Creative Team
Kevin Dobbe
Composer/Digital Artist
Kevin Dobbe is a composer, new media artist, performer, and arts educator.
As a composer, he has been commissioned by diverse regional groups over the years
including the Rochester Symphony, the Mayo Clinic (for the dedication ceremony of the Siebens building), Rochester Civic Theatre, SEMYO, Rochester Honors Choir, Choral Arts Ensemble, and Minnesota Public Radio.
As a new media artist, Kevin has had two feature exhibitions of interactive art works at
the Rochester Arts Center, as well as for the Electric Eyes New Media Festival at the
Southern Theatre in Minneapolis, as well as for various arts centers in the Midwest. He
also created multiple interactive works for the Guthrie Theatre for their run of Sunday
in the Park with George.
Kevin has created set projections for five Rochester Civic Theatre productions including most recently: Newsies; Hedwig, and the Angry Inch; Jesus Christ Superstar,
Annie, and Shrek. Kevin has also written music for RCT including incidental music for
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Stay With Me a While. Other regional new
media stage works have included projections for the Rochester Ensemble of Dance
performances of Stronger Together, and Ascend, as well as new media design and
original music compositions for the Rochester Symphony and the Choral ArtsEnsemble.
Other new media works consist of interactive installations for universities, businesses,
cities, and organizations across the US including the University of Wisconsin-Madison,
the WWHS Fine Arts Atrium in Washington DC; multiple interactive media works throughout Rochester including numerous works at the Rochester Community College, the Doubletree Hotel, and a current work in the lobby of the Rochester Bio-Business Building (installed in 2010), among others.
Kevin is the founder of the Rochester Community and Technical College’s Music
Technology program which combines music, new media, and computer arts. Dr. Dobbe holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a Masters degree in Music from Kent State University, and a Ph.D from the University of
Minnesota.
Rick Kvam
Digital Conductor
Rick Kvam founded the Choral Arts Ensemble and Honors Choirs and directed them for many years. As a retired choir director, he is surprised and pleased to have had this chance to conduct Puccini and Wagner!
Ellen E. Huston
Act I Director
Ellen E. Huston makes her opera directorial debut with Tempus Fugit. Ellen has had a long history of producing, directing, and choreographing local productions, including her celebrated dance productions of The Nutcracker, The Door to Imagination, Joy, and her nationally recognized production os TAWL (Teenage Wasteland) and theatre shows Annie, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Elf. Ellen is thrilled to be part of the creative team that is helping to bring composer Kevin Dobbe's vision of contemporary opera to the stage. "Thank you, Kevin!"
Stefanie Tranchida
Act II Vocal and Stage Director/Soprano
Stefanie Margaret Tranchida, an Italian-American originally from Detroit, enjoys a dynamic career as a performer, director, and educator. She recently moved to Minnesota after earning her Master’s Degree in Music Education from the Conservatorio di Musica G. Tartini in Trieste, Italy.
Stefanie is passionate about directing and producing, with recent vocal direction credits including Rochester Civic Theatre’s Newsies as well as their upcoming production of Anastasia. Her true calling, however, lies in her role as Artistic Director of Hometown Opera Company, where she has spent the past two years collaborating with local artists to produce concerts and stage performances.
Recent solo appearances include performing the soprano solo in the Austin MN Symphony Orchestra’s production of Handel’s Messiah, David Kassler’s Out of Eden, and most recently, the Rochester Pops Orchestra’s Journey to Ireland concert. Stefanie is also active in musical theatre, recently playing Nicola in Kinky Boots and Eamon (Girl US) in Once with Calliope Theatre Company. She is excited to portray Lauretta in Hometown Opera Company’s summer 2025 production of Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi at the Plummer House.
Beyond directing, Stefanie is an educator at heart. She has taught both in the classroom and privately for the past 14 years and currently works as a piano and voice teacher at the Rochester Academy of Music.
When not working, Stefanie loves to play keys in Oliver Books' band the Big Big World, to spend time with her husband visiting friends and family in Italy and Michigan, traveling, hiking, snorkeling, and going to CrossFit Purple.
Kate Rogers
Production Manager
Kate is a singer and and music educator from Rochester, MN and is enjoying seeing her dream of starting an opera company take shape. Kate first started singing as a young person in school and church and as someone whose main interest was always music, she went on to earn her BA in Vocal Music Education from University of Minnesota, Morris where she studied voice with Hope Koehler and Ken Hodgson. After several years in education, she explored other career paths, and found her niche as a medical receptionist at Limb
Lab, a prosthetics and orthotics clinic in Rochester. For many years, Kate considered attending graduate school to earn an MA in vocal music, but ultimately decided to carve her own path as a singer. She has studied singing with some notable teachers and coaches in the metro area, and Alexander Technique through the Mind Body Music School out of St. Paul. She also sings as a jazz vocalists with the Notochords, a big band in Rochester and has performed onstage in plays and musicals at Rochester Repertory Theatre, Rochester Civic Theatre, Absolute Theatre, and Z Theatre in Zumbrota. Kate is thrilled to be just one of many passionate creatives that have worked to bring you "Tempus Fugit and New Media Opera Scenes".
Brigitte Benyei
Act I Choreographer/Dancer
Originally from Minnesota, Brigitte grew up surrounded by dance and the beauty of the northern Great Lakes. She later relocated to Kansas City, where she obtained a BFA in Dance & Choreography from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Since graduating, she has had the opportunity to perform professionally with notable organizations and
productions such as the Lyric Opera of Kansas City (Carmen, La Traviata and Pearl Fisher), City in Motion (company member season 24-25), Storling Dance Theater (Underground, New Dance Partners, Child of Hope) National Water Dance, Quixotic, Kater Tot Burlesque and various projects through The Charlotte Street Foundation.
Recently, she premiered her new work "Still With Me" at Charlotte Street Scratch Night and debuted her choreography "Everyday Ago" at Modern Night at the Folly 2025. This season, she is excited to choreograph for Kevin Dobbe’s new opera, Tempus Fugit, and
to return to her hometown of Rochester, Minnesota. Alongside her work as a dancer and choreographer, she is also a devoted yoga instructor and has been teaching dance and yoga at the Kansas City Ballet School for the past six years.
Isiah Asplund
Act II Choreographer/Dancer
Isiah graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a BFA in dance. He has been doing a wide variety of work in the performing arts scene here in Rochester. He runs the theatre program at Rochester Montessori School with his wife, Ash. He plays in local band "Oliver Books & the Big Big World", loves performing with Absolute Theatre and Calliope Theatre Company, and has been recently trying his hand at lights and sound for theatre. This is his first time choreographing since moving to Rochester in 2019, and hopes that you love the show!
Emma Hanson
Act II Stage Manager
Though an avid participant in the local theatre community with many stage managing credits, this is Emma's first show with Hometown Opera. She would like to extend her congratulations to the cast and crew and looks forward to working with Hometown Opera again.
AntiShadows LLC
Lighting Design
AntiShadows LLC is a lighting and theatrical design company based in Milwaukee
bringing illumination solutions to plays, musicals, operas, ballet, videos, concerts
and corporate settings. Global touring experience includes lighting for the
magician David Copperfield and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Theatrical designs
include over 500 productions for American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory
Theater, Milwaukee Ballet, First Stage Children’s Theatre, Northern Sky Theater,
Skylight Opera Theatre, Peninsula Players, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre,
Renaissance Theaterworks, Next Act Theatre, Forward Theatre Company,
Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and many others.
John Collins
Associate Lighting Designer
John Collins (he/him/his) is a midwest-based freelance lighting designer and technical director. Over the past ten years, he has worked in academic theatrical settings, corporate trade shows, regional playhouses, and stadium venues. He has won awards both as an individual and as a member of a production team- recently: NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CREW at Show Choir Nationals, BEST LARGE BOOTH awards at various international conventions, and numerous JERRY awards for technical direction and lighting design. When not in a theater, John can be found working his "day job" in Emergency Medical Services. He expresses his sincere thanks to all for supporting live theater.
Beth Hauser
Costumes and Props Master
Beth Hauser is a Rochester Native, RN, and mama to four. She has been volunteering her time as costume designer for Hometown Opera Company this season, and has enjoyed using her time, talents, and vast costume collection to bring their performances to the next level. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Kelly Kirkpatrick
Act I Costumes
Kelly’s costume work spans 38 years and includes The Who’s Tommy (1992) at the La Jolla Playhouse, which won two Tony Awards on Broadway in 1993. Her freelance portfolio showcases her contributions to various equity theaters, including the Goodman and Guthrie theaters, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Santa Fe Opera. Local costume credits include The Nutcracker (1997) with the Rochester Ballet School and The Sound of Music (1998) at the Rochester Civic Theatre (RCT). As the resident costume designer at RCT from 2004 to 2007, her favorite productions were Stuart Little, Beauty and the Beast, Peter
Pan, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From 2009 to 2015, Kelly collaborated with Words Players Theatre, presenting Seussical the Musical and The Spirit of Christmas Past: A Christmas Carol on stage. This partnership supported the annual showcase of the Minnesota SkyVault Theatre Company at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. During the pandemic, Kelly returned to RCT for a third Nme in 2020, highlighting period costumes in Romeo and Juliet. She is excited
to return to RCT with Hometown Opera, featuring Kevin Dobbe’s workshop premiere of Tempus Fugit.
Cindy Hansel
Set Design
Cindy has worked as a scenic designer/builder since 2015. Her work began with Allegro Dance shows, including Polar Express, Nutcracker, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. She is in her 3rd season as scenic designer and builder at Rochester Civic Theatre, and her projects continue with Rochester Ensemble of Dance shows. Most recently, she designed the sets for Matilda and Newsies for RCT. Cindy especially appreciates the collaboration and all of the production teammates involved in creating live shows!
Oliver Books
Sound Operator
Oliver Books is a producer, audio engineer, and lifelong musician whose artistic vision and musical knowledge have made him an undeniable force in Rochester, MN’s music scene. For over a decade, he has supported some of the city's premier talent across studio production, musical theater, and live performance. As the frontman of Oliver Books & The Big Big World, he brings lush, nostalgic soundscapes to life, blending 60s and 70s-inspired power pop with orchestral richness. Whether behind the board or on stage, Oliver’s dedication to crafting rich, immersive sound has shaped the local music community in ways both seen and heard. Listen to Oliver Books' music here: https://bit.ly/OB-BigBigWorld
Jan Matson
Rehearsal Pianist
Jan Matson is a 49-year resident of Rochester, MN. In that timespan she has collaborated with musicians of every level in nearly every genre. In the theater world she has played over 100 productions, half of which she music-directed. In the symphonic world, she serves as principal keyboardist with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Pops Orchestra, and Mayo Clinic Chamber Symphony. She has a 48-year tenure as rehearsal accompanist for the Symphony Chorale. Private music studios have tapped into her artistry as accompanist for hundreds of young musicians as they progress through their musical journeys, beginners to college age. Local professional soloists and ensembles have provided her with high level performance opportunities. Her keyboard skills have been gifts to many religious organizations as well. As a part of the music department faculty at St. Mary’s University in Winona, MN, Jan fulfilled the responsibility of staff accompanist and vocal coach. Jan Matson received her piano performance degree from Sherwood Music Conservatory in Chicago, graduating with honors and high achievement awards. She continues to strive for excellence through further studies with professional keyboard and vocal coaches. In 2012 Jan was honored to be the recipient of the Mayor’s Medal of Honor, bestowed upon her in recognition of her invaluable contributions to the artistic community of Rochester, MN and the surrounding areas.
Nancy Chiou
Rehearsal Pianist
Nancy Chiou is a skilled and experienced pianist with a passion for music. A Cellular and Satellite systems engineer in a past life, Nancy studied piano performance under Alfred Mouledoux of Southern Methodist University and Dallas Symphony. Since her youth, Nancy has performed and collaborated with vocalists, instrumentalists, and ensembles in a variety of settings, including choirs,
churches, theaters, recitals, auditions, and competitions. Known for her adaptability and keen musical intuition, Nancy provides reliable and sensitive support to performers across genres, becoming a trusted accompanist in the Rochester, MN music scene. Nancy is thrilled to collaborate with Home Town Opera and to be able to work with its many talented musicians. When not pursuing musical endeavors, Nancy enjoys meditation, yoga, travel, and working as a professional interpreter/translator.
Act I Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Carla Thelen Hanson
Act I Tempus Fugit Soprano
Carla Thelen Hanson has garnered attention for exciting and vocally thrilling performances of opera's leading heroines in leading opera houses throughout the country and abroad including New York City Opera, Seattle Opera, and Santa Fe Opera, to name a few.
While she has concentrated most of her singing life to Classical Music pursuits she is no stranger to other genres of music and was seen locally as Francesca Johnson in Calliope Theatre’s production of The Bridges of Madison County and Dreamer in New Media Opera’s workshop of Tempest Fugit. Upcoming she will be in Knoxville, TN with Transformance Art and their Meraki Project debuting original works by composer Philip Wharton on the subject of death by suicide.
Ms. Thelen Hanson is Instructor of Voice and Opera at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and has recorded an album of classical music titled Chanson d’amour with her long time collaborator and friend Ainhoa Urkijo available on Spotify, Google Play, YouTube and Amazon.
Andrew D. Whitfield
Act I Tempus Fugit Baritone
Baritone Andrew D. Whitfield enjoys a vibrant career as a performer, teacher, and stage director. In addition to appearances with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Southwest, and Pensacola Opera, Andrew was a resident artist with Portland Opera Works and toured with outreach programs for Opera Kansas and Opera Birmingham. Other performance highlights include engagements with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, and the Peoria Bach Festival. His recording of Brooke Joyce’s Three Iowa Ballads, released on the Innova label, has received notable praise. Recent appearances include performances of Handel’s Messiah and the children’s opera Owl at Home. He currently serves as Professor of Music and Coordinator of Opera at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he teaches voice and opera. He was also a founder and director of the International Music Festival of the Adriatic, a summer chamber music festival for piano, strings, voice, and composition that took place in Duino, Italy from 2013-2023.
Act II Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Sopranos
Jocelyn Boe
Jocelyn Boe is a light lyric soprano originally from the West Coast. She began singing from an early age and has continued to pursue that passion all of her life. During her undergraduate studies at Fresno State, she began studying opera, performing in productions and scenes from Die Fledermaus, Little Women, Susannah, The Magic Flute, The Ballad of Baby Doe, The Pirates of Penzance, and Le Nozze di Figaro. She is thrilled to join the Hometown Opera Company and return to the singing community.
Paula Breid
Paula Breid has lived in the Rochester area for over 65 years. Her love of singing was born during family road trips and get togethers with her parents and siblings. Sadly, singing took a backseat to a nursing career and raising a family.
Finally, after retiring from nursing at Mayo Clinic, she can devote herself to her 3 grandchildren, and singing, of course, which she does at every opportunity.
Marinda Carey
Marinda is a Rochester, MN based soprano. Her background includes extensive private voice study with Carla Hanson. She has performed in several area choirs, including Bella Voce and the Rochester Chorale.
Victoria Erickson
Praised for her "beautifully ruby-throated quality" (Classical Voice North Carolina) and her "pointed wit and sparkling tone wielded with comedic potency" (Voix des Arts), Minnesota native Victoria Erickson is a uniquely promising and vibrant soprano. As a champion of new works, Erickson sang the title role in the world premiere of The Miller’s Daughter, a new opera produced in conjunction with the Iowa Arts Council in April 2024, and premiered the role of Juliette in the world premiere of The Eleanors with Savannah VOICE Festival in January 2025. Previously, she sang the role of Alex in the world premiere of Meow and Forever and toured Madagascar and France as a featured artist with Really Spicy Opera. Selected performances include the title role in the world premiere of Harmony (Seagle Festival), Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites (Saltworks Opera), Liù in Turandot (North Carolina Summer Opera), Alice Ford in Falstaff and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (UNCG Opera Theatre), Hedy LaRue in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Rapunzel in Into the Woods (College Light Opera Company). In addition to her stage capabilities, Ms. Erickson received a Respekt und Wertschätzung Grant from the DAAD-Stiftung (German Academic Exchange) to perform and research as a Visiting Fellow at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg, Germany, after which she served as an artist-in-residence in the collaboration between the Hochschule fur Musik und Theater in Munich and Really Spicy Opera. For more information, visit victoriaericksonsoprano.com.
Joy Jasik
Joy Jasik is excited to be a part of Hometown Opera's season this year! She grew up singing in choirs and doing musical theatre in the Rochester area. She recently graduated from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and is looking to pursue a master's
degree in the next few years. Currently, Joy is also singing with Choral Arts Treble Singers, doing community theatre, and working at Mayo Clinic as a Desk Operations Specialist.
Blanka Melbostad
Blanka is thrilled to be making her debut with Hometown Opera. Recent credits include "The Sorcerer" and "Utopia, Ltd." with Gilbert and Sullivan's Very Light Opera, as well as "Die Csárdásfürstin" with Opera on the Lake. Blanka looks forward to bringing her passion for performance to this exciting new stage!
Act II Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Mezzo Sopranos
Megan Dotzler
Megan Dotzler, mezzo soprano, was most recently seen singing with Hometown Opera in Jests, Madrigals, and Mirth in December 2024 and in a local production with the Rochester Chamber Music Society, Here in this Garden in 2023. Another recent performance includes Sièbel in Faust with Opera Reading Project in 2021. She performed La Suora Infermiera and La Suora Zelatrice in Suor Angelica with Music On Site, Inc. in 2019. She also attended Chicago Summer Opera in 2019 where she performed Nireno in Giulio Cesare and performed scenes as Carmen (Carmen), The Witch (Hänsel und Gretel), and Noémie (Cendrillon). Past roles include Mercédès in La tragedie de Carmen/Carmen, Oktavian in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier and Nancy in Albert Herring with University Opera Theater at the University of Minnesota. She received her master of music degree from the University of Minnesota where she studied with Adriana Zabala and her bachelor of music degree from Concordia College, Moorhead. An avid choral performer, she is also a member, soloist, and section leader with the Choral Arts Ensemble in Rochester, MN since 2016. Megan is currently in school to become a board certified music therapist through Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN.
Erin Haefer
Erin Haefner, mezzo-soprano, is a dynamic and versatile musician based in Byron, Minnesota. With a background in both vocal and instrumental performance, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Flute Performance from Luther College and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Northern Arizona University.
An accomplished opera singer, Erin has performed a range of roles, including Margaret “Meg” March (Little Women), Daughter (Daughter), Ada Blake (A Certain Madness), and Rachel (If I Were You). In April 2023, she premiered the role of Water in Robert Stanley Peter Gardner’s Here in This Garden. Her portrayal of Ramiro in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera earned her the Frank and Sally Hansen Singer/Actor Award of Excellence.
Equally at home in musical theater, Erin’s credits include Vivienne Kensington (Legally Blonde), the Narrator (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), and Silly Girl #2 (Beauty and the Beast).
In addition to her work as a vocalist, Erin remains an active flutist, serving as interim principal flute for the Rochester Pops Orchestra and frequently contributes as a flutist in church services. She is also a dedicated
arts administrator and currently serves as the Director of Operations and Education for the RochesterSymphony.
Committed to artistic excellence and community engagement, Erin continues to perform locally with Choral
Arts Ensemble and Hometown Opera Company. She resides in Byron, Minnesota.
Grace Robertson
Grace has been involved in the Rochester Area Performing Arts Scene, both on and off stage, for several years. Her latest endeavors include the role of Pat in Kinky Boots with Calliope Theatre Company, and running the sound board for Z-Theatre’s Annual Christmas VarietyShow. She is thrilled to participate in this production with Hometown Opera. Outside of the performance arena, Grace mostly enjoys relaxing at home with friends and family, especially her niece and nephews who share in her love of music and performance.
Act II Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Tenors
Jordan Brown
Originally from Des Moines, IA, Jordan Brown is a local Rochester Singer and Educator. Jordan studied Vocal Performance at The University of Northwestern where he gained extensive experience in Opera and Musical Theater performance.
He is currently working on his Master's degree in Voice Pedagogy with a focus on cross-training singers between music theater and classical singing. During his time in university Jordan performed dozens of roles and sang consistently with the Northwestern Choir. In 2018 Jordan made his debut with Minnesota Opera in the production of Silent Night by Kevin Puts. During his time in the Twin Cities, Jordan sang with different choirs including the Cathedral of St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir and the Two Rivers Chorale. Jordan's first performance with Hometown Opera Company was in 2023 during a summer performance of solos and scenes in Austin, MN. Jordan currently teaches privately and sings with the Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester.
Merle Savage
A retired music teacher in Rochester and surrounding communities, Merle has been active in theater for many years. Previous Calliope performances include Kinky Boots, Bridges of Madison County and Sir Danvers in Jekyll and Hyde. Some of his memorable roles have Abel Frake in State Fair and Harry MacAfee in Bye, Bye, Birdie with the SE MN Honors Choirs, Lucifer in The Miracle at Bethel Lutheran, Stan Kimball in Grand Opening at The Hassler in Plainview, and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at The Civic where he performed in a dozen and a half productions. Merle works at Sargent’s North Landscape Nursery on the sales lot. He is active in music groups at Bethel Lutheran and was director of the Rochester Music Men Barbershop Chorus for many years. Merle is thankful for his wife, Shelly, for supporting all his performances and for Fürry Elise, the little Shi Tzu, and Tobi, the Yorkie, who welcome him home.
Act II Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Baritones
Grant Holsinger
Grant is a classically trained Bass from Stillman Valley, IL. IT was there that he grew the love for theater and performance that led him to Luther College in 2013 to pursue and graduate in 2017 with a degree in vocal performance. While there he studied with Baritone, Dr.Gary Moss, and was coached by Dr. Jessica Paul and Dr. Nicholas Shaneyfelt. Often described as Rich and Full, His voice is well suited to Basso Profundo and Basso Buffo roles. Roles performed include Bogdanovitch in Franz Lehar's The Merry Widow and Don Alhambra De Bolero in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers. While not having performed in a Full opera for several years, He is super excited to Join Hometown Opera Company to help bring some opera to SE Minnesota!
Spencer Ketterling
Born and raised in Rochester, Spencer has a long history of performing in the community, and they are extremely excited to present
this show alongside such an amazing cast! This is their second production with Hometown Opera after performing as the Jester in “Jest, Madrigals & Mirth.”
Spencer studied bassoon at Luther College and majored in musical performance, specializing with the bassoon, which they now play professionally.
Act II Artists
(In Alphabetical Order)
Dancers
Janelle Asiedu
Janelle is a sophomore at RCTC majoring in Psych. She’s 19 and is from Kansas. She loves to sing and dance in musicals. She’s been in 14 productions Since elementary school including Mary Poppins at and Addam’s family at Mayo High School. Every since middle school, she’s been interested in theater and her passion for it sparked and continued to grow into her high school years. As she looks forward to continuing her education at MSU Mankato, she hopes to be involved in some productions there.
Ashley Giberson-Asplund
Ashley is so excited to be performing with Hometown Opera Company. Most
recently Ash played Queenie in The Rep's Wild Party (2024) and Audrey in
Absolute Theatre Co's production of Little Shop of Horrors (2024). She also
appeared on stage as Yvette in Clue and Margot in Bright Star (Absolute Theatre,
2023). When she’s not working with students or on productions Ash enjoys
embroidery, taking in local art and food, and hiking. Ashley would like to thank
Stef and Isiah for the opportunity!
Emily Haugen
Em started dancing at the Zumbrota Dance Studio at 3 years old and
has been active in community theatre since their first role in "My Fair
Lady" at the age of 5. More recent credits include Kinky Boots and The
Bridges of Madison County with Calliope Theatre Company, Jingle All
the Way with Z-Theatre, and Spring Awakening at Gustavus Adolphus
College. When they're not at the theatre, Em lives and works in
Zumbrota and enjoys watching movies and having adventures in their
free time. Many thanks to friends and family for their support!
Jayna Hartzell
Jayna is a senior at Pine Island High School, and she enjoys spending time on stage at school, the Rochester Civic Theatre, and now Hometown Opera! She was recently seen as Finch in the Rochester Civic Theatre’s production of Newsies, and as Wednesday Addams in Pine Island’s showing of The Addams Family. In the fall of 2025 she will start her BFA in Musical Theatre! Jayna is so excited to be part of the Hometown Opera Company as a dancer. She trained in many genres of dance for ten years, and is looking forward to tapping back into her roots. Currently, other than New Media Opera Scenes, Jayna is working on the role of Anastasia in the Rochester Civic Theatre’s season finale.
Act II Childrens Trio
Ryan Beatty
Ryan - Ryan is 9 years old and is in 4th grade. While no stranger to the stage, he's thrilled to be with HomeTown Opera for the first time. Other than theater, he loves to play piano, violin, hockey, soccer, and waterski. His favorite role to date is Young Charlie in Kinky Boots. You'll find him next on stage at the Civic Theater playing Young Alexei in Anastasia.
Hannah Beatty
Hannah - Hannah is 7 and a HALF. She's in 1st grade and loves school. She first jumped on stage a year ago playing Ivonka in Once and has continued to love the stage and seeking out new roles. Her most recent and favorite role was playing Gretl in the Sound of Music. Other than theater you'll find her crafting and coloring away making bracelets, cards, and more.
Clara Beatty
Clara - Clara is 4 and the youngest of three. She refused to be left behind and snuck her way on stage, joining her older brother and sister, and there she stayed. She is very excited to be included as she steps onto the stage for the first time. She loves sparkles and all things glittery and does her best to keep up with her siblings.
Act II Soprano Understudy
Megan Beatty
Megan - lives in Rochester with her husband Joe, and 3 wonderfully crazy kids. By day, Megan is a middle school teacher for multilingual kids and by night, can often be found in a theater or teaching dance. She loves to be outside with her kids, dance her way through most of life, and photography. She has been involved in theater and dance through Eagan HS, Children’s Theatre Company, Lou Conte Dance Chicago, Stewartville Community Theatre, OAFC, and choreographs many middle school and community ed productions in town. Megan most recently has been on stage in The Three Musketeers, Beauty and the Beast, Little House on the Prairie, Romeo & Juliet, and Pirates of Penzance.
Theresa LaValla
Volunteer
Theresa is new to Hometown Opera (both as volunteer coordinator and patron) but is so amazed by the talent of the performers and the commitment of the leadership team to bring a variety of music and theater experiences to Rochester. If you are interested in getting involved or helping out feel free to ask her about it!