A.J. Wester
Stage Director
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Directing and Technical

 Director  Savoyaires   Trial by Jury, The Zoo   September 2011
 Director  The St. Petersburg Opera   A Little Night Music   September 2010
 Director  The Bay View Music Festival  The Magic Flute  July 2010
 Assistant Director
 San Diego Opera  La Traviata (Dir. Andrew Sinclair)  April 2010
 Assistant Director  San Diego Opera  Nabucco (Dir. Lotfi Mansouri)  February 2010
 Assistant Director  San Diego Opera  La Bohème (Dir. E. Loren Meeker)  January 2010
 Assistant Director   Indianapolis Opera  La Bohème (Dir. Michael Ehrman)    November 2009
  Director  The St. Petersburg Opera  Into the Woods  September 2009
 Director  The St. Petersburg Opera  La Traviata  June 2009
 Assistant Director  Utah Opera   Regina (Dir. Michael Scarola)  January 2009
 Assistant Director  Chicago Opera Theater  Orlando (Dir. Justin Way)  May 2008
 Director  Opera Company of Brooklyn  Roméo et Juliette  May 2007
 Director/Set and Costume Designer  Intimate Opera Chicago  Così fan Tutte  May 2006
 Director/Set and Costume Designer  Intimate Opera Chicago  La Traviata  June 2005
 Director/ Coordinator  Intimate Opera Chicago  Starry Serenade Gala  2005, 2006
 Stage Manager  Roosevelt University  The Impresario  April 2005
 Assistant Director  Intermezzo Opera  Così Fan Tutte (Dir. Michael Ehrman)  August 2004
 Assistant Director  Intermezzo Opera  Albert Herring (Dir. Michael Ehrman)  August 2004
 Music Research/ Dialect Coach  Porchlight Theater  Amadeus (Jeff Recommended)  April 2004
 Assistant Director/ Dialect Coach  Porchlight Theater  Cabaret (Dir. Walter Stearns)  November 2003
  *Denotes future engagement      

Educational Opera and Children's Theater
 Director  ChiArts High School
  Once on this Island  April 2012*
 Director/ Choreographer  Chicago Opera Theater/After School Matters  The Pirates of Penzance  April 2008
 Director/ Choreographer  Chicago Opera Theater/After School Matters  Alice in Wonderland  April 2007
 Director/ Script Writer  Chicago Opera Theater/After School Matters  Opera Wind-Free Show  December  2006
 Director/ Script Writer  Chicago Opera Theater – Opera for All  ‘La Clemenza di Mozart’   May 2009 
 Director/ Script Writer  Chicago Opera Theater – Opera for All  ‘The Flowering Tree’ Outreach  April 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Beauty and the Beast, Jr.     July 2009
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Annie, Jr.  July 2009, 2007
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Bye Bye Birdie (Abridged)  July 2009
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  The Music Man, Jr.  July 2009, 2006
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  The Wizard of Oz (Abridged)  July 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Willy Wonka, Jr.  July 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  The Pirates of Penzance (Abr.)  July 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Guys and Dolls, Jr.  July 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Fiddler on the Roof Jr.  July 2007
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Mikado (Abridged)  July 2007
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  Oklahoma, Jr.  July 2006
 Director/Choreographer  Light Opera Works Music Theatre Camp  H.M.S Pinafore (Abridged)  July 2006
 Director/Choreographer  Clinton Elementary (Wester Productions)  Annie Jr.  December 2008
 Director/Choreographer  Clinton Elementary (Wester Productions)  Oklahoma, Jr.  January 2008

Teaching

 Chicago Opera Theater  Chicago, IL
 Chicago Opera Theater for Teens - Stage Director/Voice Teacher/Acting Teacher  Fall 2006 to Fall 2009
 Teaching Artist – Opera for All  Fall 2007 to Spring 2009
   
 Roosevelt University  Chicago, IL
 Adjunct Faculty (Opera Scenes and Role Preparation Classes)  Fall 2007 to Spring 2009
   
 DePaul University  Chicago, IL
 Director of Musical Theatre Workshop (Community Music Division)  Fall 2004 to Summer 2009
 Voice Teacher (Community Music Division)  Spring 2008 to Fall 2009
   
 Light Opera Works Summer Musical Theater Workshop  Evanston, IL
  Summer Musical Theater Workshop - Stage Director/ Choreographer   Summer 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Opera Scenes Directed

 Act I Scene 1  The Merry Wives of Windsor  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  April 2008
 Trio (Scene 10)  The Impresario  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  April 2008
 Act I, Scene 1 and 3  Dialogues of the Carmelites  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  April 2008
 Non ci pentiam…Ah perdona…  La Clemenza di Tito  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  April 2008
 Act II  Le Nozze di Figaro  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  April 2008
 Opening Quartet  La Cenerentola  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Act III Scene I  Les Pêcheurs de Perles  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Act I Trio                 Die Fledermaus  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Act I Scene 4  I Capuleti e i Montecchi  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Bonjour, grande soeur…  Werther  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Get Away! This is Milltown!  Cold Sassy Tree  Roosevelt University (CCPA)  December 2007
 Act III Quartet  La Bohème  Intimate Opera Chicago  February 2006
 Quintet  Carmen  Intimate Opera Chicago  February 2006
 Act II Sextet  Lucia di Lammermoor  Intimate Opera Chicago   November 2005
 Mir ist so Wunderbar  Fidelio  Intimate Opera Chicago   November 2005
 Brindisi  La Traviata  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004
 Sul Aria  Le Nozze di Figaro  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004
 Via resti servita  Le Nozze di Figaro  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004
 With Your Foot You Tap, Tap, Tap  Hansel and Gretel  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004
 O Soave Fancuilla  La Bohème  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004
 Make our Garden Grow  Candide  Intermezzo Opera  August 2004

Education

M.M. Vocal Performance: DePaul University   B.M. Vocal Performance: Roosevelt University

Acting: Wesley Balk, Catherine Malfitano, Peter Amster, Seth Reines, Graham Cozzubbo, and Harry Silverstein

Directing: Seth Reines  Extended Voice: Richard Armstrong (Roy Hart Theatre)
Voice: Theresa Brancaccio, Karen Brunnsen, Jane Bunnell, Susanne Mentzer

Improvisation: Player’s Workshop of Second City  Dance: Lou Conte Dance Studio

Movement: Kelly Arnsby, Barbara Howse-Meadows, Actor’s Gymnasium

Utah Opera (Studio-Artist Ensemble Program): Spring 2003 (Christopher McBeth Director)

Intermezzo Young Artist Program: Summer 2001 (Mitch Piper and Connie Barnett-Artistic Directors)

Bel Canto Institute: Summer 2000 (Jane Klaviter – Artistic Director)

Wesley Balk Opera/Music-Theater Institute: Summer 1999 (Ben Krywosz – Artistic Director)

Banff Centre for the Arts: Dramatic Integration 1997 (Keith Turnbull- Artistic Director, Graham Cozzubo – Program Director, Marie-France Lefebvre- Music Director)

Brevard Music Center: Summer 1995 (Henry Janiec- Artistic Director, Paul McPhail- Program Director)

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