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Meet the Staff

In addition to the instructors and professional staff listed below, Stage Right employs a number of professional actors throughout the year that students have the chance to work with and be mentored by during productions.

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THIS is what makes Stage Right unique, innovated, artful, and inclusive.

There is NO Equal to the benefits of working with professional, working artists!

Real, certified, and caring industry professionals make the best teachers! 

Nicole Jones - Resident Artist/Instructor

Musical Theatre Styles

Originally from N. Huntingdon, PA, Nicole Jones has a diverse dance background in ballet, jazz, modern, and Broadway styles. She first experienced dance with the Sacred Heart Junior Tamburitzans and transitioned into formal ballet training with companies including Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and American Ballet Theater. Nicole holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Dance and in History from Point Park University. Nicole instructs all ages in ballet, modern, jazz, and Broadway styles. She has taught for numerous dance schools and programs, including the Kelly Strayhorn Theater (PGH), Peridance Capezio Center (NYC), Mile Square Theatre (NYC) and American Dance Training Camps (US). 

 

Professional dance credits include working with Vertigo Dance Company’s international program (Israel), August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble (PGH), DanceAction (NYC), Shana Simmons Dance (PGH) and performing the works of Noa Wertheim, Ohad Naharin, Martha Graham, Christopher Huggins, Gerald Arpino, Douglas Bentz, and Patrick Franz among others. Professional theater credits include SWING! (Norwegian Cruise Line – West Coast Feature), Legally Blonde the Musical (2019 Nat’l Tour – Chutney/Dance Captain), An American in Paris (2020, 2022 Nat’l Tours – Female Swing/Lise u/s/Dance Captain), Mamma Mia! (Apple Hill/Theatre Factory - Dance Ensemble), South Pacific (2022 Nat’l Tour – Ensign Janet/ on-stage swing/Dance Captain), Rock of Ages (Split Stage Productions – Ensemble).

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Jeanne Kane Resident Artist/Instructor

Imagination Workshop - Music Director

Jeanne holds a degree in music education from Grove City College, and has taught for about 35 years.  She was a music teacher for the Franklin Regional school district from 1989-2019, and now teaches at Stage Right in the Imagination workshop.  In addition, she teaches voice and piano lessons at 12th Octave studio in Greensburg, and teaches private lessons, as well. Jeanne performs in Stage Right’s professional shows several times each season.  She has also performed locally, for Split Stage, Theatre Factory, Greensburg Civic Theatre and New Kensington Civic Theatre. In her private life, Jeanne is married and has three children, who are the joys of her life!

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Christopher McAllister   (Artistic & Educational Director)

Imagination Workshop - Music Director

Christopher is the proud Artistic & Educational Director of Stage Right!, and a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education with selected concentrations in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy, Music Theater, Vocal Pedagogy, Anthropology, and Religious Studies courses. He was a choral teacher for the North Star School District in Boswell, PA for 6 years, where he taught grades 5-12, chorus and general music courses. He has previously directed the musical theatre programs in the Ligonier Valley and Greater Johnstown school districts as well as summer children's camps with the Valley Players of Ligonier and the Summer in the City Program in Johnstown, and annual supports the Conemaugh Township High School musical with his technical theatre skills. Christopher arrived at Stage Right in the fall of 2015 and has served as the Production Manager and the Resident Music Director for the Stage Right, and also oversees a private voice studio. He has been a guest conductor for the Somerset County Music Educator's Association's (SCMEA) and a guest clinician for the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association – District 6 (PMEA) choral teachers. He has served as the Music Director for the Greater Johnstown Community Chorus, has performed with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (as a symphony member and chorus member), and has also attended select Broadway Teacher's Workshops in NYC with industry professionals. Recent theatre credits include: a concert version of Chess and Sweeney Todd (Ensemble), Larry Shue’s The Nerd (Rick Steadman), A Christmas Story the Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Legally Blonde, and Anything Goes. He has musically directed Rock of Ages and The Rocky Horror Show with Split Stage Productions, and directed Joseph…, Anything Goes, and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play with Stage Right. 

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Kim McLeod - Resident Artist/Instructor

Preteen Acting

Kim is a proud graduate of Northwestern University's prestigious theatre department with a BS in speech/theatre. In addition to her classical training, she studied sketch comedy and improvisation extensively with the The Second City. Kim has performed in musical productions at Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL, and Williamsburg VA, as well as locally at St. Vincent Summer Theatre, Mountain Playhouse, Theater Factory, and of course, Stage Right! In addition, Kim is a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200). She is currently represented by The Docherty Agency in Pittsburgh.

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Michael Meketa - Resident Music Director

Audition Techniques, Workshop Classes

Mike is a composer/orchestrator/music director based in Pittsburgh, Pa. Some recent credits as composer: Kalopsia (2017 & 2021 Co-Lyrics/Orchestrations New Hazlett Theater), The Axeman’s Jazz (2019), Dog God (2018), Songs of Suffrage (2021 Seton Hill University), and What Makes The Season (2020 Cal U of PA).  As arranger/orchestrator: Hair (2022 Cortland Rep), It Had To Be You (2021 Winnipesaukee Playhouse), Clicquot: A Revolutionary Musical (2021 [Pre-B’way]), Die Young: The Ke$ha Romeo & Juliet (2020), Ramona (2020), Assistants (2019 Orchestrations [off b’way debut!]). NYU Musical Theatre Writing Program Graduate! Much love to my Parents and to Sarah. Meketamusic.com

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Josh Reardon - Operations Manager, Resident Artist/Instructor

Teen/Preteen Acting, Workshops

Josh is incredibly excited to join the teaching staff at Stage Right! Having grown up in Washington County, Josh relocated to Greensburg when he attended Seton Hill University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theater (with a focus in acting) he is proud to have worked with many of the theater companies across the area. You may recognize him from some of his recent performances as Lonny in Rock of Ages (Split Stage Theater), Will in American Idiot, Roger in RENT (Geyer Performing Arts Center) Elisha Whitney in Anything Goes and Ruben in Joseph in the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Stage Right) as well as others! As an advocate for the arts and art community Josh looks forward to working alongside the students here at Stage Right to develop their own unique forms of artistic and self expression! Through this collaborative effort and alongside the other artists he hopes to continue to foster a safe and welcoming creative space here in Westmorland county!

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Eileen Grace Reynolds - Instructor/Additional Choreographer

Music Together® Instructor, Substitute

Eileen is an alumna of Point Park University, and an award-winning Director and Choreographer and former Broadway performer and Rockette. She directed and staged the Radio City Christmas Spectacular touring productions for 9 years. Her directing and/or choreography credits include over 40 musicals including Point Park University’s The Drowsy Chaperone and The Boy Friend, 42 nd Street and The New Pittsburgh Playhouse Opening Gala. Other shows include Singin’ in the Rain, White Christmas, On Your Toes, Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun (starring Andrea McArdle), Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast, and No No Nanette (starring Donna McKechnie). She also staged many TV Rockette appearances, She served as Artistic Director of the Rockette’s Summer Intensive Program and as Associate Producer for the theatre company Reagle Music Theatre of Boston. Eileen was in the Broadway casts of 42nd Street, Will Rogers Follies, and in the international tour of My One And Only (with Tommy Tune). Her television credits include the Grammy Awards, the Tony Awards, One Life to Live, Macys Parade, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Late Show with David Letterman and Oprah. As an instructor she has taught master classes at universities, conventions and workshops around the country.

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Paul Reynolds  - Instructor

Teen Acting, Music Together® Instructor

Paul has an MFA from Point Park University, and a BFA from the University of Miami. He is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Point Park University teaching acting as well as some university core classes. Paul has been teaching Music Together for nine years and has learned so much in that time and looks forward to each new semester to see what else the children will teach him. He spent 4 1/2 years as Production Manager/ASM/Performer for Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston, MA. While there some of his many achievements were working closely with the Director of Youth Programs and Reagle Players Musical Theater Camps to create a safe place to learn all aspects of the stage, both in front of the lights and behind the scenes, as well as bringing Shakespeare into the classroom with the Waltham Public Schools. Prior to that Paul spent over 9 years in LA where his focus was primarily on film and television and before that nearly 12 years in New York where much of his work was with regional theater companies across the U.S. as well as a European tour of West Side Story. He may be seen in re-runs of George Lopez, Norm, Good Morning Miami and in the feature film Daddy Day Care

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Anastasia Robinson  -- Executive Director, Resident Artist/Instructor

Voice Classes, Private Lessons

Anastasia is equally at home with opera, oratorio, art song, and musical theatre. Her operatic roles include Queen of the Night and First Lady in The Magic Flute, Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor, Brigitte in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanthe, and Ruth in Chris Patton’s premier of A Family Reunion. Her oratorio repertoire includes Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Poulenc’s Gloria, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and numerous sacred works of Bach and Mozart. Musical theatre credits include Nettie in Carousel and The Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast. She has performed as a soloist with The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Resonance Works Pittsburgh, The IN Series, Summerland Music Society, Summer Music Associates, Sounds in the Sanctuary, Stage Right, Bel Cantanti Opera, New England Conservatory Opera Theater, and the ensembles of Pittsburgh Opera, Shadyside Presbyterian Chancel Choir, Washington Concert Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, The Washington Chorus, and Opera Boston. Ms. Robinson was a resident artist with the Ash Lawn Opera Outreach Program. Ms. Robinson holds a Masters of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. She maintains a private voice studio in Pittsburgh, PA and is on the faculty of Stage Right! in Greensburg, PA. A strong advocate for early exposure to the arts and classical music, Ms. Robinson is a teaching artist with Pittsburgh Opera Outreach, an innovative program that improvises opera for children from pre-k to high school. Ms. Robinson resides in Pittsburgh, PA and loves living in the historic South Side neighborhood and enjoys exploring the city and surrounding area on foot while marathon training.

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Julia Smolka  (Educational Outreach Coordinator, Resident Artist/Instructor)

Jazz, Tap, & Ballet, Pop/Rock Voice, Workshops

Julia is a theatre professional, educator and the educational outreach coordinator at Stage Right! Julia is a graduate of Point Park Conservatory of the Performing Arts and holds a Masters in Teaching Prek-4 from Chatham University. Julia works independently as a musician (singer/ songwriter) and is a front singer in the Bachelor Boys Band, an award winning event band based in Pittsburgh, Pa. Julia has worked at the national level across the United States and is a card-carrying member of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA). Julia’s previous stage roles include, Carousel: A Concert (Carrie Pipperidge), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Cindy Lou), Nunsense (Sister Mary Leo), Carrie (Norma) The Perfect Mate (Joan Sweete), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Swing), Here You Come Again (Vocalist/ Dolly Parton Understudy) at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Theatre.  Julia has always had a true passion for the performing arts and is proud to have a career to not only perform, but to teach and watch children grow and succeed within the theatre community.  

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Annastassia Stewart  (Resident Artist/Instructor)

Workshop Classes, Stage Combat

Annastassia, better known as Miss Anna, is the instructor for Imagination and Teen workshops, as well as Stage Combat. She has been performing for over 15 years; first with Stage Right, and later all over the world. She graduated in 2018 with a BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia, and is expected to graduate in 2023 with a Masters of Education in Advanced Teaching. She has been seen on stage AND backstage internationally with Missoula Children’s Theatre, and locally with Stage Right, Split Stage Productions, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and The Strand Theatre Company. Anna has also passed the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) requirements to be considered an Advanced Actor Combatant. She has received a recommended passes in the following categories: Unarmed Combat, Single Sword, Rapier and Dagger, Quarterstaff, Broadsword, and Knife. Her greatest passions in life are teaching children and the Arts, and she feels incredibly lucky to spend her life integrating the two every single day. See you in class! 

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Alyssa Wano  (Production Manager/Resident Stage Manager)

Alyssa is a born and raised native of Greensburg with a BA in Theatre Performance from Seton Hill University. She continues to also be the resident stage manager with Split Stage Productions, whom she's been with since 2017. She has also sporadically worked with Actors and Artists of Fayette County, The Geyer Performing Arts Center, The Lamp Theatre Players, South Park Theatre, as well as being the resident stage manager for the 2015-16 season with Stage Right! 

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Becky Ziegler-Koch  (Instructor/Resident Artist)

Imagination Workshop, Substitute Instructor

Becky has been teaching voice, acting, musical theater and directing children in theater in the area for 20 years. She holds a BFA Musical Theater degree from Clarion University. She has worked with many local theaters such as The Theatre Factory, Greensburg Civic Theatre, Geyer Performing Arts Center, St. Vincent and Apple Hill in many capacities including performing, teaching, directing, building sets, music directing, painting ,lighting, and stage managing. She has also been playing cello since age 4 and plays in the area with groups such as the WSO Summer Philharmonic, the Seton Hill Sinfonia as well as playing for many local high school pit orchestras. 

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