VASHAWN SAVOY MCILWAIN, American baritone, is truly a treasure of unmatched talent! A Singing Actor whose artistry speaks directly to the love of humankind. McIlwain is a 2007 Metropolitan Opera Regional Finalist, NATS Regional Finalist, Omega Psi Phi first place winner, and former National Endowment for the Arts award recipient.

Equally comfortable in the concert hall and theater; his international credits include Jake and Jim in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and Guglielmo in Cosí fan Tutte. Having upcoming performances in FKP Scorpio’s 2024 European tour of Verdi’s Aida in arenas across Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Belgium. 

McIlwain’s national operatic credits include Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme, Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Chief Cameahwait, and Sergeant Floyd in Mager’s Dream of the Pacific. His recent performances include Spencer Coyle in Britten’s Owen Wingrave, Officer Jones in Nembeko’s Sunder, and his debut in Tulsa Opera’s 75th Anniversary production as Haly in Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri, where he served as a 2022-2023 Resident Artist.

McIlwain’s concert works include Handel's Messiah, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Saint-Saens' Christmas Oratorio, and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music.  Among his musical theatre credits is Joe in Hammerstein and Kern's Show Boat, the Bus/Dryer in Kushner's Caroline or Change, the title role of Sweeney Todd, and Thomas Rutlig in Tazewell Thompson’s groundbreaking Arena Stage production of Jubilee. 

McIlwain is a graduate of the famed Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the creator of 'The Savoy Series Emerging Artist Project. He holds a BM from the University of Northern Iowa and an MM from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also the first Music Doctoral McNair Fellow and candidate in the history of the University of Maryland’s Fellowship of McNair Fellows. www.vsavoymcilwain.com