Academy Alumni

Academy of Music alum, Karen Vuong, has been singing with Los Angeles Opera for several years, and recently has moved into more important roles. Last year she performed in Wagner's "Parsifal" and was one of the city girls in Kurt Weill's "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" which starred Patti Lupione and Audra McDonald (now available on DVD). This last December she was chosen to star as Mimi in a performance of Puccini's "La Boheme" conducted by Placido Domingo. Maeistro Domingo personally chose Karen for this great honor. (See photo of curtain calls.

Cord Jackman, class of ’07 is a familiar face to Hamilton audiences. While at Hamilton, Cord dazzled as Billy Finn in Chicago and wowed as Oberon in Midsummer’s Night Dream, among his many other roles during his four years in the Academy of Music. Now Cord is on to bigger venues with the role of Rudge in the History Boy’s at the Ahmanson Theater opening November, 2007.

“The Real Slim Shady” was a hit and The Marshall Mathers LP went on to sell 16 million units and Elizondo never looked back.

Omari, the former lead singer of B2K, is currently in the studio working on his debut album as a solo artist. Omari also made his film debut in the film You got Served, playing the leader of a hip-hop dance crew. The film opened nationwide earning over 10 million dollars in its opening weekend.

After starting her recording career at eight years old and working with acts like Chicago, Michael Jackson, The Eurythimics, and U2, Melodye has set out to conquer the musical theater world. She has performed in Disney’s Broadway Production of Aida and recently ended her yearlong run in Los Angeles in Disney’s The Lion King.

Benjie just completed a successful run of Cats, playing Mungojerrie at the Gateway Theater. He earned his BFA from the Boston Conservatory of Music. Benjie appeared in Off-Braodway productions of Grease, Falsettoland, and as Dr. Frankenfurter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Justin is a percussionist, MC, and Vocalist in the Latin Hip-Hop Fusion band Ozaomatli. The band won a GRAMMY for their album Street Signs. The album features guests such as Latin Jazz legend Palmieri, the DJ Cut Chemist, and the Prague Symphony. Ozamatil could be seen playing at this year’s Coachella Festival for Music and Arts in Indio, CA.

Emile is a rising star in Hollywood. He stared in 2004’s The Girl Next Door and followed it up with staring roles in the skateboarding theme Lords of Dogtown and the much talked about Alpha Dog. He can be seen next in The Air I Breathe.

After guest staring roles on shows such as Boston Public, My Wife and Kids, and Touched by an Angel, Robert turned to the big screen with roles in Coach Carter and House of Wax. Most recently, you could see Robert back on the small screen as a guest star on Veronica Mars and as Arnaz Ballard on over one hundred episodes of One on One.