50th Anniversary Celebration Concert Performers

Mark Anthony Brown, a Dallas native, is an accomplished American baritone whose musical journey began at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Opera from the University of Oklahoma in 1998, where he studied for six years under the tutelage of internationally renowned baritone Thomas Carey. Mark Anthony made his operatic debut with the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company (CCOC), performing the role of Papageno in The Magic Flute. His diverse repertoire includes roles such as Pooh-Bah (The Mikado), Belcore (The Elixir of Love), Captain Corcoran (H.M.S. Pinafore), King Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Elder Gleaton (Susannah), and Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor). He performed these roles through a collaborative partnership between the University of Oklahoma Opera and CCOC, where he also served as Costume Master for five years. During his time at the University of Oklahoma, Mark Anthony was named the “Outstanding Bass Singer” for the University Choir (1994-95), performed as a soloist with the Norman Children’s Choir, and sang regularly at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. He received several vocal scholarships, including the Benton-Schmidt, Jerold Norman, and Carol Brice Carey Scholarships, as well as the Carol Brice Carey Assistance and Scholastic Continuity Awards. In 1996, he was a featured recitalist in the Carol Brice Carey Music Series at the Oklahoma Civic Center and studied abroad at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, in 1997. From 1999 to 2002, Mark Anthony was a member of the Capital City Chorale, South Carolina’s premier African American festival chorus. After a two-decade hiatus from performing, he is now rediscovering his voice and returning to the stage.

RONN BURTON is thrilled to celebrate Cimarron Opera! He appeared as Despard in Ruddigore in 2023 … but the last time before that was in The Merry Widow in 2005! Since then… NEW YORK: Sondheim’s Birthday Celebration with Marilyn Maye and Mr. Sondheim himself (Carnegie Hall), Best Of Lerner and Loewe with Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot (Carnegie Hall), Leonard Bernstein Celebration with Marni Nixon (Symphony Space), and other Off-Broadway credits at Union Square Theater, Second Stage Uptown, and more. RECENT OKC THEATRE: The Thanksgiving Play (OKC Rep), Dance Nation (Southern Plains), The Christians (Jewel Box), Play That Goes Wrong (Lyric), Superstitions (OKC Rep). DIRECTING / TEACHING: member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Directors Lab Mediterranean, faculty at OCU and UCO, and director of the Professional Training program for Lyric Theatre. BFA from Shenandoah Conservatory. Follow @RonnBurton. Thanks to longtime friend and mentor Kevin Smith for reaching out to make music together!

Bio: Kassie Carroll Downey is stoked to finally be on the “other side of the table” after choreographing and directing shows for Cimarron opera over the last decade. Kassie was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. After high school she continued her education and got a bachelor of music in musical theater from The University of Central Oklahoma. She has been pursuing her career since on stage and off teaching, performing and directing for companies from Oklahoma, to New York, to Sydney Australia. As a performer Kassie has performed Off-Broadway in New York, has toured and has performed in regional theaters all over the country. Directing and teaching has always been a huge passion for her and after years of traveling she found herself being pulled back home to give back to the very community that gave her some much growing up. Kassie has taught at her alma mater in the music theater department and has taught/directed at many theaters throughout the Norman and OKC metro area. She is a huge advocate for the arts and is grateful to Norman for having such incredible opportunities for artists of all kinds. Without Cimarron Opera Kassie would truly not be who she is today! Thank you Natasha and Kevin for the opportunity to sing with the company that ignited her love for theater over 28 years ago. Happy 50th!

Zachary DeVault is a baritone from the Oklahoma City/Edmond area. With both a Master’s and Bachelor’s from the University of Central Oklahoma, Zachary has made the metro area his home for almost thirty years. He has performed extensively in the area, with companies such as Painted Sky Opera and Cimmaron Opera, as well as Westminster Presbyterian, St. James Catholic, and Christ the King Catholic Churches. He has been a soloist in the Fauré Requiem with Christ the King Catholic Church, and has also performed roles such as Figaro (Nozze), Masetto (Don Giovanni), and El Dancaïro (Carmen). Zachary would like to give special thanks to thank his teacher, Leslie Flanagan for putting up with his constant shenanigans. Finally, Zachary would like to extend a massive thank-you to his Fiancée Hayley for her steadfast support in his musical journey.

Soprano Elizabeth Fischborn has been described as "diminutive and engaging" with "astonishing volume" and "pure tonal beauty" (George B. Parous, The Pittsburgh Stage Online Magazine). Ms. Fischborn was featured with Edwin Barker (principal bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra) in the 2020 Bridge Records release of works by Fred Lerdahl performing the piece Fire and Ice. Ms. Fischborn sang Fire and Ice on both the Daedalus Quartet concert (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) and Boston Symphony Chamber Players (Jordan Hall) concert in 2017 after performing the world premiere at Tanglewood in 2015. Her other works on the concert stage include Carmina Burana (2014 with Tulsa Opera and Tulsa Ballet's collaborative production) and The Messiah in 2013 (Muskogee Community Choir). Her roles include Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium (Painted Sky Opera), Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos (Opera Theater of Pittsburgh) and Frasquita (Carmen), Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby), Lulu Baines (Elmer Gantry), Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Rose (At the Statue of Venus) and Coloratura (Postcard from Morocco), all with Tulsa Opera. She was a vocal fellow at Tanglewood (2015 & 2016) and a young artist with the Tulsa Opera, Wichita Grand Opera and Crested Butte apprenticeship programs. Ms. Fischborn graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Southern Nazarene University and a master’s in voice from the University of Oklahoma.

Bass-Baritone: Harvey D. Fort is elated to come back to Norman, Oklahoma to participate in the 50th year celebration of the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company (CCOC). Harvey made his operatic debut with the role of Sarastro in CCOC’s production of Die Zauberflöte. Other roles while in Oklahoma included Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Seneca in L’incoronazione di Poppea, and the Duke in Roméo et Juliette. Upon the passing of Thomas Carey, Harvey moved to Washington, DC in 2002, to further pursue his operatic engagements. He began his east coast operatic journey with the Baltimore Opera Company, the Washington Summer Opera, and the Young Victorian Theater Company - Gilbert & Sullivan (because, why not?) In 2004, Harvey was invited to sing with the Washington National Opera (WNO) as a bass in the chorus. Soon after, he made his company debut as the First Apparition in Verdi’s Macbeth. He went on to perform the role of First Immigration Officer in WNO’s production of View From the Bridge. Other east coast highlights include: Sparafucile in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Opera Vivente, the role of Joe in the Annapolis Chorale’s production of Showboat, and chorus performances with the Washington Concert Opera. Upon returning to Washington, DC after this performance, Harvey will begin rehearsing for WNO’s production of the critical edition of Porgy & Bess, which will be performed in May. He also expects to be cast in WNO’s production of Verdi’s Aida this coming Fall.

Marcy Gonzales hails from Blanchard, OK. She studied voice at the University of Oklahoma under the direction of Dr. Donna Cox Mitchell. She is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA where she studied under legendary mezzo soprano, Marilyn Horn. Marcy has enjoyed performing opera and musical theater at home and abroad. Operatic roles include: Dame Quickly in Falstaff, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Malika in Lakmé, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, and Carmen in Carmen. A few of her musical theater credits consist of: Nettie Fowler in Carousel, Marmee in Little Women, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Nancy in Oliver! and Mother Superior in Sister Act." Marcy performed consistently with Cimarron Opera for over a decade where she had the privilege of diving into a variety of different roles and garnered a wealth of knowledge and experience from so many of the incredible musicians that contributed their time and talents to the company over the years.

Soprano Alexandra Johnson is an alum of Cimarron Opera Camp, performing as Phyllis in Iolanthe (2012) and Rose Maybud in Ruddigore (2013). She later returned as a camp counselor and portrayed Edith in The Pirates of Penzance (2015). In 2021, she performed with Cimarron Opera in Sunday Excursion. Alexandra is currently a Filstrup Resident Artist and the Marketing and Development Manager at Tulsa Opera. She debuted on the Tulsa Opera mainstage as Lucinda in Into the Woods and has toured extensively with the company’s Raise Your Voice Tour. Other notable roles include Babette in Beauty and the Beast, Morgana in Alcina, Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen, and Rose Maurrant in Street Scene. Alexandra holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas.

Kayla Marshall is a soprano from OKC who received their undergraduate degree in vocal performance from the University of Oklahoma. Kayla is currently a Registered Behavioral Therapist and is taking every day as an opportunity to learn something new.

Pat Meirick has appeared in Cimarron Opera’s productions of Ruddigore (Despard, Old Adam), The Gondoliers (Don Alhambra, Duke of Plaza-Toro), Pirates of Penzance (Major General), Patience (Major), HMS Pinafore (Carpenter’s Mate), and Iolanthe (Private Willis). He has also appeared locally in Carpenter Square Theater’s Clever Little Lies (Billy), Namron Theatre’s Spots and Stripes (King Zutan), and Poteet Theatre’s To Kill a Mockingbird (Atticus). Other credits, from his teens and 20s in his native Minnesota, include The Mikado (Mikado), The Fantasticks (Matt), Once Upon a Mattress (King Sextimus), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Linus), and Angel Street (Inspector Rough). He also co-founded an improv group at Carleton College. He is a professor in OU’s Department of Communication. He and his wife, Christina McDougall, have two grown children, Ian McDougall and Lor Meirick, who are both alumni of Cimarron Opera Camp.

Dr. Donna Mitchell-Cox, soprano, was a student of the celebrated baritone and Regents Professor Thomas Carey. Her performing career was predominately as a recitalist and as a concert soloist. Some of her most acclaimed, heartfelt oratorio performances were Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Brahm’s Requiem, and Brubeck’s Mass To Hope. While teaching at the University of Oklahoma and as a member of the Mid-America and Oklahoma’s Artist Rosters, she performed recitals collaborating with her colleagues. Her fondest memories with Cimarron Opera are the annual Spiritual Concert when she shared the deeply rooted foundation of her singing. Dr. Cox is a graduate of Columbia University Teachers College, where she completed her Education Doctorate in College Teaching. Her masters and bachelor's degrees were earned at the Eastman School of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature.

Charlie Monnot is big supporter and participant of the Oklahoma music scene. Previous Opera productions, Waiter in Service Provider, Vespone in La Serva Padrona (Painted Sky Opera), Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore, Scorpio in La Pizza Con Funghi (Cimmeron Opeara). Musical Theatre roles include: Harrold Bride in Titanic, Henry Ford in Ragtime, Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol (Lyric Theatre); Lord Farquaad in Shrek, Tobias in Sweeney Todd, Carl in Ghost (The Pollard Theatre);, Claude in Hair and Pirelli in Sweeney Todd (Reduxion Theater Company;, Oscar Lindquist in Sweet Charity and the Baker in Into the Woods (Shawnee Little Theatre);, Tateh in Ragtime (Poteet Theatre), Malcolm in The Full Monty (Sooner Theatre). When not on stage, Charlie can be seen as the Registrar at Oklahoma City University.

Emerging mezzo-soprano Natasha Naik is Cimarron’s Artistic Director. Notable roles include Fenena in Nabucco (Opera Ithaca), Mad Margaret in Ruddigore (Cimarron Opera Company), Inez in the Gondoliers (Cimarron Opera), Scribe/Maria Maddelena in Galileo Galilei (Cincinnati Conservatory MainStage), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (University of Oklahoma), Mercédès in Carmen (Cincinnati Conservatory French Opera Gala), Mezzo-soprano/Detective 3 in Murder at the Opera (Cimarron Opera Company) and Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe (Cimarron Opera Company). In addition to her work with Cimarron Opera, she is the Programs Manager for Cincinnati Song Initiative. Naik holds a Master of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) from the University of Oklahoma. Natasha is delighted to be part of Cimarron’s 50th Anniversary, as she first developed her love of opera in the Cimarron’s Summer Camp and honed her skills as a young artist, administrator, and props designer at the company.

Keegan Rose is a tenor based in Edmond, Oklahoma, known for his versatility in opera and musical theatre. He returns to Cimarron Opera after performing as Luiz in The Gondoliers in the summer of 2024. For the company’s 50th Anniversary Concert, he will be featured in the quintet “Try We Life Long” and the trio “It Really Doesn’t Matter." Keegan holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Central Oklahoma and is an active performer and educator. He serves as the Worship and Music Director at First United Methodist Church in Stillwater and directs collegiate choir at UCO, as well as the Vocal Jazz ensemble at Oklahoma City Community College. Cheers to the next 50 years!

Nia Sier is an operatic soprano pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a minor in Arts Administration at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. She has always had a love for the arts and is currently pursuing a career in opera with the help of OSU Opera and Cimarron Opera in Norman, Oklahoma. She has been performing with Cimarron opera for around 9 years now and can’t wait to perform with them for many more!

In 1996 Kevin was chosen by his mentor Thomas Carey to become music director of what was then known as Cimarron Circuit Opera Company. Since that time, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with hundreds of singers, several stage directors, and has racked up well over 1,000 performances of opera, operetta, children’s opera, Broadway and musical theatre shows, recitals, and special presentations. Kevin describes himself as “an incurable teacher” who strives to turn every situation into an opportunity for learning something new or reinforcing something already learned. In addition to Cimarron Opera, Kevin is also music director and private voice instructor at Lyric Theatre’s Thelma Gaylord Academy in Oklahoma City (since 2004), music director and tour accompanist with Lyric’s Interactive show since its inception in 2007 and has music directed numerous shows at Sooner Theatre, Carpenter Square, Poteet Theatre, Jewelbox, and Kids Alive, among others. Kevin’s favorite thing: peace.

Sarah Spurlin, soprano, praised for her easy and warm high notes, was raised by two opera singers. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she earned her Bachelor’s of Music in voice performance. While there, she performed a wide range of repertoire from Mozart, to Janacek, to Argento, and Ticheli. In 2019 she made her title role debut as Le Coq in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel. Spurlin recently completed her final semester of study for a Master’s in Music at the Eastman School of Music. At Eastman, she had the opportunity to explore the world of modern opera, playing Enyo in Nkeiru Okoye’s We’ve Got Our Eye on You. She also dived deeper into the music of Poulenc when she played Madame Lidoine in Dialogues des Carmélites. Since her return to Oklahoma, she has played Casilda in The Gondoliers with Cimarron Opera, and has been an active performer with OK City Opera. Currently, she is an adjunct instructor of voice at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Erica C. Thomas attended the University of Oklahoma where she received the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Erica's voice teacher, the late Thomas Carey, introduced her to the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company where she served as Executive/Artistic Director from 2002 to 2008. Erica performed many roles with the company including Mimi (La Boheme), Cio-Cio San (Madame Butterfly) and the Witch (Hansel and Gretel). She also directed several of CCOC’s productions which include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Toy Shop, and Cosi Fan Tutte. The Black Liberated Arts Center was a part of Erica's earlier years developing her craft. She served as Administrative Assistant for the center as well as actress, singer, dancer, director and in several technical positions. Miss Thomas received a Master of Music in Opera/Music Theatre from Southern Illinois University, studying with Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone, Richard Best. Miss Thomas was awarded the Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theatre scholarship for two consecutive years at SIU. She also performed in She Loves Me and The Merry Widow and was an ensemble member of the McLeod Summer Playhouse (Carbondale, IL). Erica was a district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions in Oklahoma and St. Louis. She has worked with The Children's Theatre (OKC), Oklahoma City Arts Council, Sooner Theater in Norman, OK, and other community organizations and theaters in Oklahoma. Erica has received numerous honors and awards including the Know Your Neighbor Award from the Norman Chamber of Commerce for her work in the arts community. Erica has performed with Langston University, Rose State College, Milwaukee Bel Canto Chorus, the Ambassadors Concert Choir, Bellville Philharmonic, Oklahoma Community Orchestra and as an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera. She has been a performer on the touring roster for the Oklahoma Arts Council since 2004. . Rev. Thomas is an Ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She currently serves as the Associate Pastor of Worship and Communications at Quayle United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City and as an Adjunct Voice Instructor at Langston University.

Mitchell is thrilled to be joining Cimarron Opera for their 50th anniversary celebration. You may have seen him as Richard Dauntless in Cimarron’s production of “Ruddigore” in Summer 2023. Originally hailing from Wichita, KS, Mitchell is currently a Senior at the University of Oklahoma studying Vocal Performance and Music Education. Mitchell has performed on this stage many times with OU Opera Theater, most recently as Ramiro in Ravel’s “L’heure Espagnole” and Beppo in Donizetti’s “Rita”. Cimarron Opera is such a special organization and Mitchell is so grateful to have been a small part of this 50 year legacy.

Rodney Westbrook, a distinguished lyric tenor, was born in Fayette, Alabama, in 1978. For over 20 years, he has enjoyed a thriving career, performing across Europe and North America. His professional journey began in 2002 as an opera singer and concert soloist at Mainfranken Theater in Würzburg, Germany. Rodney has captivated audiences all over, collaborating with esteemed ensembles such as the Naples, Florida Philharmonic, Longview, Texas Symphony, Canterbury Voices, OKC Master Chorale, Tulsa Oratorio Society, and the Bartlesville Symphony. He has also been a frequent soloist with the Norman Philharmonic delivering acclaimed performances in Bach’s St. John Passion, Bach’s Magnificat, and Handel’s Messiah, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Rodney has been a featured soloist with the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, performing in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Haydn’s The Creation. A proud alumnus of The University of Oklahoma, he holds both bachelor's and master's degrees and has returned as a guest soloist for Accademia Filarmonica as well as stage roles of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Tateh in Ragtime. Rodney resides in Norman, Oklahoma, with his wife and three children, where he continues to inspire audiences with his artistry and passion for classical music.

Célia Wollenberg, French-American soprano, is thrilled to celebrate Cimarron Opera’s 50th anniversary. Over the past 25 years, she has sung extensively with the company, performing roles such as Voluptua (La Pizza con Funghi) and Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), as well as appearing in numerous concerts and recitals. She holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Voice Performance from the University of Oklahoma and currently teaches voice at the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Community College. Célia enjoys life in Norman with her husband, Justin, their son, Michel, and their two beloved cats, Chouquette and Mademoiselle.