A Schirmer Theatrical/Greenberg Artists Co-Production
Arrangements by Jeff Tyzik
Friday, September 26, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, September 28, 2025 at 2:30 pm
ALLEN-BRADLEY HALL
Byron Stripling, conductor
Cherise Coaches, vocals
Kelly Levesque, vocals
Shayna Steele, vocals
Douglas Marriner, drums
Chris Kuffner, bass
A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN by Ludwig van Beethoven and Walter Murphy
As recorded by Walter Murphy and The Big Apple Band
BAD GIRLS by Joseph Esposito, Edward Hokenson, Bruce Sudano, and Donna Summer
As recorded by Donna Summer
ROCK THE BOAT by Waldo T. Holmes
As recorded by The Hues Corporation
DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY by Kenneth Gamble, Cary Gilbert, and Leon A. Huff
As recorded by Thelma Houston
SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY by Michael Omartian and Donna Summer
As recorded by Donna Summer
STAYIN’ ALIVE by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
As recorded by The Bee Gees
YOU SHOULD BE DANCING by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
As recorded by The Bee Gees
I FEEL LOVE by Peter Bellotte, Giorgio G. Moroder, and Donna Summer
As recorded by Donna Summer
LAST DANCE by Paul Jabara
As recorded by Donna Summer
AIN’T NO STOPPIN’ US NOW by Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead
As recorded by McFadden and Whitehead
INTERMISSION
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THE HUSTLE by Van McCoy
As recorded by Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony
BOOGIE WONDERLAND by Jon Lind and Allee Willis
As recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire
GOOD TIMES by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers
As recorded by Chic
THAT’S THE WAY (I LIKE IT) by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
As recorded by KC and The Sunshine Band
HOT STUFF by Peter Bellotte, Harold Faltermeier, and Keith Forsey
As recorded by Donna Summer
NIGHT FEVER by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
As recorded by The Bee Gees
LADY MARMALDE by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan
As recorded by Patti Labelle
I WILL SURVIVE by Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren
As recorded by Gloria Gayner
I’M COMING OUT by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers
As recorded by Diana Ross
WE ARE FAMILY by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers
As recorded by Sister Sledge
ALL ARRANGEMENTS LICENSED BY SCHIRMER THEATRICAL, LLC
Creative Team
Robert Thompson, Producer
Jeff Tyzik, Producer & Arranger
Jami Greenberg, Producer & Booking Agent
Betsey Perlmutter, Producer
Alex Kosick, Associate Producer
For more information on the music and artists featured in Disco Divas, use the QR code below to access the digital concert program.
This weekend’s media sponsor is WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO. The length of this concert is approximately 2 hours. All programs are subject to change.
Guest Artist Biographies
CHERISE COACHES
Cherise Coaches is a hardworking recording artist, songwriter, vocal coach, producer, and actress from the south suburbs of Chicago. With music as a hereditary gift, her formal education has only added to her ability to succeed at anything she puts her mind to.
Coaches attended Columbia College Chicago and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance. During her time there, she got to work and share the stage with talents such as Grammy Award-winner Paula Cole, Brian Culbertson, and Mike Stern. She has also gone on to work with artists such as Jeremih, Carl Thomas, Kenny Latimore, Glen Jones, and many more.
In the fall of 2012, Coaches finally released her first official single on iTunes, “The Juice,” written by her and producer Tony Treble. She went on to release her Christmas EP in December of that year, Snowfall, which is also the single from the EP. Following that was her single “Ride For Ya,” which was released on SoundCloud in June 2017. Her latest single, “Rewind,” released in September of 2018, and can be found on all online music store and streaming platforms.
Coaches has made many waves in the acting world, as well. She made her co-star debut in season two of the Starz Network series The Chi. She also has many accomplishments in the theater, featuring in shows like Men of Soul (Black Ensemble Theater), Dreamgirls (Porchlight Music Theater), HAIR, where she portrayed Dionne (Geva Theatre Center and Mercury Theater Chicago), the North American Tour of Disenchanted as The Princess Who Kissed The Frog, and her favorite to date, portraying the role of Young Patti LaBelle in A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti Labelle. Her work in the theater has earned her two nominations from The Black Theater Alliance as most promising actress and best featured actress in a musical, as well as Jeff Award wins and nominations.
KELLY LEVESQUE
Kelly Levesque is a New York-born singer-songwriter whose musical journey began at just three years old when her musician father recorded her first notes in the studio. Since then, her powerful voice and dynamic stage presence have led her to perform as a soloist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Kennedy Center, the Budokan, Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center, and the White House.
Throughout her career, Levesque has shared the stage with dynamic artists such as Sting, Jamie Foxx, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and many more.
With a major label debut on Reprise Records at the age of 18, Levesque launched her international recording and touring career. She has earned two Top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover albums — one as part of the trio Three Graces and another as part of Diane Warren’s duet project Due Voci.
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Guest Artist Biographies
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Guided by her belief in creating music with meaning, Levesque uses her voice as a vehicle for change. Her original song “Never Forever” was written to raise awareness and funds for victims of domestic violence, supported by the Miss America Organization and the nonprofit Safe Horizon as part of their #PutTheNailInIt campaign. Another of her philanthropic works, “I Won’t Let You Down,” was written and gifted to the KNOWAutism Foundation to support children and families affected by autism.
Levesque’s voice can be heard on several film and television soundtracks, including America’s Sweethearts starring Julia Roberts and the title track of the latest Inspector Gadget series. She is also a featured vocalist in numerous national television and radio commercials.
Currently, Levesque is channeling her creativity into a new musical (for which there are Tony Award-winning producers attached!), writing the music, lyrics, and book alongside her husband, multi-platinum and Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter Fraser Walters.
SHAYNA STEELE
This dynamic vocalist puts new meaning to diversity and grassroots talent. Her natural ability to traverse musical genres, be it in the studio, on the stage, or on the screen, has kept her on the A-list of in-demand singers in the industry. Steele’s effortless execution of both soul and jazz has grabbed the attention of audiences globally, be it at the Monterey Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival with Snarky Puppy, or with symphony orchestras throughout North America.
In 2023, Steele debuted her solo symphony show, “American Diva,” featuring arrangements of her music and favorite covers, with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra alongside Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Jeff Tyzik. She has performed as the guest soloist with over 100 North American orchestras, including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where she debuted her solo blues program “Nothin’ But the Blues.”
Throughout her career, Steele has lent her talent to leading artists such as Grammy Awardwinning trumpeter Chris Botti and Moby, whose tracks “Raining Again,” “Disco Lies,” and “Extreme Ways” featured her blockbuster vocals. Snarky Puppy’s Michael League handpicked Steele’s original track, “Gone Under,” for inclusion in their hit album Family Dinner — Volume 1 on Ropeadope Records, which has become a viral sensation with over two million views. No stranger to both the small and silver screens, Steele has sung on the Wicked, Hairspray, The Bourne Identity, and Sex and the City 2 soundtracks, as well as making a guest appearance on The Sopranos. She recently made an appearance in two episodes of the DC Comics series The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, on HBO Max.
She has provided background vocals for artists such as Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson, along with other countless A-list stars. After going solo, writing, and putting her band together, Steele has released four studio albums, with her second album, Rise, reaching No. 2 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts and No. 1 on the international jazz charts.
Steele holds a degree from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in interdisciplinary music studies and teaches private voice lessons virtually. She has been a guest artist for many college master classes and vocal workshops globally.
Guest Artist Biographies
DOUGLAS MARRINER
Douglas Marriner is a third-generation musician and a jazz drummer, actor, composer, and educator born in London, currently based in New York City.
Marriner regularly performs with many of America’s leading orchestras, including the Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Vancouver symphony orchestras. His recording of Derek Bermel’s Migrations Series with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and Ted Nash was nominated for a Grammy award in 2020.
In 2013, Marriner became the first British musician to be awarded a place in The Juilliard School’s prestigious jazz program on a scholarship. After completing his master’s degree, he was awarded the drum chair for the Artist Diploma Ensemble, where his sextet was coached by Wynton Marsalis and Kenny Barron, touring Europe, South America, and Japan. He has been fortunate enough to study with and be mentored by master musicians, including Kenny Washington, Billy Hart, Nasheet Waits, Wynton Marsalis, and André Previn.
Marriner is a passionate educator and was director of The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program percussion ensemble, in addition to teaching percussion lessons, coaching their orchestral musicians, and mentoring their young educators. He has also taught for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s education programs and summer schools, Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, and the Jazz Arts Collective, and is on the teaching faculty at Fordham University, Bloomingdale School of Music, and the Louis Armstrong Foundation.
CHRIS KUFFNER
Chris Kuffner has been a professional bassist, guitarist, and music producer for 20 years. He has performed, produced, or recorded music with such visionary artists as Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, David Byrne, Jason Mraz, A Great Big World, Jenny Owen Youngs, and many others.
After a lifetime in New York City, Chris recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he found himself making music with up-and-coming country artists like Caylee Hammack, Brooke Eden, and Chris Housman. He has also become a member of the Nashville-based Americana band Steele Fountain, a group of incredible players who have toured extensively with the likes of Sting and Steven Tyler.
Chris will be heading out on a U.S. tour performing with British blues guitar phenomenon Joanne Shaw Taylor in November before performing in Ingrid Michaelson’s Annual Holiday Hop concert in New York City this December.
2025.26 SEASON
KEN-DAVID MASUR
Music Director
Polly and Bill Van Dyke Music Director Chair
EDO DE WAART
Music Director Laureate
BYRON STRIPLING
Principal Pops Conductor
Stein Family Foundation
Principal Pops Conductor Chair
RYAN TANI
Associate Conductor
CHERYL FRAZES HILL
Chorus Director
Margaret Hawkins Chorus Director Chair
TIMOTHY J. BENSON
Assistant Chorus Director
FIRST VIOLINS
Jinwoo Lee, Concertmaster, Charles and Marie Caestecker Concertmaster Chair
Ilana Setapen, First Associate Concertmaster, Thora M. Vervoren First Associate Concertmaster Chair
Jeanyi Kim, Associate Concertmaster
Alexander Ayers
Autumn Chodorowski
Yuka Kadota
Elliot Lee
Dylana Leung
Kyung Ah Oh
Lijia Phang
Vinícius Sant’Ana**
Yuanhui Fiona Zheng
SECOND VIOLINS
Jennifer Startt, Principal, Andrea and Woodrow Leung Principal Second Violin Chair
Ji-Yeon Lee, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Hyewon Kim, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Heejeon Ahn
Lisa Johnson Fuller
Clay Hancock
Paul Hauer
Sheena Lan**
Janis Sakai**
Yiran Yao
VIOLAS
Victor de Almeida, Principal, Richard O. and Judith A. Wagner Family Principal Viola Chair
Samantha Rodriguez, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair), Friends of Janet F. Ruggeri Assistant Principal Viola Chair
Alejandro Duque, Acting Assistant Principal (3rd chair)
Elizabeth Breslin
Georgi Dimitrov
Nathan Hackett
Michael Lieberman**
Erin H. Pipal
CELLOS
Susan Babini, Principal, Dorothea C. Mayer Principal Cello Chair
Shinae Ra, Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Scott Tisdel, Associate Principal Emeritus
Madeleine Kabat
Peter Szczepanek
Peter J. Thomas
Adrien Zitoun
BASSES
Principal, Donald B. Abert Principal Bass Chair
Andrew Raciti, Acting Principal
Nash Tomey, Acting Assistant Principal (2nd chair)
Brittany Conrad
Broner McCoy
Paris Myers
HARP
Julia Coronelli, Principal, Walter Schroeder Principal Harp Chair
FLUTES
Sonora Slocum, Principal, Margaret and Roy Butter Principal Flute Chair
Heather Zinninger, Assistant Principal
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
PICCOLO
Jennifer Bouton Schaub
OBOES
Katherine Young Steele, Principal, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League Principal Oboe Chair
Kevin Pearl, Assistant Principal
Margaret Butler
ENGLISH HORN
Margaret Butler, Philip and Beatrice Blank English Horn Chair in memoriam to John Martin
CLARINETS
Todd Levy, Principal, Franklyn Esenberg Principal Clarinet Chair
Jay Shankar, Assistant Principal, Donald and Ruth P. Taylor Assistant Principal Clarinet Chair
Besnik Abrashi
E-FLAT CLARINET
Jay Shankar
BASS CLARINET
Besnik Abrashi
BASSOONS
Catherine Van Handel, Principal, Muriel C. and John D. Silbar Family
Principal Bassoon Chair
Rudi Heinrich, Assistant Principal
Matthew Melillo
CONTRABASSOON
Matthew Melillo
HORNS
Matthew Annin, Principal, Krause Family Principal
French Horn Chair
Krystof Pipal, Associate Principal
Dietrich Hemann, Andy Nunemaker French Horn Chair
Darcy Hamlin
Dawson Hartman
TRUMPETS
Matthew Ernst, Principal, Walter L. Robb Family Principal Trumpet Chair
David Cohen, Associate Principal, Martin J. Krebs Associate Principal Trumpet Chair
Tim McCarthy, Fred Fuller Trumpet Chair
TROMBONES
Megumi Kanda, Principal, Marjorie Tiefenthaler Principal Trombone Chair
Kirk Ferguson, Assistant Principal
BASS TROMBONE
John Thevenet, Richard M. Kimball Bass Trombone Chair
TUBA
Robyn Black, Principal, John and Judith Simonitsch Tuba Chair
TIMPANI
Dean Borghesani, Principal
Chris Riggs, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
Robert Klieger, Principal
Chris Riggs
PIANO
Melitta S. Pick Endowed Piano Chair
PERSONNEL
Antonio Padilla Denis, Director of Orchestra Personnel
Paris Myers, Hiring Coordinator
LIBRARIANS
Paul Beck, Principal Librarian, James E. Van Ess Principal Librarian Chair
Matthew Geise, Assistant Librarian & Media Archivist
PRODUCTION
Tristan Wallace, Production Manager/Live Audio
Lisa Sottile, Production Stage Manager
* Leave of Absence 2025.26 Season
** Acting member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra 2025.26 Season
