MEET THE HIGHLAND DIVAS
Margaret Kelly | Falkirk, Scotland
Margaret has wowed audiences in her native Scotland and in the USA with her stirring, powerhouse voice which has been described as “cathartic.”
​
After establishing herself as an artist to watch in Scotland, recording and starring in musicals, Margaret was awarded a Scholarship to AMDA New York and made her move across the pond. She later procured a Green card based on her exceptional musical ability.
She has taken the US by storm - her regional credits include; Les Miserables (Fantine) Maltz Jupiter Theatre and the pre-Broadway Tour, Cats (Grizabella) -Tuachan, Broadway National Tour - 25th Anniversary US tour & Broadway close-up at The Lincoln Center (American Songbook Series), The Full Monty (Georgie), West Side Story (Maria), My Fair Lady (Eliza), Joseph (Narrator) and Hereafter Musical, (Debbie) at The Snapple Theatre, Broadway. She performed the National Anthem at the 10th Anniversary commemoration of 9/11 in New York City, and, performed on Broadway in The Minskoff Theatre 2012, Easter Bonnet – Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids production.
​
As a founding member of The Highland Divas, Margaret has starred with her group, most recently at; Carnegie Hall (alongside Broadway and Opera luminaries), Madison Square Garden (National Anthem) for The NY Rangers and the NY Liberty, at the prestigious Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow, Scotland, and around the USA as a Guest Artist with Pops orchestras. She was a guest soloist along with the “Divas” singing UK premier of the stirring Street Requiem in London, Edinburgh & Manchester in 2018.
​
She has performed many times on the popular television show The Hour of Power, alongside the Hour of Power orchestra which broadcasts to millions of viewers worldwide and has been a recurring guest Soprano with the Greeley Philharmonic.
​
Film credits include, Hereafter the Musical alongside Oscar nominee and icon, Danny Aiello.
​
Margaret will travel to Edinburgh with the Highland Divas in August 2022 to sing at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Georgia Johnson | Glasgow, Scotland
An alumnus of Glasgow’s prestigious Musical Theatre Course at Knightswood Secondary School, and Scottish actress, singer and dancer, Georgia moved to the U.S. in 2004 when she was granted a scholarship to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. After graduating in 2006, Georgia successfully landed the role of Orange Girl in the 2007 National Tour of Shout! The Mod Musical. Georgia then earned the role of Sharon in the successful Off-Broadway production of Girls Night The Musical. As a jack of all trades in the performing industry, this well-trained performer has been branded a “True Triple Threat” by some of Broadway’s & television’s top producers. In 2008, Georgia became the first non-American USO Liberty Bell where she performed on many different stages including Dick Clarks’ New Years' Rockin’ Eve Show, which was viewed by over 22.6 million people worldwide. With the USO, Georgia sang the American National Anthem at the New York Mets' Citi Field and many other patriotic events across the United States and through the USO eventually met and married a US Marine of her own. In 2011 Georgia continued to show her dedication to American service members by joining the American Bombshells, particularly working with the Wounded Warrior Project. With the Bombshells she performed the national anthem for the NASDAQ's opening bell, singing by VA bedsides, NY Veterans Day Parade, and welcoming our Troops home. In 2013 Georgia was beyond delighted to be tuning back into her Scottish roots and joined the Highland Divas, singing the songs from her childhood most true to her heart - The Highland Divas have performed both Nationwide and Internationally, Pearl Harbor, Madison Square Garden, B.B Kings, Carnegie Hall, Glasgow's SECC and more and are one of the annual headlining acts for New York's Tartan Week. Through the Divas and singing of traditional Scots and Irish songs. Georgia is also a singer/songwriter and plays locally in Massachusetts for more on her self titled band check out www.thegeorgiajohnsonband.com
Marla Kavanaugh | Dunedin (Little Edinburgh), New Zealand
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, Marla Kavanaugh moved to the USA in the late 1990s and emerged quickly in the musical theater/opera scene. She starred in the Broadway bound musical, The Prince and the Pauper, where she promptly won praise from the San Francisco Chronicle as “the voice of a sorrowing angel,” She starred in the post Broadway, west coast premier of Master Class to rave reviews and, won the San Francisco Critic’s award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Blanche Ingram, in the post Broadway premier of Paul Gordon’s, Jane Eyre. She has performed the soprano lead in over 20 operas on the West Coast, her Mimi described as “luminous, rich and jewel-toned” (La Bohème). She was one of only 16 singers from around the globe to sing at Leonard Bernstein’s Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. In the same year, she had the honor of singing as a young artist soloist in the Los Angeles Opera Gala celebrating the arrival of Plácido Domingo as Artistic Director. In 2004, she was humbled to be the soprano soloist at Summer Stage, Central Park commemorating the victims of September 11th. In 2007, Marla sang on the international release of tenor Daniel Rodriguez’s album, In the Presence. Since then, she and Daniel have performed in more than 125 cities in the US, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Germany. As a recording artist, she has been a guest on five albums and has her own release, Songbirds with her twin sister, Marissa. Marla made her Lincoln Center debut as part of the “Broadway New Works Series” in 2014, and debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2015. As a founding member of The Highland Divas, she has performed in the United States, Scotland & England, on the international television show, Hour of Power and notably at Madison Square Garden with The Highland Divas. Marla has been a soloist at the Lincoln Center & Carnegie Hall multiple times on Holiday programs and will make her Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo debut in August 2022 with The Highland Divas.
