About Marianna
A love for singing and theatre began when Marianna was a child growing up in Cincinnati. In fact, she created her own performances for the neighborhood with singing, dancing, and acting.
During elementary school, Marianna’s mother, who is also a singer, got her started at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music studying piano. It was then that both her piano teacher and her mother discovered Marianna could sing, and so at 12 years of age, her vocal studies began. High School brought more opportunities to use her talents as Marianna played Luisa in the musical The Fantasticks at the famed Hyde Park Theatre and Sister Berta in The Sound of Music at Mt. St. Joseph College. The love of music, singing, and performance carried into her college years where she studied performance and education at the renowned Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Marianna continued to sharpen her talents at the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York.
Marianna starred as Carrie in Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” for Huntington Beach Playhouse.
Marianna’s operatic training prepared her well to perform many styles, including opera, musical theatre, cabaret, jazz, and popular music. Her love for opera led to critical acclaim for her many operatic roles, including Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Galatea in Acis and Galatea, and Despina in Cosi fan tutte. In addition, she has sung more than 20 leading roles in popular musical theatre productions throughout the United States, such as Laurie in Oklahoma!, Maria in The Sound of Music, and Carrie in Carousel, for which she received the Most Distinguished Performer award from the Huntington Beach Playhouse. Other music achievements include concerts for the Orange County Performing Arts Center (now known as the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts), and performances with Della Reese and Phantom of the Opera star Dale Kristien.
Additionally, it has been her pleasure to sing before such distinguished individuals as Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Charlton Heston, and then-president Ronald Reagan.
Marianna sang for the Cypress Symphony’s Summer Pop Series.
Other accomplishments include appearing with the Overture Company of Opera Pacific, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Cypress Symphony Orchestra, and the Capistrano Valley Symphony. Marianna was honored to perform duets with Broadway legend John Raitt.
Marianna has written, produced, directed, and also performs as a soloist in a concert version of Show Boat called Kern and Company, in a Broadway review entitled Broadway Showstoppers, and in the Christmas holiday show, Sing the Season.
Nicole Mekenian, Marianna, Amy Bloom, Rob Woyshner (pianist), and another performer after their audition at West Coast Performance Talent Showcase.
About proVoce productions
Marianna, director/producer, co-founded proVoce productions in 1993 to provide professional musical entertainment to the local community and beyond. Marianna collaborates with musicians and performers who are at the top of their field to provide lively entertainment appropriate for any size group, from in-home performances to holiday shows and theatre productions.
Shows by proVoce productions include the Broadway review Broadway Show Stoppers, Kern and Company, which is a concert version of Jerome Kern’s Showboat along with vignettes featuring some of his greatest music, “A Portrait of A Love Affair,” which chronicles through music a romantic relationship, and the holiday show Sing the Season.
Marianna and proVoce productions have collaborated with Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston, Sidney Poitier, Carol Burnett, Hal Linden, Della Reese, and John Raitt. In addition to these notable performers, Marianna and proVoce productions have worked with Opera Pacific, Pacific Symphony, Cypress Symphony, and Dana Point Symphony.
Marianna and proVoce productions have also traveled to and performed in Mexico and Italy.
Marianna, directing a student in her studio; with proVoce pianist Rob Woyshner who is also the principal pianist at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
About proVoce Vocal Studio
Marianna is the director of proVoce vocal studio in Orange County, California. She also teaches at the California Music Studios in San Diego California. St.Margarets Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano, California, and has taught with David Green, founder of the Orange County High School for the Performing Arts in Santa Ana, California. proVoce vocal studio is where Marianna helps each student take the necessary steps to reach the full potential of their voice and performance. Since 1979 she has been helping aspiring performers refine their vocal technique for greater success in auditions and performances. Marianna’s training, life-long experience, and passionate commitment to helping students achieve their professional goals is the reason she so confidently says, “I get results.” And the results are real! Marianna has had six students perform on Broadway and others achieve national success in opera, film, television, and cabaret.
Krysta Rodriguez came from NYC and Carol Channing came from Palm Springs (see screens) to headline a fundraiser for David Greene and Musical Theater University. Marianna stood proudly with Krysta who started studying with Marianna at the age of nine.
Recognizing that it is critical for singers to be comfortable in front of an audience, proVoce offers many different types of classes and performance opportunities. Group instruction is an excellent way to experience performing in a truly supportive environment and to grow along with others as each artist develops sure pathways to success. proVoce studios go far beyond voice lessons to develop each student’s ability to not only sing well, but to deliver a strong, confident, and satisfying performance for both the singer and the audience.
For details about individual or group instruction offered at proVoce in Orange County or L.A., contact Marianna at provoce@cox.net or (949) 387-5546.
Marianna’s Resume
OPERA, OPERETTA, MUSICAL THEATRE, AND THEATRICAL ROLES PERFORMED
Laurey (Oklahoma!) Sebastian’s Theatre (O.C.)
Carrie (Carousel) Huntington Bch. Playhouse
Virginia (Who…Virginia Woolf?) South Coast Rep. Theatre
Maiden/Soloist (Camelot) Fullerton Civic Light Opera
Jill (Butterflies Are Free) Yuma Civic Theatre
Laetitia (Old Maid & The Thief) Arizona Western Theatre
Tourier (Suor Angelica) Arizona Western Theatre
Galatea (Acts & Galatea) Riverside Opera
Kate (Pirates of Penzance) Sebastian’s Theatre (O.C.)
Margot (The Desert Song) Fullerton C.L.O.
Maria (The Sound of Music) Mt. Adams Theatre (Ohio)
Corie (Barefoot in the Park) Yuma Civic Center
The Girl (Spoon River Anth.) Yuma Civic Center
Lucy (The Telephone) Arizona Western Theatre
Gretel (Hansel & Gretel) Yuma Civic Center
Luisa (The Fantasticks) Mt. Adams Theatre (Ohio)
CONCERTS
proVoce Concert Series – Kern & Company*
Opera Pacific Overture Co – Christmas Program*
Orange County Perf. Arts Ctr – Benefit*
Opera Pacific Overture Co. – Vienna to Broadway*
La Chiara di Prumiano Italy – Featured Soloist
JCC Menorah Theatre-O.C. – Broadway Showstoppers!*
Opera Pacific Dale Kristien Gala – Featured Quartet
Pacific Symphony Orch. Gala – A Night in Vienna*
proVoce Concert-CAMI Hall-NYC – Featured Soloist
Cypress Symphony – Opera’s Greatest Moments*
Capistrano Valley Concert Series – Featured Soloist
Del Webb Entertainment-Palm – Springs Kern & Company*
Capistrano Valley Symphony – Berlin’s Broadway*
Maldonado’s-Pasadena, CA – Featured Soloist
Angels of OCPAC-Mexico – A Night in Italy*
A Night with John Raitt – Featured Soloist
Cypress Symphony – The Passion of Puccini*
Verdi Ristorante di Musica – Featured Soloist
Temple Bat Yahm Concert Series – Cantor’s Grand Concert*
Woodstock, NY Maverick Theatre – Vignettes of Broadway*
St. Peter & St. Paul Church-NYC – A Celebration-Gershwin*
proVoce Concert- Davies Hall-NYC – Featured Soloist
*denotes performed as a featured soloist
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
B.A. Degree Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Emphasis: Performance and Education
VOCAL TRAINING & COACHING
Michael Warren (New York)
Thomas Macfarlane (Orange County, CA)
Joan Dornemann (Metropolitan Opera)
Michael Trimble (New York, Aspen Music Festival)
Jan De Gaetani (Inland Art Society Opera Festival)
William Chapman (New York City Opera)
Henri Venanzi (Opera Pacific, Orange County, CA)
Dennis Castellano (Orange County, CA)
ACTING
Lee Shallot, South Coast Repertory Theatre
Leonore Zappell, Arizona Western College
LANGUAGES
Italian, German, French
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Julliard School,
Aspen Music Festival
AWARDS
Huntington Beach Playhouse (Carousel)
Most Distinguished Performer
