This year, John Brown University welcomes Leisl Dromi, a new musical director to the music department.
Dromi grew up in a musical family that sparked her interest in music at a young age. Both of Dromi’s parents are amateur musicians, and her only sister is a professional musician. Her father plays the clarinet, her mother plays the flute and her sister plays the piano.
She is the second-eldest of six children, with one older brother, three younger brothers and one younger sister.
Dromi’s grandfather was also a musician and had a passion for opera. Dromi said that growing up with classical music and listening to the work of her grandfather was what really ignited her interest in music and singing.
Dromi currently has a family of her own with a five-year-old daughter, a three-year-old son and a five-month-old baby girl.
Dromi lived in Siloam Springs for ten years growing up. She has also lived in Nashville, northern Virginia and a variety of other places. Her father was a librarian whose job moved him around a lot, which is why Dromi has lived in multiple places. She was homeschooled and eventually moved back to Siloam Springs to go to JBU.
Dromi graduated from JBU in 2006. She studied music and vocal performance. After getting her bachelor’s at JBU, she went to Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. to receive her master’s.
Dromi came back to JBU this year to join the music community. Coming this November, the theatre department will hold the musical Brigadoon.
Brigadoon first premiered in the 1940s and has wavered back and forth with its popularity in the musical community.
The musical takes place in Scotland, in a village stuck back in time. Two Americans happen to stumble upon the mysterious village while exploring the Scottish highlands. One of the Americans falls in love with a girl in the village and must decide whether to stay with her or go back to his everyday life.
Dromi said the musical is like “a modern fairytale,” and the audience will “definitely leave the theatre humming a few tunes.” In a summary of the show Dromi said, “It’s about love, and it’s about belief in something you can’t understand. It’s about miracles.”
The cast of the show is anticipating the performance with great enthusiasm. Seth Burgett, who plays Jeff Douglas in the show, said he is glad his part adds “some weight or gravity to the show,” contrasting some lighter themes.
Kaitlyn Thompson, who plays Meg Brockie, said, “I’m most looking forward to acting like a complete flirt … it’s a lot of fun to play that part.”
The show opens Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Berry Performing Arts Center, and three other shows on November eighth, fourteenth and fifteenth will also be showing at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets can be bought at the door. Adults are $16, senior adults are $14, students are $6 and JBU students are $3.