Chas Elliott was born and raised under the Big Skies of Montana. He has been serving the New York City theatre community for over fifteen years. In addition to his New York studio, he served on the musical theater voice faculty at SUNY-Cortland, and worked as a voice teacher and coach for Syracuse University , the University of Montana, and Carroll College.
Chas' students perform regularly on Broadway, off Broadway, in London's West End, with regional theaters (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Guthrie Theater, Syracuse Stage, Shakespeare and Co., Memphis Symphony, Montana Repertory Theatre), and with national touring companies ("Funny Girl", "Kiss Me Kate", "Ragtime", "Scarlet Pimpernel", "Fiddler On the Roof", "Oklahoma", "Sesame Street Live").
Chas has worked extensively in the theater for over twenty years. Acting credits include "Annie" (Daddy Warbuc ks), "The Secret Garden" (Dr. Craven), "Pumpboys and Dinettes" (L.M. and Jackson), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (Govenor of Texas) "The Voice of the Prairie" (David Quinn), "Lend Me a Tenor" (Henry Saunders), "Sleuth" (Milo Tindel), "Foxfire" (Prince Carpenter), and numerous Gilbert and Sullivan roles. Chas made his New York City debut in Anne Phillip's Jazz Nativity, "Bending Towards the Light" at Symphony Space.
As an advocate for new musicals, Chas has also created several roles in New York City. Most recently, he created and recorded the role of Porthos in Campos and Olsen's "The Man In the Iron Mask", and the role of Jim in the world premiere of Christian McLeer's "G Train- the Musical" for the Remarkable Theater Brigade. For Anne Phillips Chas created the three male roles for the concept recording of "Damn Everything But the Circus".
In 2006 Chas made his Lincoln Center solo debut with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall. He is the baritone soloist with the Christ Church Choir in Bronxville, NY and will travel to Paris with the choir in February 2007 with performances at Notre Dame and The American Cathedral. Upcoming engagements in 2007 include "Pumpboys and Dinettes" (LM), "Tosca" (Scarpia), Anne Phillip's "Creation", and recitals with soprano, Gretchen Mundinger and organist ,Robert Richter.
As a musical director, pianist, and producer, Chas has worked on over fifty musicals and plays for such theaters as Syracuse Stage, Fordham University, WOW Cafe Theater, Cohoes Music Hall, Cortland Repertory Theatre, The Montana Repertory Theater, The Little Theatre On the Square, The Myrna Loy Center, and The Bologna Performing Arts Center. He has accompanied ballet classes for Gelsey Kirkland, Anna Paskevska, and Sallyann Mulcahy.
Chas began his vocal training with th! e mezzo-soprano, Dolora Zajick and the Nevada Opera Association under the direction of Ted Puffer. He has sung with the Nevada Opera, the Intermountain Opera, The Bronx Opera, and toured the nation with The Ensemble for Early Music. He has appeared as a soloist with the Helena, Missoula, and Great Falls symphonies. In June 2005 he sang in the American premiere of the opera, "Poia" for the Lewis and Clark Bicentenial Celebration. Chas is a 1997 Metropolitan Opera National Council finalist.
Chas continues his own vocal training with Monica Harte in New York City. He coaches with Maestro Steven Crawford (the Metropoltan Opera) and Hyae-Seon Shin (Manhattan School of Music). Chas studies acting with Robin Irwin and VP Boyle. He studies dance with Haila Strauss, and Linda Rose Ienacco. |
