TOM CREATORE   Drama Instructor - New Haven County

Tom is from Milford, CT and is a Kindergarten teacher in Bridgeport, CT. Tom graduated Summa Cumme Laude from New York University with a BA in Musical Theatre (Cap 21) and Education. He later received is Master's degree in elementary education from the University of Bridgeport. Tom's love for the stage began at the age of 12 starring the Hartford Stage Production of FALSETTOS. This lead to many more profession endeavors, including 14 months with the National Touring Company of "FOOTLOOSE Other stage credits include ALL SHOOK UP, A CHORUS LINE, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and THE WHO'S TOMMY. Tom recently directed and choreographed productions of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLE (Goshen Players), HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (Bristol Theatre Arts) and BLUE'S CLUES: THE MUSICAL (Thomaston Opera House). Tom's television credits include THE SOPRANOS, ONE LIFE TO LIVE and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. "Being able to share his love for performing with aspiring students is a true gift. I look forward to every minute of creativity!"

LARA MORTON    Acting Instructor

Lara native of the CT Shoreline. Ms. Morton graduated Daniel Hand High School in Madison and went on to study Theatre Arts Playwriting at both Hartwick College and the State University of New York at Oneonta.  Lara’s most noteworthy accomplishments/positions include: Drama Teacher of the acclaimed New Haven charter school Amistad Academy, The Tabor Arts Community Arts Center in Branford, Turkey Hill School in Orange, New York state’s B.O.C.E.S. and Evergreen Alternative School , Co-Producer and Public Relations Coordinator of ‘Branstock’, the annual free charity music and arts festival on the Branford Town Green (currently in its 10th year),  Artistic Director and Playwright-in-Residence of Yale-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention program The Open End Theater Company, Program and Education Director of Young Audiences of CT (Y.A.C.), co-Playwright/Creator of Prudence Crandall; Woman of Courage (a one-woman educational theatre piece commissioned by The Anti-Defamation League of CT and Y.A.C., touring Connecticut schools in Black History Month for over 12 years), creator of The Peacetown Puppet Players in Binghamton, NY (a musical theatre puppetry program aimed at teaching Violence and Bullying Prevention to grades pre-K to 5th grade), and former Program Director for the Broome County Mental Health Players (a program of the Mental Health Association, Binghamton, NY), a touring role-play/psychodrama company using volunteer actors and non-actors to address “social, psychological, and professional issues of import to the community.”

Lara Morton has also completed an original stage adaption of Kate Chopin’s classic American feminist novel ‘The Awakening’ (1899).

SHANNON BOLCER   Drama Instructor - Fairfield County

Shannon is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama. Studying with the CAP21 Musical Theater Conservatory, she was trained in singing, acting, and dance. She has performed in many great venues in NYC, and some well-known theaters in the Connecticut area including Long Wharf and the Westport Country Playhouse. Recently, she has been involved in many children's theater companies in the area, including Downtown Cabaret Children's Theater and the Fairfield Theatre Children's Company and is very excited to continue to work with children and share her love of the performing arts.

TOM PETERSON    Drama Instructor/Program Assistant - New Haven, Middlesex, and Fairfield County

Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts and Speech and attended the Herbert Berghof Studios in New York City for acting, directing, voice and script writing. A few of his teachers have been Austin Pendleton, Charles Nelson Reilly, Morris Carnovsky and John Fearnley (director/stage manager for Rogers & Hammerstein).As a director, Tom has worked on over 100 shows ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Simon and Sondheim. The more than 200 stage shows that he has acted in or directed have spanned Off-Broadway to College to regional to high schools. Most recently, Tom directed his own original play, “Peace Now,” in the Manhattan International Theatre Festival in New York City. He has been seen on television in a faux news report with Stephen Colbert on the Daily Show. In addition, Tom has taught acting to students from adults to grade school, including working with the Shubert Theatre in New Haven. Currently, Tom is a Professor of Communication at Southern Connecticut State University. He is married and has two children.

FRANK BORRELLI   Drama Instructor/Program Assistant - Hartford and Tolland County

Frank is an actor, director, educator who believes that the arts unite us all. Frank holds an MFA in Theatre/with concentrations in Directing & Theatre for Social Change from Rhode Island College in Providence, RI and has lectured both at Rhode Island College and Roger Williams University. Frank possesses teaching experience in theatre at the college, high school, and elementary school levels and is always amazed at how much he learns from his students. Theatre is Frank's greatest passion and he hopes to continue to be a positive influence in the lives of young theatre students. Frank is excited to be working with Performing Arts Programs and is grateful for the opportunity.

KATHLEEN MAHAN    Drama Instructor

JP MATTHEWS   Drama Instructor

JP loves to teach and work with children of all ages. He has taught acting for Rutgers University, CYT National Youth Theater, various private schools and youth theatre organizations, and also maintains a private practice in Manhattan. JP is currently undergoing a Master Teacher Mentorship with Scott Miller in NYU’s Graduate Acting Program.

Originally from Kansas City, JP has been acting professionally for 15 years and has performed off-Broadway with the Blue Man Group in New York City, The Dallas Theater Center, Kansas City Rep, Casa Manana in Fort Worth, TX, and Amphibian Stage Productions, a theater company that he has been a member of for 8 years. JP has also starred in national and regional commercials, feature films, and industrials. JP received his MFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and his BFA in Acting and Musical Theater from TCU. JP is represented by The Meg Pantera Agency in NYC.

Nick Checker, graduate of the University of Connecticut (BFA), has written a number of independent films that have been produced and shown in cinemas and made successful film fest rounds throughout the country. Nick has also written a controversial historical play, "Elegy For An Icon," that premiered at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT -- and was later adapted for use in an Emmy award winning documentary, "Mystic Voices." In addition, he wrote a play that was published by Eldridge Publishing, Florida -- "Kangaroo Court," a dark satire where animals put humans on trial. The play continues to be produced in various sectors of the country every year.
 
Most recently Nick wrote the screenplay for a supernatural film based on an old historic legend, "The Curse Of Micah Rood,""Welcome Back Kotter" TV series. Firesite Films premiered the film at Niantic Cinemas in Niantic, CT last December and it has been shown a number of times at cinemas and at prestigious film festivals. The next screening is at Olde Mistick Village Cinemas on October 30th, 2008.
Nick has performed in numerous plays and independent films and also teaches writing and acting to students in an age range including children, teenagers, adults, and senior citizens. He takes pride in the knowledge that a number of his students have gone on to utilize the crafts of writing and acting in their own pursuits.

Mariah is a professional actress and teacher. She earned her MFA in acting from Brown University and her BFA in Drama from NYU. Mariah has performed with theaters across the country including; The Cleveland Playhouse, Trinity Rep (Providence, RI) and The Public Theater (NYC). Mariah has taught acting to grades 1-12 as well as to University students at Brown, NYU, and Quinnipiac University and she is very excited to be working with the children of Performing Arts Programs this session.

DAVID McCAMISH    Drama Instructor

David has performed and directed throughout the US. He has taught acting and produced shows in NYC for the past six years. Recently he was seen on the boards in the Off-Broadway Comedia Del Arte Production of St. Arlecchino at the Lucille Lortell Theatre. Other recent Off-Broadway and NYC productions include the World Premier of Unbecoming, Measure for Measure, The Lark, Hamlet, Waiting for Godot, Henry V, Terkels' Race and The Boys Will Be the Boys in which David co-wrote and played the role of Stan Laurel. Some of his other Film credits include: Kate & Leopold, Private Parts, Looking for Harrison, Jungle to Jungle and HBO's Path to Paradise.

DARLENE VILLANOVA    Drama Instructor

Courtney is a Theatre Performance Major at Rhode Island College. She has worked in and around Boston, Providence and Connecticut as an Actor, Model and Dancer. Although she loves the stage, her focus is on acting for film and television. She can be seen in Spyglass Entertainment's 27 Dresses as Jane's Bridesmaid and as a waitress in Showtime's hit series Brotherhood. She has many independent film credits and has participated in the 48 Hour Film Festivals and the National Film Challenge. Her on screen credits include the comedies Movers and Makers and Left in Charge, the Sci-fi thriller The Pitch, directed by Daniel Lee White, the horror films Hiding Humans, Harmony, Rashomon in Pear Shape, The Bordon Home, as well as student projects such as the University of Rhode Island's Student Film Association's Happenstance. Projects in the preproduction include the comedy Bocce.

As a Theatre Major, Courtney has many stage credits including Rhode Island College's main stage production of Twelve Angry Women as Juror Four, the Community College of Rhode Island's production of Mary Brigit Poppelton Writes a Memoir, as Rene, an official selection of The Fringe Festival in New York City. She has also acted with Daydream Theatre Company in numerous original and well received shows.Throughout her performance career, Courtney has taken time to give back as an instructor, primarily in the performing arts and dance.

LAUREN ANNALDO    Drama Instructor

Lauren is currently attending St. Lawrence University and is looking forward to finishing her senior year with a BA in Performance and Communication Arts and a minor in Gender Studies.  During her time at SLU, she has worked with students teaching them acting skills and educating them the importance of the arts. Lauren was able to work alongside professional actors such as the winner of the 2008 Best Playwright, Clay McLeod Chapman. She has recently directed the annual murder mystery, The Deadly Brief Case and a 10 minute play, I Know Your Crazy, Taj say’s so. She hopes to continue to work and be involved with theater while also working with children professionally.

JACQUELINE SEREBRANI-KESNER    Drama Instructor

I am an interdisciplinary arts educator, drama specialist, theatre director, playwright and writer. In addition to teaching, curriculum development and private consultation, I have lead artist-in-residency programs Off-Broadway, in regional theatre, for public and private schools and universities. My work spans cross-cultural populations including students with learning differences. Much of my work also focuses on social issues that have deep significance for students at all strata of society. I am currently Director of Creative Arts Enrichment, an interdisciplinary arts company that provides residency programs, teaching training and individual and group consultation/workshops. I am also a Creative Director at Auracana; a film, television and digital marketing/content development company. I received my bachelors from SUNY/Loughborough University UK, and a Master’s degree from Emerson College, Boston, MA. I believe students of all ages learn best through a thoughtfully guided process that ignites their interest in learning. When a teacher carries an enthusiasm and interest, so too will their students.  I strive in my work to wake people up, to really see…to live fully, to love learning completely, from the inside out.

KACEE STAITI   Drama Instructor

Kacee graduated from Stonehill College with a BA in Communications and a minor in Elementary Education, where she was actively involved with the Stonehill Theatre Company (both on and off the stage). Kacee has experience as a performer, assistant director, assistant stage manager, props master, sound/light board operator, and costume coordinator. She has taught acting classes for the Operatunity Performing Arts Center and The Orpheum Academy, and serves as a member of the Executive Board for The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company of Boston/Wakefield. She was recently nominated for two “Distinguished Achievement and Special Honors” awards from the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres for her supporting role in The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company’s production of the musical I Love You Because, (a Boston area premiere production) and for her work as Co-Props Master for a production of Bat Boy: The Musical. Some of Kacee’s favorite performance credits include: Into the Woods (Little Red Ridinghood), The House of Blue Leaves (Bananas Shaugnessy), Urinetown (Little Sally), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Protean). Kacee is excited for the opportunity to share her enthusiasm and love for theatre as a teacher with Performing Arts Programs.