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Phillip Bettencourt - Theatre Instructor and Musical Director |
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 Phillip Bettencourt works throughout New York City and the greater Tri-state area as an actor/singer/dancer, as well as musical director, choreographer, and voice teacher. Phillip's various performance credits include most of the musical theatre repertoire in Equity theatres in New York and throughout the United States, as well as a solo performance at Boston Symphony Hall. In addition, he has taught at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and maintains a private voice studio - offering lessons in technique and vocal/audition coaching - in Midtown Manhattan, as well as a voice studio annex in Southport, CT where he runs a highly successful summer theatre program: Broadway Bootcamp, and has just finished his sixth season as musical director and dance director/choreographer. Phillip is happy to be returning to MST&DA for his fifth season. |
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Bridget Johnston - Theatre Instructor |
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 Bridget Johnston is an accomplished Musical Theater actress. She has appeared in Miss Saigon (1st National Tour) directed by Nicholas Hytner, Children of Eden (American Premier at Mill Mountain Theater) Stephen Schwartz, John Caird and Ernest Zulia. The Wizard of Oz w/ Cathy Rigby (The Terrace Theater, Long Beach Ca.) directed by Fran Soeder, Evita (The Terrace Theater, Long Beach Ca.). She studied Acting for three years at the Tony Award winning South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California. She has extensive training in long and short form improvisation from Second City Improv in Chicago, to Gotham City Improv and Upright Citizens Brigade Here in New York City. As Associate Director for the Southern California Jr. Light Opera Company, Bridget helped launch their first award winning production, The Music Man. |
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Owen Johnston - Executive Director |
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 Owen has been a professional Actor, Singer, Dancer for 25 years.
Broadway credits include: Shogun the Musical & RENT
National Tour credits include: 42nd Street, Miss Saigon, The King & I, RENT. Owen has also appeared in the movie TAP with Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. as well as National commercials and/or print campaigns for MCI Telecom, IBM, Citgo, Charles
Schwab & AT&T.
Owen received his BA in Theater and Music from CUNY Hunter College in 2011 and is
currently studying for his MA in Theater at CUNY Hunter College. He has studied acting
at Sally Johnson Studios NYC, Craig Carnilia: Acting for Musical Theater NYC, South
Coast Rep. Costa Mesa, CA., Second City Improv. Chicago, IL. He has studied dance
at Broadway Dance Center & Steps NYC, PACE dance studio Huntington Beach CA.
and many other dance studios across North America and Japan. |
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Jacqueline Lucid-Cusick - Theatre Instructor |
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Jacqueline is a graduate of the Professional Actor
Training Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she
studied with Jack Clay, Margaret Loft, Mesrop Kesdekian, Gail Cronauer,
Dale Moffitt, and Jim Martin. She has worked in theatre, film and
television. Her New York credits include Primary Stages, Ubu Rep,
Riverside Shakespeare, Manhattan Playhouse, Royston Theatre Company, and
The Present Company. Other credits include Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the
Dallas Theater Center, the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Stage #1, New Arts
Theatre, the Wayside Theatre, and Creede Repertory Theatre. |
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Eric Sydnor - Theatre Instructor |
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Eric Sydnor (Director/Choreographer) received his MFA in Directing from Purdue University (How I Learned to Drive, The Glass Menagerie, The School for Scandal, Into the Woods), completed an artistic internship at Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Assistant Director, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), and served as the associate director for the regional tour of Dinah Was (Dallas Theatre Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre and Arena Stage) and Artistic Director at Spotlight Theatre in Los Angeles (One Neck, Family of Mann). In New York , Eric has worked with AMDA (Stand Clear of the Closing Doors), St. John’s University (Wonderful Town), City Attic Theatre (Pulp, Touch), Curan Rep (Body Shop), Common Thread Theatre Company (Connecting Flight) and Manhattan Rep (The Red Hands). For young people, Eric was the drama specialist at Cedar Lake Camp (High School Musical, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, Chicago) and currently teaches ballroom dance with American Ballroom Theatre (Mad Hot Ballroom, Take the Lead) and at the School of American Ballet .
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Xaver Auza has been dancing professionally for over 10 years. He started his dancing career with the Albarracin Dance Company in his native Bolivia (folk and jazz dancing) followed by a residency at the Gatell Conservatory for Dancing in Buenos Aires. He currently works for the American Ballroom Theater teaching at public schools around the City and giving private and group lessons to all levels. He is also the Artistic Director of Bocanada, an underground event/organization that for the past few years has discovered and featured some of the most exciting new performers in our City. Xavier has performed at numerous venues and events around the country including Lincoln Center Midsummer Nights; Bryant Park’s Ballroom in the Park; Good Morning America and the Today Show.
Marietta has an education degree from Ohio State University, where she majored in music education and dance education. Before coming to New York, she taught in the elementary school's Arts Impact Program and
also at the Performing Arts High School in the Columbus Public Schools and was in Ballet Met where she was a featured dancer. Marietta performed in the First National Tour of 42nd Street, Ann Mller's Salute To Ruby Keeler, and other shows. Her acting credits include American Repertory Theatre and numerous TV shows and commercials. Marietta performs with Rod Ferrone as half of Feet To The Beat. She has been a guest in his one-man show, Bustin' Loose, and has been his dance partner at festivals in the U.S. and throughout Canada as well as dancing on the Asuka cruise ship and at Town Hall in the Tap Extravaganza.
Sean Hagerty trained as an actor at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York and studied classical theatre at the renowned Bristol Old Vic in England. As an actor he has performed across the US and UK; recent credits include: Pericles, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside and Oh, What a Lovely War! He has extensive experience as a teacher and director, having worked with numerous schools, conservatories and theatres across the US and UK. He is a member and co-director of the award-winning film company, Proletariat Films.
Mary McCatty has performed, choreographed and taught master classes around the world in all areas of dance. Her teaching credits include Broadway Dance Center in NYC, Showstopper, NWCA, New Hopewell Center for the Performing Arts, Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance, Paper Mill Playhouse Summer conservatory and numerous classes around the USA. Mary has also appeared in numerous Broadway shows and enjoyed a high-kicking career as a Radio City Rockette at Radio City Music Hall. Choreography is another of Mary’s fortes having choreographed many stage and fashion shows. Mary is currently a teaching artist for American Ballroom Theatre’s Dancing Classrooms.
Debra Orenstein has been teaching adults and children for over 25 years. She has been teaching at MST&DA for over a decade. She is also on Dance Faculty at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center and an Early Intervention Specialist with the Lifestart program at Lenox Hill Hospital. As if that isn’t enough, Debra is also the Assistant Director of Education for the Isadora Duncan International Institute and a member of the IDII Dance Company.
Barbara Parker is a fitness/dance instructor as well as a personal trainer. She’s been in the fitness and dance field for over 20 years. At the Main Street Theatre, she teaches Aeropump and IM=X Pilates adult classes and the Hip Hop dance classes for the middle school ages and teens. She also participates in the dance productions and theatre shows at the Theatre. Barbara is also the Health and Wellness director at the McBurney YMCA, where she is involved in many community programs.
