Speed Dating Tonight! Program

Speed Dating Tonight!

Michael Ching, composer & librettist Based on a concept by Dean Anthony Opera Titles by: Susan Shiplett Ashbaker PowerPoint and Title Score by: Ronan Flynn, Aaron Lynch, &Ben Glick

WESTMINSTER OPERA THEATRE Susan Shiplett Ashbaker, director Susan Shiplett Ashbaker, music director and conductor Claire Choquette, stage director

••• Friday, April 17, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 18, 7:30 p.m.

Bart Luedeke Center Theater Rider University 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, NJ

Rider University gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The Herbert B. Mayo Performance Endowment The Martinson Family Foundation for its support of theater technology equipment.

Michael T. '89 and Susana Santaguida '89 Gummel for their support of our Rider Friend of the Arts patron program.

PLEASE NOTE: The unauthorized use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited. Out of courtesy to the performers and everyone in the audience, please refrain from using cell phones and electronic devices during the performance.

Special Thanks A special thank you to all the wonderful and supportive voice teachers that provide the base of learning for all that we do. A special thanks also to our colleagues in the Music Theater and Dance departments for the rich collaboration that benefits our students and productions. A hearty shout out and thank you to Professor Scott Alboum for our archival recordings.

Director’s Note Since its 2013 premiere, Michael Ching’s modular score has become a contemporary staple because of its unique ability to adapt to the performers involved. Rather than a traditional top-down casting model, our singers chose the dater profiles they felt drawn to explore. They named their characters, built their backstories, and even influenced their own costumes based on what they thought their characters might wear. This collaborative process created an atmosphere where each performer was celebrated for their creativity and each character for their unique brand of bravery and humanity.

Whether over twenty years ago or today, it takes immense courage to present oneself honestly amidst the absurdity of romantic expectation. Set on the cusp of the digital revolution and in the immediate wake of the Bush v. Gore election, our early-2000s world of flip phones and T9 texting places the story at a turning point in how we communicate. Technology is advancing, but intimacy still demands immediacy. There are no curated profiles or carefully edited messages in real-life speed dating, only two people face to face, navigating first impressions in real time.

With this piece, we gather not only to witness this courage, but to laugh at the awkwardness that so often accompanies it. In a culture that rewards polish over sincerity, these characters risk being seen as they truly are: hopeful,

flawed, and deeply human. Our singers were challenged to harness that same risk, using rehearsal to explore their own ideas and instincts.

What emerges is something more profound than feel-good comedy. Laughter becomes a doorway rather than a shield, and emotional honesty is revealed beside it. Ultimately, this evening suggests that humor and vulnerability are not opposites at all, but partners in the same brave act of reaching toward another person. Together, they make a perfect match.

Synopsis Setting: Joe’s Bar, Philadelphia, Thursday, April 5, 2001 Bartender Quinn and waitress Stephanie are prepping Joe’s Bar for an evening of Speed Dating when dating coordinator Kaylee arrives late to set up. Before the event formally begins, dater Isaac needs help selecting just the right shirt for the occasion. As more daters gradually arrive, Angela realizes she’s so nervous she could die but genuinely desires face-to-face connection. John, on the other hand, is texting obsessed and only came because he got a speed dating voucher for his birthday. After Kaylee’s welcome, we meet Claude, who feels awkward, and Angela, who immediately confesses that her lover recently died. Dater Melissa is such an overthinker she can’t even bring herself to try the first round, but Kaylee assures her date it’s not their fault. Jason claims he was a hostage in the Zaire Maru and Joyce nervously diatribes that her ex talked too much, then confesses that she’s really more of a lurker. Jason is exposed as a compulsive liar. Bartender Quinn loves where he works and Gavin tries to woo a girl by bragging about his beautiful Buick, which is the last straw for his ex-girlfriend Joyce, who spitefully delivers Gavin’s beloved teddy bear that’s been chewed up by the dog.

Things between waitress and bartender get more flirtatious. Christy has been hanging out with the same crowd since college and Gavin is back on his antics by boldly proposing coffee or sex to his unsuspecting date. Suddenly, Gavin’s mom bursts in to invite his date to Sunday dinner. Aaron married his high school sweetheart and things didn’t work out, while Billie has been through a chain of loser boyfriends. Stephanie the waitress loves to dance, while Jason yells at an ex-girlfriend over the phone. Claude tells his date about his pet snake, Patricia wants to bring a date home to avoid discussing politics with her dad, and Isaac is secretly famous. Waitress Stephanie checks in with the daters before the final round. Patricia and John connect over their obsession with technology and Kaylee thanks everyone for coming. Aaron and Billie almost miss each other, then Quinn and Stephanie finally connect over a drink together at the end of a successful night.

Order Speed Dating Tonight! will be performed without an intermission.

Opening Scene Shirt Opening Scene part 2 I could just die OMG Welcome Everyone Feeling awkward My lover died Overthinker Let her go Hostage Talkative girl Lurking Liar exposed I’ve always liked this bar Car man Someone for me Ex Duet Order Up Hanging out Coffee or sex Nosy Parent Fragile Heart Dancer I’m over you My darling pet snake You know who Famous family The dilemma of daters Hi..shy OSD cell phone duet Finale

Quinn, Stephanie, Kaylee Isaac Patricia, Claude, Ensemble Angela John, Ensemble Kaylee Claude Angela Melissa Kaylee Jason Joyce Joyce Angela, Jason Quinn Gavin Ensemble Gavin, Joyce Quinn, Stephanie Christy Gavin Beverly Aaron, Billie Stephanie Jason Claude Patricia Isaac Ensemble Patricia, John, Ensemble Patricia, John Kaylee, Aaron, Billie, Stephanie, Quinn

Cast Bartender, Quinn Waitress, Stephanie Dating Coordinator, Kaylee Dater (Isaac) Dater (Angela) Dater (John) Dater (Claude) Dater (Melissa) Dater (Joyce) Dater (Jason) Dater (Gavin) Dater (Christy) Dater (Beverly) Dater (Aaron) Dater (Billie) Dater (Patricia) Covers Bartender, Quinn Waitress, Stephanie Dater (Joyce)

Ronan Flynn Briseis Munoz Kianna Mitchner Daniel Erdozain Samantha Murphy Kole Lawrence Benjamin Glick Sela McMullen Ariel Roycroft Joshua Bacomo Connor Bowden Esther Brodsky Pamela Lynde Aaron Lynch Ana Klarmann Genesys Perez-Berrios Kole Lawrence Samantha Murphy Esther Brodsky

Artistic Staff Music Director Stage Director Technical Director Scenic Designer Lighting Designer Costume Designer Props Designer & Director Stage Management Mentor Rehearsal Pianist

Susan Shiplett Ashbaker Claire Choquette Brandon Rush Buck Linton Amanda Jensen Robin I. Shane Clare Hanrahan Brandy Lee Hatcher Nikolay Verevkin

Student Staff and Crew Graduate Assistant Assistant Director

Kianna Mitchell Micki Pangburn

Choreographer Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Production Assistant Production Assistant Assistant Lighting Designer Assistant Costume Designer Assistant Costume Designer Supertitle Operator Orchestra Supervisor Wardrobe Supervisor Props Supervisor Hair and Makeup Researcher Lightboard Operator Follow Spot Operator Follow Spot Operator

Maddie Quigley Ella Rybczynski Jenifer Hernandez Isabella Lieberman Emmy Lange Mary Mask Sawyer Boyle Natalie Cunningham Amy Majewski Katherine Kovacs James Neithardt Lilly Levine Jonathan Banks Genesys Perez-Berrios Abby Ray Noah Bantle Cole Russell

Orchestra Piano Flute/Clarinet Drums/Vibraphone String Bass

Nikolay Verevkin Kaj Hansen Michael D. Sikora Hans-Ethan O. Hibbard

Administrative Staff Senior Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Director of Production Management Associate Director of Performance Management Costume Shop Supervisor Scene Shop Supervisor

Jason Vodicka Buck Linton Leandra Acosta Jim Parks Chris Schimpf

About the Cast JOSHUA BACOMO, DATER #13, JASON, tenor: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Music Education student (studies with Todd Thomas). Hometown: West Babylon, New York. Upcoming engagements: Choir Member, Westminster Choir and Westminster Symphonic Choir.

CONNOR BOWDEN, DATER #19, GAVIN, tenor: sophomore Bachelor of Arts in Music, Music History student (studies with Todd Thomas). Hometown: Washington

Crossing, Pennsylvania. Past Engagements: Toby (The Medium), El Molinero cover (El Gato con Botas), with Westminster Opera Theatre. Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Westminster Choir and Master Singers, Vox Aeterna, Rider Dance Ensemble, Saint Andrew Catholic Church Choral Scholar & Schola Cantorum, Choral Art Society of New Jersey, American Choral Director’s Association Regional Conference 2026. Awards: HVCHS National School Choral Award 2024, 4th place Westminster Choir College Class of ‘28 Voice Awards.

ESTHER BRODSKY, DATER #25, CHRISTY/DATER #5 JOYCE COVER, soprano: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance student (studies with Kathy Price) and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish student. Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland. Past Engagements: Chorus (Yeomen of the Guard, Trial By Jury, Ruddigore) with Young Victorian Theatre Company. Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Symphonic Choir.

DANIEL ERDOZAIN, DATER #76, ISAAC, tenor: sophomore Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre student (studies with Christopher Arneson). Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana. Awards: Louisiana State Vocal Rally Superior Finalist (2019, 2023).

RONAN FLYNN, THE BARTENDER, QUINN, baritone: junior Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Vocal Performance student (studies with Christopher Arneson).

Hometown: West Babylon, New York. Past Engagements: Nissen (Enemies, A Love Story); Falke (Die Fledermaus); El Molinero (El Gato con Botas) with Westminster Opera Theatre; participation in the CoOPERAtive program in 2025. Awards: 1st place New Jersey NATS Festival of Singing 2024, 1st place Westminster Voice Awards 2024-2025.

BENJAMIN GLICK, DATER #101, CLAUDE, baritone: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance student (studies with Aaron Cafaro). Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Past Engagements: El Rey (El Gato con Botas) with Westminster Opera Theatre, Choir Member, Westminster Chapel Choir, Participant in the CoOPERAtive program in 2025. Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Westminster Choir and Westminster Symphonic Choir. Awards: Full tuition Westminster Choir College voice scholarship, 1st place category winner, 2025 Westminster Choir College Voice Awards, 1st place category winner, New Jersey NATS Festival of Singing 2025.

ANA KLARMANN, DATER #21, BILLIE, mezzo-soprano: junior Bachelor of Music in Music Education student (studies with Pamela Lynde). Hometown: Waldorf, Maryland.

Awards: 2025 Voice Scholarship Competition.

KOLE LAWRENCE, DATER #22, JOHN/THE BARTENDER, QUINN COVER, baritone: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Vocal Performance student (studies with Christopher Arneson). Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Past Engagements: El Rey (El Gato con Botas) with Westminster Opera Theatre. Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Symphonic Choir. Awards: 2nd place Westminster Choir College Molly and Ward Bedford Endowed Voice Scholarship.

AARON LYNCH, DATER #22, AARON, tenor: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Music Education student (studies with Todd Thomas). Rochester, New York. Past Engagements: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) with OFC creations.

PAMELA LYNDE, DATER #20, BEVERLY, has been praised for her “rich dramatics” (The Boston Globe) and called "Magnificent" by Fanfare Magazine. She is a versatile singer, composer, and music educator. Having built a career working with contemporary

composers, Pamela has performed with Beth Morrison Projects, American Opera Projects, Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, Princeton Sound Kitchen, Rhymes With Opera, Nouveau Classical Project, Yamaha Concert Artists series, and New Music New Haven. She is a core member of Vocala Ensemble. She was a 2017-2019 composer fellow with American Opera Projects’ Composers & the Voice Workshop.

Pamela's projects have been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. She is an adjunct assistant professor of voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University and is thrilled to be performing alongside these incredible students!

SELA MCMULLEN, DATER # 41, MELISSA, soprano: senior Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance student (studies with Kathy Price). Hometown: Towson, Maryland.

Past Engagements: Ensemble (Mercury) at Maryland Opera’s summer camp, Ensemble (Chess), Third Wall Productions. Ensemble (Die Fledermaus), A Voice (The Medium) with Westminster Opera Theatre. Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Symphonic Choir. Awards: 1st place in Maryland’s State Solo and Ensemble, category, Solo (2019).

KIANNA MITCHNER, THE DATING COORDINATOR, KAYLEE, second year Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy student (studies with Margaret Cusack).

Hometown: Groton, Connecticut. Past engagements: Mrs. Jones (Street Scene), Elisetta (Il matrimonio segreto), the Witch (Into the Woods), Madam Kirstin (The Beautiful Bride Groom) and Pamina (The Magic Flute) at Eastern CT University Opera Theatre, Prince Orlovsky cover (Die Fledermaus) and Mrs. Nolan (The Medium) with Westminster Opera Theatre.

BRISEIS MUNOZ, THE WAITRESS, STEPHANIE, mezzo-soprano: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education student (studies with Christopher Arneson). Hometown: Laveen, Arizona. Awards: Westminster voice scholarship award winner, National American Miss 2025 Teen Talent. Past Engagements: El gato Intern (El Gato con Botas) with Westminster Opera Theatre, Arizona All-State Choir (2022-2024). Upcoming Engagements: Choir Member, Westminster Symphonic Choir and Westminster Choir.

SAMANTHA MURPHY, DATER #15, ANGELA/THE WAITRESS, STEPHANIE COVER, soprano: sophomore Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Music Education student (studies with Robin Massie). Hometown: Washington Township, New Jersey.

GENESYS PEREZ-BERRIOS, DATER #47, PATRICIA, soprano: junior Bachelor of Arts in Music student (studies with Pamela Lynde) Hometown: Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Past Engagements: participation in the CoOPERAtive program as a Choir Member in 2025.

Princesa (El Gato con Botas) with Westminster Opera Theatre.

ARIEL ROYCROFT, DATER #5 JOYCE, soprano: sophomore Bachelor of Music Education student (studies with Todd Thomas). Hometown: Cochecton, New York.

About the Artistic & Administrative Staff LEANDRA ACOSTA, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (she/her), is a graduate of Rider University with undergraduate degrees in dance performance and arts administration and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Performance Management and adjunct faculty in the Department of Performing Arts. She has

worked with a variety of choreographers including Kate Ladenheim, Randy James of 10 Hairy Legs, Angela Cusumano, Merli Guerra of Luminarium Dance Company, Jennifer Gladney, Robson Alves, Lynn Neuman of Artichoke Dance, and Ryan Davis.

Leandra has participated in several freelance performances and choreographic opportunities but is mostly engrossed in her arts administrative endeavors. In her role as Associate Director, Leandra oversees and manages various aspects of marketing and promotions for the Department of Performing Arts and Westminster Choir College.

This semester, she is also a featured choreographer in the Fall Dance Concert premiering a new work titled i am // we are.

SUSAN SHIPLETT ASHBAKER, MUSIC DIRECTOR, Professor/Director of Westminster Opera Theatre for Westminster Choir College at Rider University and Director for the CoOPERAtive Program at Westminster brings over 40 years of experience in the performing arts. She is in demand as a master class presenter, having taught recently at the Denyce Graves Foundation, Seagle Festival, NATS Eastern Conference, University of Miami, Montclair State University, and Rutgers University, among others.

Ms. Ashbaker was affiliated with Tri-Cities Opera for 5 years; 4 as General and Artistic Director, and 1 as Artistic Director, and “transformed the company in every way imaginable,” according to the former Board Chair. Additionally, Ms. Ashbaker served Opera Philadelphia for 16 years, the last 11 as director of artistic and music administration. She led casting practices and reestablished the Company as a pioneer in offering advancements to young singers before they achieved national or international recognition, gave unique opportunities to well-established artists, and supervised all activities of the artistic and music departments. Under her direction, an intern program with the Curtis Institute of Music was established. Ms. Ashbaker has also worked as assistant conductor/vocal coach with New York City Opera, Theater am Goetheplatz (Bremen, Germany) and Academy of Vocal Arts and was on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music for nearly 20 years.

A judge for the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition since 2000, Ms. Ashbaker has also served as judge for the Jensen Foundation, National Opera Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Marian Anderson Emerging Artist Competition and the Richard Tucker Foundation Auditions. She has served as panelist with Opera America, New York State Council on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts. Ms. Ashbaker trained at Southern Illinois University and l’École Normale de Musique de Paris and received a second master’s degree in vocal accompanying and coaching from University of Illinois under the tutelage of John Wustman.

Ms. Ashbaker recently published a book: The Vocal Coach Approach: When Practice Makes Perfect (a guide to help singers of all levels learn to practice - and love it!) available from Inside View Press.

CLAIRE CHOQUETTE, STAGE DIRECTOR. The award-winning stage director gained national recognition in 2022 with her cult-centric concept for Salome, winner of OPERA America’s Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize. She is also the 2025– 2026 recipient of the National Opera Association’s Joelyn Wakefield-Wright Stage Director Fellowship, awarded annually to an emerging director of exceptional promise.

A rising star on the American opera scene, Claire was quickly in high demand, directing eight fully staged productions in her first year as a full-time director. Her production of Little Women at Fort Worth Opera was praised as “superior in every aspect,” while OperaGene lauded her “masterful job” in maintaining the pacing and crafting the comedic elements of The Impresario at Opera Baltimore.

Other credits include Alcina (University of North Texas), Pelléas et Méllisande (Opera Baltimore), Ruders’ Handmaid’s Tale (Temple University), Gianni Schicchi/Strawberry Fields (Oklahoma City University), Scalia/Ginsburg (Charlottesville Opera), Lucia di Lammermoor (Painted Sky Opera), La Bohème (Shreveport Opera), Dust Bowl and Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar (Verdigris Ensemble), and Siren Song and Alice Tierney (Boston University Opera Institute).

Previously, Claire has held resident assistant director positions with Wolf Trap Opera, The Dallas Opera Outreach, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Painted Sky Opera. This summer, she will serve as the resident stage director at Merola Opera.

CLARE HANRAHAN, PROPS DESIGNER/PROPS DIRECTOR, graduated from Rider University in 2021 with a degree in Technical Theater and a concentration in Props.

She has been working in the props field for 10 years now, and her favorite props include the following: Yorik’s skull in Hamlet, floral designs for Kiss Me Kate, a faux marble bust for Nell Gwynn, fake vegetables for Cinderella, and a library full of fake books for Into the Woods. She also loves when she gets to incorporate her love of photography into her prop work. Clare would like to thank Louise Grafton for sharing her wisdom about the dangers of hot glue guns and for always being her inspiration.

BRANDY LEE HATCHER, STAGE MANAGEMENT MENTOR, is the Faculty Stage Manager of Rider University. She joins Rider University after 12 years at The Walt Disney Company in California, most recently as a Senior Entertainment Stage Manager.

She received her MFA in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine and her BFA in Stage Management from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. BUCK LINTON, SCENIC DESIGNER/DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT. Buck Linton is the Director of Production Management for all academic stage productions within the College of Arts and Sciences. He is an adjunct faculty member within the Design and Technology Department where he teaches Stagecraft and oversees all production tech credits. Since 2002, he has worked on over 150 productions with Rider University and Westminster Choir College. In that time, he worked as a scenic designer, technical director, projection designer, and/or production manager in all the performing arts disciplines that Rider has to offer.

Prior to joining Rider University, Buck was the assistant technical director at McCarter Theatre for more than 50 productions. During his time at McCarter, he had the opportunity to work on numerous co-productions with nationally recognized theaters including La Jolla Playhouse, The Kennedy Center, Steppenwolf, Manhattan Theater Club, and Seattle Repertory to name a few. While at McCarter, he also served as a scenic designer and technical director for their education department. Buck has had the pleasure of working as a scenic designer, technical director and production manager with many other regional companies such as Opera New Jersey, Theater Virginia, Theater IV, Ashlawn Opera, Peach State Summer Theater and Jekyll Island Musical Theater Festival.

Buck earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Tech in Scenography and Technical Design. A native of South Carolina, he earned his Bachelor of Arts from Francis Marion University, double majoring in Theater Design and Technology and Fine Arts with a focus in painting and ceramics. He lives in Lawrenceville with his wife and their three children and frequently assistant coaches their various sports.

AMANDA JENSEN, LIGHTING DESIGNER, is a Philadelphia based lighting designer.

She has designed for 1812 Productions (This Is The Week That Is (‘22, ‘23, ‘24), Let's

Pretend We’re Married (‘25)), The Arden (No Child, So Far, Treasure Island, Snow White), Theatre Exile (Abandon, D-Pad, Really), The Lantern (The Wanderers, Lifespan of a Fact, The Heir Apparent), Inis Nua (A Holy Show, A Hundred Words for Snow, The Monster in the Hall, Love Lies and Taxidermy, The Swallowing Dark, Radiant Vermin, Spine), Almanac Dance Circus Theatre (The Edge, Communitas Five Years Later, Jeanne/Jean/John/Jawn, XOXO Moongirl), Missing Bolts Theatre Co.(Rail), Delaware Shakespeare Co. (The Tempest, Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Gunnar Montana Productions (Kink Haus, Wroughtland).

Her work for the 2017 production of Kink Haus was exhibited at the 2019 Prague Quadrennial as part of the USITT/USA exhibition of professional designers.

JIM PARKS, COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR, is currently working as Rider University’s Costume shop supervisor. Jim has been a costume designer for the better part of 30 years and has worked on a variety of productions for plays, musicals, operas, festivals, film and television. His most recent work was for both RENT and Grease for Middlesex counties Plays in the Park summer season BRANDON RUSH, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, is a graduate of Rider University and has kept a consistent relationship with Rider’s Theatre Department, where he is returning for his second year as their Technical Director. Some of his celebrated works at Rider include, but are not limited to, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Fire, Into The Woods, RENT, Anything Goes, Enemies: A Love Story, A Doll’s House, and Radium Girls.

ROBIN I. SHANE, COSTUME DESIGNER, is an Associate Professor of Theatre and serves in both the Theatre-Making and Design and Technology Programs. Some favorite designs at Rider include The Fire, Nell Gwynn, A Doll’s House, Enemies: A Love Story, Last Words, Cabaret, Polaroid Stories, Pippin, Kiss Me, Kate, and many Rider Dance concerts. Robin has been a professional costume designer for over 30 years; recent professional credits include The Outsider (Act II Productions,) Children of the Sun (PAC), The Pillowman and In The Next Room, or, The Vibrator Play (Hedgerow Theatre) and OK Trenton (Passage Theatre). Regionally and nationally she has designed at The New Victory Theatre, Berkeley Rep, The Yale Rep, The Hedgerow, Theatre Exile, Philadelphia Artist’s Collective, EgoPo, Passage Theater, Shakespeare Theater of NJ, The National Constitution Center, The Revision Theater, the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theater, Soho Rep and The Harrisburg Opera, as well as for film and television. Robin holds a MFA from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and a BA in Theater and Psychology from Wesleyan University.

DR. NIKOLAY VEREVKIN, PIANIST AND VOCAL COACH, has earned recognition on concert stages and with opera companies in the United States and abroad for his artistry and collaborative insight. He joined the piano staff and opera faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2021.

A sought-after collaborator, Dr. Verevkin has performed in programs presented by Carnegie Hall’s New York Citywide Program, Carnegie Music Hall of Pittsburgh, InSeries Opera Company of Washington, D.C., The Bohemians Club of New York City, New York Festival of Song, and SongFest. His operatic engagements include productions with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, the Music Academy of the West, The Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, Indiana University Opera Theater, and the St. Petersburg State Conservatory Theater of Opera and Ballet. In 2019, Dr. Verevkin participated in the musical preparation of a promotional co-production of Ricky Ian Gordon’s opera Ellen West with Beth Morrison Projects and Saratoga Opera, conducted by Lydia Yankovskaya at The New School.

An accomplished educator, Dr. Verevkin taught graduate and undergraduate courses in vocal literature (English, German, French, Russian, and Italian), as well as individual instruction in voice coaching and collaborative piano during his tenure as Visiting Assistant Professor and Post-Doctoral Scholar at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. In addition to his teaching duties, he produced multiple multimedia projects and themed recitals with IU faculty, students, and guest artists. He previously served on the piano staff of The Juilliard School’s Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts and Mannes School of Music, where his work included musical preparation for opera productions, industry auditions, and instruction in voice, acting, and lyric diction.

Dr. Verevkin’s faculty appointments as a Russian lyric diction coach, song interpretation specialist, and performance pianist also include SongFest’s Art Song Institute (2017–2019), the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Music Institute Program for Singers (2016–2024), and Westminster Opera Theatre at Westminster Choir College at Rider University. In addition to teaching and performing, he is frequently engaged in editing and peer reviewing scholarly and academic publications in the United States and abroad. Dr. Nikolay Verevkin holds a Doctor of Arts degree in Solo Piano and Chamber Music Performance and an Artist Diploma from Ball State University, a Master of Music degree in Solo Performance and Collaborative Piano in Voice, and a Certificate in Post-Graduate Studies from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. He has also pursued advanced training at the Music Academy of the West and the Toronto Summer Music Academy.

About the Student Staff & Crew SAWYER BOYLE, ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER, sophomore Theatre: Design and Technology major and Arts and Entertainment Industries Management minor student. Hometown: Freehold, New Jersey. Past Engagements: Spotlight Operator (Nice Work if You Can Get It) with Rider University; Lightboard Operator (El gato con botas) with Westminster Choir College; Sound Mix (From Up Here) with Rider University; Lightboard Operator (Myths and Hymns) with Rider University. Upcoming Engagements: Sound Runner (9 to 5) with Rider University.

NATALIE CUNNINGHAM, ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER, freshman Bachelor of Music in Music Education student (studies with Elizabeth Sutton). Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut.

JENIFER HERNANDEZ, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER, freshman Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting student. Hometown: West New York, New Jersey. Past Engagements: Assistant Stage Manager (Twelfth Night) with Rider University, Ellida (The Lady from the Sea) Rider Student Theater Company.

EMMY LANGE, PRODUCTION ASSISTANT, freshman Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting student. Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona.

LILY LEVINE, WARDROBE SUPERVISOR, sophomore Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre student. Hometown: Chicago, Illinois. Past Engagements: Cover (Myths and Hymns) with Rider Musical Theatre, Production Stage Manager (13) with Rider Student Theatre Company.

ISABELLA LIEBERMAN, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER, sophomore Bachelor of Arts in Film/TV and Theater Design & Technology. Hometown: Atco, New Jersey.

Past Engagements: Production Assistant (Lost Girl)

AMY MAJEWSKI, ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER, freshman Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance student (studies with Margaret Cusack). Hometown: Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

MARY MASK, PRODUCTION ASSISTANT, freshman Bachelor of Fine arts in Acting for Film, Television and Theatre student. Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

MICKI PANGBURN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, sophomore Bachelor of Arts in TheatreMaking and English Literature student. Hometown: Gloucester City, New Jersey.

Awards: Camden County Performing Arts Award Recipient, 2024.

MADDIE QUIGLEY, CHOREOGRAPHER, junior Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre student. Hometown: New York. Past Engagements: Featured Performer (Curtain Up: Arrival), Featured Performer (Entr’Acte: Femininomenon), Chorus Girl (Nice Work If You Can Get It) and Olivia’s Attendant/Viola Understudy (Twelfth Night) ABBY RAY, LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR, junior Film/TV & Theatre Design and Technology student. Hometown: Delaware. Past Engagements: Light Board Operator (From Up Here), Lighting Designer (Rider Dance Ensemble Fall 2025), Sound Mixer (Lost Girl).

ELLA RYBCZYNSKI, PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER, junior Bachelor of Arts in Theater Design and Technology student. Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland. Past Engagements: Production Stage Manager (Twelfth Night) Rider University Rider University, Stage Manager (The Fire), Stage Manager (Rent) with Rider University, Stage Manager (Cabaret) French Woods Festival, Stage Manager (Spring Awakening) French Woods Festival.

About Rider University and The Department of Performing Arts Located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Rider University is a private co-educational, student-centered university that emphasizes purposeful connections between academic study and real-world learning experience. Rider prepares graduates to thrive professionally, to be lifelong independent learners, and to be responsible citizens who embrace diversity, support the common good, and contribute meaningfully to the changing world in which they live and work.

The College of Arts and Sciences is dedicated to educating students for engaged citizenship, career success, and personal growth in a diverse and complex world. The college cultivates intellectual reflection, artistic creativity, and academic maturity by promoting both broad academic inquiry and in-depth disciplinary study, while nurturing effective and ethical applications of transferable critical skills. The College consists of four schools: the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Communication, Media, and Performing Arts, the School of Science, Technology, and Mathematics, and Westminster Choir College.

Culturally vibrant and historically rich, Westminster Choir College has a legacy of preparing students for thriving careers as well-rounded performers and musical leaders on concert stages, in schools, universities, and churches, and in professional and community organizations worldwide. Renowned for its tradition of choral excellence, the college is home to internationally recognized ensembles, including the Westminster Symphonic Choir, which has performed and recorded with virtually all of the major orchestras and conductors of our time. In addition to its choral legacy, Westminster is known as a center for excellence in musical pedagogy and performance.

Through its dynamic mix of academic programs, The Department of Performing Arts helps aspiring professional performers, producers, managers, designers, technicians and entrepreneurs find their unique path in an ever-evolving industry. Acknowledged as innovative and contemporary, the Department of Performing Arts aspires to build a more equitable, engaging and sustainable future for the performing arts while exploring the many diverse historical, cultural, social and creative threads that add to our rich tapestry.

Upcoming Performances RIDER UNIVERSITY CHORALE: JOY IS EVERYWHERE! Sunday, April 19, 3 p.m.

Gill Chapel WESTMINSTER ORGAN STUDIO RECITAL Monday, April 20, 7 p.m.

Gill Chapel WESTMINSTER CHAPEL CHOIR: SEEK YE FIRST Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.

Gill Chapel WESTMINSTER CONCERT BELL CHOIRS: LEGACY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE Saturday, April 25, 4 p.m.

Gill Chapel SENIOR DANCE CAPSTONE SHOWCASE Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.

Bart Luedeke Center Theater WESTMINSTER FACULTY RECITAL SERIES: SONNET Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m.

Gill Chapel WESTMINSTER JUBILEE SINGERS: A JUBILEE 30TH ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING Sunday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.

Gill Chapel ARTBEAST Friday, May 1, 3 p.m.

Rider University FOR MORE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING PERFORMANCES, SUBSCRIPTION AND PATRON PROGRAM OPTIONS, VISIT RIDER.EDU/ARTS.