Celebrating Our 20th Year!
FAQ
Does Stages make exceptions for grade level?
How much theater experience is needed to be in a Stages show?
Stages attracts students of all experience levels for all of our programs - and we love that! Our staff works hard to ensure every student is given the tools they need to feel successful at Stages.
Why was my child cast in their particular role?
Casting is a giant puzzle in which the artistic team takes into account the demands of each individual role, the demands of the production, and the potential or skills demonstrated by each student in a casting session (grades 1-5) or audition (grades 6-12). The artistic team also considers each students’ availability within the rehearsal schedule. Ultimately, each student is placed where the artistic team believes they will be most successful while also contributing to the success of the production as a whole.
When is audition info posted for each show?
How can I stay up-to-date on everything happening at Stages?
How can I support my child in the casting process?
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Carolyn Curran - Managing Director
Kayla Hunter Yeng - Media Manager
Greg Maddock - Program and Communications Manager
Lisa Shearer - Director of Production Operations, Board Member
Sherry Vile, Esq. - Executive Director, Board Member
Tom Pembrook - Technical Director, Board Member
Tom Pembrook has almost 40 years of work experience with instrumentation and technical fields. He has taught classes of every size to people of all ages. He now brings this experience to the hands-on tech classes at Stages.
Gina Lord - Costume Manager
Gina began her costuming career like most kids, playing dress-up at Grandma's. Later, she was a costumer for the Rush-Henrietta Roth High School Royal Players, class of way longer ago than she cares to admit. When daughter Emily caught the theatre bug in kindergarten, Gina went back to making sure actors were clothed while on stage. In addition to being costume manager and costume designer at Stages, her designs have graced the stage of Best Foot Forward, JCC Centerstage, and several local high schools. And as the kids will tell you, "there's no messin' around when Mama G is backstage!”
ARTISTIC STAFF
Erin McKenna-Arvizzigno
Erin is a graduate of Fordham University where she received her Master of Science in Teaching. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Acting and Directing with a Minor in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Erin became a member of Actors’ Equity Association when she performed as Caroline Ingalls in ArtsPower’s National Tour of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Additionally, she has performed with various regional theatre companies across the country. Erin also served as a certified teaching artist in NYC where she directed several productions. Recently at STAGES, Erin directed Rock of Ages, The Knight at Dawn KIDS, RENT School Edition, and Pippin in addition to choreographer for Mulan JR. Erin loves inspiring performers to unleash the power of possibility, and is thrilled to be working with STAGES again this year!
Hilary Bluestein-Lyons
Hilary is a playwright, screenwriter, stand-up comedian, comedy improviser, director, and actor. Originally from Los Angeles, she lived in Tucson, AZ for many years, where she was a member of the comedy improv troupe, Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed and helped establish Unscrewed Theater, Tucson’s 1st theater dedicated to comedy improv. She has been an active participant with the Rochester Fringe Festival, producing plays and comedy shows. She is an adjunct professor of script writing at Monroe Community College and Nazareth College. Hilary draws her inspiration and sense of humor from her six kids, a very fat cat, a Yorkie and 12 chickens.
Kayleigh DeBrine
Kayleigh earned her Master's at the Eastman School of Music and received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education with a concentration in choral/voice. Kayleigh's recent highlights include performing in a festival choir at Carnegie Hall, producing Fredonia's annual "Opera Scenes" at the Fredonia Opera House, and holding a title on the NYS National Association for Music Education/NYSSMA-Collegiate executive board. A native of the Rochester-area, Kayleigh is thrilled to be teaching vocal and classroom music at Harris Hill Elementary School in Penfield where she works with grades 2-5 and directs the Fourth and Fifth Grade Choruses. At Stages, Kayleigh has music directed The Knight at Dawn KIDS, Dear Edwina JR. and directed Frozen JR. She enjoys working with each student individually and as an ensemble to help them grow into collaborative and mindful musicians, singers, and performers. As a private vocal teacher with extensive knowledge of vocal pedagogy, Kayleigh stresses the importance of healthy singing and loves finding creative ways to help young singers sing their very best!
Katherine Edwards
Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre at Le Moyne College in 2011. She is currently in her fifth year of teaching and directing at Eastridge High School. Katie directed High School Musical 2 JR. at A Magical Journey Through Stages and is thrilled to return for Summer 2021.
Taylor Day
Terry Fyke
Mandy Hassett
Jon Madden
Greg Maddock
Greg Maddock directs the students of the North Rose-Wolcott and Gananda school districts, as well as our wonderful students at Stages! Greg draws experience from Walt Disney World Entertainment (FL), Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre (Auburn, NY), Red House Arts Center (Syracuse, NY), Arlington Children's Theatre (MA), and International Performing Art Institute (Germany). Locally, Greg is actively involved with The Gatesinger Company, Ltd. (Pultneyville, NY), Theatre444 (Geneva, NY), and is an adjudicator for RBTL's Stars of Tomorrow program.
Laura Marron
Matt Mayne
Matt Mayne received his Masters Degree in Adolescent English Education in 2011 from SUNY Brockport and currently teaches 11th and 12th grade English at Victor Senior High School. From 2007-2010 he taught English and Drama at Batavia High School and served as Batavia Middle School drama director and High School musical director. Matt also served as a director of STAGES productions, including The Wiz, Into the Woods, Tarzan, 13 the Musical, Aida, The Addams Family, Heathers, Disney's Peter Pan JR, Beauty and the Beast, and Mamma Mia! Matt has performed in several productions with TYKES at the JCC, including Seussical, Willy Wonka, Go, Dog! Go!, Knufflebunny and Disney’s My Son Pinocchio and served as director of How I Became a Pirate, The Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Elephant and Piggie, We’re in a Play!, and Bad Kitty. He looks forward to continuing to introduce theater and musical theater to his English students as well as to the children of the Rochester area.
Kayla Osika
Anastasia Pembrook
Anastasia holds a BFA degree in Musical Theatre, with a dance minor, from Nazareth College. Since fourth grade she has performed in many shows around Rochester. Her favorite roles have been in Young Frankenstein, Funny Girl and The Producers at JCC CenterStage; Fastrada in Pippin, Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods; Maizie in The Boyfriend, and Gertrude in Seussical. Anastasia has choreographed extensively for kids theater camps. For seven years she has choreographed summer theater camp shows at A Magical Journey Thru Stages, including The Pirates of Penzance JR.; Disney's The Little Mermaid JR.; Aladdin KIDS; Disney's Alice In Wonderland JR, and Disney's The Jungle Book KIDS, among others. She has also choreographed shows for other theater companies, including Beauty and the Beast JR. and The Little Mermaid JR.
Tom Pembrook
Tom Pembrook has almost 40 years of work experience with instrumentation and technical fields. He has taught classes of every size to people of all ages. He now brings this experience to the hands-on tech classes at Stages.
Jeff Salisbury
Jeff is a graduate of New York City’s Pace University, where he earned a BFA in Musical Theatre. He also studied at the Eastman School of Music under Derrick Smith and Patricia Alexander (mother of opera soprano Renee Fleming). While living in New York he signed with Avalon Artist Group and became a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA). His NY credits include Carousel, All Shook Up, and Dance Outloud. He has appeared in several GEVA Theater productions such as Dames at Sea, A Chorus Line, and The Music Man. Other regional credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dracula, Steel Pier and Oliver. He starred in Kodak Alaris’s “Orchestrate Your Data” web commercial and was the lead actor in the film “Nature” Jeff has toured with several bands including “East Coast Connection,” and “The Monkey Scream Project” as their lead pianist. He is currently writing soundtracks for a number of Independent films. Jeff choreographed the musicals Dr. Dolittle and Little Women at Stages in addition to instructing classes, workshops and camps in all aspects of musical theatre. Jeff brings his enthusiasm, patience and passion to his work and enjoys educating the many talented students at Stages.
Dianne Schaumberg
Jim Schmitt
Jim, with his wife & partner Debbie, has performed together as the musical duo BACK TO BACK for well over thirty seven years. With a repertoire of over 400 songs, they have entertained audiences across the Western New York State area. Together they have collaborated on several musicals, including: GETTYSBURG: THE TRUE AND FREE, (Featured favorite at “The Pitch”, the 1st Annual Finger lakes Musical Theatre Festival, hosted by Merry Go Round Playhouse Theatre in 2011), THIS MAN, KING DAVID, THE LAST MUSKETEER, VANITY and SCHMITT HAPPENS, their autobiographical Cabaret show.
Kayla Hunter Yeng
Donnell Adler
Donnell Adler has had the honor and joy of directing and teaching worldwide for more than a decade and is thrilled to be working with Stages. She brings energy, creativity, and a great deal of professional experience to all of her kids...young and old. She is a seasoned actress, singer, presenter and voice over artist. She has worked in film, television, commercials, industrials and theatre as well as studying at the Juilliard School.
Carly Lenzi
Carly Lenzi was born and raised in Webster, NY and has been training and studying dance since the age of 5. She has performed in countless community musical theatre productions and spent an intensive summer at Broadway Theatre Project, training under Ben Vereen, Donna McKechnie, and Ann Reinking. She also trained at multiple professional dance schools in NYC and Los Angeles, such as Broadway Dance Center and Edge Performing Arts Center. Carly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a Minor in Dance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She now choreographs for the Penfield High School Show Choir and teaches a variety of ages/styles at The Deborah Mackay School of Dance.
Madison Kemler
Madison Kemler is a graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam where she received her Master of Music in Music Education with Choral and Special Education Concentrations. She also holds her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam as well as her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance and Piano from SUNY Geneseo. Madison has a private voice and piano studio out of her home as well as has many years of experience working as a Music Director and Assistant Director with Canandaigua Youtheatre. She loves working with students of all ages and is so looking forward to making her debut with Stages this summer!
Katie McCombs
Katie McCombs is a veteran student of dance and musical theatre and is thrilled to be sharing her love of dance with a new generation of performers. Throughout her middle and high school years she participated in over 15 MJTStages’ productions including RENT (Mimi), Pippin (Fastrada/Dance Captain) and Beauty and the Beast (Babette/Dance Captain). Katie studied dance from the age of 3 with Alaina Visalli Dance Company, Livonia, NY. She is skilled in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and ballroom dance forms. Past musical theatre credits include Mary Poppins (Mary), Victor Senior High School and Wednesday Addams (The Addams Family), Greece Performing Arts Society.
Bethany Shearer
Bethany Shearer has found a home at Stages since age eleven when she performed in her first play here and is thrilled to be part of the staff in her adult life as a choreographer! Bethany has enjoyed performing in various theatre productions around the Rochester area. Additionally, Bethany studied acting for two years at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan and has danced since age two at companies like Jody Bee’s, Park Avenue Dance Company, and Joffrey Ballet School. Bethany loves working with the bright young talent at Stages and likes to encourage them to dig down deep to find their inner spark!
Brenna Griggs
Jackie Collins
Known by most as Miss Jackie, she has been dancing and performing since she was eight and picked up a love for choreography her senior year of high school when choreographing her high school’s show choir. She is a Rochester native, a Penfield High School alum, and graduated from Nazareth College in 2016 with a BA in Theatre Arts. Jackie is currently the resident choreographer for Spry Drama Club in Webster where she is in her fifth year of doing productions. Recent choreography credits include The Wizard of Oz YPE., Guys and Dolls Jr., Fame Jr. and Fiddler on the Roof Jr, and you may also remember her from choreographing STAGES production of Seussical KIDS in November of 2019. Jackie absolutely LOVES working with kids and sharing her love of theatre - and is thrilled to have the opportunity to do that with STAGES.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Bennett, Esq. - Chair
Mark, an attorney working for the New York State court system, came to STAGES through his son, Brendon, who has been in a number of STAGES camps and shows, and whose younger sister, Carol, is and will be following in his footsteps. Although his singing and acting days are far in the past, Mark brings to the STAGES Board not-for-profit organization experience from his time as a member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Monroe County Bar Association, where he also chaired several committees, and as a Steering Committee member of the former rule-of-law partnership between Rochester and its Russian sister city, Novgorod. A native of the Thousand Islands and alumnus of St. Lawrence and Georgetown Universities, Mark lives in Brighton with his wife, Barbara Lowe, and his two children. He is proud to be associated with STAGES, a wonderful community resource where theater and students flourish in tandem!
Debra Ross - Vice Chair
Admiral Lord - Treasurer, Board Member
Admiral has been a member and Treasurer of STAGES Board of Directors since 2010. During his tenure, he has worked to keep STAGES finances up to date and in working order. He has also lent his leadership to many STAGES initiatives including computer bookkeeping, the STAGES 24-hour project, and the annual GALA fundraising event. Admiral's on-stage experience is running campfire stage shows at Scout Camp. He brings a wealth of experience in non-profit administration, having served for over 30 years on the board of the Seneca Waterways Council, BSA, eleven of them as Vice-President, Quality Control. He is a Special Education Teacher at Monroe #1 BOCES, and is the Treasurer of BOCES United Professionals, NYSUT. His wife Gina is the reigning "costume queen" at STAGES and daughter Emily was regularly on our stage, working as student director or student costumer, and is looking forward to coming back to alumni shows. The Lord family is committed to helping STAGES provide education and practical opportunities for kids to perform all aspects of theatre.
Ellen Broder - Board Member
Ellen began her involvement in theatre in her first grade production of The Ugly Duckling, playing the part of the Goose. She continued to pester her elementary school teachers to do plays every year. During her high school years, she was finally able to participate in musicals annually, playing the role of Minnie Faye in Hello Dolly her senior year. During her four years at SUNY Binghamton, Ellen majored in English and minored in musical theatre. There she performed in both large-scale main stage theatre department shows as well as small student run productions. After receiving a Masters of Education at The George Washington University, Ellen went on to teach elementary school in Fairfax County, Virginia and also at a private school in Miami Florida. She was known at both schools as the teacher who “does plays”. Introducing children to the experience of theatre quickly became a priority as well as a love of the job. Ellen was thrilled when her own daughter began showing interest in musical theatre. He daughter became involved with STAGES in the summer of 2010 and has since performed in many STAGES production. Ellen has volunteered extensively with the Rochester Jewish Community Center and its overnight camp, Camp Seneca Lake. Ellen decided to combine her love of theatre and experience with non-profits by joining the STAGES board in March of 2012. She lives in Brighton with her husband, Jon and twins Mitchell and Elyse.
Sarah Culp - Board Member
Mathew Devine, D.O. - Board Member
Dr. Devine is board certified in Family Medicine. He is the Quality Officer for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Devine received his DO/osteopathic degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine residency and fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Devine is also currently a medical director at Accountable Health Partners. He has an active primary care practice in Rochester, NY and has been in practice since 2009. Dr. Devine has a special interests in wellness, preventive health, and the mind-body connections that can affect our health. Once upon a time he participated in theater in adolescence through his church youth group. Although Broadway has not called yet, he is often featured in health segments on various local media television and radio outlets. Matt has always been interested in mentoring young children with a goal of promoting healthy lifestyles at an early age. Matt arrived at STAGES through the great experiences that his oldest daughter has had while participating in STAGES productions. He is married to Anne, and they both grew up and attended schools in the City of Rochester. Their youngest daughter Emma is also participating with the STAGES family as well. The Devine family lives in Brighton.
Brett Kinsler - Board Member
Jamie Mance - Board Member
Jamie is a graduate from Nazareth College, and studied Technical Production in the areas of Stage Management, Light Design, Sound Design, Costume Design, Set Design, and Theatrical Make-up. Jamie has been involved with Stages for several years, and she has been working in Technical Theater for over 21 years.
Tom Pembrook - Technical Director, Board Member
Tom Pembrook has almost 40 years of work experience with instrumentation and technical fields. He has taught classes of every size to people of all ages. He now brings this experience to the hands-on tech classes at Stages.
John Palomaki - Board Member
John worked for ten exceptional years in Executive Relations at Microsoft, then began a second career working with nonprofit organizations and independent schools, primarily in development, communications, problem solving, and sustainability. He most recently worked in Advancement and has been serving on the Alternative Revenue, Enrollment, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees at Allendale Columbia School. John, who grew up in East Irondequoit and returned to the area in 2014, holds a B.A. in Natural Sciences from Colgate University supplemented with Master’s level courses in Teaching at Colgate and Public Administration at Seton Hall University and Rutgers University. John and his wife Lois live in Brighton with their two teenagers, they enjoy traveling, theater, and movies, and all love the experiences and friendships they've developed with the Stages Family.
Lisa Shearer - Director of Production Operations, Board Member
Lisa's path to the world of theater has been more meandering than direct. Lisa grew up in the beautiful state of Montana, met and married a gypsy at heart, and has since lived in Oregon, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, and New York. When her family discovered Rochester, it instantly felt like home. They've been happily living here ever since! Earning her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Montana and a certification in Early Childhood Special Education from Western Oregon State College, Lisa began her professional career working in the special education field as a teacher in early intervention programs in Montana and Oregon. She then spent eleven years home educating her own three children. When her oldest daughter, Bethany, found theater as her true passion, the family followed suit. Soon, all three children had been bit by the theatre bug! Since 2010, Lisa's family has been a constant presence at Stages. In 2015, Lisa joined the staff at Stages as Programming Director. She wears many hats including production manager for musicals, the improv troupe and coordinating the education program. Lisa loves witnessing the positive impact that theater has on the lives of children all over the Greater Rochester Area!
Sherry Vile, Esq. - Executive Director, Board Member