Out Loud Artistic Staff
interim artistic director bill loper
Bill Loper is thrilled to be Out Loud’s new Interim Artistic Director. He brings nearly twenty
years of experience in GALA Choruses, having served as AD of The Rainbow Chorus (Ft. Collins)
and Harmony: a Colorado Chorale (Denver) for nearly 18 years combined, and two separate
seasons as a singing member of the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus (’93 and 2022). Hallmarks of his
tenure with Harmony include tours to Southern Colorado and New Mexico (2010) and Eastern
Colorado (2017), Tyler’s Suite (2017) and The Man Behind the Dream (2018).
His teaching experience includes Evergreen High School, where he taught choir, but also served
as band director for nine years. Parents in the Evergreen community joined together in 2004 to
establish the Bill Loper Scholarship, to help graduating seniors pursuing the performing arts.
Every year, a graduate is awarded $1.5K to help fund their college education.
He has taught K-12 music, directed numerous musicals, and performed as Sancho in Man of La
Mancha and The Man in the Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone.
The most important part, he says, is the opportunity to work with people of all ages and from
all walks of life. “Everyone has a place at the table.”
Assistant Artistic Director:
Jason plata
Mr. Jason Plata has worked as a music pastor, a community theater music director, accompanist, and singer for most of his life. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Music from Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, and worked on his Master's Degree under the direction of Dr. John Silantian while at The University of Texas San Antonio.
Jason has taught High School and Middle School choirs since 2005. Choirs under Jason's direction have accomplished many different achievements, such as Texas UIL Concert/Sightreading Sweepstakes, Outstanding Performance Awards at the Heritage and Director's Choice Festivals, and many more competitions. Students in his choir programs have participated in the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Choir Audition Process, and have advanced from District to Region to Pre-Area to Area and finally to All-State Choirs. In 2017 His Chorale was invited to perform in Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Musical Theater Director credits include: Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, Bat Boy, Crowns: An African American Gospel Story, Annie and Hairspray.
Jason moved to Colorado in 2019 and began working in the Mortgage Industry and currently is working in Elementary Music in Harrison School District 2.
Jason is excited about this opportunity to work as Assistant Artistic Director and is looking forward to making music! "Always look on the Bright side of Life!" Spamalot
Accompanist:
Sandi Shroads
A Colorado Springs native, Sandi began playing piano at the age of four. Sandi graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies. In 2011, she performed with jazz guitar legend Earl Klugh at the Broadmoor Hotel, and in 2015 performed with Melissa Manchester with the Broadmoor Pops Orchestra. She has also been Pianist and/or Conductor for a number of shows at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and has released a CD of her own original songs.
Sandi currently performs elegant piano music for private events at various venues around town. She is thrilled to be the accompanist and "Diva Emeritus" for Out Loud. When she's not tickling the ivories, she can usually be found on a golf course somewhere, enjoying the Colorado sunshine and natural beauty.