Mark Dodd - Stage Director

Mark is directing his first production for the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre. However, he played Lillas Pastia in the group’s recent production of Carmen and has been active as a director and actor in non-musical theater for over twenty years. In 2005, he played Robert in David Auburn’s Proof for the Westside Players in Pocatello. In recent years he has also doubled as both director and actor in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, playing Sir Toby, and Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, playing Doolittle. Both of these shows were with the Idaho Falls Community Players. His favorite saying is “Make it big.” Mark is a faculty member in English at Idaho State University, teaching full-time at University Place in Idaho Falls for more than seven years. 

Linda Brock - Stage Manager and Lighting Director

Linda Brock is working with IFOT for the first time, but in recent years has served as both Stage Manager and Lighting Director for a number of productions with the Idaho Falls Community Players as well as filling minor roles in Romeo and Juliet, The Commedia, Princess and The Pea and The Merchant of Venice. She got her start in theatric production at Kenyon College (in Gambier, OH). Linda is a systems analyst for the Idaho Falls School District and serves on the Board of the Snake River Montessori School.

K. Bruce Ford  - Music Director/Conductor

Bruce, originally from Ogden, Utah, received his BMus. in Choral Music Education, with a minor in German, from USU and his MEd. in Music Education from
ISU. Bruce is an accomplished pianist and has also spent extensive time accompanying vocalists, instrumentalists, and various choral groups. He worked
professionally with the Utah Festival Opera Company for six seasons. Bruce has taught choir for 13 years at Eagle Rock Jr. High, where his groups have
consistently received high honors and recognition at the regional and state levels. In addition, he has conducted or prepared choruses for many productions
presented by School District #91, Idaho Falls Opera Theatre, Sounds Choir, and the Idaho Falls Youth Arts Council, among them “South Pacific,” “Guys and Dolls,”
“Oklahoma!” “Grease,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Die Fledermaus,” “West Side Story,” “Annie” and “Into the Woods.” Bruce and his wife Melanie have two sons.
His interests include the study of languages, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Star Wars, and home theater

Becky Hiett - Production Manager

Vicki Johnson - Costume Manager/Shepherdess

Vicki has performed with the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre for 8 years, sewing and designing costumes for productions for seven years.  She currently is the manager for the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre's Costume Gallery where costumes are rented to other production groups, high school students, and the general public.  She is also serving a s member of the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre Board of Directors and serves as ????????????

Deborah Bean – Choreographer

Ms. Bean danced professionally with Ballet Oregon and with the Harriette Ann Gray Dance Company, where she worked with noted classical and contemporary choreographers, including Dennis Spaight. Ms. Bean accumulated extensive teaching experience at academies across the United States, including Minnesota Dance Theatre and the Academy of Professional Ballet in Portland, Oregon. Ms. Bean established Idaho Falls School of Ballet, LLC in 1995, and she also directs Ballo Capesso, a performing ballet ensemble. Ms. Bean’s credentials include a BFA in Dance. 

Lynne Kildow - Property Manager

Lynne's first play was Camelot, then My Fair Lady, hence her handle.  She has also appeared in Carmen, Mame, Masked Ball and Madame Butterfly.  She's been in or helped in production for 12 years.  She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre and currently serves as Vice President. "I want to thank the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre for years of wonderful ways to channel my creative talents. I'm the happiest when covered with paint helping to make the beautiful sets for all the great musical and operas over the years.  Thanks, again, Idaho Falls Opera Theatre."

J.D. Atkinson - Set Construction

Started building sets with IFOT for the 1997 production of My Fair Lady.  He has worked on almost every show since then.  JD grew up with opera in the household, but is quick to remind you: “I don’t sing Italian, and I don’t wear tights.” Building sets gives JD a creative outlet without requiring any on-stage appearance.  Anyone who can hold a screwdriver or a paintbrush is encouraged to lend a hand.

Tyler Hurst – Amahl

Tyler is 10 years old and in the 5^th grade at Sunnyside Elementary School in Idaho Falls.  Tyler is the son of Jestin and Marci Hurst.  He has a brother, Derek, a sister, Megan, and his favorite cat, Briar.   Tyler was born in Seattle, Washington and has lived in Idaho Falls since he was 2 years old.  Tyler loves sports, including baseball, wrestling, and soccer, etc.  He also enjoys scouting and traveling with his family.   Although Tyler is new to the performing arts, he likes to sing in his music class and at church. 

Lonna Joy Smoot - Mother

Lonna Joy Smoot, soprano, is pleased to be making her début with Idaho Falls Opera Theatre. She is quickly gaining recognition for her beautiful voice, compelling stage presence, and sensitive musicianship. Ms. Smoot earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Utah State University and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Brigham Young University in Provo, where she studied under Lawrence Vincent. Operatic credits include the Countess in Le Nozze de Figaro, Mimí in La Boh me, the First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, and Gretel in Hänsel and Gretel. Smoot has also appeared in productions of Otello, Three Hermits, I Pagliacci, and Carmen with Utah Opera. Lonna Joy has enjoyed performing in recitals and concerts throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Italy, Finland, and Russia. She has studied at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria and the Cultural Studies Academy in Salzburg, Austria with Rainer Buland of the Mozarteum. She is a vocal instructor in Ucon, Idaho and loves helping young voices bloom and develop

Rob Farnam - King Melchior

This is Rob's 41st principal role in staged IFOT productions.  The title role in Rigoletto and the roles of Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte, Renato in Verdi's Masked Ball, Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, Marcello in La Boheme and Escamillo in Carmen are other highlights of his operatic career.  Rob has worked with IFOT in numerous capacities since its beginning in 1978.  He has served a president for twelve years and holds that position currently.  Rob has frequently appeared as a soloist with the Idaho Falls Symphony, Anam Cara, Sun Valley's Caritas Chorale and the Idaho Falls Symphony Chorale (now Viva la Voce).  In 2005 Rob was a soloist with the combined choirs of Anam Cara and Caritas Chorale performing in several venues in Germany and Italy.  He appeared as a soloist with Caritas Chorale in February in Mozart's Mass in C Minor.

Mike Schofield - King Kaspar

Eric Laing - King Balthazar

Eric Laing began singing at an early age, learned to play the guitar at age 14, but really became serious about the craft while in high school. He was awarded several vocal scholarships and accepted the offer from Idaho State University, serving as the bass section lead for the ISU choir. He spent a month touring Brazil performing An Unforgettable Christmas in eight cities during December of 1986. After marrying the love of his life, Nancy, he became active in Pocatello musical theater, playing lead roles such as Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers , Curly in Oklahoma! and Starbuck in The Rainmaker. Eric also played supporting roles in the musicals Guys and Dolls, Big River, The Gift, and an earlier high-school performance of Seven Brides for Seven Bothers. An enthusiastic member of several church choirs, Eric has continued to enjoy singing bass harmony with others. Eric is currently a member of Hot Rod Lincoln, a local band singing popular folk, rock, and country songs and has played for the Alive after Five concert series for the past three years. Currently, Eric has joined the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre as Balthazar, the bass king in Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Conrad Hillman – Page

Conrad B. Hillman was born in Idaho Falls to Brett Hillman and Jill Fransen.  He lived in Idaho Falls for ten years before moving to Shelley where he graduated from high school 2001.  After graduation, Conrad then served a 2  year mission for the LDS church in Jackson,  Mississippi.  Since his return Conrad has been in several plays including The Tempest and A Midsummer Nights Dream.  He has enjoyed performing and loves to make the audience laugh and react to his actions on stage. This is his first singing performance.  Conrad is currently attending Idaho State University studying Psychology.  Afterward graduation, Conrad plans to attend graduate school with the ultimate goal of receiving a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology

 Karel Kingrey – Shepherdess

Karel began studying voice as a teenager and received a BA as music major from the University of Missouri. She then received degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry from the University of Washington. Karel has worked at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory for eighteen years, and toured France and Switzerland as a soloist with the Caritas Chorale of Sun Valley.  She has been a soloist with Anam Cara Chamber Choir of Idaho (formerly the Idaho Falls Symphony Chorale), Viva la Voce, and the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre, and is a pushover for golden retrievers.

Amy Staiger – Shepherdess

This is the second stage production in which Amy has appeared, her first being the March 2007 Idaho Falls Opera Theatre production of Carmen where she performed the role of Frasquita.  She began studying voice about 2 years ago and currently studies with Solveig Nyberg-Akert.  Additionally, she sings with the Idaho Falls-based singing group Viva la Voce (formerly Idaho Falls Symphony Chorale). She served an LDS mission to Vina del Mar, Chile and has a Bachelor's Degree in Geography from Brigham Young University in Provo.  Currently she serves on the Idaho Falls Opera Theatre Board of Directors and works full time at BYU-Idaho as an Office Assistant for the Business Management Department.  As you can imagine her busy schedule leaves no "free time" - but who needs free time when you get to spend so much fun time with friends doing what you love to do - SING!

Joan Tallman - IFOT Artistic Director/Publicity – Shepherdess

Joan served as the first president and Artistic director of The Idaho Falls Opera Theatre, incorporated in 1978 and has served on the board of directors for 29 seasons. She currently fills two positions on the Board:  Artistic Director and Marketing Director.  As a performing artist, she is an active performer with IFOT and has enjoyed many leading soprano roles in Carmen, La Boheme, Cosi fan Tutti, I Pagliacci, The Merry Widow, and A Little Night Music.  She has performed as a soloist with The Idaho Falls Symphony and  the Idaho State Civic Symphony performing several major works including Carmina Burana, Beethoven 9th Symphony, and Poulenc Gloria.  She has also performed with the Elkhorn Summer Festival Symphony in Mozart Mass in C Minor and given a solo recital in Sun Valley, Idaho.  Joan is a voice instructor and teaches in a private studio in Idaho Falls. She was an adjunct voice instructor and recitalist teaching at Ricks College for 12 years and has been a voice instructor and language coach in Choral Rendezvous summer program in Challis, Idaho. Currently, she performs with Anam Cara Chamber Choir of Idaho and Viva la Voce (formerly Idaho Falls Symphony Chorale).

BJ Buescher – Shepherd

B. J. has been active in IFOT productions for many years starting with the production of Carmen in 1982.  In addition to performing with IFOT, B. J. is a member of the choral group Vive la Voce and was an active member of the Spiritual Choir Hardt in Karlsruhe, Germany from 1984 to 1986.

Corey Edwards – Shepherd

Corey is a 3 year resident of Idaho Falls, moving here from Oregon to take up work with an Internet service provider. He has appeared in community theater presentations of A Distant Serenade, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Charlotte's Web. The stage will always have a special place in his heart as that's where he met his beautiful wife, to whom he has been happily married for 8 years. Together they have 2 wonderful and rambunctious boys, ages 5 and 2. 

AJ Grigg - Shepherd

John Wrablik - Shepherd

Ben Fairbourne - Dancer/Shepherd

Lauren Hill - Dancer

Holly Mickelsen - Dancer

Kyle Fairbourne - Dancer

Joan Reimann - Accompanist

Mardene Munk - Accompanist