Winter Concert Performers

Joe Alkire · Bob Bowen · Gwyneth Bruch · Jim Croghan · Martha Dickman
Stephen Peithman · Rebecca Plack · Lenore Sebastian · Peter Shack · Home

JOE ALKIRE has appeared with the Davis Comic Opera Company as Georg in She Loves Me, Jack Point in Yeomen of the Guard, Robin Oakapple in Ruddigore, Nigel in Something's Afoot, and Major General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance. He has appeared at the Woodland Opera House as Ham in Two by Two, Charles in Blithe Spirit, and as T.R. in Tintypes. He also appeared at the Davis Musical Theatre Co. as Harold Hill in Music Man. Other favorite roles include Cervantes in Man of La Mancha and Georges in La Cage Aux Folles. Most recently, Joe appeared as Emile in South Pacific and as Amos in Chicago at the Magic Circle Theatre in Roseville.

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BOB BOWEN is the Promotions Manager for the City of Davis. In addition to creating the Davis Children's Nutcracker, Bob has been involved in theatre productions with the Davis Comic Opera Company, the Woodland Opera House, Davis Players, and the Best of Broadway. He has played roles in everything from Naughty Marietta and She Loves Me to Dames at Sea, and choreographed the DCOC production of Something's Afoot. The father of four children, Bob has also written, directed, and choreographed works for childrenŐs theatre, including last spring's production of Monkey Business at Patwin Elementary School. He is most appreciative of his lovely wife Kate's ongoing patience, love, and support, and son Spencer's help in learning his lyrics.

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GWYNETH BRUCH has played an active role in theatre throughout the Sacramento area, including productions at the Sacramento Theatre Company, the Woodland Opera House, the Davis Comic Opera Company, and the Davis Musical Theatre Company. She is the winner of several Elly Awards and Chesley Awards for her performances. She also appeared in a new play in the Black Swan Theatre in Ashland, Oregon. Gwyn is the head of the drama department at Davis Senior High School, where she also teaches English to at-risk sophomores and choreographs the school's Jazz Choir. She gives special thanks to her husband, Russ, and son, Andrew, for their constant love and support.

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JIM CROGHAN has appeared with the Davis Comic Opera Company. This will be his first year as accompanist for the Citizens Who Care Winter Concert.

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MARTHA DICKMAN'S degree in voice from the University of Montana led her to a weekly radio show, recitals, and singing with two dance bands. In 1944 she married Marine Corps officer James Gasser and for the next twenty-five years lived in six different U.S. states, Guam, and Thailand. Wherever they were, Martha continued performing and directing choirs. When her husband died suddenly in 1970, she came to Davis and has been involved in music here as a vocal director, producer, and performer with the Davis Comic Opera Co. and other groups. For many years, she has taught private voice lessons. Her second husband, Avrom Dickman, died in 1981. Her longtime companion, Richard Cramer, died in 2000. Now semi-retired, she enjoys going to concerts, traveling, and visiting her children and grandchildren. She is this years winner of the A. G. Brinley Award for service to the City of Davis.

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STEPHEN PEITHMAN is the host of Musical Stages, broadcast Saturdays at 8:00 PM on KXPR-FM (90.9). A charter member of the Davis Comic Opera Co., he performed and directed for that company for over 30 years. He also has worked with the Woodland Opera House and the Davis Musical Theatre Company. The author of eight books, he has been an editor for Sunset and San Francisco magazines, and is consulting editor of Stage Directions, a national theatre magazine, which he co-founded in 1988. He has served on the board of the American Association of Community Theatre for 12 years. In his "real life" he is Director of Community Relations for American River College in Sacramento.

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REBECCA PLACK has played Mary Turner in Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing with Ithaca Opera and recorded Gershwin songs for radio in Ferrara, Italy. Other roles include the Witch in Into the Woods, Yum-Yum in The Mikado and Maria in West Side Story - and in opera, the title roles in Handel's Semele and Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea. She holds degrees in voice from Manhattan School of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory and in musicology from Princeton and Cornell universities, and has performed with the Aspen, Caramoor and West Marin Music Festivals. This spring, Rebecca makes solo recital debuts in London and Budapest as vocal winner of the 2004 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition; she will preview that recital on Sunday, March 12, at 7:30pm at the Unitarian Church of Davis.

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LENORE SEBASTIAN is honored to be in her thirteenth CWC winter concert. Favorite roles: Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd) , Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Old Lady in Candide, Katisha in The Mikado, Fraulein Schneider (opposite husband Gil as Schultz in Cabaret at UC Davis in 2001). She has been nominated for six Elly awards, winning two. Lenore has directed Kismet and Amahl & the Night Visitors (DCOC), Inherit the Wind (Woodland Opera House), and Stalag 17 (Chautauqua Playhouse). Coming up: Lenore & Gil present Oy Vey! Broadway!, a musical tribute to the Jewish composers of Broadway, May 12-June 17; and Lenore directs The Most Happy Fella, August 25-September 30; both shows at Chautauqua Playhouse. Lenore dedicates this and all her performances to the memory of her darling granddaughter Zoe, who loved Life & music, and brought joy to all who knew her.

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PETER SHACK is a native New Yorker who grew up with healthy doses of music at Carnegie Hall. He graduated from Columbia with a major in history and a minor in music, but seemed to spend most of his time rehearsing for something or other. He went on to Georgetown Law School and the Peace Corps, but the pattern continued. Peter performed in many productions for the late, great Davis Comic Opera Company. His favorites have been The Mikado (Koko), A Little Night Music (Fredrik) and Die Fledermaus (Eisenstein). He now sings with both the UC Chorus and Chamber Singers. A 25-year resident of Davis with his wife Kathryn and son Steven, Peter was in the Attorney General's Office for 30 years, and now is of-counsel with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. He is a Board member of Citizens Who Care.

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