Kristen Sharpley, a California native, is a young soprano embarking on a career in musical theatre, operetta, opera and recital. Kristen played Benny in The Offshore Pirate at Christopher Street Opera in May of 2010. She performs regularly at several NYC churches and in December was the soprano soloist for Central Presbyterian Church's Messiah.

Last fall she made her New York Musical Theatre Festival debut in The Toymaker. Kristen appeared in the staged reading of The Toymaker at the York Theatre in 2008. In 2008 she returned to Pennsylvania's Millbrook Playhouse starring as Kay in "The Taffetas."

In 2007's holiday season Kristen was a featured ensemble member in the John W. Engeman Theatre’s “A Wonderful Life.” In November she made her New York performance debut as part of a quartet of singers in KDNY’s 10 Year Anniversary Dance Concert. Kristen played Mrs. Darling in “Peter Pan” and Sister Monica Marie in “Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Reflect Up?” at Millbrook Playhouse in the summer of 2007.

2006 highlights included a benefit for San Francisco’s Ray of Light Theatre with whom she also joined in their February revue, “A Little Bit in Love.” In April 2006 she presented, Sing into Spring, a solo vocal recital with Brandon Adams featuring works of Vivaldi, Hahn, Grieg, Walton and Weill. Kristen also played the title role in “Naughty Marietta” with Lyric Theatre of San Jose in June.

In 2005 she joined Theatreworks as Cinderella's Mother and Sleeping Beauty in their holiday production of Into the Woods. She has enjoyed working at 42nd St. Moon in San Francisco playing Lisette in “Miss Liberty” and Adriana’s Maid/Lady of the Evening in “The Boys from Syracuse.” 2005 also brought her to Western Stage where she appeared as Hope Harcourt in “Anything Goes.”

She was a finalist in West Bay Opera's "Opera Superstar" competition in October of 2004. In May of 2004, Kristen made her Pocket Opera debut as Belinda in "Dido and Aeneas". In June she contributed to Pocket Opera’s "Anna Bolena" as a lady-in-waiting.

As part of her residency with the Dayton Opera in the Winter of 2004, Kristen appeared as Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance.” In this successful debut her “bright soprano voice full of charm and vocal pyrotechnics” and “winning stage presence” were both lauded by the Oakwood Register. Kristen sang Papagena in the Fairfield-Hamilton Symphony’s production of "Die Zauberflöte" and Javotte in "Manon" with Houston’s Opera in the Heights. She has also performed with Cincinnati’s Grandin Festival, Opera Theatre of Lucca, Aspen Opera Theater Center, and BASOTI.

Kristen finished a Masters degree in voice at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 2003 where she starred in "Dreamwalker" and was a recipient of an Emilie Dieterle award. Kristen previously studied at Rice University, where singing Anne Trulove in "The Rake’s Progress" was a highlight.

Kristen Sharpley's resumé [PDF]