A Holiday Celebration

Dylan F. Thomas is in-demand as a Stage Director, Acting Coach, and Performer. Last year, he was invited to be Guest Lecturer and Stage Director at Yale University, where he staged the Opera Scenes and taught his unique acting method, The Dressler Technique, in “Acting for Opera”. This Spring, Dylan looks forward to directing  a double bill of operas at his alma mater, Cal State University, Northridge. Dylan acts as Opera Program Manager for the GRAMMY-winning National Children’s Chorus’s youth opera program, National Youth Opera Academy, where he teaches acting and prop-making, and co-directs the fully staged operas during the summer opera camp. Dylan is Co-Founder and Principal Stage Director of Valley Opera & Performing Arts (VOPA), where he has directed many operas, musicals, and other events over the past 19 years.

As a singer/actor himself, Dylan has performed all over the world in many different musical genres, including musical theater, opera, jazz, pop, and classic rock. He spent 11 months performing in several different productions for Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan, singing for tens of thousands of people every day. At Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, he had the honor of performing for legendary musical theater lyricist and songwriter Sheldon Harnick in two of Harnick’s musicals: the rarely seen Rex, as well as Fiddler on the Roof. 

As a passionate educator, Dylan maintains a private acting studio, offering individual, small group, and large group classes for performers in all genres of theater, including musical theater, opera, straight theater, and tv/film. Acting student Eden Kontesz says that Dylan’s technique is “unique, different, and highly effective,” and Grammy-nominated composer Sharon Farber comments that he “offers a new perspective that is truly profound”. Superstar Quinn Kelsey, a favorite leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera, shares that Dylan, "utilized his own intuitive twists on the storyline of certain pieces to give me as a singer a different perspective of my interpretation.”  

Shira Renee Thomas is the General & Artistic Director of Valley Opera & Performing Arts (VOPA), currently in its 19th season. VOPA presents performances of everything from fully-staged opera and musical theater works with orchestra, to laid back concerts of jazz standards and even classic rock with its band, VOPA Rocks. Through the company’s outreach, education, and community service program, VOPA provides entertainment to underserved and economically or otherwise disadvantaged communities such as retirement communities, charities, homeless shelters, schools, and more. VOPA has helped launch the careers of many singers and instrumentalists who’ve gone on to perform in organizations such as English National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Academy Awards, and the Hollywood Bowl, to name a few. 

As a singer herself, Shira has performed all over the world and with some of the biggest stars in opera, including Metropolitan Opera stars, Quinn Kelsey, Christian Van Horn, and Ana Maria Martinez. Among the numerous awards earned by her, Shira won 1st prize in the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in North Wales, which has hosted such legendary opera singers as Luciano Pavarotti and Bryn Terfel in past years. Having suffered from debilitating recurrent Depression for 25 years, Shira has become an advocate for mental health, and has been interviewed on the subject by National Geographic and KTTV News. She has also written articles for HuffPost and Classical Singer Magazine, and is frequently invited to attend various events and conferences to tell her story of overcoming Depression. Shira is grateful to the staff at Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles for helping her to finally beat the illness.
www.VOPArts.org   www.shira-renee-thomas.com   www.shirareneethomas.wordpress.com

Julia Timmons is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University holding a BFA in Vocal Performance with a Minor in Music Technology and a Masters in Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM). Timmons currently serves as Managing Director of VOPA, Artistic Director of Ah, Zapad Music Festival and runs her vocal studio - JCT Vocal Studio. Timmons is accomplished both on and off stage. Some favorite onstage roles include Sandrina (La Finta Giardiniera), Sharpay Evans (High School Musical), Penelope Pennywise (Urinetown) and Bunny Byron (Babes in Arms). Offstage, Timmons is skilled in audio technology, stage and production management, and audio/video capture and live streaming.

Mady McGraw is an actor, singer, and writer born and raised in Littleton, Colorado. She currently resides in Los Angeles California, and is an AMDA alumni. Favorite credits of hers include dancing on the Wicked LA Red Carpet Premiere, Disenchanted! (Snow White), Songs for a New World (Woman 2), Les Miserables (Cosette), and Now. Here. This. (Women 2). Mady started writing her own music at the age of 12, and at 16 starred in an original music video. Her unique blend ranges from pop, rock to soulful folk. She writes original film and TV scripts, and works with her creative partner and sister, Lily McGraw. She takes pride in her passion, adaptability—and her Jennifer Coolidge impersonation. This is Mady’s first production with VOPA, and she couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the welcoming theatre family. She thanks God, and her family for their endless support! @mady_mcgraw

James Kerrigan is excited to be back with VOPA for this production of Oklahoma! His first performance with VOPA was “A Holiday Celebration” last December where he sang jazz classics such as “It had to be You” and “Almost Like Being in Love”. Originally from Seattle, James moved to California where he pursued a music degree at CSUN. He currently teaches general music and voice at James Monroe High School. Having a dense background in classical and jazz choir music, James is currently a board member for Northridge’s “Art, Etc.”; a local arts festival team celebrating budding artists in the San Fernando Valley.

Shira Renee Thomas is the General & Artistic Director of Valley Opera & Performing Arts (VOPA), currently in its 19th season. VOPA presents performances of everything from fully-staged opera and musical theater works with orchestra, to laid back concerts of jazz standards and even classic rock with its band, VOPA Rocks. Through the company’s outreach, education, and community service program, VOPA provides entertainment to underserved and economically or otherwise disadvantaged communities such as retirement communities, charities, homeless shelters, schools, and more. VOPA has helped launch the careers of many singers and instrumentalists who’ve gone on to perform in organizations such as English National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Academy Awards, and the Hollywood Bowl, to name a few. 

As a singer herself, Shira has performed all over the world and with some of the biggest stars in opera, including Metropolitan Opera stars, Quinn Kelsey, Christian Van Horn, and Ana Maria Martinez. Among the numerous awards earned by her, Shira won 1st prize in the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in North Wales, which has hosted such legendary opera singers as Luciano Pavarotti and Bryn Terfel in past years. Having suffered from debilitating recurrent Depression for 25 years, Shira has become an advocate for mental health, and has been interviewed on the subject by National Geographic and KTTV News. She has also written articles for HuffPost and Classical Singer Magazine, and is frequently invited to attend various events and conferences to tell her story of overcoming Depression. Shira is grateful to the staff at Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles for helping her to finally beat the illness.
www.VOPArts.org   www.shira-renee-thomas.com   www.shirareneethomas.wordpress.com

Julia Timmons is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University holding a BFA in Vocal Performance with a Minor in Music Technology and a Masters in Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM). Timmons currently serves as Managing Director of VOPA, Artistic Director of Ah, Zapad Music Festival and runs her vocal studio - JCT Vocal Studio. Timmons is accomplished both on and off stage. Some favorite onstage roles include Sandrina (La Finta Giardiniera), Sharpay Evans (High School Musical), Penelope Pennywise (Urinetown) and Bunny Byron (Babes in Arms). Offstage, Timmons is skilled in audio technology, stage and production management, and audio/video capture and live streaming.

Dylan F. Thomas is in-demand as a Stage Director, Acting Coach, and Performer. Last year, he was invited to be Guest Lecturer and Stage Director at Yale University, where he staged the Opera Scenes and taught his unique acting method, The Dressler Technique, in “Acting for Opera”. This Spring, Dylan looks forward to directing  a double bill of operas at his alma mater, Cal State University, Northridge. Dylan acts as Opera Program Manager for the GRAMMY-winning National Children’s Chorus’s youth opera program, National Youth Opera Academy, where he teaches acting and prop-making, and co-directs the fully staged operas during the summer opera camp. Dylan is Co-Founder and Principal Stage Director of Valley Opera & Performing Arts (VOPA), where he has directed many operas, musicals, and other events over the past 19 years.

As a singer/actor himself, Dylan has performed all over the world in many different musical genres, including musical theater, opera, jazz, pop, and classic rock. He spent 11 months performing in several different productions for Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan, singing for tens of thousands of people every day. At Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, he had the honor of performing for legendary musical theater lyricist and songwriter Sheldon Harnick in two of Harnick’s musicals: the rarely seen Rex, as well as Fiddler on the Roof. 

As a passionate educator, Dylan maintains a private acting studio, offering individual, small group, and large group classes for performers in all genres of theater, including musical theater, opera, straight theater, and tv/film. Acting student Eden Kontesz says that Dylan’s technique is “unique, different, and highly effective,” and Grammy-nominated composer Sharon Farber comments that he “offers a new perspective that is truly profound”. Superstar Quinn Kelsey, a favorite leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera, shares that Dylan, "utilized his own intuitive twists on the storyline of certain pieces to give me as a singer a different perspective of my interpretation.”  

Opera singer, violinist, web developer, graphic designer, and master multitasker, Laura has starred in obscure operas, founded two opera companies (because one wasn't crazy enough), and juggles a career in web development & design while freelancing for nonprofits and artists. Her household is a zoo with a parade of dogs and cats, and she spends her free time painting everything in sight and trying to clean up after her menagerie. An ADHD-addled, middle-aged, leftist single mom in the conservative South (Chattanooga, TN), Laura lives for Dr. Pepper & Little Debbie Snack Cakes, loathes water and the gym, and yet is perpetually perplexed by her mysterious menopausal weight gain. Despite the chaos, she remains a Renaissance woman with a sharp wit and a healthy (ok, maybe more than healthy) dose of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.