The University of Southern Mississippi Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company
Natasha Natasha Pierre
Great and and
The The
Great CC omet omet of &
of 1812 1812
by D by Dave av e Ma Malloy l l oy
FROM THE DIRECTOR Tolstoy’s War and Peace is enormous. It moves through war, love, betrayal, loss, and the sweep of history. Yet what stays with me are the smaller moments. A person suddenly sees life differently. A choice changes everything. Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 takes one small piece of that vast story and makes it immediate. These characters fall in love, make mistakes, hurt one another, and search for forgiveness. In that way, they feel very close to us. From the beginning, I kept returning to two images: frames and stars. We often encounter history inside a frame. Paintings and portraits preserve a moment and hold it still. For this production, I wanted those frames to open. I wanted the people inside them to breathe and move. At times, the stage becomes a kind of living gallery. Images form, break apart, and become something new. The past stops feeling distant. These people become human again. Above them are the stars and, eventually, the comet. That celestial world became an important part of this production. Our lives can feel very large while we are living them. We worry. We make plans. We love well and badly. We become certain that the moment in front of us is everything. Then we look up. There is something comforting in that. The greatest gift of this production, though, has been these students. They are the reason we are doing Great Comet in the first place. They suggested it. Then they came into the room ready to work. Their preparation has been remarkable; so has their courage. They have trusted this complicated, beautiful piece and each other. They have brought ideas, curiosity and real joy into the process. More than once, they have made me see the show differently. After many years of making theatre, that still means a great deal to me. Pierre spends much of the story looking for something larger than himself. I think all of us have done a little of that during this process. Thank you for joining us beneath this particular comet and stepping inside the frame with us. —Mike Lopinto
The University of Southern Mississippi College of Arts and Sciences School of Music present THE SOUTHERN OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY PRODUCTION OF
BY DAVE MALLOY
NOVEMBER 6 - 8, 2026
THOMAS V. FRASCHILLO STAGE AT THE MANNONI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
BROADWAY PREMIERE PRESENTED BY HOWARD and JANET KAGEN, PAULA MARIE BLACK, CAROLE SHORENSTEIN HAYS, JENNY STEINGART AND JASON EAGAN, MARY LU ROFFE AND SUSAN GALLIN, DIANA DIMENNA, MARY MAGGIO/ SHARON AZRIELI/ROBIN GORMAN, DARREN SUSSMAN/ROMAN GAMBOURG/LEV GELFER, TOM SMEDES, JOHN LOGAN, LISA MATLIN, MARGIE AND BRYAN WEINGARTEN, DAVEED FRAZIER, ARGYLE PRODUCTIONS/JIM KIERSTEAD, IN FINE COMPANY/HIPZEE, GUTTERMAN and CAIOLA/BACKDROP PARTNERS, SIDEROW KIRCHMAN PRODUCTIONS/SUNNYSPOT PRODUCTIONS, GORDON/MELI THEATRICALS, RODGER HESS/LARRY TOPPALL, DANIEL RAKOWSKI/MATT ROSS/BEN FELDMAN, MIKE KARNS, THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATRE (DIANE PAULUS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR; DIANE QUINN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER; DIANE BORGER, PRODUCER), AND ARS NOVA ORIGINALLY COMMISSIONED, DEVELOPED, AND WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCED BY ARS NOVA; JASON EAGAN, FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR; RENEE BLINKWOLT, MANAGING DIRECTOR FURTHER DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED BY THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER AT HARVARD; DIANE PAULUS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR; DIANE QUINN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER; DIANE BORGER, PRODUCER.
REHEARSAL PIANISTS PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS MARGALETH ESPINOZA FERNANDEZ MIA HALL NATHAN D. SUMRALL ELLIE YARRINGTON HUA YU INTIMACY SET DESIGN COORDINATOR LIGHTING DESIGN MIKE LOPINTO CAITLYN HERZLINGER JEREMY WEING DANIELLE N. GRAY COSTUMES, HAIR SET CONSTRUCTION AND MAKEUP VOCAL COACH WES HANSON TAMMY MANSFIELD MEREDITH JOHNSON CAMP STEWART COSTUME DESIGN ASST. STAGE MANAGER TECHNICAL DIRECTOR JENNIFER KNUE MYA MARSHALL ROBERT COREY CHORUS MASTER STAGE MANAGER HUTSON ROLLINS ASST. MUSIC DIRECTOR DANIELLE N. GRAY ERIC DIAZ QUISPE
MUSIC DIRECTOR
GREGORY WOLYNEC
CHOREOGRAPHER
DELOVITT ROGERS
DIRECTORS
MIKE LOPINTO and MAHANNOP PANASARATOOL NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. concordtheatricals.com
CAST and ORCHESTRA In alphabetical order Amelia Bennett......................................................................................... Opera Dancer Joseph Noah Brand............................................................................................. Anatole Parker Burns.................................................................................................... Bolkonsky Bo Campbell........................................................................................................ Andrey Keegan Carpenter............................................................................................. Ensemble Brandy Cramer........................................................................ Ensemble - Opera Singer Kaylee Cripple.................................................................................................. Ensemble Samuel Crump................................................................................................. Ensemble Jayla Davis........................................................................................................ Ensemble Melodie Day DuBose........................................................................................Marya D. August Duncan................................................................................................ Ensemble Lucas Gonzalez................................................................................................ Ensemble Sadie Graham................................................................................................... Ensemble Tanner Green......................................................................................................... Pierre Day Day Hunter............................................................................................... Dolokhov Antonio Johnson..................................................................... Ensemble - Opera Singer Leah Lott............................................................................................................ Natasha Jaiden McGloster............................................................................. Ensemble - Servant Jamari McGloster................................................................... Ensemble - Opera Dancer Jordyn Nellum.................................................................................................. Ensemble Taree Nichols................................................................................................... Ensemble Kennedi Robinson............................................................................................ Ensemble Hutson Rollins...................................................................................................... Balaga Jordis Sherrer.................................................................................................... Ensemble Avery Smith..............................................................................Ensemble - Maidservant Amelia Sutherland.................................................................................................. Mary Emily Taylor..................................................................................................... Ensemble Emma Walker........................................................................................................ Sonya Reese Walker........................................................................................................ Helene Dakota Westbrook............................................................................................ Ensemble Oboe/English Horn Joshua Strobel
Guitar Nate Beach
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet Eva Matson
Percussion Brenden Wickliffe
Viola René Espinal
Keyboard Margaleth Espinoza Fernandez Nathan Sumrall
Cello Mauricio Enrique Unzueta Salas Kassandra Lizeth Henriquez Martinez Bass Daniel Diniz Magalhaes
Piano Gregory Wolynec Erick Diaz Quispe
Roving Accordion Tanner Green August Duncan Roving Clarinet Madison Prattini Roving Guitar Samuel Crump Hutson Rollins Jordis Sherrer Roving Violin Lucas Gonzalez Katarzyna Gwiazda Amelia Sutherland
SCENES AND SONGS ACT ONE
1. “Prologue”......................................................................................................... Company 2. “Pierre”...................................................................... Aria and Chorus: Pierre, Company 3. “Moscow” ...................................................................... Trio: Marya D., Natasha, Sonya 4. “The Private and Intimate Life of the House”............................ Duet: Bolkonsky, Marya 5. “Natasha and Bolkonskys”.............................................Trio: Natasha, Marya, Bolkonsky 6. “No One Else”.............................................................................................Aria: Natasha 7. “The Opera”....................................................................................................... Company 8. “Natasha and Anatole................................................................. Duet: Natasha, Anatole 9. “The Duel”.............. Quartet and Chorus: Anatole, Pierre, Dolokhov, Helene, Company 10. “Dust and Ashes”....................................................................Aria: Pierre, with Chorus 11. “Sunday Morning”........................................................Trio: Natasha, Sonya, Marya D. 12. “Charming”.......................................................................... Aria: Helene with Natasha 13. “The Ball”.................................................................................. Duet: Natasha, Anatole
I N T E R M I S S I O N (15 minutes)
ACT TWO 14. “Letters”.......................................................................................................... Company 15. “Sonya & Natasha”....................................................................... Duet: Sonya, Natasha 16. “Sonya Alone”.............................................................................................. Aria: Sonya 17. “Preparations”....................................................... Duet: Dolokhov, Anatole with Pierre 18. “Balaga”...................................Trio and Chorus: Balaga, Anatole, Dolokhov, Company 19. “The Abduction”............................................................................................. Company 20. “In My House”............................................................. Trio: Marya D., Natasha, Sonya 21. “A Call to Pierre”............................................... Duet: Marya D., Pierre with Company 22. “Find Anatole”..........................Aria: Pierre, with Anatole, Helene, Natasha, Company 23. “Pierre and Anatole” .....................................................................Duet: Pierre, Anatole 24. “Natasha Very Ill”......................................................................................... Aria: Sonya 25. “Pierre and Andrey”.......................................................................Duet: Pierre, Andrey 26. “Pierre and Natasha”.................................................................... Duet: Pierre, Natasha 27. “The Great Comet of 1812”.................................... Aria and Chorus: Pierre, Company THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR’S/AUTHORS’ RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists
ABOUT THE CAST Tanner Green (Pierre) is a senior vocal performance major here at The University of Southern Mississippi. Green is also a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson. Green was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and grew up in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Green has been a part of two other Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company productions, which include Die Fledermaus (Alfred and Dr. Blind understudies) and Music Man (Ewart Dunlop/Quartet Member). Green has participated in two Opera Mississippi productions, which include Die Zauberflöte (Sklaven) and The Christmas Gift (Rich Man). Green is a proud member of the premier pop a capella group at Southern Miss, Spirit of Southern, in which he has professionally recorded three albums, as well as be a soloist for Varsity Vocal’s Best of Collegiate A Capella album for 2026. Green is very excited to be in this production of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and is even more excited to have the opportunity to portray such a complex character as Pierre. Leah Lott (Natasha) is a junior music education major from Baton Rouge, La. Before her time at Southern Miss, Lott performed in Newsies (Hannah) with Christian Community Theater, Amahl and the Night Visitors (Amahl) with Opera Louisianne, and held many supporting roles in productions at Parkview Baptist High School and First Presbyterian Church. With the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company, Lott has performed in the ensemble for Music Man and Die Fledermaus. She sings with the Southern Chorale under Dr. Gregory Fuller and currently studies voice with Dr. Jonathan Yarrington. Lott is thrilled to have the honor of being part of this incredible production. Numbers 6:24-26
Joseph (Noah) Brand (Anatole) is elated to return to the MPAC’s stage. Brand was born in Meridian, Miss., and he is no stranger to the stage. Brand is a two-time Mississippi State NATS MT Winner and 2025 Southern NATS Regional Winner. Brand has been seen on the stage in such performances as Tommy Djila in The Music Man and Die Fledermaus (Dr. Blinde) with Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company (SOMTC); a regional professional run of The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie) throughout Kentucky, and in Hub City Players’ Newsies (Davey Jacobs). Brand has many film credits such as The Boogeyman, Half Baked 2, Adam the First, and most recently in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Brand is a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson. Day Day Hunter (Dolokhov) is a freshman music education major from Indianola, Miss., and a graduate of the Mississippi School of the Arts, where he studied under Miss Sarah Hamman. Previous credits include Hadestown: Teen Edition (Hermes) with Brookhaven Little Theatre and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Linus), The SpongeBob Musical (Sheldon J. Plankton), and Mamma Mia! (Sky) at Mississippi School of the Arts. Hunter was inducted into the MSA Hall of Fame in 2026 and was a finalist in the Southern Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing competition that same year. During his time at MSA, he served as a section leader for both MSA Chorale and Phoenix Rising. He is currently a member of Spirit of Southern, Souhern Miss’ premier pop a cappella ensemble. Hunter is also actively involved in his church community, where he frequently serves as a music leader. Hunter is grateful for the opportunity to portray Dolokhov and would like to thank the production team, his teachers, family, friends, and all those who have supported him in pursuing his dreams.
From Mobile, Ala., Emma Walker (Sonya) is a junior at The University of Southern Mississippi, earning a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance. She studies voice with Dr. Kimberley Davis and is a member of the Southern Chorale, performing various solos within the group. While she has been training classically over the past few years, her heart belongs to musical theatre. Some of her performances include Into the Woods (Cinderella), Legally Blonde (Brooke Wyndham), and The Marvelous Wonderettes (Betty Jean Reynolds). Walker recently performed in her first opera with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company in Die Fledermaus (Prince Orlofsky cover). Her latest and proudest achievement was the honor of collegiately premiering Julia Wolfe’s Her Story alongside nine other women and the USM Symphony Orchestra. After she graduates, Walker plans to move to Orlando, Fla. and perform with the Walt Disney World Company. Reese Walker (Helene) is a native of Crystal Springs, Miss., and is earning her bachelor’s in choral music education at the Southern Miss School of Music. Walker is a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson and is a member of the Southern Chorale, Southern Miss Chamber Singers, the Hattiesburg Choral Union, and the PHUMC Sanctuary Choir. Walker is also a member of the student ACDA chapter at Southern Miss and the fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota, where she serves as treasurer, editor, and vice president of membership. Recently, Walker performed in the collegiate premiere of the oratorio for female voice, Her Story, with the Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra. Other past performances include Die Fledermaus (Chorus) with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company at Southern Miss, Beauty and the Beast (Mme. de la Grand
Bouche) at Brookhaven Little Theatre, and The Wizard of Oz (The Wicked Witch of the West) and Descendants (Maleficent) with the Copiah Educational Foundation MT Department. Walker also has backstage experience acting as a costumer for Newsies with Hub City Players. Hailing from Biloxi, Miss., Melodie Day DuBose (Marya D.) is a doctoral candidate and graduate teaching assistant at Southern Miss. She is a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson. DuBose also holds the position of adjunct vocal professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as directing her own private voice studio Voixlavoice (voixlavoice.com). Having received a Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Mobile and a Bachelor of Music in musical theatre from OBU, she has been blessed with many performance opportunities. Past major roles include Newsies (Medda Larkin), Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde), The Sound of Music (Sister Berthe), Little Women (Marmie), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), The Old Maid and the Thief (Miss Pinkerton), Auferstehunghistorie (Mary Magdalene), La Clemenza di Tito (Servillia), and Gianni Schicci (Lauretta). She has performed internationally in London and Paris with the Southern Chorale, and is honored to be part of such a unique show with so many talented cast and crew members. Bo Campbell (Andrey) is a Mississippi native currently studying speech pathology at The University of Southern Mississippi. Campbell earned second place at the 2025 state National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference and has participated in a Broadway workshop with the cast and directors of SIX. He has performed in Puerto Rico with Spirit of Southern (2025)
and across Europe this past summer with the Southern Chorale as a featured soloist, directed by Dr. Gregory Fuller. Campbell’s notable stage credits include Newsies (Tommy Boy) with Hub City Players, Mamma Mia! (Sam), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Chip Tolentino). He was recently seen in the ensemble of Die Fledermaus with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Campbell has studied under Dr. Taylor Hightower and is currently a student of Dr. Jonathan Yarrington at Southern Miss. Tenor Hutson Rollins (Balaga) is a commercial and classical singer from Gulfport, Miss. and is currently working on his master’s degree in choral conducting at The University of Southern Mississippi. Rollins has been seen in productions of Newsies (Crutchie), The Music Man (Marcellus), Beauty and the Beast (Prince), Amahl and the Night Visitors (King Kaspar), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander), Rent (Roger), Jersey Boys ( Joey Pesci), and Die Fledermaus (Eisenstein). Rollins is a composer who writes for all manner of classical and commercial ensembles. He sings with The University of Southern Mississippi Southern Chorale under the direction of Dr. Gregory Fuller and studies voice with Dr. Meredith Johnson. Amelia Sutherland (Mary) is thrilled to perform her second show with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. A current master’s student of Dr. Meredith Johnson, Sutherland received her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Central Michigan University. She was a member of both Chamber Singers and the CMU Symphony Orchestra and performed in many shows and operas, including Suor Angelica (Una Novizia and Suor Genovieffa cover), Venus and Adonis, (Venus), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and most recently Die Fledermaus (Adele) in Southern
Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Sutherland is a graduate staff member of The Southern Chorale and recently performed with the Symphony Orchestra in Julia Wolfe’s Her Story as the soprano soloist. Sutherland is excited to portray such a complex character in one of her favorite shows! #smttt Parker Burns (Bolkonsky) is a native of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and is so excited to make his main-stage debut with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Burns has played roles such as You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Charlie Brown), The SpongeBob Musical! (Patrick Star), and John Proctor Is the Villain (Lee). Burns is pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree in voice with Dr. Jonathan Yarrington. He wants to thank his parents and his first voice teacher, Sarah Hamman, for their endless support. Keegan Carpenter (Ensemble), a freshman at Southern Miss, is from Natchez, Miss. Carpenter attended the Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven, Miss., where he was taught and trained by Southern Miss alumna Sarah Hamman. While attending this school, Carpenter participated in two musicals: Spongebob: The Musical (Eugene Krabs) and Mamma Mia! (Harry Bright). Carpenter also has experience performing in cabarets and concerts due to his prior schooling. He is majoring in music education with hopes to teach middle or highschoolers. Brandy Cramer (Ensemble, Opera Singer) is a doctoral candidate and graduate teaching assistant at The University of Southern Mississippi. Cramer holds a Master of Music in vocal performance from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from William Carey University.
Past performance credits include The Sound of Music (Maria), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Phoebe D’Ysquith), The Threepenny Opera (Polly Peachum), L’Italiana in Algeri (Elvira) and Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino). Cramer has also received recognition in vocal competitions, earning awards from Opera Mississippi’s John Alexander Vocal Competition and the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus Competition. Cramer is a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson. Kaylee Cripple (Ensemble) is a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi. She is a vocal student of Dr. Taylor Hightower. This will be her first production with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company, and she could not be more thrilled to be a part of it! Other credits include Bright Star at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and she has participated in choral programs for nine years. She is ready to take on the stage at a university level and continue to fall in love with musical theater! Samuel Crump (Ensemble) is a sophomore music education major. He is a graduate of the Mississippi School of the Arts Vocal Arts program, which is led by Sarah Hamman, as well as from Copiah Lincoln Community College. He is now starting his second year at Southern Miss under the vocal guidance of Dr. Meredith Johnson. He has been in numerous shows and played roles, including Alice by Heart (The Mad Hatter), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Snoopy), and Tuck Everlasting (Miles Tuck). He was in the opera Die Fledermaus (Ivan the Servant) last fall. He is very excited to continue his education here at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Jayla Davis (Ensemble) is a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a bachelor’s degree in choral music education. Originally from Clinton, Miss., Davis has had the privilege to study voice under Dr. Kimberley Davis. Jayla is also a member of the Southern Chorale, directed by Dr. Gregory Fuller. Jayla is currently serving as president of the Student American Choral Director’s Association Chapter at Southern Miss. Though she was in last year’s production, Die Fledermaus, The Great Comet will be Jayla’s first musical, and she is so honored to be a part of this amazing cast and crew. August Duncan (Ensemble) is a sophomore vocal performance major at The University of Southern Mississippi. August earned first place in the 2024 Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition. At Southern Miss, August is a proud member of the university’s premier choral ensemble, Southern Chorale. Following graduation, August plans to pursue a professional career as an opera performer. Lucas Gonzalez (Ensemble) is a junior violin performance major at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he studies with Dr. Borislava Iltcheva and performs with the Symphony Orchestra. Gonzalez began his orchestral journey in 2017 as concertmaster of his high school orchestra and has since performed with several youth and professional orchestras, including the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and FMEA All-State Orchestra. He has also performed as principal second violin in Shrek the Musical and as a pit musician for The Music Man. Gonzalez especially loves performing as a pit musician at Southern Miss and is thrilled to be part of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812!
SOUTHERN MISS
SCHOOL OF
Music
When you think music Think Southern Miss usm.edu/music
STRINGS Dr. Borislava Iltcheva, violin Dr. Hsiaopei Lee, viola Dr. Alexander Russakovsky, cello Dr. Marcos Machado, bass Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo, guitar WOODWINDS Dr. Danilo Mezzadri, flute Dr. Pablo Hernandez, oboe Dr. Jackie McIlwain, clarinet Dr. Kim Woolly, bassoon Dr. Dannel Espinoza, saxophone BRASS Dr. Rob Detjen, horn Dr. T.J. Tesh, trumpet Dr. Ben McIlwain, trombone Dr. Richard Perry, tuba PERCUSSION Dr. John Wooton, percussion PIANO Dr. Michael Bunchman, piano Dr. Ellen Elder, piano Dr. Hongzuo Guo, staff pianist Dr. Elizabeth Moak, piano Zhaolei Xie, staff pianist ORCHESTRAL ACTIVITIES Dr. Gregory Wolynec CHORAL ACTIVITIES Dr. Gregory Fuller Dr. Jonathan Kilgore VOICE Dr. Kimberley Davis Dr. Taylor Hightower Dr. Meredith Johnson Dr. Jonathan Yarrington MUSIC EDUCATION Dr. Ashley Allen Dr. Melody Causby Dr. Kellie Clark Dr. Jared Shulse
UNIVERSITY BANDS Dr. Catherine Rand Dr. Travis Higa Dr. Cody Edgerton JAZZ STUDIES Larry Panella MUSIC HISTORY Dr. Vanessa Tonelli Dr. Edward Hafer Dr. Joseph Jones MUSIC THEORY Dr. Danny Beard Dr. Joseph Brumbeloe Dr. Douglas Rust ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Col. Bruce Pulver RIchard Burchard DIRECTOR Dr. Colin McKenzie ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS Dr. Joseph Jones Dr. T.J. Tesh ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR Laurie Rinko FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIST Jennifer Knue ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALISTS Sinetta Bolton Madison Prattini ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT COORDINATOR Kristin Sheppard GRADUATE COORDINATOR Dr. Melody Causby ASSISTANT TO THE DEAN FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATION Dr. Mike Lopinto
Sadie Graham is a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi, currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance. At Southern Miss, Graham has had the privilege of studying voice under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Yarrington and is a valued member of Southern Chorale, directed by Dr. Gregory Fuller. Her artistic journey includes prior vocal training under Anastasia Marr. Graham was involved in The Southern Miss Opera and Musical Theatre Company’s production of The Music Man and participated in the Musical Theatre Cabaret in the spring of 2026. Sadie is looking forward to collaborating in future productions. Antonio Johnson (Ensemble, Opera Singer) is a music performance major, specializing in voice, and a theatre minor. Johnson prides himself in being creative, humorous and open-minded. He has had a passion for singing and performance ever since he was a little kid. Johnson has participated in many performances at Hinds Community College, including choral concerts and recitals. He has also achieved many awards, such as the music department’s Legacy Award, and the Award of Distinction for Performing Arts. Johnson’s dream is to be on Broadway and have a career in performance. Jaiden McGloster (Ensemble) is elated to be returning to the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company for their production of The Great Comet of 1812! His credits include the Hub City Players’ Disney’s Newsies (Finch), the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company’s Die Fledermaus (Chorus), the Vicksburg Theatre Guild’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Cogsworth); The Little Mermaid Jr. (Prince Eric); Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Poseidon/James Brown), Vicksburg
High School’s High School Musical Jr. (Chad Danforth); The Addams Family (Gomez); Grease: The Musical (Kenickie), the New Era Theatre’s New Era Cabaret (Man 2), and The Strand Theatre’s A Little Bit of Everything, But Not Much of Nothing (Counselor). Hailing from Vicksburg, Mississippi, McGloster is a junior at The University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a bachelor’s degree in choral music education. He currently studies classical voice with Dr. Jonathan Yarrington and sings in the Southern Chorale under the direction of Dr. Gregory Fuller. He has choreographed for Grease and High School Musical Jr. at Vicksburg High School, Beetlejuice Jr. at Vicksburg Theatre Guild, and has worked behind the scenes as a lighting designer and sound board operator. McGloster is excited to continue exploring both theatre and music and sends thanks to his family, friends, and teachers for their guidance and support. Jamari McGloster (Ensemble, Opera Dancer) is a junior at The University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in voice. Originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, his recent credits include Disney’s Newsies (Henry) with Hub City Players, Die Fledermaus (Chorus) with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company, New Era Cabaret (Man 1) with The New Era Theatre, Beetlejuice Jr. (Featured Dancer) with the Vicksburg Theatre Guild, and A Little Bit of Everything, But Not Much of Nothing (Bailiff ) with the Strand Theatre. At Southern Miss, he was recently featured in the Musical Theatre Workshop Showcase and sings in the Southern Chorale under the direction of Dr. Gregory Fuller. McGloster is an avid vocalist and dancer, studying voice under Dr. Jonathan Yarrington and training in ballet, contemporary, modern, and musical theater dance styles as a mentee of choreographer DeLovitt Rogers.
Jordyn Nellum (Ensemble) is a native of McComb, Miss. She is a transfer student from Southwest Mississippi Community College and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s in music education studying with Dr. Kimberley Davis. During her first year attending The University of Southern Mississippi, she has joined the student chapter of American Choral Directors Association and attended conferences for ACDA. She’s been in previous productions with State Street Junior Players in McComb, Miss. Some of those shows were Legally Blonde (Cashier/ Ensemble), Clue (Mrs. White), Ebenezer’s Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Future), Shrek the Musical Jr. (Wicked Witch, Duloc Citizen, Dragon), Willy Wonka Jr .(Mrs. Gloop), Sister Act Jr. (Deloris Van Cartier). Awards from these shows include Best Female Vocalist and Director’s Award. She is so excited and honored for this opportunity to be in this production with The University of Southern Mississippi and can’t wait to see what else is in store! Taree Nichols (Ensemble) is a classical vocalist and graduate student pursuing a Master of Music in vocal performance at The University of Southern Mississippi. She earned her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Nicholls State University in 2025 and is currently studying with Dr. Kimberly Davis. Her operatic credits include Nedda in Pagliacci, Mimì in La Bohème, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Clara in Porgy and Bess, and Adele in Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, which she performed with the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company in fall 2025. Nichols has also received multiple NATS competition placements and was named Most Outstanding Vocal Music Major in 2023 and 2024. As a performer and emerging educator, she is passionate about
using her voice to connect with audiences and share meaningful stories through music. Kennedi Robinson (Ensemble), a native of Olive Branch, Miss., is a junior choral music education major at The University of Southern Mississippi and is a student of Dr. Kimberley Davis. Robinson holds the secretary position for the Southern Miss Student ACDA chapter, and is a member of the Southern Chorale. Robinson has performed in the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company’s productions of Die Fledermaus (Ensemble), Opera Scenes Workshop Raise Your Glass (2nd Lady, Ensemble), and Musical Theatre Workshop View From the Stage (Asaka, Becky, Fate 3, Ensemble). Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 is Robinson’s first official musical theatre production, and she is honored to showcase such an amazing show! Jordis Sherrer (Ensemble) is a sophomore at The University of Southern Mississippi with a major in architectural engineering technology and a minor in theatre. She was born in Fairhope, Ala., and attended Saint Michael Catholic High School. Musical theatre has always been a big part of Sherrer’s life. She started her musical career in The Little Mermaid (Mersister) with Center Stage Performing Arts in 2016 and never stopped performing. In 2023, she established her high school’s theatre club, where she helped others find their own love for musical theatre. There she performed in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella ( Joy) and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Linus), and she helped others find their own love for musical theater. During her college career, Sherrer participated in What Goes Around Comes Around (Sam) in fall of 2025 with Writers at Play and starred in her first short film, Two Sides (Girl), with Rochak Productions in spring of 2026.
Avery Smith (Maidservant, Ensemble) is a native of Madison, Miss., and a graduate of the Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven, Miss. Smith has been fortunate to compete at the state and regional level and be a finalist and national qualifier with the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in Musical Theatre and Classical categories over seven times and is an alumnus of the young artist program, Institute Performing Arts International Bavaria, held annually in Kiefersfelden, Germany. Smith has also been lucky to be a part of Die Fledermaus and The Music Man (Mrs. Squires) with Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company, and Tuck Everlasting (Betsy Foster) with Mississippi School of the Arts. Smith has backstage experience as Production Assistant for Disney’s Newsies with Hub City Players and assistant stage manager for The University of Southern Mississippi’s Symphony Orchestra performance of Her Story by Julia Wolfe. Smith is a student of Dr. Meredith Johnson and post-graduation has plans to pursue a career in operatic performance. Emily Taylor (Ensemble) is a junior at The University of Southern Mississippi pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in theatre. Taylor was born in Reading, Penn., and spent most of her life in Spanish Fort, Ala. Major awards include Miss Spanish Fort High School-Senior Class Beauty Runner-Up, Shining Personality Award in 2023; Bay Area Performing Arts - Best Ensemble Member in 2021, Best Actress in 2022, Best Supporting Actress in 2025. Most recent roles include PUFFS (Leanne/Ginny/Helga/Frenchie), Alice in Wonderland (Alice). Taylor is a former student of Southern Miss alumni Kassidy Chandler, and currently a student under Michael Seward, Seward Studios.
Dakota Westbrook (Ensemble) is from Ellisville, Miss., and is currently a student at The University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a degree in music education. She is a member of the Southern Chorale and Chamber Singers. She studies voice with Dr. Jonathan Yarrington. She has performed in multiple musicals, including Seussical and A Christmas Carol.
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CREATIVE TEAM Dr. Mike Lopinto (Director, Set Design) is an awardwinning musical theatre director, producer and multidisciplinary artist whose work brings together music, performance and visual storytelling. His experience in music direction, scenic and lighting design, writing and performance informs a directorial approach attentive to both the performer and the theatrical experience. He received the 2024 American Prize in Directing, the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize. His productions of James and the Giant Peach with The Hub City Players and The Phantom of the Opera with Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company both earned the American Prize in Musical Theatre for 2018–19. At The University of Southern Mississippi, his directing credits include The Music Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, and Sweeney Todd, among numerous other productions. A founding member and producer of The Hub City Players, he has helped create opportunities for regional artists to undertake ambitious musical theatre and share their work with local audiences. His perspective behind the table is grounded in experience onstage, with credits including Les Misérables (Thernardier), Hairspray! (Edna Turnblad), The Producers (Roger Debris), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey 2), Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Cats (Old Deuteronomy), Annie (Daddie Warbucks), and Carousel (Mr. Snow). As artistic director of FestivalSouth and executive director of the Hattiesburg Concert Association, Lopinto connects theatrical ambition with community development. His work as a consultant, speaker and writer explores culture, creativity and the future of small cities, particularly how ambitious ideas can transform the way communities see themselves and how the world sees them. He brings that same perspective to the rehearsal room, where a
shared vision becomes something people can experience together. Mahannop “Keng” Panasaratool (CoDirector) is a tenor and a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal performance and pedagogy at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he studies with Dr. Jonathan Yarrington. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, Panasaratool serves as a graduate assistant for the School of Music and the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company (SOMTC). His recent production and directing credits with SOMTC include Die Fledermaus (Alfred / Assistant Director) and the Musical Theatre Workshop showcase View From the Stage (Director). Onstage, Panasaratool has performed across opera and musical theatre in both Thailand and the United States, with credits including Così fan tutte (Ferrando), Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet), and appearances as a soloist with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Panasaratool is honored to collaborate with this vibrant cast and creative team to bring the rich, immersive world of Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 to life on the Thomas V. Fraschillo Stage at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium. Gregory Wolynec (Music Director) is in his third year as director of orchestral activities at The University of Southern Mississippi. He directs the Symphony Orchestra, oversees the graduate program in Orchestral Conducting and conducts performances of the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. He is also the founder and music director emeritus of Middle Tennessee’s acclaimed Gateway Chamber Orchestra (GCO), which he
directed for 17 years. Wolynec previously served as director of instrumental ensembles at Austin Peay State University (APSU) in Clarksville, Tenn., from 2003-24. Wolynec has sought to revolutionize the potential of the 21st century orchestra. His unique programming philosophy received national attention with GCO Producer Blanton Alspaugh receiving two GRAMMY nominations and a win as Classical Producer of the Year. Ambitious multi-media family concerts have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and the League of American Orchestras. He spearheaded pandemic projects, including the Magical Music and Timeless Tales video series, the YouTube broadcast of the Beethoven @250: Humanity in 2020 concert, and America’s Haydn Festival in May of 2021 featuring performances by GCO, as well as the St. Lawrence String Quartet, pianist Henry Kramer and hosted by Bill McGlaughlin. In 2021, Wolynec also worked with composer Cristina Spinei to successfully launch the first NFT of a musical work commissioned by an American orchestra. This was profiled on NPR’s Marketplace Money. He also oversaw a multi-year project in collaboration with Nashville Ballet to create a new Nutcracker employing the music of Tchaikovsky, Duke Ellington and Vinicio Meza. In 2025, Wolynec oversaw the groundbreaking release of recordings of Osvaldo Golijov’s massive La Pasión según San Marcos in audio, video and virtual reality formats. Wolynec holds a BM in music education and clarinet performance from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, as well as the MM and DMA in instrumental conducting from Michigan State University. He was a recipient of a Fulbright Grant to Prague, Czech Republic, where he studied conducting at the Prague Conservatory. There he also worked with the Karlovy Vary Symphony.
Erick Diaz Quispe (Assistant Conductor) is a conductor, pianist, and educator originally from Lima, Peru. He currently serves as graduate assistant of The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and co-conductor of the Hattiesburg Civic Orchestra. Erick is pursuing a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting at Southern Miss under the guidance of Dr. Gregory Wolynec, further expanding his artistic focus on the podium. He previously completed both his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in piano performance at Southern Miss under the mentorship of Dr. Ellen Elder. Originally trained as a pianist, he earned his Bachelor of Music in piano performance and the professional degree of licentiate in piano performance from the National Conservatory of Music in Lima, studying with Carlota Bravo. In addition to his orchestral work, Erick has developed meaningful experience in the choral conducting field, working with beginning and intermediate choirs in both Peru and the United States. His broad musical background and growing leadership experience reflect his commitment to developing a dynamic and versatile career as a conductor. Since 2022, Erick has been an active member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA), and the Hattiesburg Music Teachers League (HMTL), through which he continues to promote excellence in music education and community engagement. DeLovitt Rogers (Choreographer), a Mobile, Ala., native, brings a vibrant blend of artistry and intention to every stage he touches. As a choreographer and stage coach for the Hub City Players, he shapes
movement that deepens character, enriches storytelling, and energizes live performance. He is also a committed dance educator at South Mississippi Ballet Theater, where he mentors young artists and cultivates a love for disciplined, expressive dance. His choreographic collaborations with The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Music highlight his versatility and passion for interdisciplinary performance. His previous endeavors include a co-choreography of Disney’s Newsies (Hub City Players), Die Fledermaus and Music Man (School of Music), Once on This Island (Laurel Little Theatre), and local productions of High School Musical Jr., and Finding Nemo Jr. Guided by creativity, clarity, and purpose, DeLovitt’s work reflects his belief that dance is both a craft and a calling. Jennifer Knue (Costume Designer) has been a staff member at the School of Music since 2018, where she has worked on productions for the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company, including Guys and Dolls, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Die Fledermaus. In 2023, she served as costuming assistant for the Hub City Players’ award-winning production of Beauty and the Beast. A native of Hattiesburg, Jennifer has been sewing and creating costumes since childhood and is a lifelong lover of the theatre. Tammy Mansfield (Costumes, Hair, Makeup) With a degree in music theory and composition and a Master’s degree in Conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi, Tammy divides her time as a music director, arranger and costumer. She has costumed over 25 shows in the last decade, many for Southern Miss and FestivalSouth, including local schools and theater organizations. Tammy is a founding member
of the Hub City Players professional theatre company, winner of The American Prize for Musical Theater Performance for James and the Giant Peach and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Wes Hanson (Set Construction) was born in New Orleans and raised on the north shore. After catching the theatre bug in high school, he studied it at LSU and was involved in all aspects of production. After college, he married Debbie and moved to Los Angeles to work in entertainment. His work ranged from Six Flags and the Hollywood Bowl to on-location shoots and museums. Eventually, he became a shop instructor at Art Center College of Design before returning closer to home in Hattiesburg and Southern Miss, from which he recently retired. His work has become integral to theatrical life in the region with designs from sets and specialty props to art installations and special events. These days, he is content with writing and illustrating offbeat stories while doing only the occasional set construction gig. Danielle Gray (Stage Manager and Asst. Lighting Design) is completing her final year at The University of Southern Mississippi as a BA voice major. Gray is from Vicksburg, Miss., where she has spent many years doing shows with the Vicksburg Theatre Guild. During her time at Southern Miss, she has had the opportunity to stage manage shows such as Hub City Players Jersey Boys and Little Shop of Horrors. Gray has also had the privilege of performing on the stage in Hub City Players Newsies and Beauty and the Beast, Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company’s Die Fledermaus, and The Music Man. Gray is a student of Dr. Jonathan Yarrington and a member of the Southern Chorale. Gray is ecstatic to return to stage management and lighting design.
Mya Marshall (Assistant Stage Manager) of Little Rock, Ark., is an 18-year-old freshman music education major. In May, Marshall graduated from the Mississippi School of the Arts as a vocal music major. Marshall’s most recent productions include Mamma Mia (featured dance ensemble) and The SpongeBob Musical (Mrs. Puff /Ensemble). Jeremy Weing (Lighting Design) Upon graduating from the University of Georgia Jeremy was happy to join the Southern Miss family in the School of Preforming and Visual Arts. Having worked with the Theatre program for the last two years, Jeremy is thrilled to work with the music department on the Great Comet. Past theatre lighting credits include Book of Will and Rhinoceros in Tatum Theatre. Dr. Meredith Johnson (Vocal Coach), soprano and vocal technician, specializes in the belting style of musical theatre, as well as classical voice. As assistant professor of voice at The University of Southern Mississippi, she teaches applied lessons, vocal pedagogy, and Musical Theatre Workshop while also serving on the voice faculty of the Institute of Performing Arts, International held in Bavaria, Germany. Johnson’s passion for both opera and musical theatre is evident in her crossover performance career. Some of her all-time favorite roles include Líu (Turandot), Musetta (La Bohème), Fantine (Les Misérables), Ruth (Pirates of Penzance), Drowsy (Drowsy Chaperone), Witch and Cinderella (Into the Woods ). While her most recent appearance was as Sister Angela in Opera Mississippi’s production of The Christmas Gift, Johnson often appears as a featured soloist with worldclass instrumental and choral ensembles in
the region. She is a proud member of the professional theatre troupe, Hub City Players where recent roles include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and Madame de la Grande Bouche in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast which received third place in the 2024 American Prize in Musical Theatre. The successes of Dr. Johnson’s students are a testament to her effective teaching methods. Her voice students can be seen performing roles in national touring musical productions, theme parks, regional theater and opera companies, and international young artist programs while her pedagogy students thrive as standout music educators and award-winning choral and showchoir directors. Dr. Johnson is an active adjudicator and clinician on a mission to prepare singers for 21st century careers in multiple genres. She presents master classes and vocal workshops across the United States and abroad and is the creator of the online programs, Virtual Vocal Academy, Audition Bootcamp, and College Choir Audition Assistant. Caitlyn Herzlinger (Intimacy Coordinator) is an Associate Professor of Theatre and Associate Director of the School of Performing and Visual Arts at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she teaches acting, movement and stage combat. She is delighted to collaborate with the School of Music for the first time as intimacy director for this production. A certified Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors and an associate instructor with Dueling Arts International, Caitlyn works professionally as both a fight and intimacy director. Her credits include five seasons with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, as well as work with Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Bucks County Playhouse, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, New Stage Theatre, People’s Light Theatre and Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Her directing credits at Southern Miss include Every Brilliant Thing, Elephant & Piggie’s “We
Are in a Play!”, The Addams Family, She Kills Monsters, and The Wolves. She is committed to creating rehearsal rooms in which performers can approach intimate storytelling with clarity, agency, specificity and care. Dave Malloy (Composer) is a composer/writer/performer/ orchestrator. He has written 14 musicals, including Moby-Dick, a four-part musical reckoning with Melville’s classic novel; Octet, a chamber choir musical about Internet addiction; Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on a slice of Tolstoy’s War and Peace (12 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, Score, Book, and Orchestrations); Ghost Quartet, a song cycle about love, death and whiskey; Preludes, a musical fantasia set in the hypnotized mind of Sergei Rachmaninoff; Little Bunny Foo Foo, a forest entertainment for small people; Three Pianos, a drunken romp through Schubert’s “Winterreise”; Black Wizard/Blue Wizard, an escapist RPG fantasy; Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage, an anti-academia rock opera; Beardo, a reinterpretation of the Rasputin myth; Sandwich, a musical about killing animals; and Clown Bible, Genesis to Revelation told through clowns. He has won two Obie Awards, a Smithsonian Ingenuity Award, a Theater World Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, an ASCAP New Horizons Award and a Jonathan Larson Grant, and has been a MacDowell fellow and composer-in-residence at Ars Nova and the Signature Theatre. He lives in Brooklyn. www.davemalloy.com Concord Theatricals is the world’s most significant theatrical company, comprising the catalogs of R&H Theatricals, TamsWitmark, Samuel French, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts,
plus over 100 new signings each year. Our unparalleled roster includes the work of Irving Berlin, Agatha Christie, George and Ira Gershwin, James Graham, Katori Hall, Marvin Hamlisch, Lorraine Hansberry, Kander and Ebb, Kitt and Yorkey, Marlow and Moss, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Arthur Miller, Dominique Morisseau, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Williams, August Wilson, Harry Potter Theatrical Productions, and thousands more. They are the only firm providing truly comprehensive services to the creators and producers of plays and musicals, including theatrical licensing, music publishing, script publishing, cast recording and first-class producing. As a producer and record label, the company has won three Tony Awards and two GRAMMY Awards in the past seven years. Concord Theatricals is a part of BMG.
SPECIAL THANKS
The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music The University of Southern Mississippi Theatre Department The Hub City Players Purvis High School Robert Corey and the MPAC staff
SYNOPSIS
Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 is a musical by Dave Malloy inspired by a small section of Leo Tolstoy’s enormous novel War and Peace. Rather than attempting to tell the whole story, the musical focuses on about 70 pages of the novel and a handful of people whose lives collide in Moscow in 1812. Young Natasha Rostova is engaged to Andrey, who is away from Moscow. Lonely, restless, and surrounded by the excitement of society, she meets the handsome and dangerously charming Anatole. Natasha quickly becomes convinced that she is in love with him and risks her engagement, her reputation, and her future to be with him. The problem is that Anatole is already married, a fact he conveniently keeps from her. Watching much of this unfold is Pierre, an unhappy, searching man trapped in a troubled marriage and struggling to find meaning in his life. When Natasha’s world collapses, Pierre unexpectedly becomes the person who offers her compassion rather than judgment. In helping her, he begins to rediscover something in himself. The “Great Comet” arrives at the end as both a real celestial event and a symbol of possibility. After all the chaos, mistakes, betrayals and heartbreak, Pierre looks into the night sky and experiences a moment of hope. The musical takes Tolstoy’s very human story of people behaving beautifully, foolishly, selfishly and generously and tells it through an eclectic score that mixes Russian folk music, classical influences, rock, pop and electronic sounds. You do not need to know War and Peace to follow it. The characters even introduce themselves at the beginning. What matters is simple: Natasha is young, Anatole is trouble, Andrey is away, and Pierre is searching for something that might make life matter.
ENDOWMENTS
When it comes to making a long-term impact on Southern Miss, there are many giving options to choose from besides simply writing a check. To find a charitable gift that best meets your family's goals and supports Southern Miss for years to come, please contact us and join this family that will sustain the Symphony for generations.
CONTACT
Amy Antoinette Batiste 601.266.6114 amy.batiste@usm.edu
BAND/DIXIE DARLING Dewey W. Camp Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0846 Billie and Homer Sullivan Jr. Pride Scholarship – Fund 1237 Martha and Noobar Odjakjian Memorial Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1250 Margaret and Warren Dunn Pride Scholarship – Fund 1426 Drs. Mark and Martha Stevens and Anna Stevens Swann Pride Endowment – Fund 1463 Barnes-Manning Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1716 Janet Sims Band Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1727 Band Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2482 Kappa Kappa Psi Gamma Chi Chapter Alumni Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2515 Charles and Diane Thomas Endowment in the School of Music – Fund 0511
Alma Murphy Dixie Darlings Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2155 Sherman and Mildred Hong Percussion Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2419
Pep Band Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2213 CHOIR Charles and Diane Thomas Choral Tour Endowment – Fund 1465 Steffan Myers Spirit of Southern FFE – Fund 2366 Drs. Mark and Martha Stevens and Anna Stevens Swann Choir Endowment – Fund 1463 CHOIR/VOCAL Tennessee Ernie Ford Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1218 GUITAR Elmo and Mary Glenn Harrison Guitar Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0931 Pat and Brett McKenzie Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2564
Anita Joe “Butch” McDonald Endowed Dixie Darling Scholarship – Fund 0667
JAZZ M. Ashley DuBoise Scholarship Endowment in Jazz Studies – Fund 0570
Carl and Margaret Alesio Dixie Darling Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1421
Jerald S. and Christine B. Hughes Jazz Studies Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1273
Kristen Margaret Warren Memorial Scholarship – Fund 1591
MUSIC Frank Earl Marsh Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0690
Linda Smith Abner Dixie Darling Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2108
Raymond and Karen Mannoni Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0737
Kathryn Swetman Page Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0821 Mabel Ve. Shannon Silver Memorial Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0864 Joe Barry Mullins Scholarship – Fund 0905 Mary Lillian Peters Whitten Music Endowment – Fund 0968 Thad and Gerry Waites Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0980 Dr. Nancy O’Neal Tatum Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0982 Edna and Dave Perkins Music Faculty Enhancement Endowment – Fund 1261 Lorena Bessey Mangin Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1270 Zackery Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1750 James O. and Mary Ann Schnur Lower Brass Scholarship – Fund 1278 J. Larry and Linda B. Smith Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2063 Jim and Jamie Self Tuba Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2488 Dr. Patricia Ann Sharpe Malone Memorial Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2526 MUSIC EDUCATION Dr. Jack P. Donovan Memorial Scholarship – Fund 1153 Charles and Carolyn Elliott Endowed Scholarship in Music Education – Fund 1162 Dorothy and Laurance Cunningham Endowment in Music Education – Fund 1167 Mississippi Orchestra Teachers Association/ Sara Dean Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1608 Agnes and Joseph “Bud” Hillman Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2127
ORCHESTRA Edna and Dave Perkins Endowed Scholarship in Strings – Fund 0515 Harry Wells McCraw Violin Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0629 Harold Luce Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0659 June Ross Vardaman Violin Chair Orchestra Endowment – Fund 0669 John P. and Ellene C. Moseley Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0966 Hilda and George McGee Endowed Music Scholarship – Fund 0979 Tom and Claire Brantley Trombone Scholarship – Fund 1364 William T. Gower Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1499 Thomas D. and Lorraine Smith Ott Wind Scholarship – Fund 1539 Jaime Jiménez Endowed Cellist Scholarship – Fund 1638 Beau Rivage Orchestral Chair Scholarship – Fund 1688 Beau Rivage Endowment for the Mississippi Gulf Coast – Fund 1689 Mary Jordan Symphony Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1702 Gertrude C. Ford Orchestral Scholars Endowment – Fund 1735 Chisholm-Lindsey Orchestral Chair Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1747 Garland and Sally Sullivan Symphony Orchestra Brass Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1764 Herbert Allen Hart Symphony Percussion Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1765
Allen Hale Southern Mississippi Symphony String Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1766 Jay Dean USM Symphony Woodwind Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1767 Hattiesburg Civic Association Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1778 Partners for the Arts Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1779 Elizabeth M. Irby Orchestral Chair Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1780 John N. Palmer Foundation Orchestral Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1794 Richard Fabian and Katherine Smith McCarthy Violin Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1799 Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Symphony String Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1818 Orpheus Orchestral Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1869 The University of Southern Mississippi Opera Endowment – Fund 1939 Voice of the Century Centennial Orchestra Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1945 Rebecca Smart Montague Symphony Scholarship Endowment – Fund 1975 Sonya Rebecca Jordan Fox Symphony Orchestra and Opera Endowment – Fund 2099 Jay Dean International Music Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2281 Joe B. Price Horn Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2291 Dr. Toxey M. and Mrs. Virginia Wicke Morris Symphony Orchestra Scholarship Endowment– Fund 2602 PIANO Dr. Trelles Glenn Case Piano Performance
Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2601 Fannie Godbold Ginn Piano Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0584 Melba Ough Ragsdale Memorial Piano Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2073 George Imbragulio Piano Memorial Scholarship Endowment – Fund 2240 PIANO/VOICE Patricia Graham Gable Endowment in Music – Fund 0517 VOICE Angela Stevens Wallace Voice Scholarship Endowment – Fund 0697
AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2026
The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to serving the University community by overseeing fundraising efforts to raise private support for scholarships and other academic needs at Southern Miss. The Foundation manages donor dollars to provide the most advanced educational opportunities available to students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Southern Miss.
CONTACT
Amy Antoinette Batiste 601.266.6114 amy.batiste@usm.edu
BRI NGI NG MISSISSI P P I TO T H E WORLD
Last fall, we launched a series of ambitious new projects and an annual fundraising initiative to support them,“Bringing Mississippi to the World." Through the generosity and vision of several donors, our talented musicians shared the stage with internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Aaron Diehl and his trio in a program featuring Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite. Pulitzer-prize winning composer Julia Wolfe and the Bang on a Can team joined us for an incredible week, including a panel discussion and a performance of Her Story that the community is still buzzing about. Our livestream programs now feature sound produced by a GRAMMY-winning engineer. Our Symphony also gave its first out-of-Hattiesburg performance in several years, but we are just getting started. During 2026-27, we will build upon initiatives we started last year while also embarking on new ones. We will launch our first ever commercial recording project, bring the orchestra to New Orleans for the first time in nearly 20 years, and set the groundwork for a major tour during 202728. Activities like these provide a quality of education that our students could not find anywhere else, while they also celebrate the cultural vitality of our wonderful community. Please consider supporting the USM Foundation’s “Bringing Mississippi to the World” fund with a one-time or multi-year gift. I can think of no better cultural ambassadors for our great state than our musicians here in Hattiesburg! With gratitude, Gregory Wolynec, DMA Director of Orchestral Activities
T HANK YO U TO D ONORS
$40,000 and above Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Montague III $25,000 to $39,999 Dr. Beverly Dale $10,000 to $24,999 Dr. and Mrs. Arthur C. Martin
Mrs. Melinda O’Bryant-Brencick Mrs. Ardith Wolynec
$500 to $999 Dr. David M. Cochran Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Robert Y. Lochhead Ms. Vicky A. Ward
$5,000 to $9,999 Drs. Donald R. and Catherine R. Cotten $2,500 to $4,999 Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Conville $1,000 to $2,499 Mr. David C. Carroll Mrs. Mary J. Cromartie Mr. and Mrs. Alex Killgore Mrs. Virginia W. Morris
$250 to $499 DeAnna Douglas Ms. Cheryl L. Goggin Dr. and Mrs. Robert F. Heath Dr. and Mrs. Douglas S. Masterson
Up to $249 Dr. and Mrs. Andrew L. Dickson Mr. and Mrs. Howard A. Fromkin Lt. Col Jason Hillman Dr. Rebecca A. Turri and Mr. Steven P. Kingsbury
AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2026
D O N AT E N O W
ONLINE usmfoundation.com/wso2600
PHONE 601.266.5210
MAIL 118 College Drive #5210 Hattiesburg, MS 39406
In memo line, please list Fund WSO2600. Scan code above to donate online.
PATRON - $500
LEGACY LIFETIME MEMBERS Gold Legacy Society - $25,000 Gail and Larry Albert Becky and Doug Montague Dr. Steven Moser Ms. Sandra and Dr. R. Greer Whitacre
Silver Legacy Society - $12,500 Dr. Shannon Campbell Tammy and Arthur Martin Pam and Doug Rouse
Bronze Legacy Society - $5,000 Alexander Brady Foundation Linda Boutwell-Griffith and John Griffith Jennifer Brannock and Dr. David R. Davies Dr. Amy Chasteen Iris Easterling Erin and Dennis Granberry Lt. Col. Jason Hillman in honor of Carole Marshall Amy and Don Hinton Carole Marshall in memory of John Ivany Marshall Stace and Andy Mercier Drs. Stacey and Michael Miles Ruth and Dr. Lance Nail Dr. and Mrs. Joe Paul Eula and Dr. Roderick Posey Dee and Toddy Tatum in memory of Dr. and Mrs. A.T. Tatum Becky and Doug Vinzant
ANNUAL MEMBERS
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE - $5,000+ Cadence Bank Beverly Dale
GRAND BENEFACTOR - $2,500 Catherine and Donald Cotten Dr. and Mrs. Chris Winstead
BENEFACTOR - $1,000
Myrle-Marie Bongiovanni Gwen and Perry Combs Mo and Dick Conville Iris Easterling HCS Trading, LLC Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Leader Jane and Charles Lewis The Linda Becker Smith Revocable Trust Dr. Keith and Carolyn McLarnan Dr. Steven and Anita Murphey Dr. and Mrs. Tom Puckett Southern Miss Alumni Association Mrs. Sandra and Dr. R. Greer Whitacre
Dr. Chris and Missy Crenshaw Drs. Jeremy Deans and Alyson Brink Allyson Easterwood Althea and Raoul Jerome in memory of Dr. Patricia Malone Lee-Way Financial Robert Lochhead John M. and Carolyn Lopinto Sr. Missy Warren McGee Mrs. Virginia W. Morris Kathryn and Robert Morrow Pinebelt Realty Enterprises, LLC and Mason and Magnolia Real Estate Kathy and Randy Pope Rion Snowden Architect, PLLC Dr. Edward Sayre Russ Willis
DONOR - $250
Linda and Larry Basden Mary Glenn and Todd Bradley Lt. Col. Raylawni Branch Drs. Marvin and Bitsy Browne Miller Rachel and Nicholas Ciraldo Joelle Crook in memory of George T. Crook Kimberley Davis Beejee and Andy Dickson Katherine and Chad Driskell Kim Gallaspy Cheryl L. Goggin Dr. and Mrs. Robert Heath Rebekah and Jeff Johnson Richard and Elizabeth Johnson Dr. Mike Lopinto in honor of Carolyn and John Lopinto Tammy and Steve Mansfield Carole Marshall Maureen K. Martin in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Aubrey K. Lucas Cody and Joan McKeller Dr. Colin and Mandie McKenzie Becky and Doug Montague Drs. Suzanna and Andrew Nida Hal E. Odom Dr. Derek and Mrs. Stephanie Patton Denise and Richard Ratcliffe Mr. and Mrs. William K. Ray Dr. and Mrs. Douglas M. Rust Mary and Eric Sumrall Martha and Tommy Thornton Debra and Richard Topp Carey and Sharon Varnado Sharon Weathersby
CONTRIBUTOR - $150 Anonymous Dr. Jenna and Mr. Daniel Barton Dennis Baum Mitch and Marcia Cochran Dr. Veronica Dzugan
Barbara Jane Foote Howard and Liz Fromkin John and Susan Howell LuAnn Knight Lorinda Krhut Vicki R. Leggett Milo McCarthy Bebe McLeod and Bill McLeod in memory of Dr. John A. McLeod III LTC and Mrs. E. Walker Nordan Betty and Bob Press George and Jann Puckett in honor of DeAnna Douglas Ann and Bill Simmons in honor of Dr. Jay Dean and Dr. Mary Ann Kyle Carol and Ken Simpson David Sliman Nancy Steen
FRIEND - $50
Anonymous Donors Elizabeth and Chris Bedenbaugh Drs. Diana and Joshua Bernstein Dr. Cherie and Mr. Lance Bowe Joe Brumbeloe Darcie Conrad Jennifer Courts Mr. and Mrs. Charles Daughdrill Bethanie and Jerry DeFatta Diane Dobson Carol and Gardner Fletcher Lauren and J.R. Gerhart Harry and Marcia Goff Heather and Ken Graves in memory of Jeremy Lespi
Bridget Hayden Brenda Hesselgrave Clark and Kathia Hicks Emily and Dale Holmes Dr. Luis A. Iglesias Jane W. Jones Nicolle Jordan and Tom O’Brien Linda and Mike Kuykendall Karen LeBeau Hsiaopei Lee Linde and Jeff Lynn Marcos Machado Jackie and Ben McIlwain Louise and John Meyer Danilo Mezzadri Dr. Mark Miller Jeremiah Parker Ellen Price-Elder Terry and Julie Puckett Julie Reid Sherrie Mitchell Richmond Mark Rigsby and Melanie Eubanks Barbara Ann Ross Dr. Alexander Russakovsky Joseph Steadman Susan Straus Lorraine A. Stuart Jennifer Torres Joanne Tran Donnie and Barbara Tynes Brittney Westbrook Cory R. Williams Dr. John Wooton AS OF JANUARY 1, 2026
If you would like to join PFTA, visit usm.edu/partners-arts or call 601.266.5095.
HOLIDAY CHORAL SPECTACULAR December 1 and 3, 2026 – 7:30 p.m. Main StREET Baptist Church
Future Stars
February 18, 2027 – 7:30 p.m. Bennett Auditorium
La Pasión!
March 19, 2027 – 7:30 p.m. The Thomas V. Fraschillo Stage at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium
Ode to Joy!
May 6, 2027 – 7:30 p.m. Main Street Baptist Church
TICKETS
800.844.8425 601.266.5418 southernmiss.com/tickets
EOE/VETS/DISABILITY