“We are so very pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Briggle as Executive Director,” enthused Debra Gilroy, the board president and founder. “Gary comes to us with a strong background not only as a performance artist but also someone experienced in organizational leadership and management. As a community of seasoned performers eager to share, we look forward to Gary’s creative and focused guidance to help grow our organization.”

Gary Briggle shared, “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to work with a vital organization whose mission is built on providing opportunities for mature, experienced performers, in celebration of the power of music to lift our hearts and expand our sense of community.”

Welcome Gary Briggle by joining RDO on Zoom on April 30th at 3:00 PM CST for Pat Kent’s talk, “Can a feminist enjoy Don Giovanni?” RDO is offering two raffle opportunities to win either a $200 ticket voucher for the upcoming Minnesota Opera’s production or two tickets for the May 21st performance.

A nationally renowned singer, actor, director and teacher, Gary Briggle has nearly fifty years of experience in the full range of music-theater genres. In an administrative capacity he has served as artistic director of Lyric Opera Cleveland, artistic associate with Seaside Music Theatre, head of the Opera department at the University of Iowa, co-chairman of the musical theater department at SPCPA, and interim artistic director of Skylark Opera Theater.