Antoinette Katsas (Ensemble) is excited to be making her SOT debut! She is a high schooler based in Falls Church, VA, and loves to perform. Her past opera credits include Jungle Book, (Washington National Opera, children’s chorus), and Turandot (WNO, children’s chorus). She also enjoys musical theater, and has been in various shows. Along with theater, she plays piano, harp, tenor guitar, and softball. She would like to thank her family, friends, and her voice teacher, Wesley Diener, for their support.
Melissa holds a Master’s degree in Music from Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance, a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where she received the Wind Ensemble Award in 2012, and in 2021 she completed her certification in k-12 music education from Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she received the honor of becoming a member of Kappa Delta Pi. She has studied voice with Kathryn Green, Jennifer Cherest-Flory, and Bree Nichols, and studied clarinet with Garrick Zoeter and Sam Caviezel. She currently performs with the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg and has performed with companies throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia, such as Bel Cantanti Opera Chorus, Opera Camerata Chorus, Teatro Lirico Chorus, Stafford Opera Troupe where she starred as Cinderella in their 2019 production of Cendrillon, Southern Maryland Light Opera Company Chorus for Naughty Marietta and The Mikado, and starred as Gretel in their 2008 production of Hansel and Gretel, played the role of Mother in the College of Southern Maryland’s production of Ragtime in 2018, and was Puck in Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s 2017 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Melissa has been teaching privately for 13 years and is currently a General Music and Choir director with Charles County Public Schools. She resides in VA with her husband Norman and their daughter Willow.
Sommer Schaap (Assistant Stage Manager, Choreographer, Sampson) is an emerging theatre artist in the DMV, making her debut with Shakespeare Opera Theatre. She was a John Cauble Short Play Finalist through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in 2023 for her one act, Almost Lifelong. Sommer is currently a Teaching Artist with The Keegan Theatre and will teach drama at Bancroft Elementary in the upcoming school year. She is from southwest Minnesota and has a BA in Theatre Arts, with an emphasis in Acting and Directing from Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, baking cakes, and playing with her cat, Bob.
Mikayla Talbert (Stage Manager, Abraham Cover) is a freelance stage manager in the DC area enjoying her debut with SOT and her on stage debut! Her previous work includes stage managing Ethiopia (INSeries Opera) and directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Nothwestern High School while teaching Drama as well. Mikayla Graduated from Shenandoah University with her BFA in Theatre Design and Production in December of 2023. After this she went on to the Disney College Program, working the Magic Kingdom Firework Dessert Party. You can catch Mikayla Production Stage Managing with INSeries Opera for the 2025-26 season!
Soprano Donnette Rimmer is delighted to return to SOT for her second production. (She appeared as Lady Lennox in Macbeth in 2024). Originally from California, she has lived in the Washington DC area for most of her adult life. She has served as a soloist and section leader at several churches in DC and N. VA and performs regularly with local early music ensembles. Also a violinist and aspiring celtic harper, her musical opportunities have taken her to choral and instrumental ensembles in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Rome, the Loire Valley, and the Scottish Highlands. A retired attorney, Donnette specialised in international trade and intellectual property rights for the federal government.
Julie Silva is ecstatic to return to Shakespeare Opera Theatre as the swashbuckling Stephano! A devoted trouser role enthusiast, credits include Hansel (Hansel and Gretel with SOT), the Page (Rigoletto with Austin Opera & Opera San Antonio), Orfeo (Orfeo ed Euridice with Opera McGill), Annio (La clemenza di Tito with LOLA), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro with LAHSOW), and the Boy in The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Robot (One Ounce Opera). A multi-genre artist based in NYC, Julie is thrilled to call the DMV an additional artistic home. Upcoming DMV performances include work with the Wolf Trap Opera chorus (Carmen) and the Washington National Opera chorus (Aida). A special shoutout to her partner, A, and her Virginia family, the 4 A’s, for all their support on her SOT operatic adventure!
Catie Brooks is ecstatic to make her debut with Shakespeare Opera Theater as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. Catie is a vocalist, voice teacher, and actor currently based in Washington, D.C, and come fall she’ll be attending New York University for her Master of Music Degree in Vocal Pedagogy. Previous credits include Deb in Ordinary Days and Jacqueline in Muse: The Women of Picasso with Chameleon Theater Collective, Lucille in Monsieur et Madame Denise with Chicago Summer Opera, Phyllis in Iolanthe, and Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte to name a few. Later this summer Catie will be singing in the chorus of Carmina Burana with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap. Catie holds a dual Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and Music Theatre from James Madison University and currently studies with Danielle Talamantes. Despite her busy musical schedule, Catie still finds ample time to brag about her adorable rescue pitbull, Mango.
Mezzo-soprano Louise Anderson is thrilled to return to Shakespeare Opera Theatre as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, having previously performed with the company as Third Witch and Young Siward in Macbeth. Louise made her operatic debut at the age of nine in the children’s chorus of Macbeth at the Royal Swedish Opera, and has since appeared with companies including Norwegian National Opera, Danish National Opera, Opera San José, PASS Artist Residency New York, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Staten Island. She holds a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Professor Mark Schnaible, and previously trained at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. As an actor, she has also trained at Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles and T. Schreiber Studio in New York. Louise is a prizewinner in the Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition and the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Upcoming: Young Artist at Confidencen (summer 2025) and a feature film premiere (One of the Girls) in September 2025 where she plays one of the leads.
Nickolas James is an American tenor lauded for his uniquely bright timbre and charismatic performances. He has performed a multitude of principle roles across a wide range of styles including Lurcanio (Ariodante), Male Chorus (Lucretia), White Rabbit (A.L.I.C.E.), and many more. He has had the pleasure of working with and learning from prominent artists and educators including Dr. Arnold Rawls, Dr. Kathryn Leemhuis (Boyer College of Music and Dance), Reggie Smith, Ben Robinson (Anchorage Opera), and Dr. Chuck Chandler (DePaul University). A Dallas, Texas native, Nickolas earned his Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the Boyer College of Music and Dance in 2024 and is currently residing in Philadelphia with the best dog that ever lived, Whiskey. This production is Nickolas’ Shakespeare Opera Theater debut and he is so excited to take part in presenting this brilliant production of a timeless classic.
Joseph McBrayer, originally from Dallas, Georgia, praised by critics for his “polished lyric tenor,” is pleased to be making his role and company debut as Romeo with Shakespeare Opera Theatre. In the 2022-23 season, Mr. McBrayer began his residency as a studio artist with Florida Grand Opera, where he stayed through the 23-24 season and performed the roles of Beppe (Pagliacci), Gastone (La Traviata), Paolino (El Matrimonio Secreto), and Gherardo (Gianni Schicchi), before traveling to Santa Fe to create the role of The Mayor of Santa Fe in Joe Illick’s new opera, Zozobra’s Revenge. Mr. McBrayer has also worked with Vero Beach Opera, Capitol City Opera, and The Atlanta opera, among others. He studied voice at Kennesaw State University, then on to Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. He is currently based out of Milwaukee with his wife Hayley, herself an accomplished soprano.