Lori Merkle Ford is an American Singer and Actress. Her work spans the genres of opera, oratorio, musical theatre, theatre, cabaret, voice-over, film and themed attractions. Her performances are acclaimed on both the east and west coasts, as well as in cities across the United States.

Lori comes from a background of strong classical training in theatre and opera. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from Texas State University in San Marcos (formerly known as Southwest Texas State University), it was on to New York City, where she performed many roles in the classical opera repertoire, including: Mimi in La Bohème, Micaela in Carmen and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi. Lori’s New York City solo performances include concerts of French and Italian arias, operetta classics, and numerous “Songs of the Season” festivals. Her San Antonio area Gospel concerts were broadcast live on the radio and streamed live over the internet; she is also known in Los Angeles and San Antonio for her performances as the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah.

In addition to her extensive experience in the classical genre, Lori has excelled in the most challenging roles of the musical theatre, including: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Laurey in Oklahoma!, Magnolia in Showboat, The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods and multiple characters in Godspell. Lori’s strong acting and comedic skills, honed onstage in opera and musical theatre, have led her to branch out into the world of cabaret, where she performed musical reviews produced by Linda Amiel Burns in New York City. In Hollywood, Lori was a monthly headliner at KingKing and El Cid with The Muse Project Cabaret, where she performed her original character called “The Opera Lady”: an homage to – and loving sendup of – classical opera divas.

Lori’s voice couples deep feeling with technical brilliance; her performance style features grace and lively showmanship. She began her vocal training with Thomas R. Engler in San Antonio, Texas. She continued her studies with Nico and Carol Castel in New York City and San Francisco, and workshopped with Nico Castel at The Juilliard School in New York City. Since moving her home base from New York City to Los Angeles, Lori has studied opera performance with Dr. Melanie Emilio at Pepperdine University in Malibu, voice-over with Lori Tritel in Los Angeles, musical theatre performance with Jake Anthony, Dan Callaway, Joshua Finkel and Jonathan Kruger in Los Angeles, and tap, ballet and jazz with Joe Giamalva, Pamela Orenstein and Sayhber Rawles in Los Angeles. Lori firmly believes a person is never too old to learn.

In 2007, Lori embarked on a project dear to her heart: an album of songs produced, engineered and accompanied by her parents and first voice teacher, all of whom helped foster her love for performing. The songs were recorded in the choir loft of the church where Lori found her voice as a young adult, and the selections showcase her expertise across a variety of genres: oratorio and sacred music, favorites from the world of musical theatre and operetta, art songs, and contemporary tunes. Selections included “Ave Maria”, “Vilia”, “For Always”, “If I Loved You”, “Blame it on the Summer Night”, and “No One is Alone”.

In 2009, Lori was featured as the Tour Guide and understudied the role of Signora Naccarelli in YMTA Production’s The Light in the Piazza, which had a multiple week run, gaining glowing reviews, at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.

In 2011, Lori debuted in Cabrillo Music Theatre’s The Sound of Music at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center, which gained numerous Ovation Nominations.

Since 2010, Lori is thrilled to say she is a member of The Academy for New Musical Theatre in North Hollywood (also known as ANMT). ANMT is dedicated to creating, building and producing new American musicals, a passion Lori shares with the organization.

Most recently, along with being sought out to perform solo concerts throughout the Los Angeles area, Lori has broken into the Pop world, backing-up both Our Lady J and Blake McIver.

Lori is seen and heard in a yearly multimedia haunt: Magic Lantern Creations’ The House at Haunted Hill in Los Angeles. Lori plays the ghost of Lily, a dead movie star of the 1930’s, who is heard in voice-over and appears to live again in film and on animatronic figures.

Lori is a presenter of workshops for emerging performers, and revels in every chance she has to share her gift of performance with others.