Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 10 - West Side Story

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 26 KYLE COFFMAN | A-RAB, u/s RIFF Lyric debut Coffman appeared as Ice in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story lm, and will be seen as Raymar in Raymar (upcoming), Brooks in Classmates (post-production), Bradley Cooper’s Maestro (upcoming), Jacob Sutton’s Desert Heart (short), and Dakin in Someday This Pain Will Be Useful… On Broadway he appeared in the original cast of Newsies (Henry), the 2009 revival cast of West Side Story (A-Rab), and the original revival cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood with Chita Rivera and Jessie Mueller. Selected regional performances include The Artful Dodger in Oliver! , Ethan Kane in Sex with Stranger s, Tommy Djilas in The Music Man , Frank in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers , and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway . MAURICE DAWKINS | BABY JOHN L yric debut Dawkins has been seen in Broadway tours including The Prom (ensemble and understudy for Nick) and CATS (Coricopat and understudy for Mr. Mistoffelees). Regional and ship credits include A Chorus Line (Mike), Newsies , CATS (Mr. Mistoffelees), Mamma Mia! , South Paci c, and many more. He is a proud alum of Sarah Lawrence College and LaGuardia High School. MATTHEW AARON LIOTINE | BIG DEAL Lyric debut Liotine most recently danced in Lohengrin at the Metropolitan Opera. Past credits include Greg on The National Tour of A Chorus Line , and performances at The Muny, The Rev, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, The Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, Florida, and the Royal Caribbean line. Liotine holds his BFA in Musical Theater from Montclair State where he was the dance captain for 42nd Street. A New York City native, Liotine attended LaGuardia High School for the Arts and the Performing Arts where he graduated as the institution’s rst double major, majoring in Dance and Vocal Performance. MICHAEL FRANCIS MCBRIDE | GEE-TAR, u/s BABY JOHN Previously at Lyric: Dancer/ Fiddler on the Roof (2022/23) and Dancer/ Florencia en el Amazonas (2021/22) . McBride graduated magna cum laud e from the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts Program in 2010 after joining the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2009 under the direction of Judith Jamison. In his tenure with the Ailey Company (2009 to 2019), Michael performed over 65 ballets by choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Ronald K. Brown, Garth Fagan, George Faison, Geoffrey Holder, Bill T. Jones, Jiˇrí Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Ohad Naharin, David Parsons, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp. McBride performed in Santa Fe Opera’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and most recently in Portland Opera’s production of Carmen . Last summer he was seen as an Angel in Bucks County Playhouse’s Kinky Boots and as Baby John in Teatro Lirico di Cagliari’s production of West Side Story . MICHAEL OLARIBIGBE | TIGER L yric debut Olaribigbe’s Broadway credits include True Crime Obsessed (Ensemble, Helen Hayes). Regional highlights include the world premiere of The Griswolds Broadway Vacation (Ensemble, 5th Avenue Theatre), Kinky Boots (Angel, The MUNY), Spamalot (Ensemble, Ogunquit Playhouse). He appeared in the lm A Jazzman’s Blues. THOMAS SUTTER | DIESEL L yric debut Sutter most recently performed the role of Diesel in Italy at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari. Regional highlights include Samson et Delilah (Kennedy Center); White Christmas (Westchester Broadway Theatre); State Fair (The Rev Theater Co.); Hot Shoe Shuf e (The Wick); Swing! , On The Town (Gateway Playhouse); West Side Story , Mamma Mia , Guys and Dolls , Man of La Mancha (Weston Playhouse); and Music City Christmas (Nashville Symphony). Film and television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon), Broadway Brightest Lights (PBS), Lady in the Lake (Apple TV), BTS , and So You Think You Can Dance . Sutter is a 2012 graduate of The Ailey School. JET GIRLS WHITNEY COOPER | MINNIE, u/s GRAZIELLA, DANCE CAPTAIN Lyric debut The multi-faceted New York-based artist appeared in national tours of Hello Dolly! , Memphis , Flashdance , and The Music Man (Zaneeta). She appeared Off-Broadway in Trip of Love , and at Radio City Music Hall for Christmas Spectacular and New York Spectacular . Regional credits include Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Muny), Carousel (Louise Bigelow, MTWichita) and Kiss Me, Kate (Broadway At Music Circus). Cooper appeared in the feature lm Isn’t It Romantic , on television in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (HBO), and in the CIZE and Insanity MAX:30 videos with celebrity trainer Shaun T.