TADA!

Rod Christensen is the Director of Education at TADA! Youth Theater. His previous professional experience includes working at One on One NYC/LA (a studio for professional actors seeking to build their careers) where he was the Program Director responsible for all aspects of program development. Prior to this, Rod was the Senior Manager of Education at Canadas prestigious Shaw Festival (the second largest repertory theater company in North America) where he developed numerous arts education programs and theatre-related workshops for school groups and adult audiences. Other past positions include: elementary/high school teacher (music and drama); department head of a creative arts program for adults with developmental disabilities; and performer with the international, educational outreach program Up With People! Rod holds a Master of Education, a Bachelor of Music in Education, and a diploma in business management and leadership skills.

Jim Colleran, Resident Music Director, wrote the book, music and lyrics for The Gumball Gang: Crime-Solving Kids. He has directed music for numerous TADA! shows and composed material for Sleepover, Everything About a Day (Almost), ...Camp, ...School and ...A Family. Jim is a composer/lyricist in the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop (2006 Harrington Award winner). He performed/composed for The Paper Bag Players, The Charles Busch Revue, Slim Goodbody, and Jim's solo show, Gentleman Jim. Composing credits: 4@15 ('07, '08) and NEO3 at the York Theatre, It's A Wonderful Life, Medea, You Don't Know Jac!, Kidstock Theater, Thinkeroo Video, and Gann Films. Upcoming projects include an expanded version of Go Girls Go! and a new musical based on The Curious Savage.

Alyson Cahill, Education Programs Manager, is currently a Master's candidate in the School of Education at The City College of New York, pursuing her M.S. in Educational Theatre as well as NY State Certification in teaching Theatre to Grades K-12.  She graduated cum laude from The American University in Washington, DC with a B.A. in Performing Arts: Music Theater and a minor in Education Studies.  Her arts education background includes co-directing (and co-founding) a music and drama program in the Sterling Park Community Center in her hometown of Stratford, CT, as well as assisting in summer Musical Theatre educational programs at BAPA's Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD.  Alyi is delighted to be involved with TADA! in this capacity, combining her love of the performing arts with her love of providing the arts to students of all ages.

Kirk Bookman, Resident Lighting Designer, Broadway: Band in Berlin, The Sunshine Boys with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, The Gin Game with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Off-Broadway: Havana Is Waiting, Force Continuum (Atlantic Theater Company), Rude Entertainment, Hope is the Thing with Feathers, As Thousands Cheer, June Moon, My One Good Nerve with Ruby Dee, The Importance of Being Earnest, Major Barbara (directed by Tony Walton), Eclipsed, Exactly Like You, The Green Heart and The Shawl. (directed by Sidney Lument). Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Coconut Grove Playhouse, GEVA Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre. Ballet: English National Ballet, Santiago Ballet. Mr. Bookman is a member of the Off-Broadway theater company, The Drama Dept.

Steve O'Shea, Resident Lighting Designer, Recent designs: The Perfect Monster, Apt. 3, Maggie The Pirate, They Chose Me! (TADA!), SubUrbia (Montclair State U.) Mere Mortals (Two River Theatre Co.), Last Easter (Drew University), Father Joy (NYC Summer Play Festival), Midsummer Night's Dream (Vital Theatre), Cloning Judson (Southern Rep., New Orleans), He and She (TACT), Aloha Say The Pretty Girls (Baruch), 12 Ophelias (Baruch), Murder In The Cathedral (University of CT), Laura's Bush (Vital Theatre), Late (Clubbed Thumb), Brainpeople (Hour Glass), Tristan Und Isolde, Magic Flute, Norma and Le Nozze di Figaro (Teatro de la Opera, San Juan, PR).

Lester Thomas Shane, Resident Voice & Diction Coach, is also on the faculty of The New Actor's Workshop. Trained by Edith Skinner, Lester's coaching credits include Merchant of Venice with Morris Carnovsky, Escape From Happiness, Orpheus Descending (T. Schreiber Studio) and New Music (The Mint Theater). He was invited to give the keynote address at the 2001 National Teaching Training Institute sponsored by PBS. His work as an actor, director and writer has been seen on television, film and the New York stage and in regional theater. Lester's award-winning one-man show, Mortal Coil, premiered at the First International New York Fringe Festival and has since played across the country. With Penelope Brackett he co-authored the recently published, Seven Keys To Success Without Struggle.

Selected Teaching Artist Bios

TADA! employs over 40 professional Teaching Artists each year. Here are just few of those talented arts educators.

Tammy Holder, Music Director, has been an Arts Educator for the past 15 years. As TADA!'s Resident Musical Director for TADA!, Tammy music directed all main stage productions, and taught private voice and music theater classes. Tammy continues to work for TADA! as a teaching artist in NYC public/private schools. Tammy was commissioned to compose an original bilingual musical for the Amistad Dual Language School in NYC. Outside NYC, Tammy has done residencies in Raleigh, NC, Madison, WI and upstate NY. She is also an accomplished music director here in NYC as well as all over the countryworking on the national tours of Gigi, Can Can and West Side Story.

Alastair King, Music Director, TADA! Teaching Artist: Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he lives in New York City. He studied musical theatre at the Italia Conti Stage School in London and then performed in several West End shows. As a composer, his musicals have been produced in both the US and in England. He is also a teaching artist in the NYC schools and teaches a musical theater program for TADA! and his own Songwriting and Choreography Programs for YOUNG AUDIENCES. His work with children has been shown on NBC and featured on NEW YORK ONE TV. He also runs his own private piano and voice studio in Manhattan.

Vickie Schmitt, Director/Choreographer, received her BFA from Wayne State University in Detroit MI. She has taught and directed kids as a Teaching Artist for TADA! and other organizations for over five years. Vickie premiered her one woman cabaret show in New York City. She has appeared on several television commercials, and has been dancing and acting since she was 4 years old!

Robby Stamper, Musical Director: Originally from Orlando Florida, Robby moved to NYC to study and compose for the Theater. At the early age of 5, he and his 3 three brothers became the Stamper Brothers Quartet and toured the Southeastern coast. After recording 4 successful albums with his brothers, he began a solo career. His compositions have been utilized by several recording artists as well as Walt Disney Entertainment. He has just completed composing music to be used as Tokyo Disneyland's 2006 Anniversary Theme. Robby is also a highly demanded pianist and singer in a few of NYC's most famous Night Spots.

Cynthia Thole, Director/Choreographer, is an experienced teaching artist and a director/choreographer in New York for TADA!, Theatreworks/USA, AMDA, and Camp Broadway. Her directing and choreography was seen in Theatreworks/USA shows such as Ferdinand the Bull, Great Railroad Race and the TADA! show Golly Gee Whiz. Cyndi's regional credits include university productions of Leave Him to Heaven, 42nd Street and Quilters. In addition, Cyndi performed in Broadway productions of A Christmas Carol, My Fair Lady, Nick and Nora, Me and My Girl, Meet Me in St Louis, Singin' in the Rain and the original 42nd Street. She also performed in national tours of Oklahoma! and Sugar Babies.

Ben Tostado, Director/Choreographer; Originally from Los Angeles, Ben has been performing professionally in musical theatre for over 12 years and has earned a BFA in Acting from Ithaca College. He has worked as a teaching artist for Next Generation (Hangar Theatre), The Theatre Wing (Lucy Moses School of Music), The Peanut Gallery (The Gallery Players in Brooklyn) and here at TADA!. Directing: Grease, Company, West Side Story and A Children's Storytime. Choreography: Godspell, Fiddler On the Roof, Sunshine and the New Year's Eve Gala at Bally's Hotel and Casino in 2005. Ben is also a proud member of Actor's Equity Association and continues to perform when not teaching.

Allison Watrous, Director/Choreographer, is a graduate from the National Theatre Conservatory, a Master's program in acting that is a division of the Denver Center of the Performing Arts. Prior to completing her graduate studies, Allison taught and performed extensively throughout Colorado and California for 10 years. As a Teaching Artist, she worked for the Denver Center Theatre Academy, Denver School of the Arts, The Swayder Children's Theatre and Cory Middle School. She taught adult classes including scene study, Shakespeare and improvisation, and built curriculum as a Head Teacher for six-week summer camps for children and teens. She created and delivered in-school literacy workshops in at-risk schools. Allison developed the role of Roxanne in Cyrano, a children's adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Worth Williams, Director/Choreographer; Originally from Tallahassee, FL, Worth received a Bachelor in Fine Arts from the Boston Conservatory in Musical Theater with a minor in Music. Professionally Worth performed in the Broadway musical, Hairspray, playing the role of Amber Von Tussel. As a teaching artist in New York City, Worth has worked for many different youth theaters including Inside Broadway, City Lights Youth Theatre, and Wingspan Arts. Worth has also served as a resident choreographer for The Brearley School in Manhattan. Musicals Worth has directed or choreographed include: Grease, Anything Goes, Bye Bye Birdie, Carousel, Seussical, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.