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TADA! Staff & Board

All staff can be reached by phone at 212.252.1619 and the corresponding extension listed above and email addresses are first initial, then last name @tadatheater.com.  Click on staff name to get to know more about them!

Janine Nina Trevens
Executive & Artistic Director, x121

Amy Fiore
Managing Director, x116

Joanna Greer
Associate Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer, x117

Rod Christensen
Director of Education, x115

Carl Jaynes
Business Manager, x119

Andy Bryant
IT Manager x122

Jim Colleran
Resident Music Director, x123

Corinne Miller
Assistant Director of Education, x118

Matthew Haws
Ensemble Manager x132

Phoebe Duncan
Production Stage Manager, 131

Kaila Mackenzie
Marketing & Press Associate, x133

Amy Grossman
Development & Administrative Assistant, x135

Michael Lounsbery
Production & Space Manager x134

Steve O'Shea
Resident Lighting Designer

Lester Thomas Shane
Resident Voice and Diction Coach

Laurie Berich
Education Assistant

TADA! Board of Directors

  • Stephen T. Rodd, President
  • Laura S. Friedrich, Vice President
  • Jonathan Fitzhugh, Treasurer
  • Don Healy, Secretary
  • Sharon Alston-Harmon
  • Ken Greiner
  • David Bach M.D.
  • Chalmers Browne
  • Erica Rivera
  • Janine Nina Trevens
  • Julie Turaj
  • Lisa Gold Untracht

Artistic Advisory Board

  • Kaye Ballard
  • Kenneth Cavander
  • Michael Colby
  • Delia Ephron
  • John Forster
  • Sheldon Harnick
  • Richard Peaslee
  • Chita Rivera
  • Marcia Rodd
  • Michael Rupert
  • Stephen Schwartz
  • John Shea
  • Charles Strouse
  • Leslie Uggams

Selected Staff Biographies

Janine Nina Trevens, Executive & Artistic Director, co-founded TADA! in 1984 with Linda Reiff. Since that time, she has served as Artistic Director for all works produced by the company, many of which she commissioned specifically for TADA!. In addition, she has directed the Ensemble appearances at such events or places as Central Park's Easter Eggstravaganza, Salute to the Theater 2000 at Gracie Mansion, Circle Line's 50th Anniversary, J.P. Morgan and The White House. She directed and adapted the company's premier musical, The Little House of Cookies and has also directed 6 staged readings and 20 mainstage productions for TADA! including Princess Phooey, Everything About School (Almost), B.O.T.C.H., Maggie and the Pirate and Sleepover. She wrote and directed The History Mystery, The Perfect Monster, as well as Sweet Sixteen, a musical revue celebrating TADA!'s 16th anniversary in 2000. She has also directed for the Woman's Workshop, MCC and the Kennedy Center's Educational Department's New Vision/New Voices Program. In May 1997, Nina was selected as one of 10 Parenting Leaders by Parenting Magazine. In 1999, she was one of only five women nationally to receive Family Circle's, First Annual Halo Award for women who make a difference. Nina directs many of TADA!'s mainstage productions and works directly with each of the ensemble members.

Amy Fiore, Managing Director, comes to TADA! from Vineyard Theater where she was the Director of External Affairs. Previously, Amy acted as the Associate and then Interim Director of Marketing for The Public Theater during their 50th Anniversary celebration, and as the Ticketing and Marketing Manager for MCC Theater. In addition to her work in non-profit theater administration, Amy teaches Managing the Arts and Marketing the Arts with New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies, has been a guest lecturer at NYU, Baruch College and with the Arts & Business Council of New York, among others. She has taught and directed theater arts through several children's programs in the tri-state area and is a Managing Partner of the performing group The Improvoholics. Amy resides in NJ with her husband and 2 daughters.

Joanna Greer, Associate Artistic Director & Resident Choreographer, holds a BA in Musical Theater Performance and Dance from Columbia College Chicago. As a Director-Choreographer, Teaching Artist and Arts Administrator she has had the pleasure of working with numerous organizations such as The American Ballroom Theater (featured in the 2005 Documentary Mad Hot Ballroom), YANY, City Lights Youth Theatre and the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Current TADA! Director and/or Choreographer credits include over 12 mainstage musicals and 365 Days/365 Plays by Suzan Lori-Parks at TADA! and The Public Theater.  Joanna is also the cofounder of NYC-based Kinetic Dance Theater, an artistic collective driven toward innovating dance theater, cabaret and musical theater performance. www.kineticdancetheater.org.

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.

Mary Corinne Miller, Assistant Director of Education, Earned her Master's degree in Educational Theater from New York University where she had the opportunity to study abroad at The Center of the Theater of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from Skidmore College where she had the opportunity to spend a semester abroad studying at the British American Drama Academy in London and with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon.  In 2004, Corinne founded Saratoga Stages, a children's theater company in Saratoga Springs, NY, where she served as Artistic and Executive Director for six years. In her time at Saratoga Stages, Corinne directed over two-dozen children's theater productions. She has also worked as a Director and Teaching Artist at various other schools and theater organizations throughout New York and New Jersey including: The Children's Theater Company in NYC, John Robert Powers School, Schuylerville Elementary School, and Greenfield Elementary School.

Andy Bryant, IT Manager/Rental Manager, Past TADA! shows include The Prop Shop, The History Mystery, New York, New Year, Everything About Camp (Almost), The Little House of Cookies, Sleepover, Wide-Awake Jake and Everything About School, (Almost). Outside of TADA!, Andy has stage managed Manhattan Theater Club's productions of Valley Song with Athol Fugard and The Green Heart; Roundabout's The Minneola Twins; The Drama Department's June Moon and numerous productions with Jacques d'Amboise's National Dance Institute, where he was also the National Residency Director. Andy also stage manages specials events such as Broadway on Broadway, Stars in the Alley, The New York Yankees Foundation, United Way/NFL Benefit and JP Morgan/Chase Holiday Festival.

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.

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.

Cindi Kostello, Music Director, is originally from Lowell Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor of Music Ed degree from University of Mass @ Lowell. As a performer, she has traveled the country in tours of Romeo and Juliet, Annie Get Your Gun, A Christmas Carol and Tony and Tina's Wedding, which she also served as music director. She also performed in the off-Broadway production of "Tony and Tina's Wedding". In addition to music directing for TaDa, Cindi also teaches Vocal Music at IS 228 in Brooklyn.

Andrew Markus, Music Director, is a multiple-award winning composer and the creative director of 4 Score + 7 Music, a music production company in Tribeca. Andrew has written dozens of scores for feature films, shorts, TV Shows, commercials and theater projects including the score for TADA!'s Apt 3 and the musical Jack. He wrote the theme and series music for Weather, Caught on Camera on The Weather Channel. Andrew has worked with TADA! for over 10 years and has taught more than 200 programs with the organization. Andrew lives in the village with his wife Robin and their dog Abner.

David Rigano, TADA! Director/Choreographer, is a writer, director and teacher specializing in musical theatre. David graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a degree in Theatre Arts, concentration in directing. While at Marymount David studied Arts Education with Dr. Twila Liggett. Aside from TADA! David has taught acting, storytelling, improv and musical theatre at Manhattan New Music Project, The Children's Acting Academy, and Camp Cavise. His songs have been sung by performers from Broadway, Off-Broadway, film, and National and International tours at venues including Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex, and The Metropolitan Room.

Lawrence Rush is the composer, lyricist and bookwriter of several musicals, including the Richard Rodgers Award finalists Pride & Prejudice - The Musical and Winter of the Fall, which recently received a workshop performance at Illinois Wesleyan University. He co-composed and arranged the L.A. Weekly Award nominated Rules for Girls, which ran at two Los Angeles theaters. His bi-lingual musical, A Maiden's Consent twice toured the U.S. and he was a contributing composer/lyricist for TADA!'s Everything About a Day, Almost. Lawrence's song cycle, Elizabeth Barrettt Browning Sonnets received several performances in the U.S. and Austria, while his cabaret show, The Way to Your Heart, the words and music of Lawrence Rush ran at Don't Tell Mama! Choral compositions include Sim Shalom which received the Shalshelet Award for Jewish choral music. Lawrence is also a musical director, stage director, singer and actor and is a member of the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Workshop and The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.

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, is alumni of the Tony award-winning BMI Musical Theater Workshop.  He has written music and lyrics for the children's musicals, Miss Buttercup is Missing, The Tale of Ganesh The Elephant Prince, and The Frog Prince and Bugtown... which were performed by the Brooklyn Children's Theater the past four seasons. His musicals Picture Perfect and Dream Teen have both been produced at The York Theater-NYC.  Robby is a 2007 NEO (New, Emerging and Outstanding) Award-Winner: an award gieven by the York Theater Company for outstanding work in composition.  Robby and Andrea Frierson are the most recent recipients of the Dramatist Guild Fellowship Award for 2008-2009 for their musical "Sister Aimee".

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.

Kelly Anne Wadler, Director/Choreographer; Kelly graduated from Hofstra University with a BFA in Theater Performance and has been intensively and competitively trained in many forms of dance since age nine. Currently, she focuses her passion of theater through educating. When she is not teaching she can be found dancing for an entertainment company at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and Weddings as well as acting in Off-Broadway shows. She is extremely excited to continue her work as a TADA! Teaching Artist and looks forward to working with kids of all ages and abilities in and around NYC!

Stephanie Wells, (Music Director), is a music director, vocal coach, piano instructor, and accompanist. She graduated from Columbia College with a degree in Musical Theater Performance. She has been teaching for 8 years in chicago and NYC. She has worked with TADA!, The Leadership Program, NYU, New School, Brooklyn Friends School, USDAN, and P.S. 107 in NYC.

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.