It isn’t every day that Theatre in the Circle’s director, Bill Corcoran, gets a text from his leading lady asking if he’ll bump the time of a rehearsal so she can take a gig singing grand opera.
As Nannetta in “Falstaff “ Moores Opera Center, University of Houston
The actress in question, Angela Mitchell, is in rehearsal for her role as Agnes in “I I Do! I Do!”, an iconic role originated by Broadway legend Mary Martin. It’s a role demanding great range from the heart-rending, not-a-dry-eye-in-the-house “What Is A Woman?” to the bump-and-grind manifesto of “Flaming Agnes.”
So on June 10, Angela will rehearse the bold and brassy Agnes from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and then sing the role of Musetta in The Cleveland Opera’s production of La Bohème that evening. She’s also the overnight shift host/announcer at WCLV Classical 104.9. She does all this without batting an eyelash or breaking a sweat. And oh yeah, she’s taking ballet classes at the Beck Center for the Arts.
Ms. Mitchell made her Theatre in the Circle debut last February in a sold-out run of “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well & Living In Paris,” but started building her musical theatre resume as Emma in Jekyll & Hyde at French Creek Theatre and as Cinderella in Lorain Community Music Theater’s production of Into The Woods.
Soprano Angela is classically trained and credentialed with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Vocal Performance and has extensive experience in opera. Her star turn as Agnes in “I Do! I Do!” will likely be her Clevelandmusical theatre swan song since she and her husband, Brett Mitchell, associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, move to Denver this fall as Brett takes over the Music Director’s reins of the Colorado Symphony.
“She’s a real delight in rehearsal and performance,” say Directors Bill & Mark Corcoran of Ms. Mitchell. “She comes to rehearsals very prepared and ready to work, a real pro. and in performance, she brings her A-Game every single time - beautiful, talented and whip smart.”
Get Your Tickets for "I Do! I Do!"
Published May 1, 2017 in the May newsletter of Theatre in the Circle.