Our Professional Staff

	Yvonne Lamb Scudiery - Yvonne is the Director of Education for the Count Basie Theatre. She is an accomplished choreographer for ballet, musical theatre, opera, a registered teacher with the RAD, London and an adjunct teacher at Brookdale Community College. Yvonne has taught for over 35 years, combining her knowledge of dance and acting techniques with her superior coaching skills. This has enabled many of her students to advance to successful professional careers.
	Dan Cooley - Dan is a Director/Actor from Monmouth County and has performed in theatres in NYC/NJ as well as appearing in independent and student films. Over a cumulative 10 years, Dan has studied acting, directing and playwrighting with Ralph Colombino, Joey Madia and John Bukovec. Dan is the Resident Director for New Mystics Theatre Co., a traveling teen company that performs socially relevant pieces and fights for social justice. Dan is also a teacher at Actor’s Playground and Arts Middle School.
	Bruce Gallipani - Bruce is a seasoned drum pro having performed in the U.S. and abroad with several rock-n-roll touring outfits since the late seventies. He is the founder and director of Rockit! For Kids, a dedicated live-performance program for kids ages 8-16. As a teacher, he not only imbues his students with proper technique but also emphasizes the importance of group interaction and community involvement.
	Samantha Giustiniani - Samantha holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Kean University. She is currently working with high school students at the Union County Academy of Performing Arts and Kean University’s Department of Theatre. Having previously spent many years teaching theatre and music to pre-school aged children she has a specialty in creating early childhood theatre and music programs.
No Photo	Lori Olsen - Lori holds a B.A. in Elementary Education/ Fine Arts with a concentration in Theatre.
	Kate Havel - Kate holds a B.A. in Art Education from Kean and an M.A. in Dance Movement from Wesleyan. She is a dancer / actress / singer (SUGAR and ZORBA off-Broadway) and has many dinner theater, nightclub, summer stock and children’s theater roles to her credit. A former member of Actor’s Equity, SAG, and AFTRA, Kate studied at HB Studio, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in NYC. She recently retired from full time teaching.
	Joan Kilcommons - Joan holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Speech and Theatre Arts. She is currently teaching Reader’s Theatre, Creative Dramatics and Musical Theatre to the children in the Red Bank Borough Schools as part of our Educational Outreach Program.
	Vincent Mottern - Vincent received a B.A. in Music Education from Westminster Choir College and is currently a chorus director and music teacher for Knollwood School in Fair Haven. He is a multi-talented musical theatre director, musician, composer and performer.
	Robin Oddo - Robin holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Monmouth University and has numerous stage and television acting credits. Her passion for acting has led to the development of the Black Box performance space and the New Perspectives Acting Troupe. She loves teaching and inspiring her students through improvisation, script performance and character development.
	Michael O'Keeffe - Michael has been performing improv comedy professionally for the past 20 years. One of his first gigs was with the Sak Theatre Comedy Lab in Orlando, Florida with troupe mates Wayne Brady (Who’s Line Is It Anyway?) Jonathan Magnum (Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza), and Aaron Shure (producer/writer-Everybody Loves Raymond). He is the Creative Director of Improv Jam Comedy Lab in Red Bank. Michael holds B.A. in Education from Villanova; M.A. in Education from Monmouth University and as his “day job” is a reading specialist in the Wall Township School System.
	Megan Sambataro Donovan - Megan is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University. For the past six years she has been performing theatre in NYC and NJ, as well as acting in independent and student films. Currently, Megan is also Managing Director of the New Mystics Theatre Co., a non-profit theatre company that tours schools presenting workshops on bullying and other social issue plays. She also teaches at The Actors Playground.
	Thomas Stanton - Tom’s impressive career as a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher makes him a valuable addition to our staff. From ballet to hip-hop, swing dance to tap, television to Broadway... his passion and enthusiasm abound.
	Melanie Taylor - Melanie has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of theatre, and for the past 12 years has shared her knowledge as a teacher at Raritan High School. She is an accomplished and award winning director, stage manager, and makeup artist. Melanie is the Vice-President of the New Jersey Drama and Forensics League, and is the Artistic Director/Co-Founder of the St. John's Community Playhouse in Hazlet, currently in its 5th season.

	John Paul Alfonso - John attended the University of the Arts, and studied Music Theory with Carlo Vinci, LeRoy Whitehead and Sean Diebler. John is an actor/singer/musician/musical director/educator.
	Marjorie Enerson - Marjorie received her B.F.A. in Theatre Arts from Montclair State University and also studied abroad for 6 months at Middlesex Polytechnic in England. She created and implemented the Performing Arts curriculum for Monmouth Academy (formerly known as Lakewood Prep) from 2004 to 2011.
	Bradley Mott - Bradley Mott has been working in the Theatre, Television, Film, and commercials over the past 30 years. His film and television work includes: The Accidental Tourist, The Applegates, Stranger than Fiction, Mildred Pierce for HBO, Roseanne, A Different World, and ER. He recently finished filming on the new Cohen Brothers picture Inside Llewyn Davis. Bradley has taught for over 30 years at Columbia College, Northwestern University in Chicago, Monmouth University, and NYC’s prestigious CAP21.

No Photo	Patti Dunnells - Patti graduated from Monmouth University with a degree in Art Education. She has been teaching at Raritan High School, Hazlet, NJ for the past 38 years. She has also worked as an art teacher for the Summer Arts program at Brookdale Community College for 15 years. Patti has been designing sets for the plays at Raritan for the past 13 years and has had the honor of receiving the Basie Award for Outstanding Set Design three times.
No Photo	Meredith Wehr - Meredith holds a B.A. in Dance from Slippery Rock University and an M.F.A. in Choreography/Education from Arizona State University. She has extensive experience in arts education outreach and is a certified Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer and Kick Boxing instructor.
	Christopher Tomaino - Chris is a local actor and educator. He holds a B.A. in Speech/Communications/Theatre from Monmouth University and an M.F.A. in Acting from Indiana University. He has been an adjunct instructor at Brookdale Community College for the past 10 years as well as being the Musical Theatre Coordinator for the Somerset County Performing Arts Program for six years, creating and running the first curricular Musical Theatre program in the state of NJ.

Diane Fox - Diane holds a B.M. in Voice from Kent State. Diane is an Internationally acclaimed vocalist, who has won over critics worldwide with her compelling performances in the dramatic Mezzo-Soprano repertoire. She is an active member of Equity and AGMA. Her unparalleled expertise as a teacher and coach has enabled her students to garner apprenticeships at professional opera companies and to win countless awards.

	Alexander D. Carney - Alex holds an M.F.A in Directing from Mary Baldwin College. This award-winning Director has staged numerous works across the country. With the Maryland Shakespeare Festival for many years, he directed “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Tempest” and “Measure for Measure” as well as their “Shakespeare Alive!” yearly tour. At Stella Adler Studios in NYC he staged “A Lie of the Mind” and “Much Ado About Nothing.” He is the Artistic Director of Raised Spirits Theater Company, which produced the first staging of the First Quarto version of “The Chronicle Historie of Henry V” in 400 years as well as “The Tragedy of Hamlet.”
	David Leidholdt - David's teaching experience spans 25 years, including the Professional Performing Arts School, The Actors Institute in New York City, & Stagedoor Manor. He is presently the Artistic Director for American Family Theatre and was a founding producer for The New York Musical Theatre Festival, and ReVision Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. His original plays include Circle based on La Ronde and Twin Studies (winner Off-Off Broadway Review Award). David is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
	Felix Truex - Felix is a musician, singer, composer and arranger. He is a member of the Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets and ASCAP. He serves as Associate Organist and Choral Director at St. Andrews, is a former Vice President of The Shrewsbury Chorale, primary Musical Director for Cabaret for Life, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for The South Street Players. His most recent appearance was his highly acclaimed one man show at Tim McLoone’s Supper Club in Asbury Park.
	Bob Egan - Bob is best known as the creator of the celebrated cabaret established in the 1980’s at Odette’s Restaurant in New Hope, PA; in 2002 internationally known supper club artist Michael Feinstein announced in a USA Today article that Odette’s was one of America’s top 10 Cabaret spots. Now in it’s 7th year at Moonstruck in Asbury Park, Egan’s singers open mic night is great fun for performers and audience alike.
No Photo	Joe Cantaffa - Joe is an instructor for the Entertainment Technology program in the Fine and Performing Arts Center (F.P.A.C.) at Howell High School in New Jersey. He teaches music production and operates the school’s student-operated record label, Next2Records. Cantaffa is a member of the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Music Educators’ Association and serves as the production manager and coordinating chairman for its All-State Chorus/Orchestra/Jazz programs. He presents in-service workshops and lectures around the country regarding music curriculum, arranging, contemporary a cappella music and the use of technology in the classroom. Additionally, he has held faculty positions for the Westminster School of the Arts/Rider University teaching tour management. Joe Cantaffa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Rutgers University and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Mason Gross School of the Arts, and is a voting member of The Grammy Awards/RIAA.