Who's Who at
the Opera House
Betsy Cosgray
Meet Betsy Cosgray, Business Operation Manager of the Woodstock Opera House for the past almost three years. Betsy has worked at the Opera House a total of nine years in June.
Betsy grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa and attributes her incredible work ethic to being born and raised in The Hawkeye State. In addition, Betsy prides herself on being innovative and determined. Betsy’s first job at age 13 was detasseling corn. She said at the end of the day her jeans were covered in dried, crackly mud and she was covered in cobwebs. In addition, she suffered cuts from the dried leaves and would get very wet when the dew was on the corn. A bunch of her friends shared the very same job and arrived at the farm in busloads. As a little girl, Betsy wanted to be an astronaut. In first grade she sang her first solo. Later, she worked at singing telegrams and taught swimming lessons at her local pool.
Betsy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a Music minor. She went on to be a professional substitute teacher and a reading specialist at Mary Endres and Olson Elementary Schools in Woodstock.
Betsy continued performing on stage at the Opera House. In 1995 she was in “My Fair Lady” and “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” along with the former mayor, Brian Sager. In 2011 Betsy was in “The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever” with her own children and Mary Beth Brown. In 2017 she was in “Drowsy Chaperone.” Her job at the Opera House came about through a fellow employee, Joe McCormick, who told her about a job opening. The woman who held the position quit and Betsy saw a post at the end of March. She received a call at the end of April and began her new job at the end of May.
Betsy reported that her greatest accomplishment is her two kids – her daughter who is a nurse for District 158 and her son who is a student at McHenry County College with a goal to attain a psychology degree and work in recreational therapy. In her spare time, Betsy enjoys reading, watching movies and felting. Felting, she explained, is poking wool with a sharp implement until it’s thicker and fluffier. Betsy has designed a llama, a penguin, a squirrel and two gnomes through felting. If Betsy could go anywhere in the world, she would like to travel to Greece with her husband.
Betsy is very excited about the Opera House’s upcoming renovation, especially the third-floor addition.
Taylor Kouris
Taylor Kouris (pronounced “chorus”) is the Woodstock Opera House’s Business Operation Manager’s Assistant for the past year beginning in March 2023. Taylor got the job at the Opera House when she saw a posting for a position in the box office. She had that job for one month before she got her present position.
Taylor’s first job was at Prairie Sky Apple Orchard in Union where she worked as a cashier, bagger, and server at the concession stand. Her favorite apple is Zest Star. Korean Giant Pear and Asian Pears, she reported, are also delicious.
Union, Illinois is where Taylor grew up. She was home schooled as were her two older sisters and an older brother. She enjoyed all the home school events but felt she missed out on the proms. As a young girl, Taylor wanted to be a baker, a cosmetologist (like her mom) and work with dogs.
Taylor’s greatest strengths include being very organized and learning things quickly. She only needs an explanation one time to pick up a new skill.
When asked about her greatest accomplishment, Taylor immediately replied, “Marrying my husband.” If she could go anywhere in the world, she would travel with him to London.
Taylor’s hobby is crocheting which she learned from her grandmother when she was nine years old. In the last two to three years, she taught herself how to read patterns and has created blankets. She crocheted a queen-size blanket for her fiancé in one week during Covid!
Taylor is very excited for the upcoming Opera House renovations. They will create much more potential, will draw more participants, with a new cross-over and new dressing rooms.