Lee Merrill
Performed leading roles with top regional opera and theater companies in the United States and Canada, including Paper Mill Playhouse, Houston Grand Opera, Houston's Alley Theater, Glimmerglass Opera, Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theater, Houston's Theater Under the Stars, Saint Louis MUNI, North Shore Music Theater, Portland Opera; Ordway Theater. Roles include Eliza in MY FAIR LADY (opposite Frank Langella); Marian in MUSIC MAN (opposite Gary Sandy); Fiona in BRIGADOON; Cunegonde in CANDIDE; Laurey in OKLAHOMA! (opposite John Schneider); Sarah Brown in GUYS AND DOLLS with Georgia Engel; Linda in DEATH OF A SALESMAN; Adele in DIE FLEDERMAUS with Ron Raines; Peep Bo in MIKADO with Eric Idle; the world premiere of JEKYLL AND HYDE with Linda Eder; Servilia in LA CLEMENZA DI TITO with Lorraine Hunt; Mrs. Darling in PETER PAN with Cathy Rigby, Turnspit in RUSALKA with Renee Fleming, Minnie Fay in HELLO, DOLLY! with Jo Ann Worley; the world premiere of Bernstein's A QUIET PLACE; Rose in STREET SCENE; Phebe in AS YOU LIKE IT; Johanna in SWEENEY TODD; Hannah in MERRY WIDOW; Mabel in PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Ruth Kelly in HARVEY; Nora Bayes in AMERICAN VAUDEVILLE; Mary in BABES IN TOYLAND; Kathie in STUDENT PRINCE; Peggy in FRONT PAGE; Gretel in HANSEL AND GRETEL; Juliet in ROMEO AND JULIET; Casilda in GONDOLIERS; Josephine in HMS PINAFORE; Papagena in MAGIC FLUTE. Directors include Hal Prince, Anne Bogart, Francesca Zambella, Robert Wilson, Bruce Beresford, Lee Roy Reams, Dotti Danner, Frank Corsaro, Tina Landau. Conductors include Julius Rudel, Christoph Eschenbach, John Demain, Erich Kunzel, Neal Gittleman. Featured soloist with leading orchestras, including Minneapolis Symphony, Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic. Youngest person ever chosen for prestigious three-year Houston Opera Studio apprenticeship. Awarded Spirit of American Woman Award in Opera by Beverly Sills. District finalist in Metropolitan Opera Competition. Regional finalist in San Francisco Opera Auditions. National Merit Scholar. Ohio Board of Regents Scholar. Appointed to Houston Grand Opera's Long Range Planning Committee by then General Director, David Gockley. Resident Artist with Texas Opera Theater. Chautauqua Opera apprentice. Member of Actors' Equity. Recipient of Wittenberg's 2005 Diversity Award. At Dayton Opera, assistant director for HMN PINAFORE and director of 2012's outreach programs. At Wright State, director for MIRACLE WORKER, SWEENEY TODD, FANTASTICKS, GONDOLIERS, LITTLE WOMEN; teacher of voice and the class, Musical Theater for Actors.
Education History
BA Musical Theater (self-designed major), College of Wooster; Three-year apprenticeship with the Houston Opera Studio