Our Singers

Cynthia Fortune Gruel holds a BA in vocal performance from Butler University in Indianapolis. She has performed musicals throughout Chicago in theaters such as Drury Lane Evergreen Park, Theatre at the Center, Light Opera Works, Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences, Stage Right Dinner Theater, Tommy Gun’s Garage, and the Spirit of Chicago cruise line. Cynthia has also be seen at many corporate trade shows presenting for companies such as FedEx/Kinkos, US Cellular, Agilent Technologies, and Konica Minolta.

Matt Gruel takes on many roles within Festive Singers (business manager, resident pianist and singer). He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Theory and Composition (with an emphasis in Piano) from Butler University. For the past ten years, he has been the Minister of Music at Bridgeway Community Church, where he has sung, played piano, directed and arranged music. He has also been seen playing piano at Tommy Guns Garage Dinner Theatre and aboard the Spirit of Chicago Cruise Lines. As a professional composer, he has also written and arranged both traditional and contemporary music for a number of different venues.

Katie Stark graduated from Luther College in Decorah, IA with a BA in Music Education. After teaching middle school choir for two years she moved to Chicago to pursue performing. Katie has continued to teach theater, music, and dance with Elmhurst Park District, Metropolis Performing Arts Center and Northbrook Theatre. She has performed with Light Opera Works, Metropolis, White Horse Theatre Company, American Girl Theatre, Buffalo Theatre Company, Tommy Gun’s Garage, and Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences.

Marie Groh is happy to be performing with the Festive Singers. Marie has performed numerous roles in many Chicago area theatres including Drury Lane Oakbrook, Light Opera Works, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Steel Beam Theatre. Regionally, she has performed with the Music Theatre of Wichita in Wichita, Kansas.

Mark Forrest has been a professional actor and singer for over 15 years. He has an MFA in acting from Long Beach State University and has appeared in more than 100 palys and musicals. While in Los Angeles he had small speaking roles on General Hospital, Days of Our Lives and Life Goes On. Since returning to the Midwest his favorite show has been Forever Plaid which he has performed over 800 times in five different productions, playing three different roles. He has appeared in many local commercials and is currently playing the role of "Rocco" at Tommy Guns Garage Dinner Theatre. It's a pleasure to be able to sing with Festive Singers.

Jason Groh is thrilled to be performing with Festive Singers. He has been seen on the stages of the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Alcina), Light Opera Works (She Loves Me/The Gondoliers), Clocktower Resort (Grease), Stage Right Dinner Theatre (She Loves Me), Theatre at the Center (Getting Away with Murder) and many others. Jason is a member of the Amercian Guild of Musicians and Artists as well as the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He holds a bachelor's degree from DePaul University in Political Theory.

Pierrick Hanlet is a bass-baritone who has sung with the Festive Singers almost since its inception. He also serves as a cantor at Sts. Peter and Paul in Naperville, and sings with The St. Charles Singers. Pierrick has performed as "Curly" in Oklahoma, "Rooster" in Annie, and a variety of roles in scenes from different operas; one day, you'll see him as "Scarpia" (or so he'd like to think).