San Diego
Gilbert and Sullivan Workshop
About Us
Meet the Faculty of the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Workshop!
Michael Sokol, Director
Baritone Michael Sokol has had great success in opera and music theatre here in the United States and in Europe, in venues from the Metropolitan Opera, to the Philadelphia Orchestra, to Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.
Mr. Sokol grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, where as a child he was a member of the Phoenix Boys Choir for many years. He received his university degrees from Arizona State University, the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and Northwestern University.
As a performer in theatre and opera, he has performed roles from Mozart's Count in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Puccini's Marcello in LA BOHEME and Shaw's Henry Higgins in Lerner and Loewe's MY FAIR LADY. Very active in the creation of new music theatre, he created the role of Frank Lloyd Wright in the world premiere of Darren Hagen and Paul Muldoon's opera SHINING BROW and the role of the Magician in the American premiere of Stephen Oliver's MARIO AND THE MAGICIAN. A company member of San Diego Opera for eleven seasons, Mr. Sokol was Spineloccio in GIANNI SCHICCHI, the Sacrestan in TOSCA, Mr. Costello in Nic Reveles' GHOSTS, Alcindoro in LA BOHEME, Fuenfter Jude in SALOME and Dr.Grenville in LA TRAVIATA.
An expert in the comic masterpieces of Gilbert and Sullivan and Offenbach, he has appeared in and directed over 20 of their respective works, spanning the complete canon of Messrs Gilbert and Sullivan. He is a protégé of D'Oyly Carte principal comedian John Reed, OBE.
Angelina Réaux
Soprano Angelina Réaux, who was born in Houston, Texas, trained as an actress and a classical singer. A noted interpreter of the music of Kurt Weill, she made her New York Philharmonic debut singing THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS. Her one-woman Kurt Weill show, STRANGER HERE MYSELF, was first produced at the New York Shakespeare Festival. A protégée of Leonard Bernstein, she sang his JEREMIAH SYMPHONY at the Vienna Konzerthaus; and for the Chicago Opera Theater’s twenty-fifth season she conceived, directed, and participated in the premiere of a new theatrical piece, THERE IS A GARDEN: A BERNSTEIN CELEBRATION.
Réaux has collaborated with and premiered works by composers including Ned Rorem, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Roberto Sierra, Stuart Wallace, and Ricky Ian Gordon. Her discography includes Weill’s opera STREET SCENE, Marc Blitzstein’s REGINA, and LA BOHEME and WEST SIDE STORY conducted by Leonard Bernstein.
William Ah Sing, Piano
William Ah Sing is a San Diego treasure. A much sought after conductor and music director, his credits include THE THREE FACES OF STEVE: A SONDHEIM CELEBRATION (Odyssey Theater, Los Angeles) ANGELINA RÉAUX SINGS WEILL ON BROADWAY (North Coast Rep) SWEENEY TODD, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, THE WHO’S TOMMY (Ocean Beach Playhouse) THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Lamplighters Theater) SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (Oceanside Theater Company) DISNEY’S HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and SEUSSICAL (San Diego Jr Theater) TROUBLE IN TAHITI (Point Loma Opera Theater) FOLLIES: IN CONCERT, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Coronado Playhouse) and MAMMA MIA! (Welk Resort Theater). William is also principal accompanist for the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.