The Girl in the Train

ROBIN BRADLEY

Martje Krouwevliet, wife and maid

Praised for her “very colorful, interesting and beautiful instrument” Mezzo Soprano Robin
Bradley has performed in venues across the nation, ranging from Chicago’s Civic Opera House
to Carnegie Hall, to the historic Sanders Theater in Cambridge, MA.

Recent professional highlights include joining Chicago Opera Theater for their recent
production of Syzmanowski’s  King Roger; making her debut with Folks Operetta  as
Monique in the American premiere of Korngold’s Die Kathrin; singing Fenena in
Verdi’s Nabucco with New York’s Center for Jewish history; Tisbe in La Cenerentola with Winter
Opera Saint Louis; Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate with Pittsburgh Festival Opera; and the title role in
Chicago Fringe Opera’s The Rape of Lucretia. In 2023, she was slated to join the Dnipro State
Opera to cover Amneris in their German tour of Aida under the baton of Maestro Giuseppe
Raffa, but the production was postponed due to the war the war in Ukraine.

As a Young Artist she covered the title role in Carmen with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre as well
as covering The Marquise of Birkenfeld in La fille du régiment with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to
Performance Program. Since 2016, Ms. Bradley has had three contracts with the Lyric Opera of
Chicago’s world-renowned chorus, singing in the ensembles of Berlioz’s Les
Troyens, Puccini’s Turandot and; Bellini’s I Puritani. Ms. Bradley has also served as a company
apprentice with Flamenco Chicago, the professional company of acclaimed dancer and
choreographer Rosetta Magdalen.
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Other roles include Ottavia in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Madame de la Haltière in
Massenet’s Cendrillon, Emilia in Otello, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, La Zia Principessa in Suor
Angelica, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Kate in The Ballad of Baby Doe, The Witch and
Mother in Hansel and Gretel, and Peep-Bo in The Mikado. Concert work includes the alto soloist
in Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Handel’s Messiah as well as a featured artist in Ústí nad Labem-
North Bohemian Theatre of Opera and Ballet’s 2017 Summer Festival in the Czech Republic.

KATHERINE PETERSEN

Gonda van der Loo, actress

Katherine Petersen is an engaging Soprano specializing in the performance of 21st Century repertoire for Voice and Saxophone. Her recent collaborations with Decho Ensemble include an ensemble residency at Ohio University (2023), performances at the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Vienna (2022), the International Saxophone Symposium (2020), and an ensemble residency at the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho (2019). You can find their recently released, self-titled album on Youtube at: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lE8PTS1pKiCE3OBWHhzTL2cGM4gLlDOUg&si=jj5Z2UlnHZJxJT7e

Based in Chicago, Katherine performs regularly with Folks Operetta, the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, Chicago Opera Theater, and Transgressive Theatre-Opera. In March 2024, she is excited to take on the role of Rose Maybud in GSOCs production of Riddigore. Recent roles include Margot in Die Kathrin, Bessie Throckmorton in Merrie England, Brigitta in Iolanta, Contessa in Marriage of Figaro, Counsel to the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Lady of the Lake in Masque at Kenilworth, and Sylva Varescu in Csardas Princess. Previous regional performances include appearances with Opera Columbus, Bay View Music Festival, and the Russian Opera Workshop. Highlights of previous roles include Musetta in La bohème, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Francesca in Rachmaninoff’s Francesca di Rimini, and Micaëla in Carmen. Concert repertoire highlights include soprano soloist in Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer 1915, Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas brasileiras No.5, and Handel’s Messiah.

Dr. Petersen is also Assistant Professor of Voice at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she teaches Pedagogy, Song Literature, Studio Voice and Diction for Singers. She holds a DMA in Voice Performance from Ohio State University, a MM in Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College. During her time at OSU, Katherine was head of the Swank Voice Lab for Research and Pedagogy and taught several courses including Voice Pedagogy and Advanced Measurement Techniques for Voice. She was a participant in the 2018 Voice Pedagogy Summit II at the University of Southern California and the 2017 NATS Intern Program in Toronto; she was co-host of the International Voice Pedagogy Summit I at Ohio State University in 2015, as well as co-host of the NATS Summer Intern Program in 2014. She has presented research at several conferences including those hosted by the Central Region NATS (2020 and 2021), the Hawaii International Conference for Arts and Humanities (2019), the Chicago Chapter of NATS (2018), the International Congress of Voice Teachers (2017), and the Pan American Vocology Association (2017).

WILLIAM ROBERTS

Judge Luca van Deesteldonck,

JAMES JUDD

Willem Krouwevliet, servant and fisherman

ALISON KELLY

Jana van Lysseweghe, wife

Soprano, Alison Kelly, co-founded Folks Operetta with her husband, Gerald Frantzen, in 2006. Prior to that, Alison performed the role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera – Hal Prince, Director for 2 years at the Neue Flora in Hamburg, Germany. Regionally, Alison has sung roles in Pirate of Penzance and Nunsensations at Drury Lane – Oakbrook, Madame Pompadour, Ball at the Savoy, The Rose of Stambul, Arizona Lady, Clo Clo, The Girl in the Train, Springtime, Mitislav the Modern, Peter and Paul in the Land of Nod, Babes in Toyland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Folks Operetta; Gypsy Love, Yeomen of the Guard with Light Opera Works; Mikado, The Merry Widow, The Gondoliers, Thespis, Song of Norway, The Great Waltz with Ohio Light Opera; Pirates of Penzance and Student Prince with Ridge Light Opera; Christopher Columbus with New England Lyric Operetta; Starbird with Natchez Opera, Barber of Seville with Opera for the Young, Brigadoon with Tri-Cities Opera and many more. She has also directed Springtime and Babes in Toyland for Folks Operetta. Ms. Kelly can be heard on the Grammy winning recording (Best Classical Album and Best Choral Performance) of Verdi’s Requiem with Riccardo Muti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as two albums on the Naxos Recording Label (Rose of Stambul and Ball at the Savoy) and a Greatest Hits cd released by Ohio Light Opera. Ms. Kelly has sung back up for Elton John, Jessye Norman, Barry Manilow and Kathie Lee Gifford on various concerts and holiday specials for tv. Alison has been singing with Chicago Symphony Chorus for 18 years and founded a cabaret group, Broad Minded, which performs in several venues in Chicago. Ms. Kelly teaches voice and piano lessons in her home studio and at Fenwick High School. All my love to Gerald, Joseph, Clara and my dad

BILL CHAMBERLAIN

Pieter te Bakkenskijl, Jana's father

Bill Chamberlain, is thrilled to be returning to  Folks Operetta.

Gerald Frantzen

Karel van Lysseweghe, Court Secretary

Tenor Gerald Frantzen, is the Artistic Director  of Folks Operetta and has worked on over 16 operetta translations with FO dramaturg Hersh Glagov . Mr. Frantzen co-founded Folks Operetta (formerly Chicago Folks Operetta) in 2006 with his wife Alison Kelly and has been running it ever since. Under his direction, it has produced the American premiere Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die Kathrin, named as one of the top ten Chicago classical performances of 2022; released two albums on the Naxos Recording Label (Rose of Stambul and Ball at the Savoy); produced 11 American premieres of Viennese and German operettas, including  five Chicago premieres and seven children operettas. Highlights of his work with the  Folks Operetta catalog include Arizona Lady (2010), Ball at the Savoy ( Naxos Recording Label 2021), and The Rose of Stambul (Naxos recording label in 2013). Musical Theater highlights include Piangi/Swing in The Phantom of the Opera (Hal Prince director- Hamburg, Germany) and the The Russian in the musical Chess (Vest Norges Opera in Bergen, Norway – London Version).

Mr. Frantzen has sung with the Grant Park Chorus, Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Lyric Opera of Chicago chorus where he made his LOC solo debut as the Peasant in Eugene Onegin in 2008. He has performed roles in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, Acis and Galatea, and Salome with Glimmerglass Opera; Don Pasquale with Natchez Opera; La Rondine with Sarasota Opera, and Arabella with Santa Fe Opera.

A frequent soloist with the critically-acclaimed Handel Week Festival, he was the featured the soloist  in the cantata Look Down Harmonius Saint, Bach’s Magnificat;  the Messiah and the rarely performed Handel opera  Rodelinda, in which he received rave reviews from the Chicago Tribune for his portrayal of Grimoaldo.

In the operetta world, he has performed roles in  The Flower of Hawaii, Johnny Johnson, Madame Pompadour, Ball at the Savoy, Cousin from Nowhere, The Rose of Stambul, Arizona Lady, Clo Clo, The Girl in the Train, Springtime, Mitislav the Modern, Peter and Paul in the Land of Nod, Babes in Toyland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Folks Operetta; Gypsy Love, Yeomen of the Guard, Duchess of Chicago with Light Opera Works; The Student Prince, The Merry Widow, Song of Norway, and The Gondoliers with Ohio Light Opera; The Pirates of Penzance and The Student Prince with Ridge Light Opera. He also directed Csárdás Princess for Folks Operetta. His international musical theater credits include the Bishop Jekyll & Hyde, Bremen, Germany;  Piangi The Phantom of the Opera – Hal Prince, Director) in Hamburg, Germany;  and The Russian in Chess, Bergen, Norway. Regional credits include Dorsey & the Young Confederate Soldier Parade ( 8 Jeff Citations), Sir Harry Once Upon a Mattress, Tony West Side Story, Baron in Grand Hotel and Charlie in Brigadoon. He can also be heard with “The Three Waiters”, which won the award for Best Corporate Event of the Year in 2002, 2005 and 2009 and 2015.  Special thanks to Alison, Joseph and Clara- the loves of my life.

Jonathan Zeng

Scrop, the sleeping car conductor

Lauded for his versatility as a performer, critically acclaimed tenor, Jonathan Zeng, has performed throughout the United States with companies such as Cincinnati Opera, Central City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Memphis, Utah Festival Opera, The Princeton Festival, & Chicago Opera Theater and as a featured soloist with orchestras across the country. With a voice described by Chicago publications as “valiant”, “stunning”, “vibrant”, and “rich”, Jonathan is based in Chicago and has soloed with choral ensembles The William Ferris Chorale and Vox Venti. You may also have seen him singing with the Grant Park Symphony Chorus, or in multiple productions with Chicago Folks Operetta & Chicago Fringe Opera. Roles elsewhere range from Goro in Madama Butterfly & Beppe in I Pagliacci to Prince Charming in Cinderella, Chip Tolentino in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Frederic in Pirates of Penzance. In the coming season, Jonathan is looking forward to joining the Gilbert & Sullivan Company of Chicago as Richard Dauntless in Ruddigore & Chicago Fringe Opera as Benny in Fizz & Ginger.

Jonathan’s self-produced cabaret, SONGS THAT SPEAK, has had success throughout the midwest. Its next iteration will celebrate love in its many forms just in time for Valentine’s day on Saturday, Feb 10, 2024 at the Venus Cabaret Theater in Chicago!

An avid proponent for arts education and vocal instruction, Jonathan has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Preparatory Department at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has maintained a private voice studio for more than a decade. He teaches voice at Loyola Academy on the north side of Chicago. Jonathan received a BA in Music Education from the School of Music at Western IL University and an MM in vocal performance from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM). For more info, visit www.JonathanZeng.com or follow on Instagram: @jzengvoice.

KINGSLEY DAY

Judge Ruitersplat

Kingsley Day (Ruitersplat) was most recently seen as the Old Man in Theatre Above the Law’s
Prelude to a Kiss and Dr. Dreyfuss in Blank Theatre’s Promises, Promises. For Folks Operetta he
has appeared in Ball at the Savoy and The Girl in the Train. His other onstage credits include
Terry in Casa Valentina for Pride Arts, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol for Metropolis Performing
Arts, Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus for Porchlight, Senator Barney in Pinafore! for Bailiwick, Sir
Harcourt in London Assurance and other roles for City Lit, and Andrew Carnes in Oklahoma! and
other roles for Light Opera Works. Kingsley has played the patter baritone lead in all 14 Gilbert
& Sullivan operettas with the Savoyaires, where he has directed the last five productions, most
recently Iolanthe.

ETHAN SERPAN

Jana's attorney

Ethan is very excited to be making his debut with Folks Operetta! After graduating from DePaul’s Theatre School earlier this year, he is an excited and passionate artist ready to take on Chicago’s theatre scene. Favorite roles at Depaul include Walt Disney in A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney,  and Zeke Matthews in Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium. Most recently, Ethan was in a production of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus as Aufidius with A World Elsewhere Ensemble, a theatre company founded by his classmates at DePaul. Outside of theatre, Ethan has been pursuing a blossoming new interest in screen acting and is making films with Central Times productions, most recently Autopilot. Ethan has also been training to become a violence and intimacy coordinator with Creative Root. Special thanks to Joe for this opportunity, and to Victoria for her love and support.”

ISABELLA BRADLEY

Prof. Wiesum,/ Town Crier/ Ensemble

ATHENA KOPULOS

Prof. Tjonger/ ensemble

Athena is thrilled to be returning to Folks Operetta after working with them on The Csárdás Princess, The Flower of Hawaii, and most recently These Are The Times: A Tingel-Tangel Cabaret. She is graduate of Indiana University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama and minor in dance, where she was awarded the Cathering Feltus Preston Scholarship for innovation in the arts. Other recent credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Bright Side Theatre), Within (Visceral Dance Center), and Sister Act (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre). Athena is part of the work-study program at Visceral Dance Center and works as a cookie decorator. Thanks to her family and friends for their continuous love and support!

Athena is thrilled to be returning to Folks Operetta after working with them on The Csardas Princess,The Flower of Hawaii, and most recently These Are the Times: A Tingel-Tangel Cabaret. She is a graduate of Indiana University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama and a minor in dance, where she was awarded the Catherine Feltus Preston Scholarship for innovation in the arts. Other recent credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (BrightSide Theatre), Within (Visceral Dance Center), and Sister Act (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre). Athena is part of the work-study program at Visceral Dance Center and works as a cookie decorator. Thanks to her family and friends for their continuous love and support!

CAMILEE CORTE

Adeline/ensemble

Hailing from Olathe, Kansas, Camille is a Senior at The Theatre School at Depaul University
studying Theatre Arts with a minor in Radio, TV, & New Media. This is Camille’s first time
performing with Folks Operetta and she couldn’t be more thrilled. She is extremely grateful for
the opportunity and would like to thank everyone involved in telling this story about love and
laughter.