Acclaimed veteran director Frank McClain has been hired to direct the staging for the Akron Symphony’s upcoming production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess after recently working with Maestro Christopher Wilkins on a similar production in Orlando. Frank McClain served as the Resident Stage Director at the former Orlando Opera Company, where he directed Il Trovatore, L’elisir d’amore, Candide, and Le nozze di Figaro. Mr. McClain is also an actor in the Orlando area having performed such roles as The Sergeant in Pirates of Penzance and Dr. Pangloss in Candide. He has also performed at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida.

Frank McClain joins a celebrated roster of artists, including stars Alvy Powell and Marquita Lister, coming together for the Akron Symphony’s first staged opera performance since La Traviata in 2007. The Akron Symphony’s production of Porgy and Bess is sponsored by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and will hit the stage at The University of Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall on Saturday, April 16, 2011. Tickets are available from $20-$40 by calling (330) 535-8131 or online at Ticketmaster.com.