Nancy-grace Dersham has a diverse repertoire ranging from jazz to opera. She has performed cabarets at The Boothbay Opera House, The Carousel Dinner Theatre, Boothbay Harbor Inn, The Highlands, The Footlights, and has appeared as a soloist with The Tapestry Singers and in The Oratorio Chorale Recital. She also has been featured as a principle in numerous stage productions with Heartwood Regional Theater Company and in Gilbert & Sullivan concerts at Lincoln Theater. She studied voice and opera at The USM School of Music and at The Boston Conservatory and has participated in masterclasses at the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival and at The National Opera Center in NYC.
Reviews:
"Les Miserables" @ Heartwood Regional Theater Co.- Newcastle, Maine:
"Marius (Isaak Olson) has an easy stage presence and an excellent baritone. "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" is beautifully delivered and he makes the final scenes with Valjean and Cosette work because he is believable.
Marius and Cosette's love at first sight is probably the hardest bit to accept in "Les Miserables" The older Cosette (Nancy-Grace Dersham) is a difficult role. It looks easy enough as a concept, but the singing is demanding and the character requires deft, skilful technique to avoid a quagmire of sentimentality.
Dersham has it all, a soaring lyrical soprano and a guileless charm that makes the instant affinity believable. The duet "A Heart Full of Love" is endearing instead of insipid because the skill of the two makes their youth an understandable reason for such a quick change of plot.
Dersham and Olson see only each other, and the audience believes them. " ~Eleanor Cade Busby , Lincoln County News
"Arsenic & Old Lace" @ Heartwood Regional Theater Co.- Newcastle, Maine:
"Nancy-Grace Dersham portrays Mortimer's new fiancee, Elaine Harper, with sparkle and zest." ~LISA KRISTOFF, Wiscasset Newspaper
"Dersham's Elaine is the most thankless character written in Joseph Kesserling's carefully crafted script. Her very normalcy stands out as unusual. Thankfully, Dersham has the ability to take a bland character and make her funny. She is adept at the "look" given to Mortimer as he spins out of control, and is charming to watch." ~Eleanor Cade Busby, The Lincoln County News
"Pirates of Penzance" @ Lincoln County Community Theatre.- Damariscotta, Maine:
"Special credit should be given to flautist Nan White for her collaboration with Nancy Grace Dersham as Mabel in the stunning operatic parody "Oh, Wandering One". While there were many memorable solo parts, Mabel's was the highlight of the evening. " ~Christopher Hyde, Portland Press Herald
"See How They Run" @ Heartwood Regional Theater Co.- Newcastle, Maine:
"Nancy-Grace Dersham perfectly suits the role of Penelope Toop, as she runs (and sings) around," ~ David Treadwell, The New Maine Times
"A Little Night Music" @ Heartwood Regional Theater Co.- Newcastle, Maine:
"Dersham as well is perfect as the immature, vacuous Anne, and her strong soprano rises to the challenge in the final measures of the expository "Now, Sooner, Later" singing counterpart to Adams' and Coons'." ~Kim Fletcher, The Lincoln County News
