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Ragtime

April 19 & 21, 2024

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Ragtime

April 19 & 21, 2024

Nominated for 13 Tony Awards® including “Best Musical,” and winning for “Best Original Score” and “Best Book of a Musical,” Ragtime makes its premiere to Toledo Opera audiences! Based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, this musical tapestry depicts an African-American family, a Jewish family, and a wealthy white suburban family in turn-of-the-century New York. As they collide in pursuit of the American Dream, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice, and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. Ragtime is a powerful portrait of life at the turn-of-the-20th century, exploring America’s timeless contradictions of freedom and prejudice, wealth and poverty, hope and despair. Ragtime stars baritone Derrick Davis (Toledo Opera’s I Dream) as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Broadway soprano Raquel Suarez Groen as Mother, and baritone Joshua Jeremiah as Tateh. J. Ernest Green returns to Toledo to conduct, as James M. Norman brings this poignant musical to life.

Book by Terrence McNally, Music by Stephen Flaherty, and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens

Starring Derrick Davis as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.,  Raquel Suarez Groen as Mother, and Joshua Jeremiah as Tateh.

Ragtime is PG-13 for language

Sung in English with English Supertitles

Read about the story

Learn more with our Audience Guide.

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Artist Bios
J. Ernest Green

Conductor

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J. Ernest Green

J. Ernest Green is the Artistic Director of Live Arts Maryland and the Music Director of the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra and Annapolis Chorale. He served as a Cover Conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he worked with Denyce Graves, Sir James Galway, Pinchas Zuckerman, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Osmo Vanska, among others. As a Pops Conductor, he conducted for the late Marvin Hamlisch where he worked with artists such as: Idina Menzel, Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz, Maria Friedman, Brian D’Arcy James and Klea Blackhurst, Mike Nichols, Liza Minnelli, Aretha Franklin, Chris Botti, Kevin Cole, Maria Friedman, Lang Lang, and Barbra Streisand. Mr. Green is the conductor for “Late Night” Music Director Paul Shaffer and Valerie Simpson for his symphony show, appearing with the Vancouver Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and the Long Beach Symphony. Mr. Green has appeared with many orchestras including: The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, The Tuscia Festival Orchestra (Italy), Annapolis Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Lincoln Symphony, Orquestra Sinfonica Nacional (Santo Domingo), and the Trinity Chamber Orchestra. J. Ernest Green is a graduate of the University of Toledo and the Peabody Conservatory of Music where he studied with Frederik Prausnitz.  He also recorded a live CD “Play It Again Marvin” featuring the music of Marvin Hamlisch which was released in 2018 on Varése Sarabande. Maestro Green conducted last season’s very successful The Merry Widow for Toledo Opera.

James M. Norman

Stage Director

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James M. Norman

James M. Norman has been active in the Northwest Ohio arts community for many years.  In his 30+ years in the business, Mr. Norman has directed, costumed, and stage-managed plays, musicals, and operas. He made his mainstage directorial debut last season with Toledo Opera’s production of The Merry Widow. For the Opera On Wheels education program of Toledo Opera, he has designed and directed The Pirates of Penzance, Cinderella, The Stylist of Seville, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel vs. the Witch, Romeo and Juliet, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?, The Magic Flute, and The Billy Goats Gruff. Favorite musical theatre pieces he has directed include: The Full Monty, Victor/Victoria, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, All Shook Up, and Evil Dead: The Musical.  Mr. Norman is an accomplished singer and actor as well having sung comprimario roles and in the chorus for Toledo Opera for many years and just recently finished a run in the Croswell Opera House's production of The Prom starring as Barry Glickman. He has sung with Renee Fleming, Robert Merrill, Lili Chookasian, Irina Mishura, Diana Soviero, and many more. His favorite roles include Remendado (Carmen), Harold Hill (The Music Man), Anthony (Sweeney Todd), and Algernon (The Importance of Being Earnest). He serves as Co-Artistic Director and Director of Production for the Toledo Opera and will become the General Director of Toledo Opera on June 1.

Domonique Glover

Choreographer

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Domonique Glover

Domonique Glover began his dance career as a senior at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia while studying mathematics. He took classes in ballet, modern, and contemporary and was a member of the Spelman Dance Theater student company. He received his Bachelor of Science in math and moved back to Toledo where he continued studying dance locally. Since 2009, Mr. Glover has choreographed several local performances throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Among these include Hairspray, Heathers: The Musical, and West Side Story with the Toledo Repertoire teen productions; Ragtime, Violet: The Musical, and Joseph ATATDC produced at The Croswell Opera House in Adrian, Michigan. Mr. Glover made his Toledo Opera debut in the 2018 production of I Dream as a feature dancer. He has performed on various stages, including The Valentine Theater, The Stranahan Theater, The Toledo Repertoire, The Ohio Theater, The Maumee Indoor Theater, The Croswell in Adrian, Michigan, The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan, The Breen Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and The Knight Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina. He currently performs with and teaches multiple levels of contemporary and ballet with T.H.E. Modern Dance Company - Toledo’s Human Experience. Mr. Glover choreographed last season’s The Merry Widow for Toledo Opera.

Derrick Davis

Coalhouse Walker, Jr.

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Derrick Davis

Derrick Davis is a dynamic and passionate performer of stage and screen. In his exciting theater career, he has held the roles of The Phantom in the 25th Anniversary Tour of The Phantom of the Opera and Mufasa on the Gazelle Tour of Disney’s The Lion King. He has also gone on as Scar and Mufasa (The Lion King) and Billy Bigelow (Carousel) on Broadway. Recently, Mr. Davis played Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Ragtime) with the Bay Street Theatre and William Sheridan u/s (Tap Dance Kid) with Encores! Regionally, Mr. Davis starred in Dallas Theater Center’s production of Dreamgirls as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Toledo Opera and Opera Carolina's production of I Dream, and King Triton in The Little Mermaid  at Theater Under the Stars. He has been seen on Paramount+ (The Good Fight), The Hallmark Channel, the Daytime Emmy Awards, Live with Regis and Kelly, Dancing with the Stars, as well as on the big screen in such movies as Can a Song Save Your Life and A Christmas Story. His concert career includes a sold-out performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein works with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, as well as several solo performances in New York City featuring his original works and holiday favorites. Mr. Davis last appeared with Toledo Opera as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in I Dream.

Raquel Suarez Groen

Mother

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Raquel Suarez Groen

Known for her “fresh and clear” sound and her versatile performances of complex characters, Raquel Suarez Groen is a force to be reckoned with on both Opera and theatre stages. Ms. Suarez Groen made her Broadway début in the iconic role of Carlotta Giudicelli in The Phantom of the Opera which she has since performed close to 1,300 performances in her two years with the company. She has been busy on camera this past few seasons as well, with several print campaigns running including Injectafer and SculpSure.  She also appeared as a soloist for NY Couture Fashion Week. Of her performance as Roxanne in ¡Figaro! (90210), performed Off Broadway at The Duke, critics hailed every aspect of her performance, noting both the hilarity in her “hyper-screwball comedy performance” while also lauding her portrayal of “the suffering Roxanne Conti (affectingly sung by the soprano Raquel Suarez Groen).” The Huffington Post summed up this tour-de-force performance with their review: “Suarez Groen is poignant and witty.” Highlights of Ms. Suarez Groen’s operatic engagements include her début with Opera Carolina as Marzelline (Fidelio), Frasquita (Carmen) with Opera San Antonio and Venture Opera, Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) with Opera on the James, Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi) with DiCapo Opera, Gianetta in (L’elisir d’amore) with Opera in Williamsburg, the title role in Cendrillon with New York Lyric Opera and Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) at Opera Lyra Ottawa. Additional roles include Adele (Die Fledermaus), Musetta (La Bohème), Ilia (Idomeneo) with the Martina Arroyo Foundation’s Prelude to Performance festival and Laurie Moss (The Tender Land) at Opera NUOVA. Raquel started Empower Voices Now, a program offering masterclasses, coachings, and lectures from the best of Broadway and the opera world’s professionals: http://www.empowervoicesnow.com/.

Joshua Jeremiah

Tateh

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Joshua Jeremiah

Hailed as “rich-voiced” (The New York Times) and praised for his “warmly appealing, burnished baritone” (Opera Today), Joshua Jeremiah continues to bring his celebrated performances to theaters throughout the United States. Engagements in the 2022-2023 season included his debut with Seattle Opera as Steersman (Tristan und Isolde), Melchoir (Amahl and the Night Visitors) with OnSite Opera, Senator McCarthy/others (Fellow Travelers) with Virginia Opera, and a reprise of his celebrated Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi) with Hawaii Opera Theater. The 2021-2022 season brought a return to Opera Company of Middlebury as Dunois (The Maid of Orleans) and Jupiter (Orphée aux enfers), his role and company debut as Donner (Das Rheingold) with Nashville Opera, his role debut as Germont (La Traviata) with First Coast Opera, and Mr. Meriwether (Pooh-Bah) (The Montana Mikado), Intermountain Opera Bozeman’s new adaptation of the Gilbert & Sullivan classic. Previous seasons’ engagements include Il Conte di Luna (Il Trovatore) with Opera Tampa, Pangloss (Candide) with Opera Company of Middlebury, and cancelled or postponed performances of Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) with Hawaii Opera Theatre and the title role in Macbeth with Knoxville Opera. His 2019-2020 season included his debut with Houston Grand Opera to sing the student matinee and cover Rigoletto. Mr. Jeremiah recently made his debut with Minnesota Opera as Horstmayer (Silent Night), performed the title role in Rigoletto with the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Carmina Burana with the Westmoreland Symphony, Scarpia (Tosca) with the Reading Symphony, Father (Chunky in Heat) with Experiments in Opera, Silvio (Pagliacci) with New Orleans Opera, The Man (Persona) in his Los Angeles Opera debut, covering Alberich (Das Rheingold) with Arizona Opera, his debut with On Site Opera as Aaron Greenspan (Morning Star), When Adonis Calls with Asheville Lyric Opera, Marcello (La Bohème) with the Pittsburgh Festival, and Gianni Schicchi with the Opera Company of Middlebury.

 

Imara Miles

Sarah

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Imara Miles

Hailed for her expressiveness and lush sound, Imara Miles (She/They) is a mezzo-soprano from the Washington, DC area. With experience in both operatic and musical theater repertoire, Miss Miles has been a featured performer in shows such as Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Berta), The Drowsy Chaperone (Title Role), Gianni Schicchi (Zita), and Romeo and Juliet (Gertrude) to name a few. As a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania (B.A.) and Indiana University (M.M.), she has been a young artist in programs such as The Glimmerglass Festival, Grant Park Music Festival, Pensacola Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and is currently a Resident Artist with Toledo Opera. Her past awards and recognitions include the Mollie Shapiro Award at Des Moines Metro Opera, a District award winner from the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, a semi-finalist in the George Shirley Vocal Competition, and the 2022 Elizabeth Greenfield Award. Their recent credits include Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana), Mercécès (Carmen), and Tisbe (La Cenerentola). Upcoming credits include being a semi-finalist for the Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition and as a featured soloist in the Grant Park Music Festival concert series.

Nicholas Kottman

Mother's Younger Brother

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Nicholas Kottman

Tenor Nicholas Kottman is an Ohio Native originally from the village of Bellbrook, Ohio. He has been praised for his vibrant, lyric tenor sound. He holds a Bachelor of Music in choral music education and his Master of Vocal Performance degree specializing in vocal pedagogy and vocal science both from Bowling Green State University. When not performing, Mr. Kottman works as an adult education teacher at Toledo Correctional Institution, assisting incarcerated persons earning their GED. He has been a member of the Toledo Opera chorus since 2019 having performed in Macbeth, La Bohème, La Traviata, Il Trovatore, and Cavalleria Rusticana. Mr. Kottman has performed the roles of Benvolio (Romeo et Julliette), Archie Beaton (Brigadoon), Orpheus (Orpheus in the Underworld), Father (Nuclear world premiere), Don Alfonso (Cosi Fan Tutti), Tony Esposito (The Most Happy Fella), and Carl Olsen (Street Scene). He has also sung several recitals throughout the greater Toledo area. Notably, Mr. Kottman has won first place in the undergraduate division of the Dr. Marjorie Conrad art song competition at Bowling Green State University along with collaborative pianist Emily Morin. He studied under baritone Lance Ashmore and baritone Keith Phares during his university studies and has since studied with tenor Shawn Mathey and soprano Sujin Lee. 

Brendan Boyle

Father

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Brendan Boyle

Hailing from Kansas, tenor Brendan Boyle is very excited to be returning to Toledo being a former Toledo Opera Resident Artist tenor for the 2022-23 season. He received his Bachelor of Music from Washburn University and went on to complete a Masters of Music from Baylor University and went on to complete a Masters of Music from Baylor University and a Performer’s Diploma from Indiana University where he studied under bass Peter Volpe. After an extensive period working regularly with Austin Opera, he has most recently been seen this year as Beppe (I Pagliacci) with Hawaii Opera Theater. Last season, Mr. Boyle performed with Toledo Opera as St. Brioche in The Merry Widow.

Elizabeth Mitchell

Emma Goldman

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Elizabeth Mitchell

Elizabeth Mitchell, mezzo-soprano, is thrilled to make her Toledo Opera debut!  She is happy to return to Toledo after singing as Alto Soloist with The Toledo Choral Society for the World Premiere of The Great Lake Cantata by Gwyneth Walker and Considering Matthew Shepard, and Handel’s Messiah. A versatile performer, Ms. Mitchell has sung nationally with companies including Ohio Light Opera, Detroit Opera, Opera Western Reserve, Orchestra Sono, Michigan Philharmonic, Arbor Opera Theater, Opera MODO and the Dodworth Saxhorn Band. Internationally, she has sung with Opera on Tap in Berlin, Germany and Oper Im Park in St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria. Favorite past operatic roles include Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Dorabella (Cosí Fan Tutte), Mrs. Grose (The Turn of the Screw), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), and Die Knusperhexe and Die Mutter (Hänsel und Gretel). Ms. Mitchell received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Utah and her Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, both in vocal performance and with scholarship. Honors & Awards: Best Lead Actress in a Play Award, 2021-2022 Wilde Awards, Jenny in Jenny’s House of Joy, The Dio; 2019 Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Nomination, BroadwayWorld Detroit Regional Awards, Marmee (Little Women), One Off Productions; Utah District Finalist, Metropolitan Opera Competition; International Finalist, Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers; Semi-Finalist, International Czech and Slovak Competition.

Sara Mortensen

Evelyn Nesbit

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Sara Mortensen

Noted for her shimmering, soaring voice, soprano Sara Mortensen is currently a resident artist with Toledo Opera, where she’s has had the pleasure of performing the roles of a Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance), and Sylviane (The Merry Widow) and covering the role of Juliette (Roméo et Juliette). Sara is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music (BM) and Manhattan School of Music (MM) in New York City.

Evan Fleming

Harry Houdini

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Evan Fleming

American Baritone Evan Fleming is a New Jersey native and versatile stage performer engaging in opera, musical theatre, and contemporary music. In the 2022-2023 season, he created the role of Father in the world premiere opera OURLAND: A Dystopian State with the San José Chamber Orchestra. In May 2023, Mr. Fleming joined the Opera Company of Middlebury as an Apprentice Artist for their summer festival. While in Vermont, Mr. Fleming debuted roles in Samuel Barber’s A Hand of Bridge (David) and Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Telephone (Ben). In 2022, Mr. Fleming made role debuts in two of Stephen Sondheim’s best musicals. In the spring, he appeared as Anthony Hope (Sweeney Todd). Returning to Opera Steamboat for a second summer, Mr. Fleming debuted a dream role: Bobby in Company. A graduate of Montclair State University (B.M. 2019) and The University of Alabama (M.M. 2021), Mr. Fleming created roles in two world premiere productions during the 2019-2020 season. In collaboration with the Tuscaloosa Symphony and conductor Adam Flatt, he created the role of Little John in Joseph Landers’ Let Us Now Praise Famous Men which was recorded by Alabama Public Television for broadcast in 2020. In addition, he was seen in multiple roles in Michael Ching’s modular work RSBE: Remove Shoes Before Entering. Past roles include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) (Opera Steamboat), Dandini (La Cenerentola) (Red River Lyric Opera), Groom in Mark Adamo’s Avow and Man in Michael Ching’s Leo: An Opera in One Cat with The University of Alabama. Mr. Fleming is elated to join Toledo Opera as a Resident Artist for their 2023-2024 season.

Bernard Dotson

Booker T. Washington

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Bernard Dotson

A native of Los Angeles California, Bernard Dotson began performing nationally and internationally singing the Walt Disney Songbook. While working for the Disney Company, he was featured on a variety of TV shows singing in English, French, German, and Japanese. Concerts included, Ragtime - 25th Anniversary, conducted by Jim Moore; She Loves Me with The Caramoor Music Festival Orchestra, conducted by Ted Sperling; A Celebration Of Christmas, Live Arts Maryland, conducted by J. Ernest Green; One Singular Sensation, A Tribute To The Music Of Marvin Hamlisch, Live Arts Maryland, conducted by J. Ernest Green; Finian’s Rainbow, Live Arts Maryland, conducted by J. Ernest Green; The Music of Frank Loesser with The New York Philharmonic, conducted by Ted Sperling; Merrily We Roll Along, conducted by Rob Berman, directed by James Lapine, and supervised by Stephen Sondheim; Finian's Rainbow, conducted by Rob Berman; Encores Broadway Bash, conducted by Rob Fisher; and, Dreamgirls, The Actors Fund, conducted by Seth Rudetsky. Mr. Dotson appeared on Broadway in Paradise Square (Original Cast); Finian's Rainbow (First Gospeleer, Original Revival Cast); Chicago (Billy Flynn); Imaginary Friends (Leo, Original Cast) starring Swoosie Kurtz and Cherry Jones; Sweet Smell Of Success (Club Zanzibar Singer, Original Cast) starring John Lithgow, Brian d'Arcy James, and Kelli O’Hara; Jesus Christ Superstar (Original Revival Cast); and, the Tony Award winning musical Ragtime (Original Cast). With a host of regional, national, and international tours, he has been seen in The Prom (Mr Hawkins), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Ken), Five Guys Named Moe (No Moe), Kiss Me Kate (Paul), Xanadu (Danny Maguire/Zeus), Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Paradise Square (Camp Butler), just to name a few. Mr. Dotson is a MAC Award Nominee for his one man show Unexpected Songs! Two Is Best!! 

Elias Fox

The Little Boy

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Elias Fox

Elias Fox is ecstatic to perform in Ragtime and make his Toledo Opera debut! Other performances include Mary Poppins (Ensemble/U/S Michael Banks), and Mr. Popper’s Penguins (Captain Cook) at the Croswell Opera House, The Jungle Book (Col. Hathi) with Lincoln Drama, and several versions of The Nutcracker with Randazzo Dance Company. He is a fifth grader at Bishop Elementary School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he is completing Bishop’s Spanish Immersion program. In May, he will travel to Barcelona and Madrid with his classmates for a cultural excursion trip. Mr. Fox has studied piano for the last six years, receiving superior ratings at the Michigan Music Festival. When he is not performing, Mr. Fox enjoys reading, biking, and climbing trees. He would like to thank his parents, Ashley and Leah, and the cast and crew of Ragtime for their support. 

Sophia Bernard

The Little Girl

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Sophia Bernard

Sophia Bernard is thrilled to make her Toledo Opera debut as The Little Girl (Ragtime). Regional credits include— Matilda (Matilda), Mary Poppins (Jane Banks), Les Misérables (Gavroche), and A Christmas Story (Esther Jane). Local credits include— Annie (Molly) and Little Mermaid, Jr. (Ariel). Her performance as Matilda at the Croswell Opera House was recognized by BroadwayWorld as one of the Best Youth Performances in A Musical. Reviewers stated, “Enough cannot be said about how perfect, organic, and downright infectious [Sophia] is leading the charge. I was absolutely awestruck at the spunky stage presence and ace vocals on this young actress” (The Only Critic, Nate Adams). For her portrayal of Gavroche in Les Misérables, critics remarked, “It’s obviously interesting that [the] director cast a girl in this role, but the youngster who, it must be remembered, was terrific in the lead role in the Croswell’s Matilda is as solid as can be in this part” (Daily Telegram). In addition to her work on stage, Ms. Bernard recorded the original musical score and video for the award-winning documentary Trust Me. Ms. Bernard is 13 years old and in the 7th grade. She has studied voice for six years and danced competitively for seven years. When she's not singing, dancing, or acting, she enjoys playing piano, reading, and golfing.

Jon Suek

Henry Ford

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Jon Suek

Jon Suek has sung the roles of Masetto (Don Giovanni), performed as an undergraduate at Western Washington University and Pandolf (Cendrillon). Being a native of the Evergreen State, Mr. Suek’s transition to singing tenor repertoire coincided with his transition to the Midwest for graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a formative experience in both how cold winter can be and how elusive high notes can be. While enrolled at UNL, he sang the roles of Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), King Kaspar (Amahl and the Night Visitor), Dino (A Wedding), and Hoffmann (first act only) (Les Contes d’Hoffmann). At UNL, recital apogees for him were performances of Schumann’s Dichterliebe and Britten’s Winter Words. After his time in Nebraska, Mr. Suek moved to Graz, Austria where he taught English for two years and then moved to Italy for six months to study il linguaggio dell'opera! After returning to the states, he sang an attenuated version of the role of Steve Jobs in a Seattle Opera Guild Preview from Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, as a chorister for Seattle Opera’s production of La Traviata, and as Tamino in a reduced English-language version of The Magic Flute with the Seattle based opera company N.O.I.S.E. You may have seen Mr. Suek in the Summer of 2023 singing at the Aquilon Music Festival (reviving his interpretation of Don Ottavio), at the Mostly Modern Festival in New York, or at the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar singing Tamino (in German). If you are interested in seeing and hearing more of Mr. Suek (rhymes with “book”), you can find him tooling around your local municipal golf course. He will gladly trade his rendition of your favorite tenor aria for golf balls.

Kris Krotzer

J.P. Morgan

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Kris Krotzer

Baritone Kris Krotzer is an award-winning performer with over 20 years of experience. Most recently, he was seen as Dom Claude Frollo (Hunchback of Notre Dame) with ACT. He has also entertained audiences as Billy Flynn (Chicago) with Cutting Edge Theatre Company, Prof. Pierson (War of the Worlds) with BGSU, Kris (The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged) with FCT and Macheath (The Threepenny Opera) with BGSU to name a few. Mr. Krotzer studied Musical Theatre at BGSU and studied voice under Chelsea Cloeter. While in his studies, he continued to perform in shows ranging from Shakespeare to original chamber pieces to concerts of operettas and the Great American Songbook. Having been a member of the Toledo Opera chorus for the last four seasons, Mr. Krotzer is always delighted to return and continue growing with the greatest artists in Toledo.

Christopher Stack

Willie Conklin

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Christopher Stack

Chris Stack is thrilled to be making his debut with the Toledo Opera! He’s had the privilege of working with a number of community theatres throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan since first moving to the area in 2015. Some of his favorite roles include Max/Cecil/Arthur (The Play That Goes Wrong), Don Kirshner (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), The Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz), The Actor (The Woman in Black), Gaston (Beauty and the Beast), F.W. Murnau/James Whale/Terence Fisher (Monster Makers), Mr. Popper (Mr. Popper’s Penguins), and Ethan Girard (The Full Monty). Mr. Stack graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Tourism, Leisure, and Event Planning and currently works for AAA Club Alliance. Throughout his school career, he competed for the National Forensics Association, Pi Kappa Delta Society, and National Speech & Debate Association. He holds numerous national and state champion titles in Poetry Interpretation, After Dinner Speaking, Humorous Interpretation, Reader’s Theatre, and Duo Interpretation. Mr. Stack would like to thank the cast and crew for this wonderful opportunity and plans to savor every second he shares the stage with these extraordinary artists!

Darla Arnett

Sarah's Friend

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Darla Arnett

Darla Arnett, soprano, is delighted to make her Toledo Opera debut as Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime! She is recognized for her captivating vocal abilities and potential to move an audience through performance. Ms. Arnett is an award-winning actress and performer who has graced many stages throughout her theatrical career. Some of her noteworthy performances include Motormouth Maybelle (Hairspray): Toledo Repertoire Theatre, Aida (Aida): Nightingale Theatre, Julie (Theory of Relativity): Donnell Theatre, and Narrator (She Kills Monsters): Donnell Theatre. Ms. Arnett is a woman of many talents. Her love of music and performance doesn’t stop at musical theatre. She also writes and professionally records her own music in her spare time. She produced her first single L.O.V.E in 2019 and continues to create music regularly. She has performed abroad in London and Italy with Tiffin University’s acclaimed traveling a cappella group Up In the Air. Her additional hobbies include professional modeling and traveling. In December 2022, Ms. Arnett graduated from Bowling Green State University with A Bachelor of Arts in communication, majoring in theatre and specializing in musical theatre. Ms. Arnett is an emerging young professional and is very excited to work alongside Toledo’s greatest. 

David P. Engel

Grandfather

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David P. Engel

David P. Engel is a retired chiropractor who has enjoyed performing in community theater in Toledo. Among his many roles at The Village Players, he portrayed Huckabee (The Fantasticks). At the Toledo Rep, he played Senator Wingwood (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) and Captain Brackett (South Pacific). In 2016, Dr. Engel joined the Toledo Opera Supernumerary cadre and was delighted to be cast as Ambrosio (The Barber of Seville), Lilas Pastia (Carmen), King Duncan (Macbeth), and a member of the wait staff in (La Bohème). In 2022, he auditioned for the Toledo Opera Men’s chorus and has appeared in La Traviata, Suor Angelica, Cavalleria Rusticana, Celebrazione del Coro and most recently performed in Romeo and Juliet. Dr. Engel has been happily married to Phebe for 45 years, is a proud father of three lovely, talented daughters to whom he owes the inspiration to take to the stage over 20 years ago. He studies voice, enjoys playing golf, reading, biking, and gathering with friends.

Tuesday Talks

This free public panel discussion composed of artists, scholars, and Toledo community members goes beyond what's on stage and delves into the opera's issues which can be seen in today's contemporary society.

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Pre-Opera Talk

Join us one hour before the curtain for an informational presentation providing historical context and insight into the opera.

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Production Details

Over the course of the show, the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. Featuring many of the historical figures that built and shaped turn-of-the-century America, including J.P. Morgan, Emma Goldman, Harry Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit and Henry Ford, this musical sweeps across the diversity of the American experience to create a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American experience: the marches, the cakewalks and - of course, the ragtime.

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