Bio
Rhapsodic and whimsical, Colleen Mallette has charmed audiences across the US and abroad. She is a favorite with orchestras from Wisconsin, Grand Rapids, West Palm Beach as well as the intimate cabaret venue. After years of serious studies and numerous performances in opera and oratorio, Ms. Mallette discovered her funny bone with her one-woman recital spoof, The Lamaze School of Singing Presents:" How to Birth a Song!"This production put Colleen on the map as a comedic talent akin to Victor Borge and Anna Russell. Deliciously sacrificing classical music's most sacred cows is her forte. She is noted for her "rapier wit and mesmerizing voice" (Dallas Observer). Her world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and her US Premier with the Philadelphia Fringe met with rave reviews. She has to her credit, a live recording of her American Cabaret, a collection of Broadway and pop favorites. Mallette's keen skills in Modem Music have afforded her opportunities with Music at the Modern in FW Texas performing with the soulful Grammy Award winning composer John Bucchino and collaborating with Oscar Awarding winning Jon Corigliano on some of his classic comic songs. Her favorite comment ever is when Mr. Corigliano said, "go bigger!"
Still a favorite with orchestras, Colleen specializes in broadway pops concerts with her Cole Porter renditions as well as Harold Arlen's Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Gershwin's Summertime. An eloquent cabaret chanteuse, Ms. Mallette has dazzled audiences on the intimate stage of Manhattan's Birdland and the former Odette's piano bar of Pennsylvania with the magical Bob Eagen.
Mallette has toured internationally in Canada, Russia, Hungary, England & Scotland. For years Ms. Mallette has added to her repertoire a sort of specialty with children in mind, bringing opera to life through her "artist in residency" programs and most recently with The Cliburn and Imagination FW. She is also a skillful director and writer of children's original opera works and creativity camps. Her favorite performing roles include Florence Foster Jenkins in Peter Quilters, Glorious, Mabel - in G & S Pirates of Penzance, and Nellie Forbush in South Pacific.
Mallette is a three-time touring Artist for Texas Commission on the Arts as well as Mid America Arts Alliance and was awarded recognition for her music programming ideas for two touring art exhibits Painting the Beautiful: American Impressionist from the Michener Art Collection and Cardinal Points Latin American Exhibit. Museums are her favorite venue with favorite such Raliegh-Durham Art Museum
Her first book is entitled: The Next Act: A Handbook on Graduating from Arts & Life (Amazon)
Most recently Ms Mallette has been active as an Artist Judge for various national competitions, Emcee Hosting, Workshop Presenter, Coach for Artists on their Best marketing style and most surprisingly dipped her toe into serious acting roles as well as stand- up comedy. "One feeds the other," she states. She was voted Best of the Week at 2024 Austin's Hyde Park Frontera Fest and looks forward to future collaborations that bring art and joy to the forefront.
A High C Diva pastiche!!
Colleen with Timeless Concerts, Arlington Museum of Fine Arts
Colleen Mallette sings "Bill" by Jerome Kern from the show "Show Boat".
Colleen and Fort Worth Symphony Keyboardist Buddy Bray in AMERICAN CABARET
Hyde Park Theater Frontera Fest