CCM Alumna Plays Glinda the Good in Wicked

Alumna Tiffany Haas in front of CCM's
Corbett Center for the Performing Arts in 2002.

With all the buzz around the hit Broadway musical “Wicked,” it’s definitely exciting to hear about a University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music alumna taking on one of the show’s biggest roles.  During the show’s Pittsburgh run, Tiffany Haas bubbled up for the first time and assumed the role of Glinda the Good Witch, a character she had been studying ever since joining the cast as her understudy in 2010.

She was originally hired in 2005 to be a female vocal swing and understudy for the role of Nessrose, but, after two years, left to join the national tour of “The Drowsey Chaperone.”  However, Tiffany couldn’t stop thinking about Glinda, a character she adored in her childhood obsession, “The Wizard of Oz.”  "I felt like I could connect with the character," she said. "I understood where she was coming from."

In 2010, she rejoined the cast as the character’s understudy.  "It was the same people in the room that were in the room in 2005 when I was hired as the swing," she Tiffany. "They have been through this journey with me. They kept me believing, pushing myself and challenging myself. I feel that I've come full circle."

CCM Drama Showcase kicks off in LA with UC Alumni

The CCM Drama Showcase was created to highlight senior CCM drama students in a variety of acts for casting agents and producers in the Los Angeles area.  This annual event kicked off on April 25 with a special sneak peek for UC Alumni.  Students acted their way through a variety of acts, both comical and serious.


These drama seniors come from a wide variety of backgrounds.  Some are Cincinnati natives who have attended local performing arts schools, while others hail from small towns dotted across the Midwest and east coast.  Each performer offers a unique set of skills, blending to create one dynamic performance.

The CCM Drama Showcase's official debut was on April 26 with industry professionals, casting agents, and producers in attendance.  CCM alumna and professional actress Diana Maria Riva was also in attendance to cheer on the seniors and offer them some friendly career advice.

We wish all of the featured seniors the best of luck and a prospering career!

CCM Opera Grad Shares Voice with Ohio Senator

CCM alum Lindsay Deeter performs National Anthem.

As a graduate of CCM's opera program, it may come as no surprise that my college experience was a bit “out of the ordinary.” By no means did I miss out on the normal UC college experiences – camping out for Crosstown Shootout tickets, pulling an all-nighter the night before a big test, hanging out with friends at Uncle’s Woody’s. But I also had my fair share of not so “ordinary” things – like spending an entire summer in Lucca, Italy performing in “Casanova’s Homecoming” and another in Malibu singing for the world-famous composer Jake Heggie.

Even so, nothing quite compares to my latest debut on Capitol Hill. Ohio Senator Rob Portman, invited me to sing The National Anthem for his Jan. 5th swearing-in ceremony. Each Senator-elect gets sworn in at the Capitol Building’s Senate floor by Vice President Joe Biden and I was asked to sing at his reception later that day. Naturally, it was an opportunity I could not pass up.

Deeter poses with mom and Senator Portman and his wife.

As the 400 guests arrived in the hearing room, I began working up the courage to sing the tune I’d been rehearsing in my head for weeks straight. Everyone was enjoying Ohio favorites – Smucker’s Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, Montgomery Inn barbeque and Skyline Chili. The Senator was taking pictures with his family and friends when Vice President Biden and his wife arrived. By sheer luck, I fell in his path and was able to greet him and shake his hand.

People always ask me if I get nervous before I sing and I always have the same answer, “No, I just use my nerves as adrenaline to do the best job I can.” And this performance was no exception.

The program began and I was introduced immediately after the invocation. As the lyrics left my lips, I couldn’t help but remember what I’d been told earlier –singing is not traditionally permitted in the hearing rooms. But this was no traditional occasion and was certainly a moment I would look back on with fond memories.

In that moment, my UC pride combined with my Ohio roots left me feeling both Proudly Cincinnati and Proudly Ohio all at once – and I couldn’t have been happier to be the voice for such an incredible moment in history. I can say with 100% certainty that I’ll never hear The National Anthem again without being taken back to that day on Capitol Hill.

Posted by: Lindsay Deeter, College-Conservatory of Music, 2006

10 Local Alumni You Should Know in New York!

Spanning the arts world, corporate America and even the entertainment industry, UC alum have made their mark on the Big Apple. Did you realize the following notable New Yorkers were Bearcats?

Susan Alexander (BUS ’77), Executive Vice President – Human Resources, Sotheby’s, Inc.

Stephen Flaherty (CCM ’82), Composer. 

Marilyn Gaston (MED ’64), Former US Assistant Surgeon General.

Hendrik Hartong (A&S ’62), Co-founder and Chairman, Brynwood Partners.

Stan Herman (DAAP ’50 & HON ’08), leading uniform designer in the world, the leading loungewear designer, and the number one per-minute salesman on QVC.

Jerry Leamon (BUS ’73), Global Managing Partner, Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group, Deloitte LLP.

Kevin McCollum (CCM ’84), Chairman, The Producing Office.  Broadway Producer.

Fred Nazem (A&S ’67), Founder and Managing Partner, Nazem & Co.

John Riggi (A&S ’78), Producer, 30 Rock.

Richard Thornburgh (BUS ’74), Vice Chairman, Corsair Capital, LLC.