Frederick Reeder received training for the classical stage at The Drama Studio in London, England.  He has made his career mainly on the musical stage, both as actor and director, and has become well known for his characterizations in the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.   Northern Ohio Live magazine called him “one of the best Gilbert and Sullivan patter-singer/actors anywhere.” His performances have been referred to as definitive,” and critic Donald Rosenberg proclaimed him as “a singing actor of genius . . . he can play virtually anything.”

Mr. Reeder has performed regularly with Cleveland Opera, playing the “patter” part in  Gilbert and Sullivan productions, as well as numerous other character roles in opera, light opera and musical comedy.  He was seen as Jack Point, the hapless jester of The Yeomen of the Guard, a part passed on to him by director John Reed, the last great comedian of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in London.  Mr. Reeder toured with New York City Opera as Lutz in the highly successful production of Romberg’s The Student Prince.  He  appeared at Carnegie Hall in the premiere of a new American opera, Monéta, and with the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center as Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore.  He  also staged and performed highly acclaimed Gilbert & Sullivan productions for the Grant Park Festival in Chicago.

Mr. Reeder toured Europe with the original Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita.  In the National Tour of the 35^th  Anniversary Production of My Fair Lady, Mr. Reeder played Zoltan Karpathy and served as understudy to John Neville’s “Henry Higgins.” He first came to wider attention during his five years as principal comic baritone with the Ohio Light Opera.  During this period he played roles in more than 300 performances in rotating repertory ranging from Kalman Zsupan, the unscrupulous pig farmer in Strauss’ The Gypsy Baron to The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance to Despard in Ruddigore.  One season he played both Ko-Ko and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado, alternating the roles night to night.  He also served as the company’s dialogue coach, and produced its popular “Festival Encores” recordings

He has delighted audiences throughout the country with  his Pops Concert “The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan” performed with orchestras  in many cities, including Minneapolis, St. Louis, Knoxville, Richmond (VA), Omaha, Memphis, Jacksonville, Duluth, New Mexico, Rockford,  Cedar Rapids, Colorado Springs and Calgary.  His performance invariably elicits cheers from audiences and critics alike: “It was baritone Frederick Reeder, who also acted as stage director, who stole the show. . . impeccable enunciation and bravado were matched with the proper stuffiness and silliness that these roles demand.  He lit up the stage with every entrance.”

As guest-artist, Mr. Reeder has worked as resident actor and director with university music and theatre departments conducting workshops and master-classes dealing with the problems of the singer as actor, most recently at Northwestern University.

In 2008 Mr. Reeder was seen as Jack Point in Ohio Light Opera’s production of Yeomen of the Guard, Sir Joseph in Opera Naples’ H.M.S. Pinafore, and Ko-Ko in Nevada Opera’s Mikado.  Albany Records released a recording of Reeder’s production of the complete MIKADO with Frederick Reeder as Ko-Ko – the production he directed for Ohio Light Opera.

As stage director Mr. Reeder has  garnered reviews of “Brilliant”  “ darling, delicious, delectable and delirious...Perfection”  with productions for Cleveland Lyric Opera, Chicago’s Grant Park Concerts, Ohio Light Opera (Pirates of Penzance), Madison Opera (The Fantasticks), Eugene Opera (Mikado, Pirates, Trial By Jury), Toledo Opera (Mikado, Pirates), Pamiro Opera (Tosca), Akron Lyric Opera (Elixir of Love, Pirates, Mikado).  He often plays the “patter” role in Gilbert & Sullivan productions he directs.  He frequently serves as stage and/or music director for Ashland University Theatre in his home town of Ashland, Ohio.