The Founder
Lynne Broyles,
Owner/Artistic Director of Kids Theatre Network!



Background of those who trained Lynne
An article on Connie Lisec by Tony Wade. The British band Queen bridged the gap between opera and rock ‘n’ roll with their 1975 song “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but if one were looking for a local link between those two musical worlds, it would have to be longtime resident Connie Lisec. The retired Solano Community College voice teacher and co-founder of the acclaimed North Bay Opera (now closed), Lisec trained voices that continue to delight fans of both genres locally and around the world. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Lisec vividly recalls the moment when music grabbed her.
“At Back to School Night, my junior high music teacher performed a duet from ‘La Bohème’ and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard. I was hooked. Connie and others launched North Bay Opera in 1986 when they tired of driving to the Bay Area to indulge their passion. Their first full-stage opera, “Madame Butterfly,” was presented at Solano College in 1989. “I remember sitting in the audience and being brought to tears,” Lisec said. “We created something out of nothing, and it was very satisfying and exciting.” Lisec in the early 1980s was asked by Gordon’s Music and Sound owner Clifford Gordon to teach local rock ‘n’ rollers to sing. She told him she didn’t know anything about rock but would give it a try.
Her work with popular Fairfield bands CP Krunt, Laser Boy and others turned out to be “a joy beyond belief.” However, the first time CP Krunt singer/guitarist Greg Adams came to her home, there was a bit of culture shock. “My husband was an Air Force colonel from a totally different background. I opened my front door and there was Greg with long hair, jeans, a black tuxedo jacket, a top hat and barefoot,” Lisec recalled, laughing. When it came to her teaching techniques, Lisec stressed that the most important thing is to provide a safe haven for singers to experiment, to fail and to try again. Connie’s last major role as a performer was about 10 years ago in a production of “The Sound of Music” in front of nearly 3,000 people in New Zealand. But, The challenges of a 22-hour flight, time differences and other factors made her decide to call it a career. “It was a magnificent production, but instead of just being fun to sing, it was work.” Lisec said. “That’s when I decided to quit while people are still asking me to stay as opposed to them asking, ‘Why are you still singing?” Lisec describes herself as “78 going on 30” and is still in love with the sound of the pure human instrument that is on one level mere vocal cord vibrations and yet so much more. “It is a very satisfying thing to see a voice come to fruition,” Lisec said.
ELAINE REYNOLDS, Bay Area Voice Teacher and Retired Professional Singer (Info to Post Soon)
Mason and Kahn Dance Studio in San Francisco.
Stan Kahn, a tap dance master, choreographer and teacher who influenced generations of tappers. For more than 45 years, he and his wife, Patsy Mason, operated the Mason-Kahn Studios at 1125 Market Street over the Embassy Theater. Until the Loma Prieta earthquake forced the building to be vacated, their studio was a center of learning and artistry for professional tap dancers. Mr. Kahn was known for developing Kahnotation, a system for notating tap dancing that he copyrighted in 1951 and used in his classes to simplify the teaching of steps and movements. The Mason-Kahn Studios was an important stop for dancers visiting San Francisco in touring Broadway shows. Visitors included Tommy Tune and Michael Smuin, former director of the San Francisco Ballet who coached students with Mr. Kahn.