Theater Classes, Acting Classes, Theater Workshops for Kids in New York

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JESSICA ROFÉ, Artistic Director/Casting Director
Artistic Director/Casting Director, Jessica’s love of the performing arts began at an early age. At the age of 10, Jessica performed on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in a benefit for famed choreographer, Agnes DeMille. She shared the stage with some of the biggest legends in the business that night, including Tommy Tune and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Jessica continued her studies at the prestigious University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre Conservatory Program. After graduation, she received her Masters in Secondary Education at New York University, where she graduated with honors.

As a Casting Director at Nancy Hayes Casting, Jessica worked on Philip Kaufman’s feature film, Twisted starring Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson and Andy Garcia, the Indie feature, The Zodiac starring Grey’s Anatomy’s, Justin Chambers, Kieran Culkin and Robin Tunney as well as the television series, Presidio Med starring Dana Delany, Christine Baranski, and Blythe Danner and Monk starring Tony Shaloub. With Barden Schnee Casting, Jessica worked on the new Comedy Central Sketch Series, Important Things with Demetri Martin. Jessica has also cast many commercials, voiceovers, industrials, and print ads in both New York and California.

Jessica also has extensive experience on the agency side of the business, having worked for two of New York’s premier talent management firms, Don Buchwald and Associates and the Professional Artists Agency.

Jessica can be seen in the feature film The Zodiac, numerous commercials and print ads.

trent TRENT KOWALIK , Tony Award® Winning Actor
Trent made his Broadway debut in BETM. He previously performed the role of Billy on London’s West End. Trent originated the role in NY along with Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez; the three teens went on to jointly win the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” in June 2009. Trent also won the prestigious Theatre World Award in ’09, the 30 under 30 award for the best actors/actresses, and others too numerous to mention. Trent has made many TV appearances, including interviews on all of the major networks and on radio shows. He has also been featured in magazines, such as Vogue. He is the winner of national and regional dance titles under the direction of Dorothy Medico, Dorothy’s School of Dance, Bellmore, NY, and five-time undefeated National Step Dancing Champion and World Champion under the direction of Sean Reagan, Inishfree School of Irish Dance.

C.K. Edwards, Broadway actor
Graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Musical Theater and, since choosing his major, has performed in over 50 theatrical productions in unique venues all over the country. The bulk of those said productions include handfuls of 42nd Street, Anything Goes, and Thoroughly Modern Millie, among many more musicals involving heavy dosages of tap dancing – a medicine he feels isn’t prescribed enough. CK’s addiction to the art of tap dance mysteriously came about when he was 8 years old. His parents found him completely awestruck after re-watching clips of the late Gregory Hines in the movies “White Nights” and “Tap.” Fortunately, CK has since been blessed with many opportunities to find dance floors flowing with talented master tap artists including Arthur Duncan, Diane Walker, Jason S. Smith, and even his idol (Gregory Hines), to name a few. Now, there is seldom a moment you’d cross this young man sans tap shoes. This working entertainer is currently expressing himself in the ensemble of Broadway’s Billy Elliot.

Marissa Perry – Blessed to have been a working actor and member of AEA since age 18, Marissa has had quite the crazy ride.

Marissa originated the role of “Kit” in David Zipple’s “Princesses”, which World Premiered at Goodspeed Opera House and had it’s Pre-Broadway run at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle. She has appeared in many cabarets and fundraising events as a guest talent all over New York City, including the York Theater, Birdland, the Duplex and other venues. Marissa has played Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray at Weston Playhouse and at the Marriott Theater in Chicago. While playing Tracy at Weston Playhouse, Marc Shaiman, composer of Hairspray, found her and tossed her onto the Broadway stage. Marissa is one of 5 women to ever play the role full time on Broadway and was a part of the closing cast. Marissa believes in actively seeking out your biggest dreams and dedicates her career to those who chase after the things they want.

Jerad JERAD BORTZ

Broadway: Wicked (u/s Fiyero), The Pirate Queen (original company), Mamma Mia! (u/s Sky, u/s Eddie), Actor’s Fund Benefit Chess and Hair.
Readings/Workshops: Sweet Charity, Robin Hood, Flyer the musical.
Regional: Anything Goes (Billy Crocker), La Cage Aux Folles (Jean-Michel), Gypsy (Tulsa), Miss Saigon. With partner Steven Skeels and through their Angelic 13 Productions, CPNY the musical (book, additional music & lyrics, director), Flesh & Spirit (co-creator, director), two numbers for Defying Inequality: the Broadway Concert.

The Tony, Grammy, and Emmy nominated Dani Davis and Jason Howland of Half Pint Productions have over 20 years of combined Broadway musical development experience, having produced, supervised, and/or worked on the creative teams for more than 15 successful Broadway shows including Les Miserables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War, Taboo, The Wedding Singer, The Lonesome West, Little Women the musical, and myriad related Broadway national tours. Together they have conducted over 18,000 auditions, and have brought their expertise to their highly successful “boot camp” for Broadway actors: Half Pint Studios. Studio members can be found in most of Broadway’s current musicals including Wicked, Hair, Ragtime, and The Lion King.

This year, Handel’s Messiah Rocks, written and directed by Howland and Davis, with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, Tony winner LaChanze, and Tony nominee J. Robert Spencer. airs nationally on PBS and is available on the Sony Masterworks label.

Davis is a director, lyricist, Broadway Producer, and former Broadway performer. She is a graduate of Duke University. Howland is a Broadway composer (Little Women the musical), music producer, arranger, and conductor.Howland is a graduate of Williams College. Visit www.halfpintstudios.com.

CHELSEA KROMBACH Broadway: Chelsea is currently in the Broadway smash hit, Promises, Promises! starring Kristen Chenoweth & Sean Hayes. Other Broadway credit: Wicked (Elphaba understudy). Other credits: Aida (Amneris), Lippa’s The Wild Party (Queenie), Pasek and Paul’s Edges. Check out her jazz album, Profile.

Gayle Keller is a New York based casting director casting mostly television and film. Her resume includes a wide variety of television episodics including: Law & Order Criminal Intent, Conviction, Deadline, Six Degrees, The Unusuals and Bored To Death. She is currently casting a new series for F/X starring the comedian, Louie C K. Her film credits include the independent features, Life During Wartime, Forgetting the Girl, Watching TV with the Red Chinese and Welcome to Academia. She has also done kid searches for the features Marley & Me, The Last Mimzy and The Horse Whisperer.

CELIA KEENAN-BOLGER Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Tony Award Nomination, Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble, Theatre World Award) Les Miserables (Drama Desk Nomination). Off Broadway: Saved (Playwrights Horizons), Juno (City Center Encores), Little Fish (Second Stage), Summer of ’42 (Variety Arts), Kindertransport (MTC). Favorite regional credits include Johanna in Sweeney Todd (Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration), Emily in Our Town (Intiman), Clara in The Light In The Piazza (Goodman) and Molly in Peter And The Starcatchers (La Jolla). Concerts: The American Songbook Series Evening With Adam Guettel, An Evening With Audra McDonald, The Secret Garden (Martha) The University of Michigan 25th Anniversary At Hill Auditorium. Recordings: Spelling Bee, Bright Lights Big City, and Broadway Musicals Of 1930. TV: Law & Order, Heartland. Celia is a graduate of the University Of Michigan Musical Theater Department.

Jennifer Rudin was Director of Casting and Talent Development for Disney Theatrical Productions in New York City from 2007-2009. From 2002-2007, Jennifer served as head of casting for Walt Disney Animation Studios and won the 2006 Artios Award for casting Chicken Little. Additional animated films include Meet the Robinsons (2007 Artios Nomination), The Wild (2006 Artios nomination), Academy Award Winning film The Incredibles and Academy Award nominated Brother Bear. Upcoming films include The Princess and the Frog (starring Anika Noni Rose) and Rapunzel. In Los Angeles, Jennifer cast the Los Angeles premiere of Jason Robert Brown’s musical “13”, winner of the 2008 LA Drama Critics Circle Award. Jennifer has taught Master Classes at NYU, Boston Conservatory, Northwestern University, Emerson College, Webster University, Baylor University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Colorado at Boulder and University of the Arts.

Prior to joining Disney in 2002, Jennifer was a freelance casting director for film and theater in New York City. Her independent films have premiered at such prestigious film festivals as the Tribeca Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the Hamptons Film Festival and the Hollywood Film Festival, among others. Jennifer served as resident Casting Director from 2001-2002 for the esteemed Ensemble Studio Theater in New York City. Her other theater credits include the national tour of “The Syringa Tree” directed by Larry Moss; “Theater District” (Steppenwolf Theater); HB Playwrights Foundation, the Young Playwrights Festival, and New York Stage & Film. She has also cast hundreds of national television commercials; including the famous “Can you hear me now?” campaign for Verizon. Upcoming films include include Peter Bogdanovich’s Squirrels to the Nuts and Greener Pastures: A Roberto Clemente Story.

Jennifer was a professional child actress from age eight to seventeen and starred in numerous television movies, plays and commercials. She is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a past Board Member for the Casting Society of America.

Michelle Kittrell originally hails from Atlanta, Georgia and has performed in eight Broadway shows and won the Gypsy Robe Award three times. Most recently she has been seen in the Broadway musical, Legally Blonde, where in addition to playing D.A. Joyce Riley she was also the dance captain. She also has appeared in the Broadway hit, Hairspray, as the dance captain as well as playing the role of Penny Pingleton. Additional Broadway credits include: All Shook Up, Bebe “Bubbles” Baker in Urban Cowboy, the Senator’s Girlfriend in Sweet Smell of Success starring John Lithgow, Seussical starring Rosie O’Donnell, Footloose, Wonderful Town (Encores) and Grease! Michelle has toured the U.S. with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease!, Footloose as well as Europe playing the role of Lorraine in 42nd Street. She has performed regionally as Velma Kelly in Chicago, Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, Graziella in West Side Story, Millie in Good News! in addition to working with Tommy Tune in the workshop of Easter Parade. On television she has appeared on “Law & Order”, “Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods,” Live with Regis and Kelly”, “Broadway: An American Musical”, “Miss America Pageant” with Tony Danza, “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”, “The View, “This is the Moment” with Donny Osmond as well as numerous appearances on the “Today Show” and “Good Morning America.”

MATTHEW LABANCA, Broadway actor recently appeared on Broadway in Young Frankenstein. He covered the title role, and, during previews in NY, stepped into the part for over a week to cover an ailing leading actor, performing the role to critical acclaim.

Matt’s Broadway touring credits include leading roles in productions of Crazy for You, Anything Goes, and The King and I. Matthew also toured the United States with the Broadway company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and can be heard singing a solo track on the 2005-2006 touring cast album. Other albums include Broadway composer Billy Solly’s Greatest Hits, Vol 5, and On The Transmigration of Souls (2004 Grammy Award for Classical Album).

Broadway: Young Frankenstein (Hilton Theatre), Children and Art (New Amsterdam Theatre), the upcoming show, (First Wives Club). Off Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities (Lamb’s Club Theatre), Angel on My Shoulder (York Theatre Co.), and Oliver’s Idea (York Theatre Co.).

JUDINE SOMERVILLE, Broadway actor & Co-Camp Director
is a Broadway actor who was most recently featured as part of the singing trio sensation, The Dynamites, in the smash-hit, Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Hairspray for which she received the historic Gypsy Robe which is awarded to the original cast member who has performed in the most Broadway musicals. Other Broadway credits include On The Town, The Life, Crazy For You and Late Nite Comic. Ms. Somerville also received critical acclaim for her performances as Rita White in the world premiere of the musical Me & Mrs. Jones starring Lou Rawls and as Helene in Sweet Charity starring Donna McKechnie. Her National Tours include Barry Manilow’s Copacabana with Gavin Mcleod and Jekyll & Hyde starring Chick Wagner. Her many television appearances include,The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show CBS,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Rosie O¹Donnell Show, The Caroline Rhea Show,The VH-1 Vogue Awards, The Ricki Lake Show and PBS-TV’s Spirit. Ms. Somerville has also performed on The Tony Awards, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Grammy Awards and at The New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Somerville has sung the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden and is a former member of The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.

ANDREA McARDLE, Andrea first captured the hearts of theatergoers everywhere in 1977 when she originated the title role in the mega-musical Annie. As Annie she became the youngest performer ever to be nominated for a Tony Award as Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She also received the Theater World and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards for the girl with the red hair and big voice. She subsequently conquered London with her portrayal of Little Orphan Annie in the West End. Andrea was then tapped to portray Judy Garland in the NBC television movie Rainbow which proved that her talents translated to film. She has starred in several Broadway musicals, in New York, nationally and internationally. She has performed in concert halls from Carnegie Hall to the Las Vegas Hilton to the Hong Kong Philharmonic as well as several remarkable televisions appearances through the years including Johnny Carson, Merv Griffen and Dinah Shore shows along with several PBS concerts from the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. She has honed her craft by working with some of the legends o the entertainment industry such as Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Julie Andres, Bob Hope, Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Steve Martin and Martin Short, to name a few.

SIERRA BOGGESS, made her Broadway debut as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. In addition to that, she most recently was seen in Music in the Air at City Center Encores. She also starred as Christine in Phantom Las Vegas, where she originated the role under the direction of Hal Prince. Other: the national tour of Les Misérables; West Side Story (Maria); the world premiere of Princesses (Binky) at Goodspeed and 5th Avenue, Seattle; soloist, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series: The Lyrics of David Zippel. BFA, Millikin University (Decatur, IL).

JENNIFER CODY, Broadway Actor
Jennifer Cody has performed in over 21 Broadway, off-Broadway and National tours. On Broadway, she has performed in Urinetown, Taboo, Pajama Game, Seussical the musical, Beauty and the Beast, Grease, Cats, Best Little Whorehouse,No No Nanette and currently…Shrek the musical. She received a Drama League nomination for originating the role of Annie in Henry and Mudge. She can be heard on many cast recordings including Andrew LIppa’s The Wild Party and Vincent Yoeman’s Through the Years. She has had the opportunity to work with amazing artists both onstage and off like Neil Simon, Jon Secada, Boy George, Shirley Jones Jeannine Tesori, David Linsey-Abaire, and Sandy Duncan. On television, she has been seen on Law and Order and Rosie LIve and is excited about the upcoming Disney feature film, Princess and The Frog where she will be Charlotte La Beouff.

ED LEWIS, Casting Director for T.V., Film & Theatre
Ed Lewis has been working in casting for ten years. Currently, he is the Casting Director of Wonder Pets, an animated Nickelodeon series, Team Umizoomi, a live action series for Nick Jr. and Noggin and the upcoming Broadway show, Popcorn. Other credits include: Human Giant – MTV, M. Nigh Shymalan’s The Happening, The Frog Princess-Disney, the indie feature, Favorite Son, the ABC Episodic, Six Degrees, the Fox pilot, Wedding Album, the Untitled Noah Baumbach feature, and We Own the Night. Ed was the East Coast Casting Coordinator for Fox and wod worked on 24, Tru Calling, Prison Break, North Shore, Windfall, Briar & Graves, the Inside, Point Pleasant, Kitchen Confidential, Killer Instinct, Head Cases, Murderbrook, The Loop, Don’t Ask, Wedding Chapel, Dirtbags, Peep Show and HBO’s, The Wire. Films with Pat McCorkle include: Secret Window, Funny Money, Bereft, Tony n Tina’s Wedding, Basic, Rollerball. TV with McCorkle: Hack, Chappelle’s Show, The L Word, Monday Night Mayhem, 2 Down Under-Noggin pilot, Family Affair-WB pilot, My Louisiana-Showtime, Snow in August, Out of Order, The Education of Max Bickford-CBS, Strangers with Candy-Comedy Central, Word of Honor, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Wildcard, Ruby’s Bucket of Blood, Walter and Henry, The Lot. Broadway: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Bobbi Boland, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus.

STEVE BLANCHARD, the longest running actor to have played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway!

BROADWAY: Beauty and the Beast (Beast & Gaston) Camelot (Lancelot), A Christmas Carol (Fred), The Three Musketeers (Arimus understudy) NATIONAL TOURS : Camelot, Phantom of the Opera, A Funny Thing Happened…, West Side Story, Hans Christian Anderson. OFF BROADWAY: Frankenstein, Johnny Guitar, An Oak Tree, Moby Dick REGIONAL: Chess, Esmeralda TV: Ed, Police Story, Third Watch, Law & Order, Sunseat Beat, Rapmaster Ronnie, One Life to Live, Another World, Guiding Light, Superior Court. Steve was the longest running actor to have played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. He played the role for a record 8 years!

NANCY OPEL
A graduate of the Juillard School. Recently appeared in Polish Joke at Manhattan Theatre Club for which she received a Lucille Lortel nomination. She received a Tony Award nomination for her performance as Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown. Other Broadway credits: Triumph of Love, Anything Goes, Sunday in the Park with George, Teddy and Alice and Evita. She has appeared in a number of David Ives’ plays: Lives of the Saints, Mere Mortals, Don Juan in Chicago and All in the Timing. Also: Wiseguys, On a Clear Day… (Encores! revival); Hundreds of Hats; and Personals. TV/Film: “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Law & Order,” Marci X, The Ice Storm, Second Skin.

EMILY SKINNER
Emily recently starred on Broadway as Miss Mona in the Actor’s Fund concert of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the August Wilson Theater. Other Broadway; Side Show (Tony nomination, Drama League Award), Jekyll & Hyde, James Joyce’s The Dead, The Full Monty and Dinner at Eight (Outer Critics Circle nomination). National Tour: Disney’s On the Record. With City Center’s Encores: No Strings, Pardon My English, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Broadway Bash. Off-Broadway: leading roles at the WPA Theater, Playwright’s Horizons, Manhattan Theater Club, York Theater, The Paramount Theater at Madison Square Garden. Regional: multiple shows at The Kennedy Center, McCarter, Long Wharf, The Old Globe, Ford’s Theater, St. Louis MUNY, TheaterVirgina. She has directed and performed in numerous BROADWAY BY THE YEAR concerts at Town Hall. Recordings: countless cast albums and audio books, Duets; Unsuspecting Hearts; Skinner/Ripley Raw at Town Hall (all with Alice Ripley); Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens; The Stephen Sondheim Album; Wall to Wall Sondheim; Believe: The Songs of The Sherman Brothers; The Stephen Schwartz Album, 20th Century Fox’s animated feature Anastasia; and her self-titled solo CD.

JESSICA BOEVERS
Broadway: Jenny in In My Life (original cast), Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (original revival cast), Eponine in Les Misérables , Philia in Forum (original revival cast), Maureen in Rent , Belle (cover) in Beauty and the Beast and Petra in A Little Night Music at The New York City Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Regional: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (La Jolla Playhouse in association with Aquila Theatre Co.); Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story and Eliza in My Fair Lady (Walnut Street); Ophelia in Hamlet (Colonial); Mrs. Millimant in The Way of the World (Yale Rep); Sarah in The Ballad of Little Jo (Steppenwolf, directed by Tina Landau); productions at Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Goodman, Geva, and the Apple Tree Theatre in Chicago, where she is Artistic Associate and directed Eve Ensler’s Necessary Targets and Michael John LaChiusa’s Hello Again.

JENEVIEVE BREWER-ABOUTFACE specializes on commercials, print, voiceovers, industrials, hosting and trade shows. Some of her recent bookings include national spots for Verizon, Advair, Time Warner Cable, Ipod, Subway, Tyson and Ebay. Recent print bookings include AT&tT Timberland and Nike just to name a few. Aboutface is always looking for new types, all ages.

KRISTY CATES
Original Broadway Cast of Wicked (ensemble/Elphaba understudy). Kristy then went on to a year long run as Elphaba in the Chicago production of Wicked. She was most recently seen the Human Race Theatre production of Stephen Schwartz’s “Snapshots.” Off Broadway/ Regional: Boobs! The Musical, Princess Ida, St. Louis MUNY, The Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre , North Bay Opera, The Playhouse on the Green, The Eugene O’Neill Conference and the NY Fringe Festival. NYC/Chicago concerts: Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex, Joe’s Pub, Laurie Beechman Theatre, and a sold out series “An Evening with Kristy Cates” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center. She was honored to be a National Anthem soloist for the Chicago Bears, Bulls and White Sox. BFA: Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. Proud member of AEA.

BARBARA COLEMAN, Innovative Artists NY
Barbara has been representing children, teens and young adults since 1981. During the past 25 years, she has worked as an agent for feature films, television series, theater, & commercials. Head of the Youth Talent Commercial division of Innovative Artists NY, she represents talent for all ages of commercials, as well as animation. Two current hit series: Disney’s LITTLE EINSTEINS and Nickelodeon’s THE WONDER PETS! Other clients include national commercials for Disney World, The Cartoon Network, Johnson & Johnson, Huggies, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Ipod, Coca-Cola, Sprint & Mastercard. Barbara has represented many high profile actors such as Macaulay Culkin, Ethan Hawke, James Van der Beek, Marlon Wayans, Melissa Joan Hart, Lauryn Hill & Jennifer Connelly. Her career path has also included working with Julia Stiles, Lindsay Lohan, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater, Lacey Chabert, Matt LeBlanc, and Cynthia Nixon when they were children.

BARRETT FOA
Broadway: Princeton & Rod in Avenue Q, Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and the original cast of Mamma Mia! Off-Bway: The Drunken City (Playwrights Horizons, spring ‘08), Jesus in Godspell (2000 cast recording), Cupid in Cupid & Psyche. Regional: Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing (Mark Lamos, dir. Hartford Stage/Shakespeare Theatre, D.C.), Karel in The Lady In Question (by and starring Charles Busch, Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor), Frederic in Pirates! and the evil Mordred in Camelot (both at Paper Mill). Leading roles in Henry Krieger’s Kept (TheatreWorks in CA), Just So (North Shore), The Fantasticks (St. Louis Muny), Gypsy (Weston Playhouse), Children of Eden and The Sound of Music (MT Wichita). Numerous readings with Project Shaw and Food For Thought. TV: “Six Degrees.” Proud: Actors’ Equity member, native New Yorker, Interlochen Arts Camper, University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department graduate.

PATRICK GOODWIN
Patrick Goodwin joined Telsey + Company in 2006 after graduating summa cum laude from Drew University with degrees in Theatre Arts and Political Science. Telsey + Company’s Broadway casting includes 9-to-5, Reasons to be Pretty, Blithe Spirit, Next to Normal, Rock of Ages, Desire Under the Elms, You’re Welcome America…, Rent, Wicked, In the Heights, South Pacific, Hairspray, Speed-The-Plow, Equus, Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair, The Homecoming, Talk Radio, Company, November, Grey Gardens, The Color Purple, The Rocky Horror Show, All Shook Up, Tarzan, and Sweeney Todd and the upcoming productions of Spider-Man, The Addams Family, and Catch Me If You Can. Some of Telsey + Company’s off-Broadway casting credits include 50 Words, Wit, The Third Story, The Fantasticks, Almost an Evening, De La Guarda and several theatre companies including the Atlantic Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Westport Playhouse, New York Theater Workshop, Drama Dept, ACT in San Francisco, La Jolla Playhouse, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, The Hartford Stage Company, and The Goodman Theatre. Film credits include 17 Photos of Isabel, Rachel Getting Married, Sex and the City: The Movie, Across the Universe, Dan in Real Life, Pieces of April, Rent, and many more. Telsey + Company is also responsible for casting several national tours, commercials, and television projects.

PAIGE BLANSFIELD
Paige Blansfield has been with Tara Rubin Casting since 2007, working on the Broadway, Tour, and Las Vegas productions of Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot, Shrek, The Country Girl, Rock N’Roll, The Farnsworth Invention, …Young Frankenstein, Mary Poppins, Spamalot, Jersey Boys, and The Phantom of the Opera. Prior to joining the team at TRC, Paige spent four years at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey as the Assistant to the Artistic Director, and just returned to their Main Stage as Choreographer for their December 2009 production of The Winter’s Tale.

KAITLIN HOPKINS
Broadway: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Noises Off, Anything Goes (concert/Lincoln Center). Off Broadway:The Great American Trailer Park Musical, BARE, Nicky Silver’s Beautiful Child (The Vineyard Theatre), Bat Boy-The Musical (Drama Desk/Ovation nomination). Regional: The Opposite of Sex (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Disney’s On The Record (National tour), Shaw’s The Philanderer (South Coast Repertory/Ovation nomination), She Loves Me (The Reprise Series/Ovation nomination), Present Laughter and Blithe Spirit (The Pasadena Playhouse), John Adams’ opera I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw The Sky (International tour/Lincoln Center) directed by Peter Sellars. Kaitlin has recorded over 20 radio plays including: The Heidi Chronicles, Working and Proof with Anne Heche (LA Theater Works/NPR). Film/Television includes: The Nanny Diaries, Trust the Man, How To Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog with Kenneth Branagh, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, Little Boy Blue, “Law and Order SVU,” “Six Degrees,” “Law and Order CI,” “Rescue Me,” “Spin City‚” “Providence,” “The Practice,” “Star Trek Voyager,” “Deep Space Nine,” “JAG,” “The Division,” “Wings” and three years as Dr Kelsey Harrison on “Another World.” Kaitlin is a founding advisory board member for The William Inge Festival, The Edward Albee Theater Conference, and The Pasadena Playhouse Outreach Program. She also served as Co-Artistic Director for The Ojai Playwright’s Conference, a panel member for The NFAA and a judge for The Irene Ryan Awards.

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 Teaching Lab, 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.

LESLIE KRITZER was most recently seen in her Drama Desk nominated portrayal of Pickles in The Great American Trailer Park Musical, for which the New York Times called her “Flat-out hilarious, a consistent source of off-kilter brilliance.” The Times hailed Leslie as “A young dynamo with Judy Garland’s chops”, for her starring turn as Fanny Brice in the PaperMill Playhouse production of Funny Girl. She has worked regionally in such musicals as Tell Me On A Sunday at the Kennedy Center, Company at Pittsburgh CLO (Marta), Joseph… at Casa Manana (the Narrator), Babes in Arms at the Goodspeed Opera House (Baby Rose), Grease at PaperMill Playhouse (Rizzo) and the world premiere of Vanities at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto. Leslie was privileged to attend the Sundance Theater Lab, performing in Richard Forman’s Teddy Bears and Charles Mee’s Wintertime. She has appeared on Broadway in Hairspray, Off-Broadway in Bat Boy (Shelley) and Godspell, and on tour in Urinetown (Little Becky). As a concert artist, Leslie has been featured all over the world, most notably singing alongside Alan Menken and Tim Rice at Royal Albert Hall in London (An Evening with Tim Rice). She has sung at Town Hall (Broadway Musicals of 1951 with a live album available on Bayview Records) and can be heard on the cast recordings of Godspell (Fynsworth Alley) and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Sh-K-Boom). Leslie holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and is thrilled to be returning to Broadway in the spring with Legally Blonde. She is currently developing her next solo project, Rifftina…Riff Masta to the Stars.

TONY MANSKER
Broadway actor, MARY POPPINS. As an original cast member, Tony performs every night in MARY POPPINS, while understudying the principle role of BERT. Other credits include: West Side Story (US and International Tours), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, 42nd Street, Singin’ in the Rain, Footloose, Cabaret, Oklahoma, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Wizard of Oz. 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 credits include Footloose at the Trump Taj Mahal, and The Who’s Tommy for Surflight Theatre. Tony is a proud graduate of New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts; BFA in Theatre.

JAN NEUBERGER
Jan was a member of the original cast of Wicked, in which she delivered the green baby nightly and stepped in frequently—nearly 100 times—as Madame Morrible. Also on Broadway: Original casts of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Grandma Who); Big (Miss Watson); A Change in the Heir (Martha); and the 1974 revival of Gypsy. Off-Broadway: All in the Timing; Forbidden Broadway ’84 and ’85; Henry IV Parts 1&2 (Mistress Quickly/LaMama Etc.); Rags (Rachel/American Jewish Theatre revival); Chirstina Alberta’s Father (Mrs. Bone/Vineyard Theatre); etc. Regional favorites: You Can’t Take it With You (Penny/ Pittsburgh Public); On the 20th Century (Letitia/Goodspeed Opera); Pirates of Penzance (Ruth/Guthrie Theatre); Thornton Wilder Rediscovered (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Nine (Necrophorous/Paper Mill Playhouse); etc. Much, much stock and many concerts. Big screen, “The Producers,” “Exorcist III;” small screen, “Out of the Box” (Dr. Needlewheedle). Member A.E.A. since 1974. Jan studied acting with Michael Howard and was accepted in 2000 to the President’s Group of the British American Drama Academy , where she studied Shakespeare with Jane Lapotaire, Henry Goodman, Michael Langham, Fiona Shaw, and the legendary John Barton.

NIKOLE VALLINS, Jay Binder Casting
Jay Binder C.S.A.,along with his associates Jack Bowdan C.S.A., Mark Brandon and Sara Schatz have cast over 50 Broadway shows and the thireteen seasons of City Center’s Encores! Current Projects: Inherit The Wind, Grease, The West End production of The Lady From Dubuque, A Chorus Line, Journey’s End, The National Tour of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Gypsy, The Thirty Nine Steps, Happy Days, Is He Dead? Previous Broadway credits include: The Times They Are A- Changin’, Butley,Lestat, Well, Sweet Charity, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Movin’ Out, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Wonderful Town, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas , 45 Seconds From Broadway, Urinetown, 42nd Street, A Class Act, Seussical, The Dinner Party, Music Man, Iceman Cometh, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Sound of Music, Proposals, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Chicago, Once Upon A Mattress, The King and I, Damn Yankees, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Lost in Yonkers, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Jake’s Women, Goodbye Girl, Rumors, Encores!, Sixteen Wounded, Private Lives, Stones in His Pockets, Judgement at Nuremberg, Macbeth, Aida (development), Wrong Mountain, Minnelli on Minnelli, Kat and the Kings, More to Love, High Society, Golden Child, Proposals, Triumph of Love, King David, Juan Darien, Getting Away With Murder, Hamlet, On the Waterfront, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Broken Glass, Metro, Jake’s Women, Peter Pan, Meet Me In St. Louis, So Long Lonely Street.

KATE WETHERHEAD: Broadway credits include “Legally Blonde the Musical” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (original companies). Off-Broadway: “Sarah, Plain and Tall,” “Tatjana in Color,” “Cam Jansen” and “Summer of the Swans.” Regional: “Steel Magnolias” (Paper Mill Playhouse), “Almost, Maine” and “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” (St. Michael’s Playhouse), “The Spitfire Grill” (Skylight Opera Theatre). Kate most recently appeared in “WOOD” as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Coming up in December: the world premiere of “Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” at Goodspeed Opera House.

RAY WILLS has appeared on Broadway in The Producers, Wonderful Town, Big and Anna Karenina. As a featured member of the original cast of The Producers, Ray appeared in over 1000 performances in New York and Los Angeles, and as an understudy, performed the role of Max Bialystock 40 times, opposite Matthew Broderick, Martin Short, and Steven Weber. His many Off-Broadway credits include A Class Act, All in the Timing and The Rothschilds. Regionally, he appeared in the Ravinia Festival production of Anyone Can Whistle starring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris. Television credits include Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: SVU, all the daytime dramas, and recently the PBS Great Performances broadcast of Candide with the NY Philharmonic. Film work includes the current movie musical, The Producers, and Oliver Stone’s Nixon. Ray holds an MFA in Acting from Brandeis University, a BA in Speech Communication/Theatre from Wichita State University, and currently is an adjunct professor at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.

EDDIE PENDERGRAFT is currently a citizen of Oz in the Broadway company of WICKED and from time to time plays the role of Boq. New York credits include: Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall; Ann E. Wrecksick; Bye Bye Birdie; The Karaoke Show and readings of Life on the Mississippi and the new musical Empire. Other credits include The Sound of Music (ATOTS); You’re A good Man Charlie Brown; Hello, Dolly! and the film The Ex with Zack Braff., to name a few. Eddie holds a BFA from Webster University and is a graduate of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts. A proud member of Actor’s Equity, Eddie thanks Craig Holzberg, Craig Carnelia, his biological and NY families, and his T &A and for their continuous support. For mom, always.

THOMMIE RETTER is happy and proud to make the move from Los Angeles to New York for his Broadway debut as “Mr. Braithwaite” in “Billy Elliot The Musical”. Already a successful teacher and choreographer, Thommie is currently choreographer and songwriter to Ashley Argota a.k.a. “Lulu” from Nickelodeons “True Jackson VP”. Thommie has also choreographed for the hit Disney series “Cory In The House” and was a featured performer on an Emmy-nominated episode of “Malcolm in the Middle.” Thommie is the creator and director of Tap Generation, a series of tap technique videos designed to progressively instruct all students in tap. Thommie directed and choreographed the live, all tap show, “Caution: Men at Work-TAP”, which had a 40 city international tour. A multi-talented teacher, he toured nationally for 10 years with Dupree Dance Expo teaching tap, jazz, hip-hop and musical theater to students of all ages and levels. He has also taught for Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America, All American Dance Congress, Rainbow Conventions, and Al Gilbert Seminars. Internationally, Thommie teaches in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Japan, and throughout Canada. Thommie has been featured in the national publications “Dance Spirit”, “Dancer Magazine”, “Dance Teacher”, and “Dance Biz”. Thommie has choreographed for Pepsi International on their World Cup advertising campaign and has performed for numerous industrial shows including Compaq, Schick and GM.

CASEY WHYLAND is currently living out her dream playing the pie eating ballerina Tracy Atkinson in the Broadway production of BILLY ELLIOT. Casey has been dancing since she was two years old at The Dance Studio in her hometown of Manlius, New York. In 2005 she was cast as Tessie in the 30th Anniversary National Tour of Annie performing in 35 cities over the next year. Casey just celebrated her 13th birthday and eventually she would like to attend college somewhere that will let her study both musical theatre and special ed. She is excited to finally be working at a place that will give her more than 50 words for her bio! A proud member of Actor’s Equity, Casey thanks her ‘Annie’ family, her ‘Billy’ family, and her real family for all their love and support.

MIKE POLLOCK, Voice over Actor is one of New York’s premier animation voice-over actors. Saturday morning cartoon viewers of FOX and The CW might recognize his voice as Meat in Ultimate Muscle:The Kinnikuman Legacy, the Mayor and Samo, the bartender, in Kirby: Right Back At Ya!, Garbageman on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dr. Eggman and Ella on Sonic X, Bigoriki in Gororiki, and Langston Lickatoad in Viva Piñata. He’s also been heard as Bonaparte in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX on Cartoon Network and the interim narrator in Pokémon. Listen for him several upcoming projects coming in the new year. Mike also does some character work on Sirius XM Radio, as well as radio and TV commercials for Burger King, AC/DC, Verizon, and promos for HBO International.

BARRY SHAPIRO, Casting Director has been with Herman & Lipson for over twenty seven years casting over 7500 commercials, both voice over and on-camera for such products as Loreal, American Express, Advil, Verizon and many other top accounts. He casts for commercials all around the world and also casts for film, television and theatre. Barry also travels around the country conducting acting workshops and attending model/talent conventions. In New York, Barry teaches commercial technique classes and also directs comedy showcases.