Rachel Looney is a versatile soprano and actor, celebrated for her dynamic performances across a range of platforms. In 2023, she captivated audiences in several standout roles, including as Chan Parker in Charlie Parker's Yardbird with the New Orleans Opera, Marian Paroo in The Music Man with Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane, and a dazzling debut with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in A Night on Broadway at the Lafon Performing Arts Center. She also brought depth and charm to the role of Shelby in Steel Magnolias at Jefferson Performing Arts.

This year, Rachel made her debut with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra as part of their Young People's Concert Series and starred as Principal Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock: The Musical at Jefferson Performing Arts Center. A graduate of LSU and Loyola University, Rachel’s talents also extend to the screen, with appearances in Daisy Jones & the Six (Amazon), Black Bird (Apple TV), and Secrets of Sulphur Springs (Disney).

Next, Rachel Looney will make her debut with the Symphony Chorus of New Orleans in Handel’s Messiah this December. With her diverse talents and commitment to her craft, Rachel continues to make her mark in the performing arts.

  • Rachel Looney is an accomplished performer recognized by The Times-Picayune for her “smooth, silvery tone and ringing top notes.” She recently debuted with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra in their Young People’s Concert Series and will play Principal Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock: The Musical at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center this fall.

    In 2023, Rachel performed as Chan Parker in Charlie Parker’s Yardbird with the New Orleans Opera, starred as Marian Paroo in The Music Man with Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane, and debuted with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in “A Night on Broadway.” She also played Shelby in Steel Magnolias with Jefferson Performing Arts.

    Her other stage credits include Cinderella (Ella) at JPAS, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Phoebe) at Le Petit Theatre, Rameau’s Pygmalion (La statue animée) with New Orleans Opera, and roles in Into the Woods (Rapunzel) and The Rocky Horror Show (Janet Weiss) at Rivertown Theatres and JPAS. Rachel has also toured as the title character in Seymour Barab’s Little Red Riding Hood with New Orleans Opera and performed with the Victory Belles at the National WWII Museum.

    Rachel earned her Bachelor of Music from LSU in Baton Rouge, where she studied under Robert Grayson and performed Héro in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. She holds a Master of Music from Loyola University New Orleans, where she studied with Luretta Bybee and played Juliette in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.

    In addition to her stage work, Rachel has appeared in Apple TV’s Blackbird, Amazon’s Daisy Jones & The Six, and Disney’s Secrets of Sulphur Springs.