Susan Blair  has long been active in Philadelphia area theaters, most recently as Aunt Lavinia in The Heiress with Langhorne Players,  Aaronetta Gibbs in Mornings at Seven with Old Academy Players and Sonia Feldman in Something Intangible with Spotlight Theater.  Originally from Pittsburgh, Susan studied acting in Philadelphia with the Repertory Company and Greg Zittel of the Neighborhood Playhouse and has performed in plays, musical theater, cabaret, operettas and operas.  Susan founded The PhilaAria Vocal Quartet, which performed opera and Broadway excerpts for ten years in many area concert venues.  She also worked as a singer for several summers in historic Philadelphia with The Libertytones - a really fun “colonial” gig!  Susan is thrilled to be cast with Allison Deratzian, in ‘night, Mother and looks forward to exploring this exciting Pulitzer Prize/Tony Award winning play! 

Some of her favorite acting roles have been Bella Manningham(Angel Street) with Stagecrafters, Sally Talley(Talley’s Folly) at Players Club of Swarthmore, Maureen Folan (The Beauty Queen of Leenane) and Gertie Laudenburger (33 Variations) both at Langhorne Players.  Susan has been lucky to have performed many wonderful roles with ActorsNet of Bucks County:  Violet Weston (August: Osage County),  Goneril (King Lear), Fraulein Schneider (Cabaret), Alice Miller (My Favorite Year), Martha Watson (White Christmas), Katie (Meet Me in St. Louis), Mrs. Kirby (You Can't Take It With You), Mae Pollitt (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Proserpine Garnett (Candida), Mrs. Baines (Major Barbara).  In other area theaters Susan has had the pleasure of playing Marmee (Little Women, the musical), Lady Thiang (King and I), Meg Brockie (Brigadoon), Miss Prism (The Importance of Being Earnest), Julia Tesman (Hedda Gabler.   

She has sung lead roles in many Gilbert & Sullivan operettas with the Savoy Company and Rose Valley Chorus & Orchestra.  In 2005, she sang the lead role of Lady Sophy in Utopia Limited with The Gilbert & Sullivan Players at the International G&S Festival in Buxton, England.  She studied opera with the International Institute of Vocal Arts, Chiari, Italy.  Her favorite mezzo-soprano roles have been Nicklausse (Tales of Hoffman), Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), Hansel (Hansel & Gretel) with Delaware Valley Opera,  Marquise (Daughter of the Regiment) with ConcertOpera Philadelphia (COPA), Nancy (Martha) with both COPA & Connecticut Concert Opera.  Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte) and Hansel (Hansel & Gretel) with Trinity Center Opera.