A Sounding Board for Unique Voices

Creator Stephanie Vlahos grew up in Westport, Connecticut, a town where artists, writers, and actors congregated in the sixties and seventies.

I’m an artist. My mediums are theatre, music, and words. I am interested in original stories, voices, and collaborations which highlight unique voices. I am both sounding board and author

Author of Visionary Fiction.

“Trust me, it will only get weirder.”

Stephanie Vlahos as a Collaborator and Director is here to share and engage for a range of projects she is developing as a Writer and Performer. And as a Coach and Mentor of Talent.

Mercury’s Wake – The Long Weekend

We’re all on a journey. We glimpse the road signs, meet our guides and other travelers, making choices along the way as we chart the paths we walk. Sometimes, we take a detour, which could be as long as a lifetime or as short as a long weekend. The question is – where are you headed?

I have always had a fondness for silly books that somehow pack a wallop, like Archie and Mehitabel, and have just published my little expressive absurdity about an ambivalent astronaut en route to Mars, JOHN K – Am I Alone? originally featured as a pop culture bible in the novel Mercury’s Wake – The Long Weekend. 

The stories I tell are metaphorical or metaphysical. They are stories about people coping under extraordinary circumstances some might characterize as sci-fi or paranormal.

I call my stories fairy tales. If the sci-fi genre is present in them, it is expressed as possibility and personal challenge rather than spaceships and ray guns.  

In space, we face our pasts and our futures

What we have been and where we might be going. Stephanie Vlahos becomes John K who hitches a ride on a mission to Mars. A place of potential aliens. She is inside his thoughts as he traverses the outer space. 
‘I am a motorcyclist in a hailstorm recklessly speeding by the grace of a slipstream.Theatre Travels
JOHN K – I’m on a Road Trip to Mars 
at the Edinburgh Fringe

Creator and Collaborator

The range and dynamic of my work reflects my artistic life experience, drawing from my early work in performance art at celebrated clubs such as Jean-Pierre Bocara’s Cafe Largo. I value organic process with unique performers in creatively platforming their voices and cherishing their dreams. I write new work tailored to the artist’s unique gifts, focusing on intimate storytelling with music.

New works include a focus on cross-cultural collaborations and finding commonality, particularly through the voice of teens. I have created larger projects such as the Full Circle Opera Project at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts which received a substantial 15-year grant from the Thornton Foundation. The project was a unique approach to engaging teens in opera.

When the stage went dark during Lockdown, I brought together creators and performers as a cast focused on bringing voice to the word on a virtual stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (See: American InTent)

With multiple cocreators, I revisited the art of storytelling. My goal was to ensure that the artist’s voice could be heard, even when the lights had dimmed in theatres around the globe.

I bring artistic vision and voice to the word through precious collaborations.

Director

“In my work staging Intimate Opera’s critically acclaimed Tosca last season, I saw the value of exploring the ‘intimate’, theatrical dimensions of opera,” explains Director Stephanie Vlahos.

“As a former opera singer, I have been very fortunate to be a part of this great art, and I believe that every one of us who has profited from opera has a responsibility to give back.  I am confident that the final product – one of collaboration between emerging artist and celebrated artist- will be an exciting night of theater.“

Podcast

Podcast with multiple voices and bring voice to the spoken word. This was another opportunity – borne from the constraints if ‘lockdown’ it provided an opportunity to work with existing and emerging Talent.

Talent

We all need some Talent. And some inspiration, motivation and growth.

Master Voice teacher and Theatre Coach with over twenty-five years of experience. Former students include Angel Blue (Proms, Covent Garden, Met Opera), Dawn Cantwell (Bwy, Last Ship, Wicked), Andrew Chappelle (Bwy, Hamilton), Julie Adams (San Francisco Opera, Met competition winner), the women from the band HAIM, Micaela Tobin (sound artist, White Boy Scream). All styles.

I love singers from budding pros to enthusiastic amateur musicians! Singers are great storytellers! My experience as a stage director means I bring professional insight into to actors polishing theatre auditions, bringing out the authentic artist in you. Voice lessonsare focused on organic singing directly connected to and empowered by the breath. I also have a lot of experience with young singerswho have a maturity of desire.

Developing Talent?

Nurturing the key steps to develop others you work with.

Working with Talent?

Growing the stage presence through to the strength of voice.

Coaching and Mentoring Talent?

From voice to stage and further for auditions through to original performances.

General Info

Yale University, The Juilliard School, LA Opera house mezzo and former director of the Young Artists Programme in Acting at LAO, Equity Stage Director, director and creator of the award-winning Full Circle Opera Project at the Los Angeles High School for the Arts (20 years), taught and directed at CalState Universities as well as USC. Served on Thornton Board of Counsellors USC. CHANEL Diva Award, Nine times WHO’s Who in American Teachers, American Artist Grant, Commendation Stanford University. Commercial and film voice artist, producer, actor.

Please contact Stephanie Vlahos directly.