Press Quotes

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (Miss Shingle/Ensemble), 42nd Street Moon
*Theatre Bay Area Recommended Production
  • "Teressa Foss immediately sets the bar high for the evening’s over-the-top but well-executed mirth and merriment as her Miss Shingle sings “You’re a D’Ysquith,” employing exploding outbursts of sung syllables; eyes that open to the size of half-dollars; and a mouth that becomes an ever-changing pallet of laughable shapes.  In other words, she is a delightful riot as she tries to convince a doubting Monty that he in only eight bodies away from being a Lord." - TheatreEddys.com
  • "the Gateway Theater was packed to the rafters for the opening night of A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, a very silly—but eminently entertaining—"tale of revenge and retribution." With a solid cast, clever set, gorgeous costumes, lovely lighting, and taut direction (by Daren A.C. Carollo), 42nd Street Moon's latest is one of their very best. // Attention should also be paid to Teressa Foss who, as Miss Shingle, finds a way to get her mouth into geometric shapes that seem impossible. How does she manage a trapezoid, parallelogram, and a hexagon while belting out "You're a D'Ysquith"?" - TalkinBroadway.com
  • "Montague Navarro played by the exhilarating Kevin Singer, a poor but proper Englishman, is mourning the loss of his mother when he recieves an unexpected visit from a certain Miss Shingle played by the riveting Teressa Foss. // Foss sings to Singer "You're a D'Ysquith" and they both prove their gifted voices." - VMediaBackstage.com
  • "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder received Tony awards for best musical, best book of a musical, best direction of a musical and best costume design for the original Broadway production in 2014.  This production brings out the best in these areas, with most charming performances of Melissa Wolfklain as Phoebe and Teressa Foss as Miss Shingle." - TheatreHound.net
  • Treachery, greed, manipulation and murder is never as appealing and hilarious as in 42nd Street Moon's wonderful production... // a superb ensemble cast" - BroadwayWorld.com
Tuck Everlasting (Betsy Foster), Theatreworks Silicon Valley
  • "The musical makes the simple act of going through life — aging, losing older family members and gaining younger ones, accepting your own end of life — seem as enchanting, as charmed as anything the fountain of youth might offer." *Critic's Pick*  - San Francisco Chronicle
  • "a handsome production of “Tuck Everlasting,” which will warm, or maybe even break, your heart." - San Francisco Examiner
  • "superbly talented acting ensemble" - BroadwayWorld.com
  • "visually stunning, musically uplifting, and thematically intriguing and inspiring / an area premiere that is about as perfect a gift as any audience could ever hope to receive under its theatre-attending tree." - TalkinBroadway.com
  • "well-constructed and in this case, terrifically performed by the whole cast" - KPFA.org
La Rondine (Suzy), Opera San Jose
  • "Maya Kherani (Yvette), Teressa Foss (Suzy) and especially Katharine Gunnink (Bianca) contributed memorable turns. / Kudos to San Jose Opera for offering up a wholly winning, consistently captivating new production... / I can gladly report that the musical virtues were nothing less than top tier. - OperaToday.com
  • "The side dishes are lovely. We get a trio of lesser courtesans, a bit like the female trio in Massenet's Manon (Katherine Gunnick, Maya Kherani and Teressa Foss), some fine ballet and can-can (choreographed by Michelle Klaers D'Alo), and excellent work in the kinetic cafe scene from Andrew Whitfield's chorus. / The score is an elegant gem... Opera San Jose polishes these gems to a glittering finish" - Operaville
  • "...a fabulous performance of Puccini’s La Rondine... The entire cast was impressive" - Communities Digital News
Fresh Voices Festival XVII, Goat Hall Productions (SF Community Music Center)
  • "...[In] Helena Michelson’s The Mysteries... Soprano Teresa Foss brought big top notes and a chocolaty buzz of vibratos, meshing finely with Meghan Dibble, whose mezzo added clarity and depth. / [In] Bilotta’s The League of Minor Characters, in which he set a group of four poems about mythical heroes or superheroes to music...Foss followed with the musings of Nancy Drew, sunny intervals and business-like major scales turning wistful as she wishes that she were less brave and confident and could “…fall for a cad.” [and] as Lois Lane wishing that Superman had moments of weakness. Those last three poems were by Ron Koertge, clever and funny, and the piano obliged with brightly defiant intervals, a longing Cinderella waltz, and dreamy piano “what ifs” – with Kryptonite as a lady’s date rape perfume! [In] Cats, Dogs & Divas... Here Brancato and Foss strutted and belted (and Foss was a solid belter in her lower register) with staccato rhythms and soaring whole-tone arpeggios. / the generally excellent texts – and their clear delivery – were a big part of what this festival unusual." - RepeatPerformances.org (A. Broner)
Il barbiere di Siviglia (Berta), Opera San Jose
  • "It would be hard to imagine a more committed and scene-stealing Berta than that embodied by the vivacious Teressa Foss. Too often this can be a throw-away part, but Ms. Foss played a deliciously willing accomplice in Rosina’s detention, with an apparent girly fixation on carrying stuffed animals, which increased in obsessive number as the show progressed. Teressa is also possessed of a laser-focused whiz-bang of a soprano voice, and her effortless flights above the staff were as admirable as they were totally unexpected." - OperaToday.com
  • "Teressa Foss’s Berta was a hard-drinking, tobacco-loving maid with an expressive coloratura voice and excellent comedic skills." - PeninsulaReviews.com
  • "...an outstanding cast of excellent singer-actors / Berta, a long suffering maid of all work in the Bartolo household is sung with gusto by Teressa Foss. Her stirring [tones] notably enhanced the act ending crescendos which Rossini masterfully puts together' - Milpitas Post
  • "...the performance offered that delicious Marx Brothers sense of barely controlled chaos / I also enjoyed the efforts of baritone Babatunde Akinboboye as Almaviva’s lieutenant, Fiorello, and [Teressa] Foss the cat-accumulating maid Berta, lamenting the foolishness of May-December romances in “Il vecchiotto cerca moglie.” - Operaville
  • "a bucket of laughs... everyone in The Barber of Seville, from lead to bit player—when given the chance—shines to great effect." - Metroactive.com
Rags (Anna/Ensemble), Theatreworks Silicon Valley
  • “a stellar company of Bay Area musical treasures including standouts Noel Anthony as Rebecca’s errant husband, Michelle Drexler, Teresa Foss, Brian Herndon, Benjamin Pither and Christopher Reber” - SF Examiner
  • "TheatreWorks Silicon Valley revives nearly thirty years later its latest rendition of Rags—one that is truly epic in its opera-like breadth and depth and yet one that is grippingly personal in its focus on the individual immigrant experience.  / Each member of this cast of fifteen has a moment to shine in the spotlight, bringing singular and collective voices and wonderfully idiosyncratic personalities to their parts (many playing multiple roles)." - TalkinBroadway.com
  • "The TheatreWorks cast is uniformly outstanding as well, with strong voices and acting" - AlmanacNews.com
  • "the fine 16 member cast play multiple roles to perfection" - ForAllEvents.info
A Streetcar Named Desire (Nurse/Ghost), Opera San Jose
  • “Teressa Foss was a fine presence as both the Old Relative and the stern Nurse. / Opera San Jose’s impressive A Streetcar Named Desire should be required viewing for all who care about adventurous programming and first-class stagecraft.” - OperaToday.com
  • “With its new production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Opera San Jose continues its push into the contemporary repertoire. / Cabiria Jacobsen’s sympathetic Eunice, Michael Boley’s sheepish Steve, Silas Elash’s Doc and Teressa Foss’ Nurse made appropriate contributions, and Xavier Prado exuded enthusiasm as the Young Collector who comes under Blanche’s seductive spell.” – San Jose Mercury News
Le nozze di Figaro (Marcellina), Opera San Jose
  • “..an entertaining crowd-pleaser with a fine cast / Teressa Foss (Marcellina) sounded quite lovely, and I wish her Act IV aria (“Il capro e la capretta”) was not cut as it usually is.” – San Francisco Classical Voice
  • “Other notable performances include Silas Elash as Bartolo, Michael Dailey as Don Basilio and Teressa Foss as Marcellina—all of whom are respectively hilarious and instrumental in the continuation of the plot’s ludicrous love schemes./ Opera San Jose breathes mischievous new life into an old masterpiece.” - Metroactive.com
  • “…beautiful singing (which reached its full bloom in the last two acts) / …more than usually earnest, with everyone’s full-hearted, sincere performances on Saturday – but there is always that twinkling possibility at the back of everything that the shenanigans will start all over the following day.” – PeninsulaReviews.com
  • “…The supporting cast, led by Michael Dailey as Basilio and Jennifer Mitchell as Barbarina, consistently impressed.” – San Jose Mercury News
  • “Stage director Lillian Groag and her opening-night cast left no gag unturned in possibly the funniest Figaro I’ve ever seen. / Credit the cast with squeezing some beautiful singing into this wacky choreography. It helps that they were perfectly cast; to a Figaro aficionado, it was as if OSJ scoured the world over for perfect archetypes.” - Operaville
Delicate Particle Logic (Lise Meitner), Indra’s Net Theatre, Berkeley CA
  • “The ensemble is very good, clearly committed to its task of illumination: Janet Keller as Edith, Teressa Byrne (a nice choice for playing Meitner; better-known as an operatic actor-singer), Michael Kern Cassidy as Hahn–and playing various roles, two actors bringing a lot of juice to the production: Darek Burkowski and well-known Jeff Garrett. / The story’s fascinating; Blackmur’s play is ambitious…” – Berkeley Daily Planet
  • Rating: 4 Stars. “…an impressive accomplishment…Janet Keller and Teressa Byrne offer a wide emotional range. / If you work in the sciences, love the theatre, but rarely see science or scientists portrayed in performance in a meaningful or convincing way, you will love this play.  For the rest of us, you may find it unusually challenging, but if you enjoy intellect in the theater, you are quite likely to leave well-satisfied.” –Theatrestorm
  • “It has been 70 years since nuclear fission co-discoverer Lise Meitner was passed over for the Nobel Prize, and for many, the wound is still raw and open. It’s the stuff of great drama and, finally, it has been brought to the stage, in Jennifer Blackmer’s Delicate Particle Logic, which received its world premiere at Indra’s Net Theater in Berkeley one brief week ago…. and features the profound and true Teressa Byrne Foss as Lise Meitner, with Michael Kern Cassidy electrically conveying the challenging inner world of Otto Hahn.” – MadArtLab
  • “…Lise (played with an infinitely calm brooding by Teressa Byrne)…the actors (are) deft and provide the essential spine to the story” – East Bay Express
Viva La Musica’s “The Soul of Music” (Soprano Soloist), Redwood City / Walnut Creek, CA
  • “Soprano Teressa Byrne (Foss)’s voice carried effortlessly, imparting an extra layer of warmth to the lush orchestration. Tenor Michael Mendelsohn’s ringing, broad voice added a familial quality to the Lux Aeterna.” – Foster City Patch
Little Me (Older Belle), 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA
  • “…the most elegantly fun musical that I have seen in years…better than Broadway!  The pitch-perfect singers, actors are worth the trip.  This is the show of 2013.  Rating: Four Glasses of Champagne!” – Beyond Chron
  • “The older Belle, Teressa Byrne, recounts colorfully Belle’s life rising from anonymity and poverty in the MidWest to social position in the Southamptons via Hollywood and the help of many suitors. / There’s a darling number with the younger and older Belle singing together about who they can rely on (“Little Me”).” – Examiner.com
  • “As the older Belle dictating her memoirs to Patrick Dennis (Caleb Draper), Teressa Byrne oozed false modesty and practical sexuality…  Thanks to Jason Graae, Sharon Reitkirk and Teressa Byrne, this long overdue revival of Little Me is an absolute delight!” – My Cultural Landscape
  • “…Act 2 (the highlight of which is Reitkirk and Byrne singing the title song)…  Little Me may not be a genius piece of musical theater, but when you have leading players…delivering superstar turns, the Little charms go a long long way.” – Theaterdogs
  • “a top notch cast…  Although Jason Graae is superb in the star vehicle roles…he is matched line-for-line by [Sharon Reitkirk and Teressa Byrne].  / superb acting, fine singing, excellent staging, memorable musical numbers, energetic dancing, and costumes to die for.” – For All Events
  • “Teressa Byrne and Sharon Rietkerk share the role of Belle. These dynamic women are clearly showing their acting and singing skills. Teressa Byrne belts out “Little Me” and “Here’s to Us” with a commanding voice… / The cast flourishes with born comedians.” – Talkin’ Broadway
Zorba (The Widow), 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA
  • “What a dream evening this is.  There are gorgeous costumes, gorgeous guys and gorgeous music. / The musical score is unimpeachable.  There is nothing like a beautifully done love story.  / Here’s to the strong and excellent cast…  Rating: Four Glasses of Champagne!” – Beyond Chron
  • “(Ian) Leonard pairs well with the regal grace of Teressa Byrne as an unnamed, much maligned widow, and their vocals and scenes of discovery are the highlight of the evening.” – SF Examiner
  • “”The Butterfly” is very movingly sung by Alexandra Kaprielian as The Leader and Teressa Byrne as The Widow.  Both do splendid work in their roles.”  – Talkin’ Broadway
  • “In the village there are the attractive young widow (Teressa Byrne) and the older French woman Hortense (Stephanie Rhodes)…Director Greg MacKellan has a daunting task staging 15 cast members on the less than spacious stage but his skill shows through and his top notch cast responds… fine musical numbers.” – For All Events
The Light in the Piazza (Signora Naccarelli), Willows Theatre Company, Martinez CA
  • “a musical treat, with the terrific music delivered by a cast of outstanding voices, especially the pipes of Del Mastro, Teressa Byrne as Signora Naccarelli, Dornaus and Vanessa Lucero as Franca Naccarelli.” – Mercury News
  • “Gorgeous singing voices and Kim Vetterli’s wonderful musical direction highlight The Willows Theatre’s production of “The Light in the Piazza”…. The fine cast [includes] Teressa Byrne and Jonathan Spencer bringing a thoughtful interpretation as his parents. / I can’t imagine a more effective cast.“ – Curtain Calls / Mercury News
  • “Quality reigns in the production overall. Fine acting is enhanced by concert-quality music and professional engineering.“ – Benicia Herald
Rags (Rebecca Hershkowitz), Willows Theatre Company, Martinez CA
  • “…a major, accomplished production, thanks to an excellent cast, sharp and innovative direction and exemplary costumes and set… Byrne’s soprano voice hits all the right chords, reaching deep into the audience’s hearts.  She is well paired romantically with Benjamin Pither as the Union organizer and also has great scenes with Nicole Frydman (Bella).” - San Francisco Examiner
  • “Byrne has the voice for an opera house and the skill to deliver both massive and delicate tones with equal ease.  She’s immensely comfortable onstage: the kind of actor an audience can trust not to adorn a character with excessive or empty gestures….300-volt delivery of the show’s signature song “Children of the Wind” - Clayton Pioneer
  • “The show introduces Contra Costa audiences to the remarkable voice of Teressa Byrne, who portrays the pivotal role of Rebecca, a young mother who along with her son (Trevor Gomez) has arrived from Russia to find her husband (James Sgambati).” - Curtain Calls / San Jose Mercury News
  • “‘Rags’ begins with Rebecca Hershkowitz (Teressa Byrne, who has a fantastic singing voice) aboard a ship headed for New York…a hugely entertaining musical…” - Contra Costa Times
Norma (Norma), Verismo Opera, Vallejo CA
  • “The two female leads, Byrne and Welch, also sang well, demonstrating stunning emotion and vocal control in the intensely dramatic scenes…  Their technical and expressive strengths shone through best in the more tender sequences involving Norma’s desperation around her forbidden love, her compassion for her romantic rival, and feelings for her children — swinging from contemplation of infanticide at one extreme to equally powerful yearnings for their safety in the event of her death.” - Benicia Herald
  • “The Answer: More Arts. We wouldn’t hear as many complaints about Vallejo if we all attended more arts events in Vallejo.  Take the latest production of the opera “Norma” (Bellini) at the Mira Theater. This is a San Francisco troupe of the best kind, with gorgeous voices and superb music — at very low rates, to boot.” - Nadine and Alan Goodban (Vallejo), published by the Vallejo Times-Herald
Oh, Kay!, 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA
  • “…perhaps the most apt, figurative description one can give this delightful production would be that it makes one feel as if one has been invited to a fantastical, wonderfully entertaining cocktail party!  ….the elegant beauty and natural comedienne, Teressa Byrne as Kay, is a casting coup and their chemistry is unmistakable.  Ms. Byrne is a coloratura soprano with a distinct vibrato of a type more commonly heard in grand opera. And yet, surprisingly, the two very different techniques complement one another quite effectively. Their marvelous duet of “Do, Do, Do,” as a case in point, comes off particularly well.  And Ms. Byrne’s solo interpretation of the sublime “Someone to Watch Over Me” is also nicely done. ….42nd Street Moon is back on track. Bravo!” – StarkInsider.com “All Things West Coast”
  • “Byrne (Kay) is a strong presence in this freshened up musical. Her operatic version of “Someone To Watch Over Me” – gives a new look to one of the greatest songs ever written.  /  The Cast is “Firecracker funny” and sometimes hysterical – but they bring “Oh Kay” every actor you ever wanted to see on stage. RATING: THREE GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE!!!” - Lee Hartgrave Tonight / For All Events
  • “Teressa Byrne is captivating as Kay. She reminds me of a young Gertrude Lawrence in both her manner and beautiful singing voice. She does a dreamy version of “Someone to Watch Over Me.” / Byrne and McKenna’s duets are simply beautiful, including their vocal presentation of “Maybe”, “Do, Do, Do” and “Oh, Kay!” ” - Talkin’ Broadway
  • “Oh, Kay! offers audiences a heady reminder of how charming and witty romantic comedies used to be. As Kay, Teressa Byrne revealed a strong set of comedic chops that were handsomely backed by a lovely soprano voice.” – My Cultural Landscape
Hairspray (Velma Von Tussle), Woodminster Musicals, Oakland CA
  • “Take equal parts of American Bandstand, Soul Train, add a cast of 35 high-energy performers and you have over two hours of an energetic show that leaves you asking for more….Teressa Byrne as Velma delivers a superb performance as the self-centered egotistical dance party producer, who also has a strong dose of bigotry.” - Piedmont Post
  • “Byrne, who was seen by this reviewer not long ago as Elmire in Moliere’s Tartuffe at Pasadena’s Boston Court…did another fine performance as Velma.” - Oakland Examiner
  • “The cast is terrific from top to bottom, with outstanding performances by Drummond, Bruce and Teressa Byrne…” - Contra Costa Times
  • “a very colorful group of characters (played by superb actors), including…show producer Velma Von Tussle (played by Teressa Byrne)…Will leave you laughing and clapping and wishing the evening would last much longer.” - For All Events
The Light in the Piazza (Franca Naccarelli), Phoenix Theatre, AZ
  • “…beautifully and thoughtfully staged by Karla Koskinen…a cast that could not be bettered.  They are in a word, perfection…Teressa Byrne’s performance as the bitter, strident Franca is immensely moving.” - Gilbert Theatre Examiner
  • “The lovely Phoenix Theatre production…equals and occasionally betters the stunning Broadway original.  The cast couldn’t be better…Other stellar performances come from Fabrizio’s family, [including] Teressa Byrne’s as his pushy sister-in-law”  - Curtain Up Phoenix / KBAQ
  • “outstanding vocal delivery performed by an ensemble possessing some of the best voices heard on this theatre’s stage…an exhilarating experience” - 99.9 KEZ
The Taming of the Shrew (Bianca Minola), Virago Theatre, Alameda CA
  • “The cast is adept with the twisting locutions and archaic patter, infusing enough physical comedy to clarify the meaning…Pretty sister Bianca (Teressa Byrne) can do no wrong in Baptista’s eyes.  No wonder Katharina’s pissed off….Excellent work by the cast.  Rock on, Virago.” - AlamedArts/Alameda Patch
Joyful Noise (Catherine “Kitty” Clive), Lambs Players Theater, Coronado CA
  • “The spiteful soprano Kitty Clive, is played by Teressa Byrne, who has opera experience and a glorious voice…..the final moments of the play, featuring the magnificent “Hallelujah Chorus”, are guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes.” – San Diego News Online
  • “Joyful Noise” is also blessed with a return visit by Teressa Byrne, a powerful soprano (and memorable presence in last year’s “The Light in the Piazza” at Lamb’s) who turns out to have a smart feel for comedy.  She plays Kitty Clive, an 18th-century proto-diva and Susannah’s archrival, with a self-righteous insolence and a charming way of turning “Othello” into slapstick. – San Diego Union Tribune
  • “Colleen Kollar Smith is touching and subtle as Susannah Cibber…and Teressa Byrne is a great contrast as the fiery but fiercely talented actress Kitty Clive.  Smith and Byrne are physical, emotional and vocal opposites, so their hair-pulling, floor-rolling tussle seems a foregone conclusion as soon as they meet.”  – North County Times
  • “Colleen Kollar Smith (a touching Susannah Cibber), Teressa Byrne (Kitty: a feisty diva with a rocket soprano voice), Jim Chovick (a treat as humble King George II) make valuable contributions.” – San Diego Reader
Tartuffe (Elmire), Boston Court Theatre, Pasadena
  • “Orgon’s family is presented as kinkier than the Ozzy Osbourne clan…son Damis (Blake Silver) is a much-pierced punk-goth graffiti artist who indulges in incestuous hanky-panky with stepmom Elmire (Teressa Byrne)……It must be said that everything about the production is done with skill and expertise, and the performances are faultless.” – Backstage West
  • “Purists will howl with outrage….if you’re tired of the usual Tartuffe routines, this version will certainly grab your attention, even if you’re puzzling over it or swearing at it all the way home.” – L.A. City Beat
  • “Like, oh mon Dieu! Molière’s 17th century comedy “Tartuffe” gets airlifted to a wealthy enclave of the San Fernando Valley in a new theatrical production that’s, like, so totally amazing.  This postmodern retelling at the Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena is intended to be divisive to the max, but risk-seeking audiences will be glad they donned their designer thinking caps for this highly original deconstruction of the classic French play…..this production is both funny and sexy, reveling in visual non-sequiturs, dumb gags and a general state of arousal. It’s a play that airheads and literary eggheads can both enjoy.” – Los Angeles Times
  • “One cannot fault the production, where each character…shines personally and follows the interpretation with impressive dedication.” - Pasadena Star-News
  • “entrancing and provocative….we are transported from Paris in the 1660s to the present-day San Fernando Valley….Elmire (Teressa Byrne)  floats around in a long red house dress with make-up darkened raccoon eyes. She seems to lust for her son, Damis (Blake Silver), who is an urban terror wanna-be tagger clad in black…..This isn’t aristocratic foolishness so much as upper middle class debauchery in a family that Jerry Spring could appreciate…..Chambers’ use of song, music and choreography give this production an arresting staging and psychological depth.” – Examiner.com
  • “..Elmire, in an earthy portrayal by Teressa Byrne…..Of all the Tartuffe’s seen so far, this is by far the most imaginative and compelling.  It should be on your list of “must see” plays. Pick of the week.” - Reviewplays.com
  • “…a meringue pie filled with air yet layered with steak and beans and banana cream.” – L.A. Weekly
The Light in the Piazza (Franca Naccarelli), Lamb’s Players Theatre, Coronado CA
  • “Lamb’s has managed to assemble some of the top voices in town…Such is the talent level that some performers feel a little underutilized, especially Sandy Campbell (as Fabrizio’s world-weary mother) and Teressa Byrne (as the volcanic sister-in-law Franca), a knockout soprano who’s like the family’s closet Carmen.” – San Diego Union Tribune
  • “Teressa Byrne is a vocal powerhouse as his angry, neglected wife, Franca.” – Sdtheatrescene.com
  • “In Jeanne Reith’s sculpted postwar Sophia Loren dresses, fellow Lamb’s first-timer Teressa Byrne also has that air of Italian authenticity as sister-in-law Franca…” – Sandiego.com
Cosi fan tutte (Fiordiligi), West Bay Opera
  • “'Cosi fan tutte’ is a crowd-pleaser…There was close to a full house Sunday afternoon at the cozy Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto, and the audience enjoyed itself…soprano Teressa Byrne (as Fiordiligi) and mezzo-soprano Sally Mouzon (as Dorabella) made a charming team, bubbling in close harmony through myriad duets. …Making her company debut, Byrne, with a strong background in musical theater, radiated Broadway-style pluckiness. Her voice has a real luster. …with her personality and potential, who knows?” – San Jose Mercury News
Kiss Me Kate (Lilli Vanessi), Cabrillo Stage, Aptos CA
  • “Byrne is terrific as Lili/Kate, using her voice to both comic and serious effect. She has the acting chops to carry the audience through some of the thinner plot points common to musicals, helping you to suspend disbelief while chuckling at her ability to poke fun at her operatic voice and theater. Some of the funniest scenes, including the hilarious, “I Hate Men,” come from Byrne’s energy and personality…” – Santa Cruz Sentinel
  • “On opening night Byrne, an Equity actor, turned in a polished, hilarious performance, anchoring the show and at once propelling it steadily forward …It’s a credit to the Cabrillo Stage production of this beloved musical, played exuberantly and with a big wink (literally, in the final scene), that the audience is free to sit back with clear conscience and be utterly charmed and entertained—and occasionally compelled to burst into wild applause” – Metro Santa Cruz
  • “’KISS IS DON’T-MISS’…Lead actors Byrne and Kinyon are both highly skilled and perfectly cast. It’s a tense and romantic journey to watch them squabble…the numbers are strong, with a favorite being “I Hate Men,” which Lilli sings, while in character as Kate. (It’s quite funny.)”  - Good Times Santa Cruz
  • “…the exceptional voices of Teressa Byrne and Joe Kinyon…these two dazzled the audience [and] give the best musical performances that I’ve heard in a Cabrillo Stage production…(please come back Joe, Teressa…)” – Aptos Times
Phantom (Christine Daaé), Fullerton Civic Light Opera, Fullerton CA
  • “the story begins with Christine Daaé (Teressa Byrne), a soprano with stunning raw talent who longs to sing opera but requires formal training… She modulates her vocals to suit the tone of each song, able to belt, then drop to a near whisper.… her voice also soars, notably in “Home” and “Christine Obbligato.” - Orange County Register
Ensemble di Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Carmel/San Luis Obispo/Napa/San Francisco CA
  • “They played [Napa’s] Lincoln Theater with American singers Peter Girardot and Teressa Byrne, presenting the best-known works of Verdi and Puccini. It was an evening of musical enchantment.” – CA Veterans’ Home of Yountville Newsletter
American Klezmer (Leah), West Coast Jewish Theater, Hollywood CA
  • “Byrne creates a wonderfully appealing heroine” – L.A. Weekly *Rated “GO!”
  • “excellent…a delight to watch…” – Backstage West
  • “Teressa Byrne: a glorious voice” – Showmag.com
  • “the standout singing and acting performance is by Teressa Byrne as Leah.  Byrne’s voice carries to the rafters, a sweet force of nature that also contains much of her personality.…she deserves to be a star.”  - Reviewplays.com
  • “fine singing by Teressa Byrne as Leah” – EyeSpyLA.com
Brigadoon (Fiona MacLaren), PCPA Theaterfest, Santa Maria / Solvang CA
  • “Here, in the role of Brigadoon maiden Fiona MacLaren, she once again displays her dynamite combination of a powerful soprano voice and an innocent, yet ardent longing for love, particularly during her big solo: “I’ll Be Waitin’ for My Dearie.”….Pierce and Byrne make a cute couple.” – Santa Maria Sun
  • “As the feisty Scottish lass who falls in love with a hunter that stumbles upon her enchanted town, Teressa Byrne gives a finely nuanced performance / gorgeously sung solo number “Waitin’ For My Dearie" ”  – Backstage West
  • “Teressa Byrne is a lovely Fiona, with a fine, operatic voice, and Jeff Pierce is a handsome Tommy.  Their duets are elegant…This is a summer musical the family can enjoy.” – The Tribune
Guys and Dolls (Sgt. Sarah Brown), PCPA Theaterfest, Santa Maria / Solvang CA
  • “Ms. Byrne has a beautiful operatic soprano [that] blends well with Mr. Philpot’s baritone in such lovely songs as “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” and “I’ll Know.”  Her acting and singing shine in a scene where she sings a tipsy “If I Were a Bell.”” – Santa Barbara News-Press
  • “Byrne sounds especially exquisite as she conveys Brown’s longing… Indeed while it’s lovely to listen to Byrne sing all of her numbers…it’s also enjoyable to watch her let Brown evolve, fall in love and exchange a bit of innocence for experience.  She’s especially fun to watch during the scene in Havana where she unknowingly has a few too many drinks, and gets in a bar brawl.” - Santa Maria Times
  • “Byrne’s lovely, classical voice takes on a more Broadway sound as her evening with Sky progresses.  …Byrne sings of waiting for her idealized love…with an ardor that makes you feel for the character.  - Santa Maria Sun
My Way (Woman #2), PCPA TheaterfestSanta Maria / Solvang CA
  • “Byrne has a sultry way of standing like a 1940s screen siren, even when she’s not in the spotlight. …she really shines with “The Lady is a Tramp,” the show stopping finale to the “Love and Marriage Medley.”” – Santa Maria Sun
Master Class (Sharon Graham), Odyssey and Fountain Theatres, Los Angeles CA
  • “Ably supporting Kondazian’s Callas are a trio of skilled singer-actors who are quite believable as master class students as the prestigious Julliard Conservatory.  Teressa Byrne captures the persona of monumentally rigid Sharon, a youthful soprano whose lack of understanding of the work she is performing spurs vicious ridicule from Callas.  While keeping her growing ire in check, Byrne’s Sharon offers an impressively powerful performance of Verdi’s difficult ‘Vieni! t’affretta’ aria from “MacBeth” and then tearfully rails against the cruelty of her supposed mentor.” – Daily Variety
The Countess (Effie Ruskin), Ensemble Theater Santa Barbara CA
  • “ravishing” – Santa Barbara Independent
  • “raging inner conflict… convincingly establishes [that] her very soul is in danger of being erased in the name of obedience…. riveting.” – Santa Barbara News-Press
  • “exquisite” – Goleta Valley Voice
My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle), PCPA TheaterfestSanta Maria / Solvang CA
  • “[Her] singing is remarkable, and her acting and dialect are entirely unaffected.” – Backstage West
  • “[She] has a marvelous voice to go with her personality.  It soars in “I Could Have Danced All Night” and stabs to the quick in “Just You Wait”.  She’s feisty and charming.” – Santa Barbara News-Press
Master Class (Sharon Graham), Ensemble Theater Santa Barbara CA
  • “[Byrne] in particular, does a wonderful job as the boldly overdressed soprano Sharon.  Despite her doubts and resentment, Sharon finds her center as she attempts and finally succeeds in her struggle with a Callas specialty, the letter scene from Verdi’s MacBeth.” – Back Stage West
  • “The pivotal confrontation….is with a talented soprano (superbly played by [Byrne]), whose vulnerability and courage bring up too many personal issues for Callas to maintain her aloof disposition.” – Santa Barbara News–Press
Seven Brides (Millie), Starlight Musical Theater, San Diego CA
  • “spunky attitude and appealing singing voice.…a convincingly ardent wife to eldest brother Adam and scolding den mother to the brawling brothers” – San Diego Union-Tribune
Anything Goes (Hope Harcourt), American Musical Theater San Jose, CA
  • “slim, dark and gifted” – San Jose Mercury News
  • “a strong performance, delivering with a lovely trained voice” – Morgan Hill Times
  • “anything but the traditional wide-eyed ingénue…. extra sparkle” – Santa Clara Valley Metro
Under The Gaslight (Laura Courtland), Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach CA
  • “striking grandeur…[her] performance is impeccable not only as Laura, but also subliminally as the leading lady of a touring company.” – Los Angeles Times (Orange County Ed.)
  • “Here, the heroine may be distressed, but she certainly isn’t helpless....a rather sad soul but a strong one filled with nobility.” – Irvine World News
Gigi (Gigi), Welk Resort Theater, Escondido CA
  • “plays Gigi from childhood to womanhood with finesse and consummate skill” – Escondido News
  • “the perfect Gigi, with so much energy and spontaneity” – Beaumont Community Advisor
  • “delightful demeanor, glorious vocal capabilities and dazzling stage presence” – Californian
  • “endearingly portraying Gigi’s girlish high spirits…. a fine singing voice” – Press-Enterprise
Banner Photo: Rags, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, 2018