Ris
Bland

Ris Bland is a Filipino-American actor, singer, dancer, playwright, and sound designer who is a 2025 grad from Taylor University with her BFA in Musical Theatre. She is an alum of both College Light Opera Company and the Ohio Light Opera, having just completed her debut summer of five shows in rep where she played Dame Carruthers in Gilbert and Sullivan's Yeomen of the Guard, Olga in The Merry Widow, a courtesan in The Boys From Syracuse, and ensemble in Damn Yankees, and My Fair Lady. Other previous performances include Countess Lily in Anastasia, Trixie in Knuffle Bunny! The Musical, Percy Talbott in The Spitfire Grill, and as Julia in Conor McPherson's The Birds. She is a two-time NATS 1st Place Finalist in her division and a KCACTF Region 3 Vocal and Dance Finalist as well as an Irene Ryan's Semi-Finalist. ​

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Ris grew up in Manila, Philippines as part of a missionary family, and has had extensive international travel experience in South-East Asia. Stemming from this upbringing, she has a passion for international, intercultural, and ethnically diverse stories, which she aims to bring into her work, both on stage and in her writing projects. She believes that diverse stories can both provide underrepresented people a space to see their own stories in a respected and celebratory light, and also enlighten and cultivate compassion in fellow artists and audiences.