broadway in Les Miserables (Gavroche) and Hello, Dolly! (Swing, Ensemble). His many touring credits include Hello, Dolly! (Swing, Assistant Dance Captain), Finding Neverland (Ensemble), West Side Story (50th Anniversary International Tour; Jet Swing), Chicago (Swing), We Will Rock You (Ensemble), West Side Story (Big Deal, Fight Captain, u/s Action, u/s Riff). Regional appearances include A Christmas Carol (Repertory Theatre St Louis), The Cher Show (Ogunquit Playhouse), and Radio City Spring Spectacular! . STEVEN BLANDINO | SNOWBOY, u/s A-RAB Lyric debut Blandino is currently an Adjunct Professor at Pace Commercial Dance & Musical Theater, as well as on Faculty at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance Center, and elsewhere. Recent performance credits include West Side Story in Italy, CATS (national tour), West Side Story (Houston Grand Opera), Newsies , Mr. Saturday Night (workshop), The Glimmerglass Festival, Dance Lab NY, Funny Girl (workshop), Mamma Mia! , Phish NYE at Madison Square Garden, Shrek: the Musical , and Titanique: Off Broadway (workshop). Blandino was recently selected as the 2023 Dance Lab New York Choreographer mentored by Ellenore Scott, curated by Josh Prince. He choreographed Ludo’s Broken Bride at the New York Musical Festival and was a 2020 Capezio ACE Award Finalist in Los Angeles. Blandino is the founder and director of treadFAST commercial dance company.