Roberta Hamilton-Griggs

Roberta has been performing in and directing musicals, plays, commercials, and operas since she was a child in her backyard, telling her sisters where to move and how to sing to Jesus Christ Superstar!

Some of her favorite performances have been Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Viola in David Amram’s opera, Twelfth Night (conducted by composer David Amram), Maggie in A Chorus Line, Laetitia in Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief, and Mother in 'Night, Mother. Just recently, she played 9 of the 60 roles in The Dining Room at The Historic Elitch Theatre.

Other memorable performance experiences include working as a singing telegram artist (ask her about having Ben Vereen sing to her while she was wearing a yellow bird costume!) and busking on the streets of Europe for three months with her (at the time, soon-to-be) husband, Patrick Griggs.

She has enjoyed a career of performing and developing amazing life-long friendships at Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, Country Dinner Playhouse, The Arvada Center, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, and Aspen’s Crystal Palace. She has also directed and produced well over 100 plays, musicals, and operas, including Starmites, Seussical, the Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Peter and the Starcatcher, Beauty and the Beast, Dear Edwina, Annie, and Little Women, the Musical.

Just last fall, Roberta had the honor of directing and producing the first major musical back to the Historic Elitch Theatre after a 33-year hiatus: The Secret Garden. Since the last major musical on this stage was the 1991 production of The Robber Bridegroom, in which she performed, the completion of this full circle made her very happy.

With a degree in musical theatre from Colorado Mesa University and a master’s degree in vocal performance and pedagogy from The University of Denver's Lamont School of Music, Roberta studied stage managing, directing, choral studies, and performance. Since then, Roberta founded the Ensemble Experience, co-founded The Performing Arts Academy, EyesofWonderJourneys.com, TheatreSourceforKids.com, The Historic Elitch Theatre Theatre Education Division, and SparkSourceco.com.

Throughout her fulfilling career as a performing arts educator, she has taught in private and public schools, K-college, and now teaches private acting, piano, singing, and audition lessons for people ages 5-85. She also leads workshops and retreats as a certified Drama Well-Being Practitioner.

Roberta is the proud mom of two amazing daughters, a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Choral Directors Association, just completed her term on the Historic Elitch Theatre board, and is the Artistic Director for the Wesley Players Theatre Company.