David Matthew Clark was born in Taiwan and moved to Franklin, TN when he was four. At six, he got his first taste of theatre in a youth production of Frozen, Jr. with his older sister Vivienne, and he's been hooked ever since. He has been in over a dozen plays and musicals, with some of his favorite roles being Michael in Audience of One's Mary Poppins last summer and the title character in Bravo Boro's The Little Prince last year. Two Christmases ago, David had the privilege of playing Tiny Tim in Nashville Rep's A Christmas Carol at TPAC, and he is happy to take up the crutch again as Amahl in his first opera.

Asher Ward was born in 2015 in Boulder, Colorado. He has been playing the violin since 2021 and piano since 2023. Asher enjoys playing baseball, soccer, chess, and the Nintendo Switch with his younger brother and sister. He recently discovered a love for singing and is thrilled to be making his opera debut with Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Shelley Schneider, a native Texan and Baylor graduate of vocal performance, recently moved to Nashville in 2021. While in Texas, she taught private voice lessons in several colleges in Ft Worth, Houston and Austin. In addition to teaching, Ms. Schneider has also music directed and conducted several musicals. In 2010, Ms. Schneider studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Her performing career is diverse and includes Shakespeare plays, musicals, operas and cabaret shows. She has performed across Texas with Houston Grand Opera’s educational outreach program. While in the Houston Grand Opera chorus, she performed with opera giants Jaime Barton, Renee Fleming, and Joyce DiDonato. Some favorite performances include Amy in Company by Sondheim and Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein. Recently she performed with a chorus accompanying Andrea Bocelli at Bridgestone Arena. She is on the board and performs with Franklin Light Opera. Most recently she performed the role of the mother in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. In October, Ms. Schneider will sing with the Nashville Chorus in the opera The Shining. Later this fall, Ms. Schneider will travel to France to teach with the Cabaret Connexion. Ms. Schneider is a professor in the voice department at Lipscomb University. She also maintains a thriving private studio in Franklin. www.themusicalvoice.com

Caleb Brock is a tenor originally from Eastern Iowa currently in his fourth year at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music studying voice performance. He has been highly involved in Vanderbilt’s Opera Theater, performing principal and supporting roles in many Mozart and Contemporary operas at school and abroad. He also performed as a soloist for the Mozart Requiem with the Vanderbilt University Orchestra.

Noah Padgett is a senior music education major at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky! This is his first production with Franklin Light Opera! He is so excited to play the role of King Mechior again! In his spare time, he loves to watch soccer, spend time with family friends, and travel! He would like to thank his family, his girlfriend, and his voice teacher for their support! Noah is looking forward to performing with everyone and the opportunity to perform with an amazing cast! 

Josiah Smith is a Senior at Lipscomb University pursuing his undergraduate degree as a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Hailing from Wisconsin, he has had the opportunity to perform alongside names such as Andrea Bocelli and Amy Grant. Along with involvement in many ensembles on campus (including vocal jazz, concert choir, and Lipscomb's a capella group Sanctuary), Josiah is making his operatic debut in this production!

Nathan Abelt is honored to once again be performing in this production with Franklin Light Opera! A Minnesota native who has been proud to call Franklin home since 2004, Nathan was blessed to grow up having a mother and two uncles with a passion for musical theatre. Singing has been a hobby of his for years. A graduate of MTSU (Class of 2016) and the Nashville School of Law (Class of 2021), he is a member of the Tennessee Bar and a practicing attorney. This will be Nathan’s fourth production with FLO — he is reprising his role as the Page in Amahl and the Night Visitors. He has also played the role of Sir Arthur Sullivan in The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan, and multiple ensemble roles (a giant, a knight, the town butcher, and a lord of Prince Topher’s court!) in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Nathan would love to thank his wonderful family and friends for their support. And he would love to thank this amazing cast and crew, for once again letting him be a part of telling the unforgettable story of Amahl, his mother, their visitors, and Christmas miracles!

Larry Christian worked as a chemical engineer in a Texas chemical plant and then as an IT person in a small school district.  He started playing the trombone at a young age. He played in the Texas Tech band and then in the Longview Symphony. Larry began singing in church choirs in the 1970s and later sang on the praise team of Alpine Church of Christ in Longview, TX. This is his first time in a staged production with professional singers. He is excited to be in a production with his daughter, Shelley Schneider!

Susan performed with the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, singing with the Dayton Opera Chorus. She performed the roles of Rosina in “The Barber of Seville “and Carmen in “Carmen” with the Dayton Children’s Traveling Opera. Susan sang with the Elgin Master Chorale and Chamber Singers and was featured with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. She toured around the world as a vocalist and dancer with the United States Air Force’s premier entertainment group Tops In Blue.

Catherine is a classically trained soprano; she studied at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and did graduate work at Austin Peay State University receiving her bachelors and masters in vocal performance. She has performed with the Nashville Opera in both ensemble and comprimario roles, and her deep love for choral music has led her to sing with a variety of ensembles across Tennessee and North Carolina. Recently, she was honored to be featured as the soprano soloist in the Williamson County Community Choir’s performance of Requiem for Color. Catherine lives in Franklin with her husband, Gray, and their son, Heath. Amahl and the Night Visitors marks her fourth production with Franklin Light Opera.

Brendan Herr, baritone and Chicagoland native, is making his first appearance with Franklin Light Opera. His recent engagements include working with companies such as Opera Huntsville, Memorial Opera House, The Center For The Arts, and the Nashville Symphony. He also sings as a vocal artist in the choral ensemble Voix d’Été, which performed at Indiana’s Music Education Association (IMEA) 2025 Professional Development Conference in Fort Wayne. Outside of classical voice, Brendan has also performed at the CMA’s Christmas special airing on ABC and Hulu/Disney+. In the world of musical theater, his recent notable roles include Action in West Side Story and Frankie Epps in Parade. Brendan studied Vocal Performance and Psychology at Belmont University. There, he appeared as Conte Robinson in Il Matrimonio Segreto.

Chloe Jalkut is a Senior at Vanderbilt University and studies Voice in the Blair School of Music. She is very excited to be participating in Franklin Light Opera's production of Amahl and the Night Visitors and hopes you enjoy the performance! 

Chaela Laus is a soprano originally from northwest Indiana, and is currently based in Nashville. Chaela began her studies here at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music and performed with Vanderbilt Opera Theater as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar. Back home, she is a frequent principal cantor throughout the Diocese of Gary. Her performance credits extend to performing at Carnegie Hall, and also recently singing with choral ensemble Voix d’Ete, debuting at the IMEA Professional Development Conference in 2025. She is excited to revisit Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors as a member of the ensemble.

Lee Spitzer is an Oracle IT consultant specializing in healthcare and supply chain applications.  He graduated with a music degree from Rhodes College and sang with the Rhodes College singers, many years ago, before his IT career.  He also plays guitar, sings in the choir at the Church of the Resurrection, and enjoys spending time with family.  He performed in The Pirates of Penzance, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan, and Cinderella with FLO.

Brian Stachurski is a tenor who appeared in more than 160 performances as a regular chorus member with Seattle Opera, singing in productions including Carmen, La fanciulla del West, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, and Götterdämmerung, and the inaugural performance at McCaw Hall. He has also sung as a soloist with university and cathedral ensembles, and previously appeared as King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Sara Butler is a homeschooled junior from Spring Hill, TN. Her studies are concentrated in music, theater, and dance. She has performed with Franklin Light Opera’s Topsy Turvy teen workshop, Act Too’s summer workshops, Concordia Arts Academy musical theater and dance programs, and recently as Queen Aggravain with WCPR’s Starbright Players. Sara also enjoys singing in her church choir.

Naomi Short is 15 years of age. She is homeschooled and takes tutorials at Higher Path Academy. She is a dancer at Concordia Arts Academy. She is in Senior Company. She dances ballet on pointe, modern, contemporary and jazz.

John Schultz is a professional educator, having served as Principal for 32 years.  His theatrical experience includes acting in, directing or conducting over 160 shows at every level - school, community and professional theater.  He made his Franklin Light Opera debut last season as the Captain of the HMS Pinafore. He was thrilled to return as a pirate and Policeman in the Pirates of Penzance; and is now happy to be directing Amahl and the Night Visitors. John is also a member of the FLO Board of Directors. 

Dr. Mark Ring, Conductor, was formerly Director of Choral Activities at the University of Notre Dame, Director of Music Ministries at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Nashville, and Organist/Ch0irmaster at Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral. He currently serves as Director of Music at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Franklin. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Lipscomb University, Concordia College, and North Dakota State University; and was Assistant University Organist/Choirmaster at Yale University and Director of Chapel Music at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He holds nine Grammy Signature Awards and has conducted throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, including Carnegie Hall, Meyerson Symphony Center, Mont St-Michel Abbey, and in audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. He holds the DMA, MMA, and MM degrees in Conducting from the Yale School of Music. He has extensive experience conducting a wide range of operas and choral-orchestral works, including a recent performance of Jonathan Dove’s opera The Walk from the Garden.

Lillian received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at Lipscomb University, and her dedication to her craft shines through in her work both on and off the stage. Lillian was a company dancer for Lipscomb’s Foundation Dance Theatre, where she has honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of movement and expression. Her most previous credits include Demeter in Cats and Beth in Little Women at Lipscomb University, and choreographer for the Franklin playhouse. She recently worked as a theme park performer at Kentucky Kingdom Theme Park, and is currently on tour with Storybook Theatre’s production of The Little Mermaid for the winter/spring season!

Kate Ward is originally from Lewes, Delaware and received her BA in Psychology from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee and her MM in Piano Performance from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Kate has been playing classical piano since the age of 8, and began playing the piano and organ for local churches at the age of 12. She has performed as a soloist and collaborated with choirs, instrumentalists and vocalists in and out of the university setting, and now teaches private piano lessons in addition to her career in HR and Compliance. She is on the board of Wilco Iris, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth, and enjoys hiking and sports activities with her husband and three children.

Rebecca Teel studied oboe at Furman University under Robert Chesebro and Petrea Warneck, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Music Education. This year represents her 19th season with Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) and nearly two decades of performing with community groups around the city. Recent highlights include sharing the stage of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with more than 200 musicians for the bold conclusion of the NPO’s 20th anniversary season, as well as witnessing the creation of a full-length NPO documentary that captures the friendships, dedication, and shared purpose fostered through music-making. Rebecca’s passion for community engagement extends beyond music, as she has fostered culture-shaping and storytelling in her professional role as Director of Communications at St. George’s Episcopal Church, as well as through volunteer leadership at Church of the Resurrection, Franklin.