Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 10 - West Side Story

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 28 (St. Louis). He has played numerous roles in West Side Story including Anxious (Muny St. Louis), Indio (RIverside Theater, Vero Beach), Chino (Harbor Lights, Staten Island), and Inca (national tour). JORGE GUERRA | INDIO, u/s BERNARDO Lyric debut Guerra has previously performed at Dallas Theater Center, Drury Lane Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Lyric Theatre of OK, Maine State Music Theatre, Maltz Jupiter, Marriott Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, and ZACH. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. JOSEPH A. HERNANDEZ | PEPE Previously at Lyric: Dancer/ Florencia en el Amazonas (2021/22) and Luis/ West Side Story (2018/19). The Chicago native began his movement training with Shotokan Karate, and received his formal dance training from Western Michigan University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance. His professional credits include The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, LA Opera, Opera Parallèle, ODC/Dance, Kate Weare Company, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, LED Boise, and River North Dance Chicago, among others. Hernandez’s work as a choreographer has been presented at the NYC Blueprint Dance Festival, Trifecta Dance Festival, Midwest RAD Festival, College of DuPage Choreography Showcase and Competition, DanceChance, Hot Crowd Dance, DanceWorks Chicago, COMMON Conservatory, and Western Michigan University. MARTIN ORTIZ TAPIA | JUANO Previously at Lyric: West Side Story (2018/19). Tapia spent nearly a decade touring with Giordano Dance Chicago as a company member. He has appeared in productions of Saturday Night Fever, Newsies, Cabaret, Mary Poppins , and most recently A Chorus Line. He earned a BFA from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and has trained also at Luna Negra Dance Theater and Thodos Dance Chicago. HENRY JULIÁN GENDRON | TORO Lyric debut Later this season, Gendron will return to The Muny for West Side Story with choreo- grapher Parker Esse. He appeared on Broadway as Bob Fosse in MJ The Musical and Off-Broadway in Americano! Other credits include Outsiders (Workshop), and On Your Feet! (The Muny). Gendron is a graduate of Florida State University. SHARK GIRLS MONICA GARCIA BRADLEY | MARGARITA Lyric debut Bradley’s regional credits include A Chorus Line (Flat Rock Playhouse), Oliver! (Paper Mill Playhouse), West Side Story (North Carolina Theatre), Meet Me in St. Louis and CATS (Theatre Under The Stars), In the Heights and West Side Story (City Springs Theatre), Shout! The Mod Musical (Ivoryton Playhouse), and She Loves Me (Millbrook Playhouse). Televison credits include the recurring role of Alicia on Tyler Perry’s Sistas (BET), The Resident (FOX), Dopesick (Hulu), She-Hulk (Disney Marvel Studios), Macgyver (CBS), and Monarch (FOX). Bradley starred in the Discovery+ feature A Christmas Open House , and in indie features Guys at Parties Like It, Abilene, and others. She is a co-owner of the Vibe City Entertainment production company. JOY DEL VALLE | ROSALIA, u/s MARIA Lyric debut Del Valle appeared on the international tour of West Side Story as Rosalia (u/s Maria). Regional highlights include Maria in West Side Story (Phoenix Theatre Company), Cinderella (Phoenix Theater Company), Once On This Island (STONC), Fiddler on the Roof (Goodspeed), and Annie Get Your Gun (Goodspeed), Bring it On (Beck Center), In The Heights (Beck Center), and A Christmas Carol (Hartford Stage). ORIANNA HILLIARD | CONSUELO, u/s ANITA Lyric debut Hilliard appeared on Broadway in Aladdin , and on the national tours of Aladdin and A Chorus Line . Regional credits include 9to5 , In The Heights , The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , Legally Blonde , and CATS . She has also appeared aboard the Disney Cruise line, and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University. NATALIA NIEVES-MELCHOR | TERESITA Lyric debut Born in Puerto Rico and raised in South Carolina, Nieves-Melchor has appeared in On Your Feet! (Westchester Broadway Theatre and MUNY), Legally Blonde (MUNY), Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (MUNY, Swing and Assistant Choreographer), Cabaret (Asolo Repertory Theatre, Dance Captain and Associate Choreographer). Television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (choreographed by Marguerite Derricks) and