Kent State Opera Program

First year graduate student, Nicole Smith, is pursuing her M.M. in Vocal Performance at Kent State University. Nicole can be seen as Marianne in Sigmund Romberg’s New Moon, Rose in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore, and in many of the chorus scenes. Nicole graduated from Steubenville High School in Steubenville, OH, in 2016. In 2019, she graduated from Malone University in Canton, OH, with her B.A. in Music Ministry and Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. While attending Malone, Nicole studied voice with Angela Rose and piano with Yao Lu. She was heavily involved in Chamber Choir and Chorale there. Now, Nicole is studying voice with Marla Berg, and she is excited to be involved in her first Opera Scenes program with Kent State University’s Opera Theater. Nicole is expectant to learn and gain new experiences while at Kent State in order to become a better vocalist and performer. Following her time there, Nicole hopes to become a vocal instructor at the collegiate level, as well as own her own vocal studio.

Senior, Madeline Barry is a Musical Theatre major with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Some of her favorite credits include Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight (Emilie U/S, performed), Frankenstein (Agatha), Irena’s Vow (Helen/Rokita’s Secretary), Laundry and Bourbon (Amy Lee), and Ugly on the Inside (Rayanne). In the summer of 2018, Madeline travelled to Scotland with Transforum Theatre to perform their new work, A Collection of Grimm’s Fairytales, Too, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Madeline spent this past spring as a visiting student at Anglo-American University in Prague, Czech Republic and worked over the summer as an Education and Outreach Intern at La Jolla Playhouse. She would like to thank her family, friends, and professors for their endless encouragement and support.

Soprano, Marley Jaye Lieberman, can be seen on stage tonight as Lisa in The Land of Smiles, Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld, and Yum-Yum in The Mikado. From Cleveland Heights, Marley attends Kent State University, pursuing a Vocal Performance Degree. She is a senior studying with Dr. Lara Troyer. Marley’s recent stage appearances include Laurie Moss in The Tender-land, Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Hero in Beatrice Et Benedict, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, and Laurette in Doctor Miracle. Marley sings with Kent State's Women's Chorus, and Garfield Memorial Church. She would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her, Her Voice teacher Dr Troyer for consistently pushing and motivating her.