Our Vision
We are in a grassroots mode of building Kane Community Opera (KCO). The Board of Directors have completed the initial work of incorporating KCO, achieving non-profit, tax-exempt status and are actively seeking contributions and sponsorships to fund our exciting line-up of future productions.
Kane Community Opera productions are performed in venues within the Tri-Cities area of Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles, IL.
If you can help us with funding or would like to become involved at a Board of Directors level, please contact Steve Hanson at (630) 346-1842 or shanson98@aol.com for details.
Kane Community Opera productions are performed in venues within the Tri-Cities area of Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles, IL.
If you can help us with funding or would like to become involved at a Board of Directors level, please contact Steve Hanson at (630) 346-1842 or shanson98@aol.com for details.
KCO Board of Directors
Officers
Steve Hanson, President & Music Director
Linda Cunningham, Vice President-Production
Joyce Keane, Vice President-Planning
Donna Ostrye, Secretary
Tim O’Neil, Treasurer
Board Members:
Penny Anderson
Denny Hayes
Vic Portincaso
Walt Ripley
Rosemary Schroeder
Mark Smith
Officers
Steve Hanson, President & Music Director
Linda Cunningham, Vice President-Production
Joyce Keane, Vice President-Planning
Donna Ostrye, Secretary
Tim O’Neil, Treasurer
Board Members:
Penny Anderson
Denny Hayes
Vic Portincaso
Walt Ripley
Rosemary Schroeder
Mark Smith
About Us
Steve Hanson, President & Music Director
A 1982 graduate of Chicago Musical College, Steve has conducted many bands and choirs and has served as a church pianist, an accompanist and a vocal director. Steve was a board member and pit conductor for Rising Star Theatreworks, Geneva, IL from 2004 to 2007. Since December, 2007, he has conducted Kane Community Opera’s orchestra for State Street Dance Studio’s annual production of The Nutcracker at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL.
Linda Cunningham, Vice President-Production
Linda is the Founder/Artistic Director of State Street Dance Studio in Geneva, IL and has been teaching dance for over 25 years. Her training includes Zaki Labovsky, Ruth Page Center, DuPage Ballet Guild and The Arizona Dance Company. State Street Dance Studio presented Stars of Dance Chicago and also performs at theaters throughout the Chicagoland area. The Studio also performs The Nutcracker annually at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL. Linda has appeared on ABC Channel 7 morning news, WGN and The Total Living Network.
Joyce Keane, Vice President-Planning
Joyce’s 30+ year professional career has been in managerial positions selling and marketing business process improvement solutions to Fortune 1000 companies. She holds an MBA in Marketing & MIS from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Joyce is active in community service in the Batavia/Geneva/St. Charles area and involved in the board of several non-profit organizations, serving in marketing, publicity, community outreach, fundraising, grant writing and financial management positions.
Tim O’Neil, Treasurer
A fourth generation native of Kane County, Tim combines his St. Charles, IL law practice with a love of music and a belief that community support for the fine arts is a fundamental hallmark of a great nation.
Penny Anderson, Board Member
Penny Anderson is a native of the Tri-Cities. She is a volunteer of many roles in the Geneva community and schools. Penny has also been an active board member/treasurer of the Geneva Community Chest, and has assisted in fundraising. Penny is the owner of
Dancer’s Dream and services as Wardrobe Mistress for State Street Dance Studio in Geneva.
Denny Hayes, Board Member
Denny is a retired educator of 34 years. He has been a subscriber to the Lyric Opera of Chicago since 1968 and has been active on the Lyric Opera Chapters’ Executive Board since 2000. Denning is involved with the successful “Opera in the Neighborhoods” program for the Lyric Opera. He is also a lecturer of opera all over Chicagoland and is an adult community lecture coordinator.
Vic Portincaso
An engineer and graduate of Kennedy Western University, Vic has served as a commissioner on the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission since 2006. Always active in the arts, Vic has been involved in numerous productions as a member of two community theaters. His Commission work has helped bring professional artists to the area. He also founded the now annual “Shakespeare in the Park” and “Film Festival” events for the city of Geneva, IL.
Rosemary Schroeder, Board Member
Rosemary is a world-known concert pianist-vocalist, conducts musical theatre to opera from Rio to Shanghai and performed in a 2008 tour in Eastern Europe. Illinois’ Young Pianist at age 14 and educator for forty years, she shares her background with arts groups here and abroad. Holding music and psychology degrees and Northwestern Music Fellowship, Rosemary as appears in soprano roles, as Naples Opera’s La boheme. She conducted Porgy and Bess at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL in 2006.
Mark Smith, Board Member
Mark is a marketing and communications executive with over 35 years of professional experience. He owns and operates StrongForce Group, Inc., a marketing communications firm specializing in business to business communications. Mark has served on the board of directors of the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL since 2002. A St. Charles resident since 1981, Mark holds a BS degree in Journalism from Northern Illinois University.
A 1982 graduate of Chicago Musical College, Steve has conducted many bands and choirs and has served as a church pianist, an accompanist and a vocal director. Steve was a board member and pit conductor for Rising Star Theatreworks, Geneva, IL from 2004 to 2007. Since December, 2007, he has conducted Kane Community Opera’s orchestra for State Street Dance Studio’s annual production of The Nutcracker at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL.
Linda Cunningham, Vice President-Production
Linda is the Founder/Artistic Director of State Street Dance Studio in Geneva, IL and has been teaching dance for over 25 years. Her training includes Zaki Labovsky, Ruth Page Center, DuPage Ballet Guild and The Arizona Dance Company. State Street Dance Studio presented Stars of Dance Chicago and also performs at theaters throughout the Chicagoland area. The Studio also performs The Nutcracker annually at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL. Linda has appeared on ABC Channel 7 morning news, WGN and The Total Living Network.
Joyce Keane, Vice President-Planning
Joyce’s 30+ year professional career has been in managerial positions selling and marketing business process improvement solutions to Fortune 1000 companies. She holds an MBA in Marketing & MIS from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Joyce is active in community service in the Batavia/Geneva/St. Charles area and involved in the board of several non-profit organizations, serving in marketing, publicity, community outreach, fundraising, grant writing and financial management positions.
Tim O’Neil, Treasurer
A fourth generation native of Kane County, Tim combines his St. Charles, IL law practice with a love of music and a belief that community support for the fine arts is a fundamental hallmark of a great nation.
Penny Anderson, Board Member
Penny Anderson is a native of the Tri-Cities. She is a volunteer of many roles in the Geneva community and schools. Penny has also been an active board member/treasurer of the Geneva Community Chest, and has assisted in fundraising. Penny is the owner of
Dancer’s Dream and services as Wardrobe Mistress for State Street Dance Studio in Geneva.
Denny Hayes, Board Member
Denny is a retired educator of 34 years. He has been a subscriber to the Lyric Opera of Chicago since 1968 and has been active on the Lyric Opera Chapters’ Executive Board since 2000. Denning is involved with the successful “Opera in the Neighborhoods” program for the Lyric Opera. He is also a lecturer of opera all over Chicagoland and is an adult community lecture coordinator.
Vic Portincaso
An engineer and graduate of Kennedy Western University, Vic has served as a commissioner on the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission since 2006. Always active in the arts, Vic has been involved in numerous productions as a member of two community theaters. His Commission work has helped bring professional artists to the area. He also founded the now annual “Shakespeare in the Park” and “Film Festival” events for the city of Geneva, IL.
Rosemary Schroeder, Board Member
Rosemary is a world-known concert pianist-vocalist, conducts musical theatre to opera from Rio to Shanghai and performed in a 2008 tour in Eastern Europe. Illinois’ Young Pianist at age 14 and educator for forty years, she shares her background with arts groups here and abroad. Holding music and psychology degrees and Northwestern Music Fellowship, Rosemary as appears in soprano roles, as Naples Opera’s La boheme. She conducted Porgy and Bess at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL in 2006.
Mark Smith, Board Member
Mark is a marketing and communications executive with over 35 years of professional experience. He owns and operates StrongForce Group, Inc., a marketing communications firm specializing in business to business communications. Mark has served on the board of directors of the Norris Cultural Arts Center, St. Charles, IL since 2002. A St. Charles resident since 1981, Mark holds a BS degree in Journalism from Northern Illinois University.