Journey to the Cross

Ginny LaFean

Hailing from Basking Ridge, NJ, Virginia Lafean is a classically trained soprano based in Washington DC. After three years at IU Jacobs School of Music, Virginia transferred to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to receive her Bachelors of Music and subsequently her Masters of Music under the direction of Elizabeth “Mandy” McCormack. She is now proud to serve the USA as a member of The US Army Band Chorus “Pershing’s Own” which has found her in many an exciting venue, including a Kennedy Center debut with the US Army Strings in 2025. Past roles include Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), and Belinda (Dido and Aeneas. She has had the honor of receiving the Edith Brass Prize for Development in Lieder, the Norma Grieg French Song Prize, and the Tillet Trust Bursary Prize. She regularly participates in the singing of the traditional Latin mass at St Alphonsus Liguori in Baltimore, which has quickly become a favorite place to worship.

Ellie Landes

Ellie Landes is a Mezzo Soprano from central Illinois. She recently graduated from Grand Canyon University (Phoenix, Arizona) with a degree in Vocal Performance. She currently teaches youth theater and voice lessons at Music Connections Foundation in Bloomington, Illinois and has performed as part of the Adirondack Performing Arts Fellowship (New York), the MIOpera (Illinois), and at the Ethington Theater (GCU, Arizona).

Daniel LaRue

Daniel LaRue, tenor, is currently enrolled at The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in pursuit of his Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance. Born in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, the 26-year old tenor grew up playing piano but has only pursued vocal studies for the last five years, beginning his studies at Lancaster Bible College under Dr. Jeffrey Martin & continuing under Dr. Carl DuPont at Peabody. He has been noted for his rich, smooth tone and intentional lyricism. His educational track has followed God's leading from early childhood education with an emphasis on the third and fourth grade classroom into music education, and now into the realm of vocal performance. He still enjoys educational experiences as well as the more performance-focused track he is currently on, as he sees both as different doors to the same goal: sharing music with everyone.

He has previously been seen in the roles of Mercurio in La Calisto, Sam Kaplan in Street Scene, and most recently singing scenes in the roles of Edgardo and Fenton from Lucia di Lammermoor and Falstaff respectively.

Lucas James 

Lucas James Meinerding, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, recently graduated from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia) with a degree in Commercial Music: Recording, Engineering, and Producing. You can find his original music, including his most recent album release "the way you made me wanna dream" under "Lucas James" on all streaming platforms.

Brandon Paine

Born and raised to missionary parents overseas, Brandon Paine is a classically trained baritone now living in Lynchburg, VA. He graduated from Liberty University with a BM in Vocal Performance and an MA in Music Education: Performance Emphasis, and has played main roles in multiple operas including I Pagliacci, Le Nozze Di Figaro, and Die Fledermaus. After teaching voice lessons as a GSA at Liberty for a year, he has been the choir master for Il Barbiere di Siviglia and is currently leading worship at his church. He loves teaching voice lessons and music theory almost as much as he loves to perform and lead worship. In his free time, he enjoys reading comics, composing music, voice acting, and playing guitar and piano.

John & Kathy Winkler

Creative & Music Directors

Dr. John Winkler recently retired from his faculty position after teaching for 39 years at the WVU School of Music. He continues to play Principal Trumpet in the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. Kathy is an active piano teacher, collaborative pianist, and performer. Kathy and John just completed their 23-year tenure as directors of the Adirondack Performing Arts Fellowship in New York. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their 8 grandchildren. “Kathy and I are thrilled to be able to direct this presentation in its third year. We look forward to you joining us in this 2024 production of Journey to the Cross!

Ian Morley

Production Manager

Ian has worked in live production for ~15 years across concerts, festivals, theater, and corporate events, averaging 200+ performances a year. He is a Production Manager with LEMG in Charlotte, NC, while continuing to do freelance work.

Jennifer Gillum

Stage Manager & Vocalist

Jennifer has an impressive and diverse skill set when it comes to theater! As the Tech Director for The Lion King and Stage Manager for Journey to the Cross, she's played a key role in making those productions run smoothly. Being a Stage Manager requires a lot of organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to coordinate all the moving parts of a production, which she does well given her background. Her vocal degree from Prairie Bible College adds another layer to her expertise, and she is excited to be using her strong musical background as she participates on-stage as part of the chorus. She thrives balancing both behind-the-scenes and on-stage work.

Deb Mullens

Producer/Sponsor

Deb Mullens is the founder and president of Daughter of the King Ministries, Inc. She has a heart to serve God and a passion for others to have the same. She is a leader and Christian role model to her family and community. Deb and her husband Rick have 2 daughters and 3 granddaughters.