Ravinia 2022, Issue 4

DEVIN DESANTIS, vocalist A Northwestern University graduate and co-founder of Chicago Artists Chorale, Devin DeSantis has cultivated extensive cred- its across Chicagoland theaters, most recently appearing as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at the Paramount Theatre. Additional appear- ances at the Paramount include Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and Corny Collins in Hairspray , as well as Jeff Award–nominated performances as Marius in Les Misérables and the title character of The Who’s Tommy . De- Santis’s area credits also include Frank Chur- chill in Emma (Chicago ShakespeareTheater); Britt Craig/Young Soldier in Parade (Writers Theatre); Dr. Frankenstein in Young Franken- stein , Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance , and Nanki-Poo in The Hot Mikado (Drury Lane Theatre); Buddy in Side Show (Porch- light Music Theatre, first post-Broadway pro- duction); and Matthew in Altar Boyz Chicago (Broadway Playhouse). In New York, DeSan- tis sang in The Radio City Christmas Spectacu- lar starring The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall for four years, and he is the creator, host, and soloist of A Colorado Christmas with the Colorado Symphony, now in its sixth year. He has also been featured with the Wyoming and South Bend Symphony Orchestras, and he is a lead singer with the Bluewater Kings Band as well as a member of the Four C Notes: a Tribute to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. Devin DeSantis first appeared at Ravinia in 2005 as an ensemble member in Anyone Can Whistle and returned in 2007 as Jake in The Most Happy Fella . He is making his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut. SUSAN MONIZ, vocalist Susan Moniz considers Chicago her artistic home, performing in various theaters across the Second City over the last 30 years. She ap- peared as Madame Giry in the North Ameri- can tour of Phantom of the Opera and played Helen in the First National Broadway tour of Fun Home . Some favorite roles include Sally in Follies with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Elsie in October Sky and Lili in Kiss Me Kate at the Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Joy in Shadowlands with Provision Theater, Yum Yum in The Hot Mikado at Ford’s Theater, The Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Fulton Opera House, and Eva Peron in Evita at Dru- ry Lane Oakbrook. Moniz also worked on Broadway as both Sandy and Rizzo in Grease . Susan Moniz has previously sung at Ravinia in a Rodgers and Hart revue and as Nimue and an ensemble members in the 2007 stag- ing of Camelot . She is making her Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut. BETHANY THOMAS, vocalist Bethany Thomas is a Chicago-based sing- er, actor, and writer known for work at the Goodman Theatre ( A Christmas Carol ), Writers Theatre ( Into The Woods , A Moon for the Misbegotten ), Chicago Shakespeare Theater ( The Tempest ), Porchlight Theatre ( Marry Me A Little ), Court Theatre ( Porgy and Bess ), Milwaukee Rep ( The Color Purple , Ragtime ), and Northlight Theatre, where she recently starred as Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, and Maria Callas in the one-woman tour-de-force Songs For Nobodies . She just finished a seven-month run as Madame Z in Teatro Zinzanni: Wishes and Dreams, and is frequently engaged with Chicago institutions The Neo Futurists, Step- penwolf, Second City, Backroom Shakespeare Project, The Fly Honeys, The Paper Machete, and The Hideout. Thomas won a Joseph Jef- ferson Award for her supporting role in South Pacific at the Marriott Theatre and has also been honored with a Black Theatre Alliance Award and a 3Arts Award in Music. As a sing- er-songwriter, she tours and records with Jon Langford (Mekons, Waco Bros), and recently released two albums of original music: Ma- terial Flats (with Tawny Newsome) and the solo BT/She/Her . Bethany Thomas is making her Ravinia and Chicago Symphony Orches- tra debuts. CHICAGO ARTISTS CHORALE Chicago Artists Chorale was established in 2014 in response to members of Chicago’s rich theater community looking for an out- let to express themselves through the art of choral music. Since its inauguration, the group has been a choral home to hundreds of singers and has grown to include a variety of artists—actors, directors, choral and theater educators, stage managers, video game mu- sic composers, music directors, sign language interpreters, and more. Under the direction of Artistic Director and Jeff Award winner Tom Vendafreddo, CAC performs biannual concerts at such venues as Old St. Patrick’s Church, Chicago Temple, Athenaeum The- atre, and The Nettelhorst School. The group has also appeared on WGN Morning News, WGN Midday News, and on the radio with Dean Richards Sunday Morning. CAC’s mis- sion is to expand the artistic experiences of its members and audiences, grow as musicians, and embrace the power of the ensemble. The Chicago Artists Chorale is making its Ravinia and Chicago Symphony Orchestra debuts. Sopranos Christine Mild Hannah Pristave Chelsea Morgan Chelsea Dolinar Hikawa Jess Holzknecht Cassie Liveris Altos Tafadzwa Diener Ana Silva Joan Curto Isabella Isherwood Sarah Page Leah Pawlik Tenors Tom Vendafreddo John Haas Lazaro Estrada Doug Pawlik Nico Rico Devin Johnston Basses Dan Riley Brandon Rudolph Gred Woods Justin Potter David Elliott Wade Tischhauser RAVINIA MAGAZINE • AUGUST 1 – AUGUST 14, 2022 34