Broadway Artists Alliance Faculty
DANCE • MUSIC • ACTING • BAA STAFF • TONY® GUESTS
SPECIAL GUESTS
STEPHEN SCHWARTZ Broadway composer, lyricist, arranger, writer, director- Pippin, The Magic Show, Godspell, The Baker's Wife, Working, The Perfect Peach, Personals, Rags, Children of Eden, Pochantas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt, and Geppetto.Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, Wicked, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway. He also serves on the ASCAP board and is a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild. www.stephenschwartz.com
Read about Stephen's work with Broadway Artists Alliance on BroadwayWorld.com!
MARC SHAIMAN won both a Tony® and a Grammy® Award for the score to the smash hit Broadway Musical Hairspray.He has been nominated for The Academy Award five times, for the films Sleepless In Seattle, The American President, The First Wives Club, Patch Adams, and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. He has lost each and every time! In 2002, Marc was honored with the "Hollywood Outstanding Achievement in Music-In-Film" award at the 69th annual Hollywood Film Festival. They didn't send a car.
Marc has composed, adapted and arranged music, served as music supervisor and written lyrics for over 40 other films, including When Harry Met Sally, Beaches, Sister Act, City Slickers, The Addams Family, A Few Good Men, In & Out, George of The Jungle, Down With Love, and The Bucket List!
Broadway credits include: Hairspray (music and lyrics), Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me (music, lyrics, arrangements, performer, piano), The Odd Couple (original music), Patti LuPone on Broadway (additional music arrangements), An Evening with Harry Connick Jr., and His Orchestra (conductor), Leader of the Pack (vocal arrangements), Andre DeDield's Harlem Nocturne (starring performer, orchestrations, music direction, vocal arrangements, additional music and lyrics), Bette! Divine Madness (vocal arrangements), and Up in One (arrangements, music direction).
He started his career as Vocal Arranger for Bette Midler, eventually becoming her Musical Director and Co-Producer. His instincts, his ear and the fact that he is still a Bette Midler fanatic have enabled him to find and bring her the Grammy® winning songs "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "From A Distance." But it is their collaboration on her Emmy Award winning performance for the penultimate Tonight Show with Johnny Carson which will always remain the highlight. Oh, he auditioned to play himself in her short-lived sitcom. He did not get the part.
He has been nominated two times for the Emmy® Award, and is an actual Emmy® Award winner for co-writing Billy Crystal's Oscar® Medleys. Other Television credits besides The Academy Awards are Saturday Night Live (Emmy® Nomination for Writing), HBO'S From The Earth To The Moon, 61* and he has also appeared as a guest on: The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O'Brian, and The Martin Short Show.
Besides having won for Hairspray, Marc has been nominated for two other Grammy® Awards for his work with Harry Connick, Jr. His gold, platinum, multi-platinum and Grammy® winning albums include: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Bette Midler's Beaches, Some People's Lives, For The Boys, Bathhouse Betty, Harry Connick Jr's When Harry Met Sally, and We Are In Love.
As musical director, producer or arranger, Mr. Shaiman has worked with a shocking variety of performers including: Peter Allen, Eric Clapton, Rosemary Clooney, Harry Connick Jr., Billy Crystal, The Harlettes, Lauryn Hill, Jennifer Holliday, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis, Darlene Love, Patti LuPone, Andrea Martin, Lonette McKee, Bette Midler, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Barbra Streisand, Donald Trump, Luther Vandross, Robin Williams and Raquel Welch! (Although not all at the same time!!)
Mr. Shaiman has appeared in many of the films he has worked on, including his scene stealing moments in: South Park, Beaches, Hot Shots, and James L. Brooks' Broadcast News.
He resides in both New York City and Los Angeles with collaborator Scott Wittman.
LISA STEVENS Choreography credits include worldwide productions of Disney's High School Musical including the US, UK, Australia, Spain, Italy, Japan and the West End. Disney's High School Musical 2 to open November 2008.Other theater choreography includes Bombay Dreams first National US tour, Associate Choreographer for the West End and Broadway productions, Bingo! The Musical Off–Broadway, and subsequent productions across the U.S.
The New York Theater Music Festival’s COMMON GROUNDS (Excellence in Direction and Choreography Award), Dancebreak 2006, a SSDC funded choreographic competition providing it’s winner with a Broadway showcase. Le Belle Epoche, an original production written, directed and choreographed by Ms Stevens for Norwegian Cruise lines.
Regionally – Fiddler On the Roof (Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement), Hello Dolly! (Jessie Richardson Nomination), Cabaret, The Music Man, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys & Dolls and Urinetown (Canadian Productions). Bravo’s perennial Christmas special The Swinging Nutcracker, The Royal Variety Performance for Her Majesty The Queen, BBC’s Top of the Pops, and the Smash Hit Awards at Hyde Park in London.
Ms Stevens has also written and choreographed partial and complete industrials, some being Fashion Cares/Macy's Passport in San Francisco, Bollywood Cowboy/Fashion Cares and Shakalaka Bombay for America’s Pharmaceutical Association.
Ms Stevens is also the co-founder of Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, a children’s musical theater school for emerging artists in Canada. It celebrates it’s 10th year in teaching young artists about the culmination story-telling, dance and song.
As a diversified performer, Ms Stevens’ credits included the original West End cast of Chicago, and Bombay Dreams, the films – Phantom of the Opera and Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. TV – BBC’S Star for a Night, My Kind of Music and a Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Featured dancer in The Making of the Movie ‘Chicago,’ the martial arts vehicles Rumble in the Bronx with Jackie Chan and Blood Ring II and most recently, Ms Stevens held the position of creative director for the Canada Winter Games 2007, writing and directing a production for the National Artist’s Program.
SETH RUDETSKY has appeared on Law and Order: C.I., All My Childern (playing Erica Kane’s Las Vegas choreographer), a coach on MTV's Made and starred as Arnold Beckoff in the Gallery Player’s production of Torch Song Trilogy. In 2004, he was one of the winners of the Playbill Leading Man Award for writing and starring Off-Broadway in the critically acclaimed Rhapsody in Seth. On Broadway, he recently played Sheldon in The Ritz at the Roundabout Theater (singing "Magic to Do" in a unitard…anybody?), starring Rosie Perez and directed by Joe Mantello. As a pianist, he has played for more than a dozen Broadway shows including The Producers, Ragtime and Les Miz as well as playing in concert for Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone and Jennifer Holliday. He wrote the opening number for the 1998 and 2000 Tony Awards and hosts the weekly talk show, Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox, where he has interviewed stars such as Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally. For the Actors Fund, he was the artistic producer and musical conductor on the CD’s of Dreamgirls with Audra MacDonald and Hair with Jennifer Hudson and Raul Esparza (Grammy Nomination). As an author, he wrote the books The Q Guide to Broadway (now in it’s third printing), the recently published Broadway Nights (second printing) and on Playbill.com, he has a weekly column called Onstage and Backstage. This Spring he will bring back last years sold-out Seth's Broadway 101 as an Actors Fund Benefit, and every afternoon you can hear him as the host on SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s Broadway channel. www.sethsbroadwaychatterbox.com
JASON ROBERT BROWN has been hailed as “one of Broadway's smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim” (Philadelphia Inquirer), and his “extraordinary, jubilant theater music” (Chicago Tribune) has been heard all over the world, whether in one of the hundreds of productions of his musicals every year or in his own incendiary live performances. Jason recently composed 13, the new Broadway musical. He is the composer and lyricist of the musical, The Last Five Years, which was cited as one of Time Magazine’s 10 Best of 2001 and won Drama Desk Awards for Best Music and Best Lyrics. The original cast recording is available on Sh-K-Boom Records. Jason won a 1999 Tony® Award for his score to Parade, a musical written with Alfred Uhry and directed by Harold Prince, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theatre in December 1998, and subsequently won both the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best New Musical. Parade was also presented on a national tour in 2000, which Jason conducted. Jason’s first musical, Songs for a New World, a theatrical song cycle directed by Daisy Prince, played off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre in the fall of 1995, and has since been seen in more than two hundred productions around the world. Both shows were recorded for RCA Victor. Jason’s scores are published by Hal Leonard Music. Jason is the winner of the 2002 Kleban Award for Outstanding Lyrics and the 1996 Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Foundation Award for Musical Theatre. Jason’s songs, including the cabaret standard “Stars and the Moon,” have been performed and recorded by Audra McDonald, Betty Buckley, Karen Akers, Renée Fleming, Philip Quast, Jon Hendricks and many others. Jason is also the composer of the incidental music for David Lindsay-Abaire’s Kimberly Akimbo and Fuddy Meers, Marsha Norman’s Last Dance, David Marshall Grant’s Current Events, Kenneth Lonergan’s The Waverly Gallery, and the Irish Repertory Theater’s production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and he was a Tony® Award nominee for his contributions to the score of Urban Cowboy the Musical. Jason’s collaboration with singer Lauren Kennedy, Songs of Jason Robert Brown, is available on PS Classics. He also has a solo album, featuring his band The Caucasian Rhythm Kings. As a conductor and arranger, Jason’s recent New York credits include Urban Cowboy the Musical on Broadway, Oliver Goldstick’s play, Dinah Was, directed by David Petrarca, at the Gramercy Theatre and on national tour; and William Finn’s A New Brain, directed by Graciela Daniele, at Lincoln Center Theater. Jason was the musical director of the pop vocal group, The Tonics, with whom he performed at the 1992 tribute to Stephen Sondheim at Carnegie Hall (recorded by RCA Victor); he was the conductor and orchestrator of Yoko Ono’s musical, New York Rock, at the WPA Theatre (on Capitol Records); and he orchestrated Andrew Lippa’s john and jen, off-Broadway at Lamb’s Theatre (Varese Sarabande). In 1994, Jason was the conductor and arranger of Michael John LaChiusa’s The Petrified Prince, directed by Harold Prince, at the Public Theatre. Additionally, Jason served as the orchestrator and arranger of Charles Strouse and Lee Adams’s score for a proposed musical of Star Wars. Jason also took over as musical director for the off-Broadway hit When Pigs Fly. Jason has conducted and created arrangements and orchestrations for Liza Minnelli, Tovah Feldshuh, and Laurie Beechman, among many others.
LAUREN KENNEDY Broadway credits include: The Lady of the Lake in Monty Python's Spamalot, Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close, Side Show as Daisy Hilton, and Les Misérables as Fantine. Also, Cinderella at The New York City Opera. London: Trevor Nunn's revival of South Pacific as Nellie Forbush at The Royal National Theatre.Lauren starred opposite Val Kilmer in The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Recently she starred in pre-Broadway productions of Vanitites at The Pasadena Playhouse and Lone Star Love with The Red Clay Ramblers. Other new works and premieres:, Zelda Fitzgerald in Frank Wildhorn's Waiting For The Moon (Lenape, Barrymore Award Nom. for Best Actress), The Rhythm Club (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Award Nom. for Best Actress), White Christmas, Breakfast At Tiffany's (St. Louis MUNY), Hot Shoe Shuffle (TUTS), The Trumpet of the Swan (The Kennedy Center), and The Last Five Years (Northlight). National Tours: Sunset Boulevard as Betty Schaefer. Both her new album Here And Now and her debut album Lauren Kennedy: Songs Of Jason Robert Brown have both received rave reviews and are available on PS Classics. Lauren is most proud of her collaboration with husband Alan Campbell, their daughter Riley. Current/Upcoming credits include: Second Stage’s Production of Vanities, Papermill Playhouse’s 1776 (Martha Jefferson).
ANDREA MARTIN recently played the role Frau Brucher in Broadway's Young Frankenstein. Other Broadway credits include, My Favorite Year, upon which she won the 1992 Tony® Award for Best Actress, Fiddler on the Roof, Candide, and Oklahoma. Andrea is most known for being a member of the infamous Toronto Production of Godspell along side Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy and Victor Garber. Andrea has been in many sitcoms and has won two Primetime Emmys. Movie credits include, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and The Producers.
BETH LEAVEL received 2006 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone. Broadway: Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street (revival), Tess in the original company of Crazy for You, Mrs. Bixby in the original company of The Civil War, Ellie in Hal Prince’s Show Boat, Anytime Annie in 42nd Street. Other New York/off-Broadway: Mrs. Ford in Lone Star Love, Mary in The Jazz Singer, Beth in An Unfinished Song. Regional: Miss Hannigan in Annie, Countess in A Little Night Music, Vera in Mame. TV: Ryan’s Hope, Nickelodeon, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, numerous commercials. She will be seen in the 2009 summer season at Pittsburg CLO as the Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, and will take part in the reading of a new musical, Republic, presented by the Artists Theatre Group with music and lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn.
JONATHAN GROFF can currently be seen off-Broadway at The Public Theater in Craig Lucas’ The Singing Forest. Groff is best known for originating the role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of Spring Awakening, earning him both Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations. Other Broadway credits include the 2005 musical, In My Life. Before performing on the Broadway stage, Jonathan played Rolf in the National Tour of The Sound of Music, performed in Fame at the North Shore Music Theater in Fame and played the recurring role of Henry Mackler on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. At The Ephrata Playhous in Ephrata, PA, he portrayed such characters as Edgar in Bat Boy: The Musical and Ugly in Honk! After the success of Spring Awakening, Jonathan made a visit to The Ephrata Playhouse to reunite with some of his old cast members during a special event entitled An Evening With Jonathan Groff. Jonathan was also recently seen as Claude in the off-Broadway production of Hair (as seen at the Delacorte in Central Park via The Public Theater), and Prayer for My Enemy, a play by Craig Lucas at the off-Broadway theater Playwrights Horizons. Jonathan is tapped to play Woodstock organizer Michael Lang in acclaimed director Ang Lee's new movie, Taking Woodstock.
KELLI O'HARA has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. She recently starred in the Tony-award winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, garnering a third Tony-nomination in the process. The year leading up to South Pacific was a busy one. With her critically acclaimed performance of Eliza Doolittle in the NY Philharmonic production of My Fair Lady, a Carnegie Hall debut, and the completion of her first album, Wonder in the World, Kelli was ready to dig into creating a new Nellie for the new century. A native of Oklahoma, Kelli received a degree in Opera, and after winning the State Metropolitan Opera competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasburg Institute. She made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde and followed it with Sondheim’s Follies, and Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow; and Dracula. In 2005, Kelli earned her first Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work in The Light in the Piazza. From there, she moved on to another critical success, the 2006 Tony award winning musical The Pajama Game with Harry Connick, Jr. She received further Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critic award nominations. In addition to her regional and Broadway performances, Kelli performed at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors as a part of a tribute to Barbara Streisand. She has appeared in numerous television and film projects. She and her husband Greg reside in New York and are expecting their first child in 2009.
LEA MICHELE originated the role of Wendla in Broadway's Spring Awakening. Additional Broadway credits: Fiddler On The Roof (Shprintze, Chava), Ragtime (Little Girl), Les Miserables (Young Cosette). Regional: Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank at Round House Theater, Ragtime (Little Girl) at Toronto’s Ford Center. TV: Third Watch, Guiding Light. Lea has appeared as Wendla in three previous Spring Awakening workshops, most recently at Lincoln Center. She is currently filming the upcoming Fox TV show, Glee. Read about Lea's work with Broadway Artists Alliance on BroadwayWorld.com and Playbill.com!
MEGAN MCGINNIS is currently playing Eponine in Broadway's smash hit revival of Les Miserables. Additional Broadway credits include: Little Women (Beth March), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Parade, The Diary of Anne Frank. National tours include: James Joyce’s The Dead (Lily), The Sound of Music (Liesl). TV/film: Wings, Dear John, Blossom (recurring), Anywhere But Here, and A Goofy Movie.Read about Megan's work with Broadway Artists Alliance on BroadwayWorld.com!
DANCE STAFF
CAMERON ADAMS is currently in Broadway's Shrek! Other Broadway credits include: Cry-Baby, Hairspray ( u/s Amber) , Oklahoma!, The Music Man (Zaneeta) and Follie (Off Broadway). National tour: Hairspray. Regional: The 60's Project, The Most Happy Fella. TV: ABC/Disney's The Music Man (Zaneeta).
MICHAEL BALDERRAMA is currently in the Broadway musical In the Heights. He is the Swing; Dance Captain/Fight Captain and understudies Usnavi, Graffiti Pete. Other Broadway Credits: Hot Feet (Anthony); Movin' Out (u/s Tony); Saturday Night Fever (Cesar); Urban Cowboy (Trouble). Regional theater: West Side Story (Bernardo); King & I (Simon); Ballet Hispanico (Principal). Film/TV: Across the Universe, All My Children.
JUSTIN BOCCITTO's teaching credits include master tap workshops at The Juilliard School, Circle in the Square Theatre School, Wingspan Arts and Broadway Dance Center (assisting Michael Blevins). Justin and his tap company Generation Tap were recently featured in Dancer Magazine and have performed throughout the country with appearances at Queens Theatre in the Park, The United Nations and Tap City along side Brenda Buffalino and Emmy-Winner Jason Samuels. Justin’s choreography credits include: the Bistro-Award Winning production, The George M. Cohan Revue, productions of Singin’ in the Rain, Crazy For You, and Anything Goes at The Clarkstown Summer Theatre Festival, Side Show at The Westchester Broadway Theatre as well as assisting Nicole Fosse on her new upcoming dance piece. As a performer he has appeared Off-Broadway with The Metropolitan Opera, The New York Theatre Ballet and The Willow Cabin Theatre Company. Other performance credits include: Papermill Playhouse, Downtown Cabaret Theatre, MacHaydn Theatre and The Drama League’s Salute To Chita Rivera (w/ Ann Reinking, Alan Cumming, John Kander and Fred Ebb). Justin is Executive Producer of The Group Theatre Too, a theatre collective based in Manhattan. Please visit www.justinboccitto.com.
LOU CASTRO was the Dance Captian / Assistant Choreographer/ Assistant Stage Manager for Broadway's hit 13. Other Credits include: Sunday in the Park With George and Altar Boyz. Lou's favorite performing credits: Cirque du Soleil's Myst're (Las Vegas), The King and I (U.S. tour), Chess in Concert (NYC). TV: One Life to Live (ABC), the Foo Fighter's music video "The One."
AC CIULLA having been both Emmy® Award winning and Tony® nominated, Broadway choreographer AC Ciulla has enjoyed an eclectic career spanning a wide range of work in different creative arenas.AC won an Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Choreography of a Television Special” for his innovative work with Olympic figure skating champions for the world renowned Stars on Ice. His theater career began with a Tony® nomination for his exciting work in Broadway's hit musical Footloose. He followed that with Kirsten Child's critically acclaimed Off-broadway musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin for Playwrights Horizons starring Tony® winner LaChanze. Receiving Lucille Lortel Award and Audelco Award nominations for “Outstanding Choreography.” AC choreographed the Theatre Guild Award nominated musical Ghetto Superstar at the Public Theater starring Billy Porter and also collaborated with Mr. Porter and Mr. Sondheim for the musical revue Being Alive at Westport Country Playhouse. He choreographed the Latin musical Barrio Babies which premiered at the Denver Theater Centerstarring Tony® winner Sara Ramirez. AC's featured tap piece in the musical The Plexiglass Slipper at The Asolo for Wanda Richert (Broadway's 42nd Street Tony® nominated original star) earned them both rave reviews. Mr. Ciulla also received rave reviews for his innovative choreography for an all-star Broadway cast benefit of the musical Chess.
AC co-created and choreographed the hit Vegas show Toni Braxton~Revealed, also choreographing the six-time Grammy® Award winning recording artist's celebrated2006 LIBRA tour and live NBA All-star performance. He also staged Signed, Sealed, Delivered- A Musical Celebration of Stevie Wonder at the Venetian in Las Vegas starring Chaka Khan and Peabo Bryson. Other recording artists include live shows for Eden's Crush of WB's Popstars, Freedom Williams of the dance sensation C&C Music Factory, Billy Porter, Christina Vidal of Nickelodeon's hit television show Taina, and Ne-Yo as a guest artist on The Electric Company.
AC created, directed and choreographed the hit musical theater revues Nights on Broadway II & III for Caesar's in Atlantic City. His film work includes Gray Matters starring Heather Graham, Bridget Moynahan, Tom Cavanaugh, Sissy Spacek and Molly Shannon. Ciulla directed and choreographed a 1-800-OK-CABLE dance commercial as well as spots for Intel, E*Trade and Dr. Pepper featuring Travis Wall of So You Think You Can Dance fame.
AC will soon be collaborating with Tony® winning director John Rando on Kirsten Child's New musical Funked Up Fairy Tales. Currently, his work can be seen on the new version of the classic children's TV show, The Electric Company, that hit the airwaves on PBS in January 2009!
MIKE CANNON is currently playing Snowboy on Broadway in West Side Story. Previously, he appeared as Al in A Chorus Line. Other Broadway Credit: All Shook Up. New York Credits: Bare (Zack). National Tours: Mamma Mia, Grease (Doody). www.MichaeljCannon.com
JEN CODY can currently be seen in Shrek on Broadway. Other Broadway/off-Broadway credits include: Pajama Game (Poopsie), No, No, Nanette, Snoopy, Taboo, Urinetown, The Wild Party (Mae), Junie B. Jones (Junie), Seussical, Best Little Whorehouse, Henry and Mudge (Drama League Nomination), Beauty...Beast, Grease (ChaCha), Cats. Her voice will be heard in the Disney movie, The Princess and The Frog, as Charlotte.
KRISTI COOMBS began her professional theatrical career at the age of 7 playing the role of Molly in the 1st National Touring Co. of Annie. She was later elevated to the title role of Annie in the 2nd National Touring Co. After touring the country for four years, Kristi made her Broadway debut at the age of 11 playing Young Norma Jean in Marilyn, An American Fable. Upon receiving her BFA in Dance from Montclair State University, Kristi continued a career in the business. She is honored to have worked for The Department of Defense performing for troops overseas and continues to choreograph for The USO of Metropolitan New York. Kristi is also a familiar NYC entertainer whom you may have seen performing at popular venues such as The Rainbow Room, The Supper Club, HA Comedy Club and BB Kings. Other credits include Kicks, Ready Or Not, The Little Prince, Legends In Concert, A Christmas Carol, Party With The Rat Pack, Sex And The City, Lois on Guiding Light, and the documentary film Life After Tomorrow. Having grown up in musical theatre, Kristi is thrilled to be working with the young, talented students of Broadway Artists Alliance.
DONNA DRAKE was an original cast member of A Chorus Line on Broadway! Other Broadway credits include original casts of Woman Of The Year, The Wind In The Willows, The 1940’s Radio Hour, and 5, 6, 7, 8….Dance! She also performed in Sophisticated Ladies on Broadway. Her extensive director/ choreographer credits include Broadway- Nothing Like A Dame, and Romance In The Dark. Her Off-Broadway credits include NEWSical, Judy Garland & Uninvited Company, BOOBS! The Musical!, Splendora, Christmas With The Crawfords, Downhearted Blues: The Life & Music Of Bessie Smith, Strictly Personal, Africa Plumbridge, and Are You There God?, It’s Me, Ann-Margaret.Donna has directed and choreographed numerous national tours and regional productions including A Chorus Line, Aida, Annie, Beauty & The Beast, Chess, Children Of Eden, Damn Yankees, Honk!, Lucky Guy, Smokey Joe’s Café, Sweet Charity, and The Who’s Tommy. Donna Drake is a very sought after director/choreographer and a dedicated mentor and educator and we are thrilled to have her as a part our staff.
LISA GAJDA recently appeared in Pal Joey on Broadway. Her other extensive Broadway credits include: Cry Baby, Monty Python's Spamalot, Times They are a Changin', Movin' Out, Taboo, Urban Cowboy, Sweet Smell of Success (u/s Rita), Kiss Me, Kate, Fosse, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Tommy. Lisa has also performed with the National tours of Tommy and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Workshops include: The Chita Project, Marty, Can-Can (Encores!), Sweet Charity, and Fosse. She has been seen on television on The Kennedy Center Honors, Steve Martin Tribute, Fashion Rocks with Duran Duran, The Relly's, Viva Variety, The 63rd & 64th Academy® Awards, The Tony® Awards, and MTV Music Awards® with Paula Abdul. Lisa just completed the run of Encores! City Center Finian’s Rainbow, which is slated to come to Broadway in the Fall of 2009. She is an expert teacher that loves working with young performers!
ERIC JACKSON Broadway: Young Frankenstein and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Some other theatrical credits include Les Miserables, Aida, Kiss Me, Kate, Dreamgirls, My Fair Lady, and The Irish Repertory Theater's Finian's Rainbow as well as the national tours of Chicago, Ragtime and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. His teaching has extended to workshops such as The Broadway Student Lab, Broadway Classroom, and Hands On Broadway. Eric has been the resident choreographer and musical theater instructor for The Young People's Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has helped develop the new Finian's Rainbow Jr. Eric is a graduate of The University of Michigan with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre.
TYRICK JONES recently appeared in Broadway’s Hairspray (for almost 4 years). Other Broadway and National Touring credits include Seussical, Fosse, and Show Boat. Recent regional theatre credits include Dreamgirls, Chicago, and Soup Soap & Salvation. Tyrick has also made numerous film and television appearances throughout the U.S. and Europe. He enjoys conducting the dance portion of Broadway Artists Alliance's 15-city National Audition Tour and teaches Master Classes all across the US. Tyrick just completed the run of Encores! City Center Finian’s Rainbow, which is slated to come to Broadway in the Fall of 2009. He is a popular NYC Dance Educator and particularly enjoys working with young and up and coming performers.
MICHELLE KITTRELL recently performed in Broadway's Legally Blonde on Broadway as the dance captain, Delta Nu Sorority Sister, and DA Joyce Riley. Other Broadway credits include Hairspray, All Shook Up, Urban Cowboy, Sweet Smell of Success, Seussical, Footloose, Grease and Wonderful Town (Encores!). Michelle toured with the first national companies of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease, Footloose and the European company of 42nd Street. She is also a Gregory Hines National Tap Challenge Winner. Currently, Michelle is working as an associate agent at DDO Agency.Read about some of Michelle's work with Broadway Artists Alliance on BroadwayWorld.com!
CARA KJELLMAN is currently making her Broadway debut in Billy Elliot! Other New York credits include 42nd Street, Face the Music, Of Thee I Sing, and No, No, Nanette (Encores!). Regional credits include White Christmas in Boston, St. Paul, San Francisco (Judy Haynes u/s), MUNY (Rita).
LORIN LATARRO is currently in the Broadway Revival of Guys and Dolls! She has performed and taught all over the world. She recently finshed her 10th Broadway show, A Chorus Line performing the roles of Cassie and Sheila. Lorin danced the lead role of Brenda in Movin' Out, Bambi in Curtains, Fermina in Man of La Mancha, Nadjira in Apple Tree, lead Lyndy Hop in Swing, and was featured in Fosse, Kiss Me Kate, Spamalot, and Wonderful Town. She was Assistant Choreographer on NBC's Grease, You're The One That I Want and Clash of The Choirs and was also seen on PBS Great Performances. Lorin graduated from Juilliard and danced with Martha Graham Co. and Momix. Lorin also directs and choreographs Broadway By The Year at Town Hall, Broadway Bares, and numerious national commercials.
TONY MANSKER is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut in Mary Poppins. As an original cast member, Tony performs every night in the Ensemble, while understudying the role of Bert. Tony's previous theatrical credits include West Side Story (US and International Tours), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, 42nd Street, Singin' in the Rain (Cosmo), Footloose, Cabaret, Oklahoma, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow). Most recently, Tony directed and choreographed over 200 young actors in Bye Bye Birdie, for the Metropolitan Educational Theatre Network, aka MET II, in Southern California. Other choreography credits include Footloose at the Trump Taj Mahal, and The Who's Tommy for Surflight Theatre. Tony served as resident Ballet Teacher at Stagelite Center for Dance in NJ, as well as guest choreographer for Gotta Dance Studios in NJ. Tony is a proud graduate of New York University's Tisch School for the Arts; BFA in Theatre.
JOEL NEWSOME as last seen on Broadway in the Mel Brooks' musical The Producers. Subsequently, he toured with the National Company of The Producers where he performed the role of Leo Bloom as well as Carmen Ghia. Other New York credits include the Tony Award winning Broadway revival of 42nd Street, the off-Broadway production of Kuni-Leml at the Jewish Repertory Theatre (cast recording) and the first incarnation of Jonathan Larson's Rent. Other tours include Kander & Ebb's Steel Pier (Buddy Becker) and a European concert tour of Leonard Bernstein's music singing the role of Candide. Regional credits include: San Francisco's premier of Dames at Sea at the Marines Memorial Theatre, a show he also performed for the Caldwell Theatre in Florida. He covered the role of George in George M! at The Goodspeed Opera House as well as the role of Spelvin in the Goodspeed production of Strike up the Band. He played Frank Schultz in Show Boat at The North Carolina Theatre, Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain at Westchester Broadway, BJ Gibson in 1940's Radio Hour for the Emelin Theatre in NY, Jason in A Grand Night for Singing as well as the leading man in Side By Side By Sondheim at Virginia Musical Theatre. Other credits include: Paper Mill Playhouse, Theatre Under the Stars, Music Theatre of Wichita and Southern Arizona Light Opera Co's versions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Pennsylvania Centre Stage (A Chorus Line) and Over the Rainbow at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota. Joel is a graduate of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.
HEATHER PARCELLS most recently played Judy in Broadway's hit revival of A Chorus Line (Original Revival Cast). Other Broadway credits include: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Broadway and National Tours include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Miss Dorothy), Some Like it Hot (Sweet Sue u/s), Chicago (Velma). Off-Broadway and Other NYC credits include: Meet Me In St. Louis (Esther), Mademoiselle Modiste (Fifi), Jungle Queen Debutante, Blood and Fire, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. T.V.: Guiding Light and ABC Primetime's The Human Chain. Heather has also recently appeared on Dancing with the Stars with Mario Lopez and opened the 2007 Tony® Awards with A Chorus Line! FSU grad.Read about some of Heather's work with Broadway Artists Alliance on playbill.com!
JESSICA LEA PATTY is currently featured on Broadway in 9 to 5! She also played a 20-month run with the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line as Cassie every Sunday and also covered the roles of Sheila, Diana and Maggie. She was last seen at the Ahmanson in the world premiere of Curtains. Other Broadway credits: The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman. National Tours: Cats, Fosse. Other Favorites: 2004 and 2007 Tony Awards, Dancing with the Stars, the world premiere of Frank Wildhorn’s Waiting for the Moon.
JEFF SHADE was mentored by Bob Fosse, dance captain of Broadway's Chicago, and former teaching faculty at Harvard University.Jeff's choreography was featured in Dancebreak 2005, and has been seen in New York in The Devil is an Ass (Dillon's), New York Moves (Atlantic Theater), and Watching My Hair Grow (Chelsea Playhouse). Television choreography includes Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, The Rosie O'Donnell Show and the Hitomi Kiroki Japanese Television Special.
Director/Choreography credits include Crazy For You (Pittsburgh Musical Theater), Chicago (Boston Conservatory), Random Acts of TAPness (Boston Conservatory), and Roses Are Dance (Symphony Space). Jeff's music and choreography have been commissioned by the Heinz Foundation (Heaven) and Harvard University (Change), and produced by the River Side Stage Company (Watching My Hair Grow).
On Broadway, Jeff danced in Sweet Charity (directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse), served as dance captain for Chicago (Walter Bobbie director, Ann Reinking choreographer), and was featured in Teddy & Alice (choreographed by Donald Saddler). He was a soloist in Gotta Getaway and featured in the Christmas Spectacular, both at Radio City Music Hall. Television appearances include Night of 100 Stars, the Tony® Awards, Miss America, HBO Christmas, NBC'S 60th Anniversary Special, The Today Show, Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, and One Life to Live.
Teaching credits include Harvard University, the Boston Conservatory, Point Park University, and Steps on Broadway. Jeff holds an M.A. in Dance Therapy (psychotherapy through movement), an M.B.A. from Columbia University (marketing/management), and a B.S. from Duquesne University.
JASON SNOW is currently performing on Broadway with The Little Mermaid! Other Broadway Credits include Hairspray (Dance Captain) and The Music Man (original Broadway cast) as well as the first national tours of Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, and Footloose (Assistant Dance Captain)! Other credits include dancing with the Chase Brock Experience (2007) and Broadway Under the Stars (2006).
ERIC STRETCH is currently performing multiple tracks in The Broadway and The National Touring Companies of Wicked as a vacation swing! Last year he finished up a successful run in the Broadway Cast of La Cage Aux Follies. Eric made his Broadway debut in Wicked, and was a part if the National Tour of Aida. Having danced for over 15 years, he has trained with some of the most respected teachers in Los Angeles, and New York. As a member of the international recording group No Authority, he has toured the world and opened for various respected artists. He thanks God for the chance to live his dream as a performer.
KATHERINE TOKARZ is currently the associate choreographer for the Broadway revival of West Side Story. She was also the associate choreographer of West Side Story productions at La Scala Opera, Le Chatelet Opera and Sadler’s Wells. Principal performer in the Broadway companies of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and …Forum. Assistant choreographer, Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Solo artist with Ricky Martin, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and Prince.
LORI WERNER is currently on Broadway in Rock of Ages. She has also appeared on Broadway in A Chorus Line (Kristine) and White Christmas, and she just completed the Leap of Faith Broadway workshop. She made her Broadway debut in Wicked where she also worked with the touring and Chicago companies as a Universal Swing. Other credits include: the Moulin Rouge in Paris, NC Theater, and Disney in Tokyo.
TOMMAR WILSON Broadway: Hair, Hairspray, Lestat, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Ben Rogers), The Music Man, Never Gonna Dance. National Tours include Mamma Mia! (Eddie), and the first national tour of Ragtime. Regional: West Side Story (Riff-Trinity Repertory Company), Hair (Hud-Actors Theater of Louisville), Anything Goes with Chita Rivera (Papermill Playhouse), Godspell (St. Louis MUNY). Other favorites include Eugene Ionesco's The Killing Game (Old Man, Master), Six Degrees of Separation (Paul), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck), Measure for Measure (Claudio) and recent readings and workshops including Legally Blonde, The Flamingo Kid, Sunfish, The Boy in the Bubble, Elton John's The Vampire Lestat, 110 In the Shade starring Audra McDonald, Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theater, and No Boundaries for Manhattan Theater Club. Tommar is a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama B.F.A. Acting program.
MUSIC STAFF
BOB CLINE is the founder of Bob Cline Casting in New York City. There he has helped to populate film, TV, commercials, over 50 national tours, and hundreds of regional theatre productions across the country. Bob's casting credits include The National Tours of Bye, Bye Birdie, Hairspray, Rent, Oklahoma, and Annie. Bob is also an innovative director who has become well known locally for his many successful productions at The Chatham Players, Montclair Opera Club, and many others. His credits include Kiss and Tell for the Vital Theatre Company, Titanic for Montclaire Operetta Club, Side Show and Showboat. Other recent credits include Pippin, Into The Woods, Company, The Full Monty, To Kill A Mockingbird, A New Brain (PERRY award best director and production), Falsettos (PERRY nomination best production), Violet (PERRY nomination best director and production), Songs for a New World (PERRY nomination best director), Little Shop of Horrors, Is There Life After High School, and Godspell.
MICHAEL DANSICKER is currently adapting/arranging/scoring and supervising the music for the international dance production Amer-"I Can"-Dance for Kenny Ortega and Jeff Hornaday. Mr. Dansicker is also working with Kenny Ortega, who is currently the country's leading director/choreographer with High School Musicals I, II and III for Disney and the upcoming remake of Footloose for Paramount Pictures. Jeff Hornaday choreographed Flash Dance, Chorus Line (the film), and has done Madonna Tours as well as Paul McCartney's International Tour. Dansicker also has music adapted, arranged and supervised Broadway's Times they Are a Changin' (Orchestrations by Michael Dansicker and Bob Dylan). The Native Baltimorean has worked as arranger, composer, MD, orchestrator and pianist on over 100 productions - on and off-Broadway: from The All Night Strut (Orchestrations '77) to Dance of the Vampires (Dance music -'03.) He worked as Arranger/MD for the Broadway transfers of Piaf, Good, and Les Liasions Dangereuses - directed by Howard Davies/Royal Shakespeare Company. He composed original scores for Total Abandon (Richard Dreyfus) and The Glass Menageries (Jessica Tandy), which led him to score the film and dance sequences for Twyla Tharp's Singin' In The Rain. Continuing his association with Ms. Tharp, he created the ballets Everlast and Five Dance Improvisations; and served as Musical Supervisor for Wynton Marsalis's Jumpstart for ABT. He toured the U.S. as solo pianist for the Tharp/Baryshnikov Reunion Concert. In the world of concert dance, he has worked with Jerome Robbins (pianist to Mr. Robbins during the "reconstruction" phase of Jerome Robbins Broadway), Agnes DeMille (The Informer/ABT), Geoffrey Holder (scoring Patti LaBelle's House Of Flowers), and The Joffery. He has created special material for Galas and Special Events (words and music) produced by MTC, Playrights' Horizons, LATP (creating the "bid" shows for the 2012 NY Olympics), TDF (The Astaire Awards) and provided the dots for The Broadway Tenors (Dodger Prods.) Michael scored the dances for Paramount's Brain Donors (John Turturro)and served as musical consultant to: Meet The Parents (Universal), Elf (New Line) and Analyze That (WB). He is currently scoring Revolvin' Doors for DCI (release by Paramount.) He has composed scores for 50 industrial films and documentaries. He serves as consultant to Walt Disney Entertainment (creating The Studio Seven for Disneyworld and supervising/scoring the 3 shows for the launch of The Disney Cruise Line.) He supervised the workshop of Carnival (directed by Francesca Zemballo) for Disney theatrical. He is Vocal Specialist at SONY (pop division). His recent publications include: The Sixteen Bar Theatre Anthology (in 4 volumes), Audition Suite (Lyrics by Charnin), Tunes For Teens (2 volumes) and More Disney Solos For Kids. He is producer of CDs for Hal Leonard Publications. The 16 Bar Rock/Pop Audition Anthologies (4 volumes) will be available in September; along with a new series of Audition Anthologies (8 volumes and recordings). He most recently served as Musical Supervisor/Arranger/Orchestrator (with Bob Dylan) for the Twyla Tharp/Bob Dylan: Times They Are A-Changin' and is scoring the song Wish (by Beach Boy Al Jardine). His original music is licensed by BMI, Inc.
The country's leading vocal coach, Michael works with major artists on both coast; including Kevin Bacon, Robert DeNiro, Will Farrell, Brittany Murphy, Oliver Platt, Jack Wagner, John Stamos, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal, Patti La Belle, Thalia, Ana Gasteyer, Anne Hathaway, Peter Gallagher, Chaz Palmentieri and virtually every Broadway performer of note for the last 25 years.
His six new anthologies of Pop/Rock Material for Broadway Auditions will be released by Hal Leonard Corp. in early 2009. His arrangement of Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice is currently available in sheet music format from Music Sales, Inc.
VINCE DI MURA is a veteran musical director and performer; appearing on concert stages and theatres throughout North America, Canada, and Latin America. He has conducted shows and seasons at the Barn Theatre in Augusta Michigan, Bucks County Playhouse, Artpark and Company in Lewiston N.Y., Tennessee Repertory Company in Nashville, The Asolo Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre and American Stage in Florida, Passage Theatre, Act II Playhouse, The Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia, The Muhlenburg Summer Theatre Festival and The Little Theatre in the Rockies. Vince holds fellowships from the William Goldman Foundation, Temple University, Meet the Composer, CEPAC, the Union County Foundation, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.Vince has fulfilled compositional commissions for Rutgers and Princeton Universities, Rider University, the Pingry Foundation, the University of Colorado, The Scioto Society, Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a host of scores for People's Light and Theatre Company. Most recently, Vince rewrote the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, "The Pirates of Penzance." This new version was commissioned by American Stage Company in St Petersburg Florida and its musical styles run from Iron Maiden to the Almond Brothers. The production will have a second incarnation in 2009 at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre.
Best known for his arrangements of "My Way: A Sinatra Cabaret," "I Left My Heart;" A Tribute to Tony Bennett," and "Simply Simone." (With over 300 productions nationally.) Vince has musical directed runs at the Blowing Rock Stage Company and Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina, Western Michigan’s Cherry County Playhouse, The Barter Theatre in Virginia, and Arkansas Repertory Company in Little Rock.
From 2004 to 2008, concert versions of his spoken word/jazz operas, "A Poet In Harlem:" (with text by Nuyorican poet, Willie Perdomo,) and "For Lost Words"; (based on the Vietnam poetry of Yusef Komunyakaa,) played in a host venues, including the Puffin Cultural Forum, The Arts Guild of Rahway, 12 Miles West Theatre The Bowery Poetry Club, Passage Theatre and Behr Hall.
No stranger to the recording studio, Vince di Mura and the George Street Project currently has two CDs out: the 2000 release, "Imperfect Balance" can be purchased from any amount of Internet outlets. The 2007 release, "A Darker Shade of Romance" is available at CDBaby.com.
ALEXANDER GEMIGNANI was most recently seen in the off-Broadway production of Sondheim’s Road Show. Previously, he appeared in Broadway's revival of Sunday in the Park with George, nominated for 9 Tony® Awards. Alexander is known for playing Jean Valjean in the revival of Les Mis. Other Broadway credits include Sweeny Todd and Assassins. Alex has appeared in concert versions of South Pacific and Passions. Alexander is the son of Broadway musical director Paul Gemignani.
JASON GILLMAN recently appeared in Broadway's Legally Blonde (Pforzhiemer, Warner u/s). Television: Law & Order, The Dana Carvey Show, The Kennedy Center Honors. Other Broadway credits include: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Never Gonna Dance; Thoroughly Modern Millie; Annie Get Your Gun; Chicago; Hello, Dolly! Regional credits include: A View From the Bridge (Rodolpho), Crazy for You (Bobby), Chess (Arbiter), Drood (Bazzard), West Side Story (Action). BFA in acting from the University of Florida.
JONATHAN GROFF can currently be seen off-Broadway at The Public Theater in Craig Lucas’ The Singing Forest. Groff is best known for originating the role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of Spring Awakening, earning him both Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations. Other Broadway credits include the 2005 musical, In My Life. Before performing on the Broadway stage, Jonathan played Rolf in the National Tour of The Sound of Music, performed in Fame at the North Shore Music Theater in Fame and played the recurring role of Henry Mackler on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. At The Ephrata Playhous in Ephrata, PA, he portrayed such characters as Edgar in Bat Boy: The Musical and Ugly in Honk! After the success of Spring Awakening, Jonathan made a visit to The Ephrata Playhouse to reunite with some of his old cast members during a special event entitled An Evening With Jonathan Groff. Jonathan was also recently seen as Claude in the off-Broadway production of Hair (as seen at the Delacorte in Central Park via The Public Theater), and Prayer for My Enemy, a play by Craig Lucas at the off-Broadway theater Playwrights Horizons. Jonathan is tapped to play Woodstock organizer Michael Lang in acclaimed director Ang Lee's new movie, Taking Woodstock.
PHIL HALL The better part of Phil's career has been spent as a conductor and musical director. On Broadway, he conducted Play Me a Country Song and was associate conductor for the Broadway revival of Mame. He also conducted the third national tour of Cats. He has musical directed Side By Side by Sondheim at the Michigan Opera Theatre; Some Enchanted Evening at the Kennedy Center; the premiere production of Sleeping Beauty at St. Louis's MUNY; The Desert Song, 42nd Street, and the premiere of Rhythm Ranch (with Susan Stroman)-- all at the Paper Mill Playhouse; and the premiere of Great Expectations at the Pennsylvania Stage Company.
Phil composed the score for the new musical, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which has been presented at Paper Mill Playhouse, Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, Kansas City Starlight Theatre, and North Shore Music Theatre. He wrote and arranged music for the premiere of To Kill a Mockingbird at Paper Mill Playhouse, and vocally arranged Sophisticated Ellington at Carnegie Hall and Some Enchanted Evening. He is also the principal vocal arranger for Bravo Broadway symphonic concerts. As a voice teacher and vocal coach, Phil has taught master classes and musical theatre auditioning techniques at Tanz Gesang Studio in Vienna, Austria. He maintains a considerable teaching/vocal coaching studio on the upper west side of Manhattan.
MITCH JARVIS can currently be seen in the hit 80’s Broadway original musical, Rock of Ages, winning audiences over as the comical narrator, Lonny. He originated this role when the show made its debut off-Broadway at New World Stages. Jarvis first came to Broadway with the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof . Other credits include: Infertility at the New York Fringe Festival.
JENNIFER JOHNS is the Program Director and Founder of Broadway Artists Alliance. She began as a child performer (so she specifically loves working with young performers!) and has toured with 6 Broadway and National Tours in a variety of capacities including performer, dance captain, company manager, and children’s choir music director (lots of Andrew Llyod Webber!) as well as here in NYC. Favorite roles include Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis, Sandy in Grease, The Narrator in Joseph, Sally in Cabaret, The Mistress in Evita, June in Gypsy, Maxene in Sisters of Swing, and Olivia in Twelfth Night. She also thoroughly enjoys being a part of the creative process with New Works and originating roles in New York and Regional Theater. With 29 years of professional experience, Jennifer has appeared in numerous national commercials, TV shows such as Strangers with Candy, All My Children, One Life to Live, Oz, Saturday Night Live, 3,2,1 Contact, Law and Order, etc., and movies like Garden State, Moulin Rouge, Kate and Leopold, and Hairspray (1988). In between BAA gigs, she has been a contract vocalist with the USO and American Belles for the past 7 years, and continues to tour nationally and overseas performing for our troupes alongside performers the run the gamut from Nancy Sinatra to Nick Lache. Jennifer maintains a private vocal, acting, and career coaching studio throughout the year and is proud to see so many of her students currently with credits on Broadway, National Tours, Feature Films, Soap Opera, Commercials, TV, and Regional Theatre, as well as signed with Top NYC Agents and Managers! Jennifer has been a proud member of SAG, AFTRA, and AEA since 1981. Thank you to all my students and teachers for continuing to inspire me every day!
DONNIE KEHR grew up in New York City. The son of musician, Harry Kehr and ballerina, Dolores E. Kehr, Donnie found his voice as a singer/songwriter and actor at a very young age. This classically trained performer, made his Broadway debut at age twelve in Legend, a play starring F. Murray Abraham. Other Broadway credits followed such as The Human Comedy, produced by the legendary Joseph Papp. He created the role of Robert Bascomb in The Mystery of Edwin Drood for the New York Shakespeare Festival. He was the original pinball lad in The Who’s Tommy, winner of five Tony Awards and a Grammy Award for best theatrical recording, produced by Sir George Martin. In 2003 he co-starred with Toni Braxton in Elton John and Tim Rice’s, Aida on Broadway. Donnie created the role of Norm Waxman on Broadway in Jersey Boys and is currently in the Tony nominated Broadway production of Billy Elliot. Donnie is the Founder and Executive Producer/Director of Rockers On Broadway the flagship production of The PATH Fund, Inc., a foundation he created to give artists of all kinds an avenue to share their unique talents while helping raise money for charities that benefit the arts and entertainment communities that inspires their livelihood. As a musician, along with his brothers, Michael and Steven, Donnie co-founded the band Urgent on EMI-Manhattan Records in the late 1980s. As a collaborative songwriter and lead singer of the band, they reached the top 100 on Billboard’s pop charts. Donnie also released a 2005 solo CD entitled Shift, which is now available at CD Baby.com. His film credits include: Geppetto (2000) – with Drew Carrey, Small Kill (1992), Chaplin (1992) – starring Robert Downey, Jr., Wall Street (1987) – directed by Oliver Stone, Saturday Night Fever (1977) – starring John Travolta, and Baby’s, It’s You (1983) – directed by John Sayles.
LAUREN KENNEDY has numerous Broadway credits including: The Lady of the Lake in Monty Python's Spamalot, Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close, Side Show as Daisy Hilton, and Les Misérables as Fantine. Also, Cinderella at The New York City Opera. London: Trevor Nunn's revival of South Pacific as Nellie Forbush at The Royal National Theatre.Lauren starred opposite Val Kilmer in The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Recently she starred in pre-Broadway productions of Vanitites at The Pasadena Playhouse and Lone Star Love with The Red Clay Ramblers. Other new works and premieres:, Zelda Fitzgerald in Frank Wildhorn's Waiting For The Moon (Lenape, Barrymore Award Nom. for Best Actress), The Rhythm Club (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Award Nom. for Best Actress), White Christmas, Breakfast At Tiffany's (St. Louis MUNY), Hot Shoe Shuffle (TUTS), The Trumpet of the Swan (The Kennedy Center), and The Last Five Years (Northlight). National Tours: Sunset Boulevard as Betty Schaefer. Both her new album Here And Now and her debut album Lauren Kennedy: Songs Of Jason Robert Brown have both received rave reviews and are available on PS Classics. Lauren is most proud of her collaboration with husband Alan Campbell, their daughter Riley. Current/Upcoming credits include: Second Stage’s Production of Vanities, Papermill Playhouse’s 1776 (Martha Jefferson).
MEGAN LAWERENCE is currently starring in the 2009 Broadway revival of Hair. She made her Broadway debut in Les Miserables in 1998. Prior to this, Lawrence had spent several years on the Signature Theatre stage, where she earned a Helen Hayes Award for her performance in Company and Into the Woods, and another nomination for her work in Cabaret. Lawrence was cast in the original off-Broadway production of Urinetown and followed the move to the Broadway stage. After she gave birth to her son, August, she jumped right back into the role of Little Becky Two-Shoes in the Broadway production. Other Broadway credits include the 2006 Tony award winning production of The Pajama Game. She was also seen in the off-Broadway productions of Damn Yankees and Two Gentlemen of Verona, and the reading/workshop of Cry-Baby. Lawrence grew up in the Baltimore suburbs surrounded by music — her father was a music professor, her mother a grade-school music teacher who also gave piano lessons; her father was the church organist, her mother a soloist in the church choir. Now she's half of a musical couple: Her husband is Kevin Kern, is an actor formerly of Altar Boyz and The Wedding Singer. Megan enjoys balancing her career and motherhood.
BETH LEAVEL received 2006 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone. Broadway: Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street (revival), Tess in the original company of Crazy for You, Mrs. Bixby in the original company of The Civil War, Ellie in Hal Prince’s Show Boat, Anytime Annie in 42nd Street. Other New York/off-Broadway: Mrs. Ford in Lone Star Love, Mary in The Jazz Singer, Beth in An Unfinished Song. Regional: Miss Hannigan in Annie, Countess in A Little Night Music, Vera in Mame. TV: Ryan’s Hope, Nickelodeon, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, numerous commercials. She will be seen in the 2009 summer season at Pittsburg CLO as the Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, and will take part in the reading of a new musical, Republic, presented by the Artists Theatre Group with music and lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn.
STEVEN LUTVAK has accomplished success in all aspects of music. He is a talented composer, lyricist, singer, and musical director. Steven is the only person to have won two awards from the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation. For his work on his new musical, Kind Hearts and Coronets, he and his principal collaborator, Robert L. Freedman, won both the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyric Writing, and the Fred Ebb Award for Songwriting. Kind Hearts and Coronets was developed at the Lab at the Sundance Theater Institute. Other awards include the Johnny Mercer Foundation Emerging American Songwriter Award, a new American Grant award from the NEA, two Bistro Awards, and three MAC Awards. His musical Almost September was honored with eight Bay Area Critics' Circle Awards and seven Drama-Logue Awards for its run at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto. His musicals have also been produced at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Philadelphia Theatre Company, and many others. He also scored off-Broadway's Hannah Senesh, which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. He served as the original musical director and orchestrator for Noel and Gertie at the Bay Street Theatre, and also as both vocal coach and vocal arranger for Laurie Anderson's Moby Dick.In film, Steven has composed music for Anything But Love and wrote the title track to the hit documentary Mad Hot Ballroom and also worked as musical consultant on the film The Cradle will Rock.
As a performer, Steven has performed at Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, the Russian Tea Room, Rainbow and Stars and to sold our houses around the country. Steven is also one of New York City's top vocal coaches whose clients include Jane Krakowski, Ron Rifkin, Donna Murphy, and Marisa Tomei.
His debut CD is called The Time it Takes.
KELLI O'HARA has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. She recently starred in the Tony-award winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, garnering a third Tony-nomination in the process. The year leading up to South Pacific was a busy one. With her critically acclaimed performance of Eliza Doolittle in the NY Philharmonic production of My Fair Lady, a Carnegie Hall debut, and the completion of her first album, Wonder in the World, Kelli was ready to dig into creating a new Nellie for the new century. A native of Oklahoma, Kelli received a degree in Opera, and after winning the State Metropolitan Opera competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasburg Institute. She made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde and followed it with Sondheim’s Follies, and Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow; and Dracula. In 2005, Kelli earned her first Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work in The Light in the Piazza. From there, she moved on to another critical success, the 2006 Tony award winning musical The Pajama Game with Harry Connick, Jr. She received further Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critic award nominations. In addition to her regional and Broadway performances, Kelli performed at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors as a part of a tribute to Barbara Streisand. She has appeared in numerous television and film projects. She and her husband Greg reside in New York and are expecting their first child in 2009.
BRAD ROSS as a musical director, composer, vocal coach, and pianist, Brad Ross was recently represented on Broadway by After the Night and the Music, a new Elaine May play at the Manhattan Theater Club for which he arranged & recorded the featured dance music. Brad has coached performers of all ages and levels of experience including master classes at Brandeis and at the University of Michigan Musical Theater Program. Brad's symphonic story for narrator and orchestra, A Family for the Baby Grand, was performed at The Kennedy Center by The National Symphony. His works have been produced at The Kennedy Center three times including a commission and production of The Tales of the Custard Dragon. His musical The Times (book & lyrics by multi-Emmy winner Joe Keenan, Frasier) won a Richard Rodgers Development Grant and was produced at The Long Wharf Theater. Other produced works include Little by Little at The York Theater off-Broadway and Beau Jest at The Hollywood Playhouse in Florida. Brad's music was featured by Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Recital Hall. His music has been broadcast on CNN, PAX-TV, The Learning Channel, and WOR radio. His R&B songs have been recorded by Gene "The Duke of Earl" Chandler and Jean Carne. He received his MFA from the NYU Graduate Musical Theater Program and a BA from Cornell.
CELESTE SIMONE has developed a well re-known NY based private voice studio, as well as performed around the world as a singer/comedienne. She has appeared in concert with Rita Moreno, Wayland Flowers and Madame, Linda Hopkins, Marty Allen, Kaye Ballard and the Pointer Sisters. Her television credits include the NBC series "FANTASTY" with Leslie Uggams and Tom Wopat, hostess for the MCTV’s "Cabaret Beat" and numerous television commercials. Celeste has directed over 400 cabaret shows and has been nominated for Best Director by the MAC Association. She directed "An NBC Christmas" featuring Alan Rachins (Dharma & Greg), and a concert at the Helen Hayes Theatre with Alan Ruck and Barry Boswick ("Spin City").As a vocal teacher and performance coach Celeste has worked with Kaye Ballard, Sally Kellerman, Loni Ackermann, David Shire and Chita Rivera. Celeste worked as vocal coach with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the film Phantom of the Opera. Her students have been seen in the Broadway productions of Lion King, Gypsy, Chicago, Nine, Wicked, and Spamalot, the recently seen concert version of South Pacific performed at Carnegie Hall with Reba MacIntyre, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Alec Baldwin, and the newest Tarzan appearing now on Broadway.
NIKOLE VALLINS currently works as a Casting Director at Binder Casting. Current Binder projects include A Chorus Line (Broadway and National Tour), Gypsy, Lion King, Grease, Passing Strange, Nice Work If You Can Get It, An American in Paris (Alley Theatre), Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Vanities and the Encores! series at NY City Center. Prior to working at Binder Casting, Nikole worked as a casting assistant at Dave Clemmons Casting.
TOMMAR WILSON has been on Broadway in: Hair, Hairspray, Lestat, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Ben Rogers), The Music Man, Never Gonna Dance. National Tours include Mamma Mia! (Eddie), and the first national tour of Ragtime. Regional: West Side Story (Riff-Trinity Repertory Company), Hair (Hud-Actors Theater of Louisville), Anything Goes with Chita Rivera (Papermill Playhouse), Godspell (St. Louis MUNY). Other favorites include Eugene Ionesco's The Killing Game (Old Man, Master), Six Degrees of Separation (Paul), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck), Measure for Measure (Claudio) and recent readings and workshops including Legally Blonde, The Flamingo Kid, Sunfish, The Boy in the Bubble, Elton John's The Vampire Lestat, 110 In the Shade starring Audra McDonald, Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theater, and No Boundaries for Manhattan Theater Club. Tommar is a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama B.F.A. Acting program.
ACTING STAFF
GLENN ALTERMAN is the author of Two Minutes and Under, (Volumes 1, 2, and 3), Creating Your Own Monologue, Promoting Your Acting Career, and many others. His recent book, The Perfect Audition Monologue, was honored by the National Arts Club in New York City. His plays Solace, Like Family, and The Pecking Order have all been recently optioned for films. A very prolific writer, Glenn’s plays have been honored at the Bloomington National Playwriting Competition, the Key West Playwriting Competition, and numerous others. His work has been performed at Primary Stages, Circle in the Square Downtown, the Turnip Festival, HERE, La MaMa, the Duplex, Playwrights Horizons, and at several theaters on Theatre Row in New York, as well as at many other theaters around the country. Glenn has lectured at colleges, universities, and acting schools all around the country and is one of the country’s foremost monologue and audition coaches, having helped thousands of actors search for and prepare monologues, as well as create their own material for solo shows. He lives in New York City, where he is working on a newly commissioned play, developing a recently optioned screenplay, coaching actors, giving seminars, and occasionally working in film and TV. His latest book of original monologues, 101 One Minute Monologues (Smith and Kraus), will be published in early 2006. He presently can be seen on TV in a series of commercials for American Express. www.glennalterman.com
BRIDGET BERGER Broadway: Jersey Boys (Mary Delgado), Curtains, The Pajama Game. First National Tour: Sweet Charity (Nickie opposite Molly Ringwald). Off-Broadway: The Voyage of the Carcass (SoHo Playhouse), Two Gentlemen of Verona (New York's Shakespeare in the Park). NY: The Merry Widow (Metropolitan Opera), Construction (Mint Theater), The Maid's Tragedy (HERE), Cindy Sings (Women's Project). Other: Toronto Fringe Festival, Hollywood Bowl. Film/TV: Farm Girl in New York, Late Night with Conan O'Brien (recurring). B.F.A. in acting, Carnegie Mellon University.
MARILYN CASKEY Broadway: Gypsy (Electra), Madame Giry and Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera, The American Clock, The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall. Norma in the Canadian Sunset Boulevard. National tour: Aldonza in Man of La Mancha. Rainbow and Stars: The Bernstein Revue (Bistro Award). Regional productions include DC's Arena Stage: Cunegonde in Candide, Lillian in Happy End (televised for PBS), Three Sisters, Imaginary Invalid, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Tempest. Goodspeed and Pittsburgh CLO: Kiss Me, Kate. Pittsburgh CLO: Camelot. Coconut Grove: Berlin to Broadway (Carbonell Award), Rebecca in Rags. Paper Mill Playhouse: Rebecca in Rags. TV: Law & Order.
NANCY CARSON, owner of the Carson-Adler Agency, is internationally respected for high quality representation of young performers. An expert in her field for nearly 30 years, Nancy has been interviewed often on international television and is sought after as a speaker at industry seminars throughout the U.S.As an advisor to the Actor’s Equity Association’s Children’s Committee, Nancy actively works for the rights of professional children. In the early 80s, she negotiated for her young clients and set the standard for requiring tutoring for children on tour, and was instrumental in getting mandatory tutoring written into the Equity Production Contract for Touring Companies. More recently, Nancy has been on the forefront of the movement requiring Broadway producers to provide tutoring starting with the rehearsal period and continuing until one week after opening night.
Nancy was also a leader in the movement toward non-traditional casting of children, representing the first African-American and Latino orphans in Annie, the first Asian and African-American girls to play 'Cosette' and the first girl to understudy Gavroche in Les Miserables. She is on the speakers panel of the Screen Actor’s Guild Young Performers Committee and is a member of the National Association of Talent Representatives. Nancy is also the author of Raising a Star - the parents’ guide to helping kids break into theater, film, television or music.
BONNIE DEROSKI is veteran show biz kid. As a teenager Bonnie appeared on stage, film, television and radio commercials along side such famous stars as Alan Alda, Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter and F. Murray Abraham. As an agent, Bonnie has represented Carson-Adler as a panelist for Broadway Artists Alliance, the TVI Actor’s Studio Young Professionals Workshop, Weist-Barron’s ACTeen and Kids Love Acting programs, and the SAG Young Performers workshop. Other related experience includes marketing, live television production, and coaching acting. Bonnie makes her home in Monmouth County, NJ; is the parent of an 11-year-old girl; and the Director of Children’s Ministry at her church. Bonnie represents babies thru teens with the Carson Adler Agency.
MICHELLE FEDERER grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio where she was a student of the Shaker Theatre Arts Department, and she gained early experience working under the direction of Carol Pribble in the critically acclaimed University School Theater Program, where she first worked and became friends with future Wicked castmate Michael Seelbach. Her Broadway debut was made in 2003 as Nessarose, the character she originated, in Stephen Schwartz's musical, Wicked. Michelle, who was the longest-remaining member of the original principals, left the production in 2006, and can be heard on the original Wicked, The Musical Soundtrack. Prior to Wicked, she had understudied the role of Adele Rice in the 2001, off-Broadway, Lincoln Center production of A Man of No Importance by Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens. Michelle has also been featured in many small film roles, such as Kinsey opposite Liam Neeson and Laura Linney. She also recently appeared in the independent film Flannel Pajamas. Michelle was featured in the Broadway play Three Days of Rain, in which she was the understudy for Julia Roberts in the roles of Nan and Lina. In 2007, she starred in the Atlantic Theatre Company's production of Anon as Allison. Federer returned to the Gershwin Theatre on October 27, 2008 and took part in The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, a selection of scenes and songs cut from early drafts of the musical Wicked She is married to long-time boyfriend (and former Wicked costar) Norbert Leo Butz.
PAUL GRIFFIN, a veteran actor and educator, is the President and Founder of City at Peace-National, a program that uses performing arts in youth-led development programs of artistic excellence to teach and promote cross-cultural understanding, conflict resolution, and leadership. Under Paul's direction, City at Peace now has programs in six U.S. cities and in ten communities in Israel and in Cape Town, South Africa. City at Peace has been featured on Nightline with Ted Koppel, and on HBO in a documentary entitled City at Peace. Prior to his work with City at Peace, Paul was Co-director of the Theater of Youth, and he was a company member of the No-Neck Monster Theater Co. in Washington, DC. Paul has directed the creation and performance of 10 original musicals written from improvisation by diverse groups of teens. His work has appeared at the Public Theater, Lucille Lortel Theater, John Jay College Theater, and the Arena Stage. Paul studied at the British American Drama Academy in London, England and was a member of Impro-Etc., an improvisational troupe performing improvised Shakespeare classics. He also studied and performed with Jerzy Grotowsky’s Polish Lab Theater. Paul attended Denver University and Indiana University, from which he received his B.A. in Acting/Theater and Drama.
STEPHEN GUARINO has been performing and touring as a professional comedian since he was 17. Originally from Orlando and starting at the renowned SAK Comedy LAB, he received a BFA in Musical Theatre from Florida State University and co-founded Dad's Garage Theatre Company in Atlanta. Stephen went on to co-create NYC's off-Broadway Hit The Nuclear Family, a fully improvised musical with longtime comedy partners Jimmy Bennett, John Gregorio, and Matthew Loren Cohen. The show was since then developed into a pilot called The Extended Family as part of Viacom's TV Lab and airs on the Sundance Channel. Film and TV credits include: The Wedding Bells (Ross), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Garrett), Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) (Alon), The Clique (Vincent), Last Men on Earth (Ricky), The Year that Trembled (Gilbert), etc.
His current TV series The Big Sketch Show produced by Rosie O'Donnell has exposed his comic talents to the film world with several features on the horizon.
ALLISON LANE recently wrapped the feature film The Video Guys (comedy, Dan Brennan Media) last winter. She also recently finished shooting lead roles in several feature films: Liars and Lunatics with Karen Lynn Gorney from Saturday Night Fever and The Sopranos (drama, Cube City Entertainment), Victoriana (drama, AppiaFilm), Changing the Odds (drama, Andeco Films/Cinema Arts Entertainment), Wreck (dramedy, Schiavo Productions), as well as supporting roles in American Standard (comedy, In the Can Production) and A Four Letter Word (comedy, Embrem Entertainment), which is now playing in theatres across the country. Allison has also recently shot lead roles in the short films The Riverbank (psychological thriller, OffStage Films), The Retoucher (suspense, Scott Lui Productions), College Daze (comedy, FairHaddad Productions), The Launch (mockumentary, Powell Productions), Bump in the Road (dramedy, Bulldog Productions), Soul Mate and Don't Argue (romantic comedies, Allenwood Productions). She has also recently filmed a lead role in the independent pilot Something Blue (drama, Circle of Fire Productions), as well as a co-starring role in The Amazing Johnathan Halloween Comedy Special. She has also been seen in guest starring roles on the Discovery Channel Pilot It's All Geek To Me and a leading role of Sue Murphy on the Warner Brothers Studio 2.0 mockumentary series Viralcom. She has also appeared several times on the sketch comedy show Uncle Morty's Dub Shack for ImaginAsian TV. Allison has also recently appeared on the NYC Stage in The East Village Chronicles (Metropolitan Playhouse - Nyla, lead), and Election Day (Triad Theatre - Heather, lead). Allison holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
JOE LANGWORTH is a casting director for Bernard Telsey Casting, Inc. At Telsey, Langworth is responsible for casting Broadway musicals, most notably the first Broadway revival of South Pacific opening at the Lincoln Center Theater. Joe, however, began his career as a professional dancer, and for over 15 years, appeared in numerous Broadway musicals, including the closing company of the original production of A Chorus Line, the Tony Award-winning production of Ragtime with Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell, and the 2001 revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies. He was also assistant dance captain of the national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. He has also directed and choreographed numerous regional productions.
MEGAN LARCHE, CSA is a freelance casting director and audition coach based in NYC. She began her career with Binder Casting, and was the casting director for the Broadway revival of Grease, A Chorus Line, The Times They Are A-Changin’, & The Lion King – children's casting; Film: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (20th Century Fox) – NY Casting Consultant, Hairspray (2007 New Line Cinema) – NY Dance Casting, Untitled Nancy Meyers Project (Universal Pictures) – casting associate; Television: Grease You’re the One That I Want; Web Series: The Underlings. National Tours: The Lion King – children’s casting; Regional: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (2004-2008 Producing Office productions), Happy Days, the Musical (Los Angeles). As casting associate, she worked on such Broadway shows as Sweet Charity, 42nd Street, Wonderful Town, & 16 Wounded, as well as 4 seasons of Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert. Currently she can be seen casting for A Chorus Line in the documentary Every Little Step (Sony Pictures Classics). In 2007, she joined Fox Theatricals as an assistant producer for Legally Blonde the musical on Broadway. She has also produced The Two Lives of Napoleon Beasley and Pvt. Wars while the Co-Artistic Director of the Incumbo Theater Company, a not-for-profit based in NYC. Megan has taught master classes and audition seminars at universities, colleges, high schools, and private studios across the country. www.meganlarchecasting.com.
NORM LEWIS currently playing King Triton in Broadway's The Little Mermaid. Other Broadway credits include: Les Misérables (Javert), Drama League nom.; Chicago (Billy Flynn); Amour; The Wild Party; Side Show (Jake); Miss Saigon (John); Tommy. Off-Broadway: Dessa Rose (Nathan), Drama Desk nomination, AUDELCO Award; Two Gentlemen of Verona (Valentine), Drama League nomination; Captains Courageous (Doc); A New Brain (Roger). Concerts: Chess (Molokov), Dreamgirls (Curtis), Golden Boy (Eddie) for Encores! Regional: Ragtime (Coalhouse), Dreamgirls with Jennifer Holliday (Curtis), The Fantasticks (El Gallo). Film/TV: Preaching to the Choir, Confidences, Mystery Woman, Cosby, Strong Medicine, All My Children, As the World Turns. Debut solo CD, early 2008. www.normlewis.com. Read about some of Norm's past work with Broadway Artists Alliance on BroadwayWorld.com!
JACK POGGI is the author of The Monologue Workshop now in its 5th printing. A graduate of Harvard and an acting teacher for over 20 years, Jack is considered the ultimate expert when it comes to finding material and coaching actors for auditions! He'll find what's right for you too! In this masterclass, Jack will share his unique technique to approaching monologues and find out about who you are as an actor and person. Jack has a great eye and is a joy to work with in a safe, supportive working environment!
HOLLY-ANNE RUGGIERO was recently voted Best Director of the Midtown International Theatre Festival for 2007 and her world premiere musical, Platforms, was featured as a top showcase in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Broadway directing credits include, Jersey Boys, Bill Crystal's 700 Sundays, Dracula, As You Like It, and Cover Girls. Other New York shows include Journey to Jersey Boys and The American Dream. Holly-Anne was the associate to Des McAnuff for three years on Broadway and at the La Jolla Playhouse. Artistic Director- ImPULSE Theatre in New York City. Upcoming theatrical events include City of Light, upon which Holly-Anne is directing, 8-Mile and A Fabulous Coat in the Impact theatre festival in Brooklyn. Holly-Anne is also a special guest director for The Yale School of Drama.
PAUL SCHAEFER is currently in the Broadway company of Phantom of the Opera understudying Raoul. National Tours: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy/Trevor u/s). Off-Broadway: My Life With Albertine. Recently performed title role in Beauty and the Beast in VA. Proud graduate of University of Michigan, proud member of AEA, proud husband of Miss Heather P.
ROSS STONER is an actor, director, singer, and educator. As an actor, roles include Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman, the musical (National Tour), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Henry V in Henry V, Austin in True West, and the title role in Phantom. Ross's New York directing work has been at the Zipper Theater, the Belt Theater, the Ontological Theater, the 78th Street Theater Lab, the Laurie Beechman Theater, and the American Globe Theater. He studied acting with Wynn Handman, speech with Catherine Fitzmaurice, and Shakespeare with Patrick Tucker and John Basil. He has directed or acted in sixteen of The Bard's thirty-eight plays. As a co-founder of TheDrillingCompany, he helped to create over fifty new works for the New York stage. He holds a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College, a Masters of Teaching from Lehman College, and a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
PENNY TEMPLETON is founder and master teacher of the Penny Templeton Studio, NYC. Her artistry is the culmination of four generations of theatre actresses. Although Penny was warned by her family, "Not to go on the stage," she embraced her legacy and began performing and studying under such masters as Paul Sorvino and Wynn Handman. Highlights of her career include starring in Joyce Carol Oates' I Stand Before You Naked at the American Place Theater, and as Paul Sorvino's wife in All The King's Men. Her unique coaching methods and techniques have garnered attention and recognition from industry peers. She has been called upon to offer her expertise for articles in national magazines. Ms Templeton is a member of the blue ribbon panel for the final judging for the Day Time Emmy Awards and has also been a finalist judge for the Cable Ace Awards and the New York Film Festival. In addition she has been invited to teach "Acting for the Camera" to the third year students in the Masters Program at Columbia University. Penny works with actors on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theater, as well as the mediums of Feature Film, Prime time and Daytime Television.
JENNIFER SWIDERSKI is a New York City based actress who has appeared in numerous productions throughout the city, and across the United States. A graduate of Florida State University (BFA Music Theatre- Cum Laude), she has been seen on the National Tours of The Drowsy Chaperone (Drowsy), and NEWSical, as well as in the National Tour and Seoul, Korea tour of Smokey Joe’s Café. She was also nominated for a 2006 Carbonell Award as Best Actress in Sisters of Swing, and an ACT Best nomination for her portrayal of Cassie in A Chorus Line. She has also appeared at the Signature Theater in the World Premiere productions of Kander & Ebbs Over & Over and Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar’s The Rhythm Club. During the summer of 2009, she will be playing the role of Vicki Nichols in The Full Monty at Merry Go Round Playhouse.
RECENT TONY® AWARD WINNING GUESTS
Jason Robert Brown
Beth Leavel
John Lloyd Young
Lea Salonga
John Gallagher, Jr.
Laura Benanti
Norbert Leo Butz
Michael Cerveris
BAA STAFF
Assistant Director: Tyrick Jones
Associate Director: Ross Stoner
Admissions Director: Michelle Lehrman
Dance Director: Kristi Coombs
Director of Development: Heather Parcells
Marketing and Merchandising Director: Laura McBride
Student Advisor: Elizabeth MacInnes
Audition Cooridinator: Jessa Rose
Work Study Coordinator: Kristi Coombs
Private Coachings, Studio Coordinator: Ross Stoner
Performance Advisors: Andi Hopkins, Martha Hart, Kevin Wallace, Sophia Hinshelwood, Allison Lane, Kristi Coombs, Ross Stoner, Jennifer Johns, Julie Danielson, Alexander Rovang, Jim Walton, Heather Parcells, Tyrick Jones, Holly Anne Ruggiero
Music Staff and Accompanists: Ross Stoner (Department Head), Alexander Rovang, Zachary Dietz, John Prestiani, Kevin Wallace, Julie Danielson, Eddie Rabin, Barry Hamilton
Acting Staff: Andi Hopkins (Department Head), Holly Anne Ruggiero, Jennifer Johns, Allison Lane
Dance Staff: Kristi Coombs, Jessa Rose, Andi Hopkins, Christopher Shepard, Kyle Mullins
WebMaster & Photographer: Laura McBride