The Players

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THE PLAYERS: Who We Are

Metamorphic Winds was created by Broadway’s top woodwind musicians.

Mikki Ryan

Mikki received her Master’s Degree in Woodwind Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and her Bachelor’s Degree from Boston University. After being cast in the off-Broadway musical, Swingtime Canteen, she relocated to New York City. She has also appeared on stage in productions of The Buddy Holly Story, Cabaret, and Urinetown.

Micheale’s career includes performances with Sarasota Opera, Spoleto Festival, NY Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Masterworks Chorale, Bronx Concert Singers, Pittsburgh Ballet, Garden State Opera, Florida Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, and the Naples Philharmonic. She also performs with the chamber ensemble Metamorphic Winds and the Bard and Minstrel Storytellers.

She stays active in the theater world by substituting at Radio City Music Hall, Papermill Playhouse, and in various Broadway pit orchestras, including "The Lion King" and "Wicked." Micheale can also be heard performing with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman on his recording "Aria."

When not performing, Micheale teaches at the New York Music School and giving presentations worldwide on Woodwind Doubling and effective teaching strategies for Neurodiverse Students.

Chris MacDonnell

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Chris is a clarinetist and multi-woodwind specialist. As a professional performer, she is proficient on all clarinets, saxophones, flutes, and double reeds. She has been featured as a clarinet artist on the Washington DC radio station WPFW “The Jazz Collectors”. She has served two US Presidents in the “President’s Own” Marine Band as a clarinetist and saxophonist.
Chris regularly performs in various Broadway and off-Broadway productions as well as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Paper Mill Playhouse, Albany Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Northeast Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. She most recently performed with the orchestra for ‘Suffs’ on Broadway. National performances include the Walnut Theatre and The Philly Pops in Philadelphia, John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre. Christine has performed abroad as principal clarinet in the Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira in Brazil and the Nova Philharmonia Portuguesa in Portugal. In addition, Chris is a woodwind instructor at the United Nations International School. She conducts master classes at various Universities within the United States, South America, and Taiwan. She has also recorded two CDs, Enchanted Saint Saens and Clarinet Rhapsody which has been hailed as “beautifully played and well-deserved of its title”. Her latest recording, "Chris’s Journey, A Whimsical Collage of Music," is a piece composed for her which showcases her multi-woodwind talents on 11 woodwinds depicting various musical styles. She represents Winds4you Productions, which has produced numerous videos on YouTube and support various livestreams during the pandemic. Chris is also a Yamaha, Nymph, and a D’Addario Performing Artist.

Erika Freidman

Erika is a NYC based woodwind doubler specializing in musical theatre. She just finished playing Elf on Broadway. First national tours: The Prom, The Bodyguard. In addition to playing shows and concerts in town, she maintains a private lesson studio consisting of piano, flute, clarinet, and saxophone students of all ages. She holds performance and education degrees from NJCU (M.M. in Multiple Woodwind Performance) and Ithaca College (B.M. in Saxophone Performance and Music Education).

Tessa Dolce

Tessa is a freelance multiple woodwind player in the Metropolitan/Tri-State area performing on all clarinets, saxophones, flute, piccolo, and bassoon. Her Broadway
creditsinclude subbing for Death Becomes Her, Gypsy, Boop, Funny Girl, New York, New York, and Lion King. Tessa's regional theater includes Two Rivers Theater and Papermill Playhouse in NJ.
Coleman's, Pamela's First Musical, and Joe Iconis' Love In Hate Nation, New Voices at the Paper Mill and Plays-in-the-Park, Edison, New Jersey. University main stage productions include Montclair State University and Wagner University and she has performed with the Albany and Plainfield Symphonies. Tessa plays Baritone saxophone and Bass Clarinet with the Metamorphic Winds Saxophone Quartet/Fort Lee Saxophone Quartet and has played with the Broadway Chamber Players. Her education was at Montclair State University with an MA in Multiple Woodwinds and is a student of Chad Smith and Harry Searing. Tessa is a proud member of Local 802, 16-248, and Maestra.