With reluctance, the Voice and Opera Department announces the retirement of Steve Crowley after almost 30 years as Eastman Opera Theatre’s Technical Director/Producer. Steve joined Eastman Opera Theatre in September 1985, working with Richard Pearlman, after a varied career with Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, American Place Theater in New York, and other professional and college theaters, as well as Off-Broadway and in television.
By the time Steve leaves Eastman, he will have served as the technical director for almost 90 operatic and musical theater productions, working with several generations of Eastman voice students in a wide range of operatic repertoire from Baroque to contemporary. His time, talent, and commitment have played an instrumental part in the success of Eastman Opera Theatre’s recognition in the musical world. In ways that were sometimes unknown to the students, Steve’s support and generosity behind the scenes has contributed to their artistic development and Eastman experience. His final production for the Eastman Opera Theatre is Ned Rorem’s Our Town, opening this week (April 9, 2015)..
“The Eastman School, its community, the Voice and Opera Department and students are indebted to Steve for his dedication and commitment,” says Eastman Opera Theatre stage director Steven Daigle. “He has worked long hours to insure the highest standards possible for this Eastman Opera Theatre program. My first contact with Eastman was a conversation with Steve, almost twenty years ago. His guidance and knowledge have been both invaluable and rewarding. He will be missed.”