Jennifer DeDominici is Carmen

March 2008: Jennifer DeDominici, 2000 graduate of the School of Music will perform the starring role in the opera Carmen in March at the Opera Theatre of the Rockies in Colorado. A resident of Denver, she was awarded first prize in the 2007 Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition, has performed for Opera Colorado, Central City Opera and the Santa Fe Opera. She performed the role of Hänsel in Opera Theatre’s March, 2007 performances of Hänsel and Gretel and the title role 2005’s La Cenerentola. Two tenors will attempt to woo her as Don José.  Boulder’s Jason Baldwin, making his Opera Theatre debut, will perform for the Sat. March 1 performance and Aurora’s Brian Stinar will offer his interpretation of the Spanish soldier on Sun. March 2. Littleton soprano Désirée Dodson will portray the childhood sweetheart of Don José, Micaëla and Peter Tuff, a resident of Colorado Springs, will be heard as the Toreador, Escamillo.

See the press release at Opera Theatre of the Rockies.

USM students take top honors in musical theater competition

Six University of Southern Maine musical theater students from Bar Harbor, Freeport, Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach, Rockland, and Windham took top honors at the recent annual Musical Theater Competition held this month by the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). The six vocalists nearly swept the entire competition held November 3 and 4, 2007 at Bates College in Lewiston.

USM winners were
Lower College:
First Place -- Joseph Valliere of Old Orchard Beach
Second Place -- Roger Marcotte of Rockland
Third Place -- Megan Leddy of Freeport

Upper College:
First Place -- Slaney Jordan of Bar Harbor
Tied for Second Place -- Alexis Handy of Lewiston
and Derrick Jaques of Windham

Joseph Valliere is a sophomore Musical Theater major from Old Orchard Beach. He just finished successful runs as Dasher in “The Spirit of Reindeer” at USM, and as Bobby Strong in “Urinetown” at Biddeford City Theatre. Other USM credits include Tiny Tom in “Urinetown” and Fleet in “Titanic”. He currently is appearing as Joe in “Little Women” at the Standish Schoolhouse, and will be in “The Fantasticks” at Portland Players in January. Joe studies voice at USM with David Goulet and Edward Reichert. 

Roger Marcotte is a sophomore Musical Theater major. USM credits include: Wendall in “The Spirit of Reindeer”; Caldwell B. Cladwell in “Urinetown,” and Henry Etches in “Titanic.” This past summer Roger was delighted to be a part of the Northport Music Theater's premiere season as William in “The Musical of Musicals (the Musical)” and Man #3 in “Golf: The Musical.” He will appear as Stine in USM's upcoming production of “City of Angels” in March 2008.

Megan Leddy, a sophomore Musical Theater major from Brunswick, kicked-off the Christmas season as Donner in USM’s premiere production of “The Spirit of Reindeer.” Other productions at USM include “Titanic,” and “Dance USM!” coming up this December. Megan placed second in last year’s Maine NATS competition.

Slaney Rose Jordan is a senior Musical Theater major originally from Bar Harbor. This fall she was nominated for an American College Theater Festival Irene Ryan acting award for her performance of Catherine in USM's “Proof.” She recently played Blitzen at USM in “The Spirit of Reindeer.” Past roles at USM include Penelope Pennywise in “Urinetown!”, Madame Lombardi in “The Servant of Two Masters” (another Irene Ryan nomination), Caroline Neville in “Titanic”, Mother/Aunt Mary in “How I Learned to Drive”, in the ensemble of “Blood Brothers” and was a soloist in “By Rodgers!” Other favorite roles have been Pitti-Sing in “The Mikado”, and Gladys in “The Pajama Game.” 

Alexis R. D. Handy, a senior Musical Theater major from Lewiston, currently studies voice with David Goulet and Edward Reichert. Past USM roles include Vixen in “The Spirit of Reindeer,” Soupy Sue in “Urinetown,” Kate Mullins in “Titanic,” Donna Marie in “Blood Brothers”, and was a featured soloist in “By Rodgers!” Other roles include Hope in “Urinetown,” Susan in “tick, tick... BOOM!”, and Andrea in “Once on This Island.”

Derrick Jaques is a senior Musical Theatre Performance major from Windham. Productions at USM include Bobby Strong in “Urinetown,” Barrett in “Titanic,” Sammy in “Blood Brothers,” a soloist in “By Rodgers!,” a Slave in “The Magic Flute,” Adam in “Children of Eden,” and Daniel in “Once on This Island.” He made his professional debut two summers ago at the Maine State Music Theatre as a performance intern where he had the opportunity to perform for composer Maury Yeston. 

For more information, contact Mary Snell, msnell@usm.maine.edu, Interim Director of Arts Promotions.