The Shuffle Duo
NANCY WILLIAMS-SHUFFLE
Soprano
NANCY WILLIAMS-SHUFFLE has regularly delighted her theater and concert audiences with her acting versatility and personal stage magnetism as a leading role singer/actress since 1991 in some 70+ different Musical Theater productions, countless other Artist Series cabaret and orchestra engagements in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, California, New York and Indiana, as well as International Ministry appearances in Australia, Finland, England and Israel.
Inclusive among her most favorite Leading character stage portrayals are:
Marian in THE MUSIC MAN
Hope Harcourt in ANYTHING GOES
Lily in THE SECRET GARDEN
Sarah Brown in GUYS AND DOLLS
Julie Jordan in CAROUSEL
Alice Beane in TITANIC
Rosa Bud in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
Rhetta Cupp in PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES
Maria in THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Cinderella in INTO THE WOODS
Anna in THE KING AND I
Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
The co-female lead in the satirically brilliant I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE
Daisy Hilton in SIDESHOW
Pam in BABY
The eccentric, puppeteering comic genius Sister Mary Amnesia in NUNSENSE, NUNSENSE II, NUNCRACKERS and NUNSENSATIONS!
MaryAnn in GILLIGAN’S ISLAND
Mrs. Peacock in CLUE,
Morticia in THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL
Pippi in THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL
Tina in MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL
Donna in MAMMA MIA
Casilda opposite NW Ohio’s own and future Tony Award-winning Broadway Actor, Gavin Creel, in G&S’s THE GONDOLIERS
She portrayed Catherine of Aragon in the re-staged World Premier Revival of Richard Rodgers’ (originally) 1976-produced Musical, REX, eliciting high praise from its original Lyricist – the legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning Sheldon Harnick - hailing her performance as: “particularly wonderful.”
… among numerous others.
Her other printed press reviews have similarly glowed, stating:
“She is the consummate pro…(possessing) outstanding vocal and acting talents showcased in her wonderful portrayal…a beautiful voice…amazing and flexible vocal range…awesome…first-class.”
JOHN SHUFFLE
Bass-Baritone
In review of Bass-Baritone JOHN SHUFFLE's performances, various music critics have noted [he]:
"…shined with mesmerizing drama and class ... collaborated for a quality that is too seldom heard ... played the role as if it were made for him ... possesses a rich, substantial voice, singing with expressive nuances ... sang his phrasing with elegance and rhythmic astuteness ... a commanding presence on stage … is a truly gifted singer and actor who brings his character to life ... an unwavering, booming bass voice that showed strength and boldness ... a commanding performance that two times nearly stopped the concert dead in its scores ...”, and this praise elicited from the Chicago press following his portrayal there of the charismatic leading role ‘The Poet’ in Kismet, “John Shuffle's performance is a joyous theatrical achievement."
With an artistic reputation for versatility and superior musicianship, JOHN SHUFFLE performs his extensive Concert and Stage repertoire to critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad with a growing list of over 100 Opera, Oratorio and Theater roles ranging from Bach to Bernstein.
His favorite leading stage portrayals include Mozart's Figaro, Leporello, Don Alfonso, Osmin and Sarastro; Schicchi, Boris, Raimondo, Pilgrim, Mama Agata, Colline, Schaunard, Timur, Don Basilio, Zuniga, Nicolai’s Falstaff, Die Musiklehrer, Don Magnifico, Mustafa, Sulpice, The Poet, Frank, Sacristan and Kecal, as well as numerous Gilbert and Sullivan roles.
On the concert stage, Mr. Shuffle has sung the major Oratorio and Cantata literature of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Rossini, Brahms, Dvorak, Faure, Verdi, Copland, Vaughan-Williams and Weill.
His appearances in 32 states, Australia, New Zealand, England, Switzerland, Finland and Israel have included performances with the Symphony Orchestras of Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Columbus (OH), Jerusalem, Israel Chamber, Ars Viva (IL), Cleveland Pops, Cedar Rapids, North Carolina, West Virginia, Des Moines, Madison, Clarence (NY), Greenville (SC), Wisconsin Chamber, Indianapolis Chamber, Green Bay, Raleigh, Ohio Chamber, Kalamazoo, Dubuque, Owensboro, Ann Arbor, Ashland (OH), Sioux City, Peoria, Elgin, Richmond (IN), Waukegan, Ohio Valley and Northwest Indiana; the Israel, Haifa, Dayton, Illinois, Evansville, Lexington, Boise and Fort Wayne Philharmonic(s); and Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera A-La-Carte, Des Moines Metro Opera, Eugene Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Columbus, Dayton Opera, Brevard Music Festival, Brunswick Music Theater (Equity) and Pamiro Opera.
His Musical Theater credits include Sam in Mamma Mia, the Plant Voice in Little Shop of Horrors, the Professor in Gilligan’s Island, Lurch in The Addams Family, Hospital Ghost in Ghost, and other roles from A Little Night Music, Zorba, Desert Song, Carousel, Song of Norway and Funny Girl. Mr. Shuffle has performed leading roles in three original World Premiers: Peter Nero's Diary of Anne Frank, Moses in the Biblical Opera Pilgrimage for the USA Bicentennial Commission, and as Nebuchadnezzar in the Music Drama Daniel in Jerusalem. He also performed two leading roles, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti and Maximillian in Candide for the International Leonard Bernstein Festival on a tour in Israel with the Israel Philharmonic.
Recently re-creating the starring “title” role of Henry VIII in the 'World Premier Revival' production of Richard Rodgers' Broadway show REX, his performance was personally hailed by its famous Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist, the legendary Sheldon Harnick. Shuffle also regularly appears in Broadway/American Songbook Revue and Gospel concerts, venues including Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Jerusalem, Sydney (AU), Helsinki, Auckland (NZ), Geneva (SW), Birmingham (UK), St. Louis, Bakersfield, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Madison, Cape Cod, Evansville, St. Augustine and West Palm Beach, among numerous others.
He has recorded several CDs with the Denver-based CLARION/Eagles Nest label, as well as two others featuring his equally-gifted wife, Musical Theater and Gospel specialist, Soprano NANCY WILLIAMS-SHUFFLE – both of which were accompanied and produced in collaboration with their long-time friend and colleague, legendary Pianist/Music Director JOEY SINGER.
A triple-major graduate of the famed Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, his uniquely respected musicianship is also logically complemented by the extensive background experiences from his currently parallel careers as a Music Director/Conductor and active professional Orchestral musician, including the Principal Viola chairs of several regional US orchestras.
Mr. Shuffle is a past finalist/winner of the MET, NATS and NFMC Competitions, teaches Voice Master Classes, served on the Artist Faculty of the Brevard (NC) Music Festival, and was previously Agent-represented on the Artist Roster of CHICAGO CONCERT ARTISTS Management for over 28 years.