Rachel Blavatnik, Associate Producer
Rachel got her start in professional theatre working with Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway Musical. Rachel has worked as the Company Manager for several regional theatres and national tours including Barrington Stage Company and Theatre by the Sea, and Windwood Productions. Rachel now resides in Florida and has worked at the Lyric Theatre, and is currently the Associate Producer at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Rachel holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is a writer of many short stories, plays and screenplays, and recently directed a production of Barry Manillow’s Copacabana.
John Carrafa, Director
John Carrafa is the two time Tony Nominated choreographer of Into the Woods and Urinetown The Musical on Broadway. He also won an Obie Award, Lortel Award and Dora Award for Urinetown, as well as nominations for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards.. Other Broadway choreography includes, Dirty Blonde, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Dance of the Vampires and Dance of Death. He also directed the Beach Boys musical Good Vibrations. He has worked extensively Off-Broadway at the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theater Club, with writers such as Wendy Wasserstein, A.R. Gurney, Terrance McNally and Paula Vogel. He has choreographed more than 20 feature films, including “The Thomas Crown Affair”, “The Last Days of Disco”, “Earthly Possessions”, “Love! Valour! Compassion!”, “The Polar Express” and the recent “Bride Wars”, starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. For television he directed the BBC/PBS Great Performances Special “Thou Swell, Thou Witty: The Songs of Rogers and Hart” and was choreographer for “Sex and the City.” His work with New York City Center's Encores! series includes The Pajama Game, Out of this World and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. He choreographed A Little Night Music as part of the Sondheim celebration at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is active in the development of new musical theater. Recent developmental workshops he's directed include Meanwhile on the Other Side of Mt. Vesuvius by Jay Reiss and Scott Murphy, commissioned by the Yale Repertory Theater, Dani Girl by Chris Dimond and Michael Kooman at American Conservatory Theater and Kennedy Center.
Bob Cline, Casting Agent
Coming Soon!
Jeff Croiter, Lighting Designer
Coming Soon!
Dave Harris, Associate Producer
Dave grew up outside of Boston, spending summers on the Cape and Islands. His first foray into professional theatre was as an assistant property master and stage manager for Sarah Caldwell's Opera Company of Boston, after which he continued stage managing at Syracuse Stage in upstate New York and the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. He has a Bachelors of Science in Drama from Syracuse University and a Masters of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College (CUNY).
From 1992 to 2003, Dave was based out of Manhattan, managing Broadway productions - including the Pulitzer Prize winning play Angels in America, Street Corner Symphony, and The Full Monty - as well as first-national touring productions - including Kiss of the Spider Woman, Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Music of the Night, Grease, Showboat, Sunset Boulevard, and Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida.
In 2004, Dave moved to South Florida and joined the management team at the Performing Arts Center Authority in Fort Lauderdale - first as Theater Manager of the Miniaci Performing Arts Center, and subsequently as Director of Operations at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Working at the Broward Center was a highlight in his career; but Dave is even more thrilled to be overseeing operations at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, which he believes is destined to be one of the preeminent regional theaters in the United States.
Michelle Den Humphrey, Costume Coordinator
Recent Credits: Caesar and Cleopatra (Clurman Theater at Theatre Row), ReWrite (Urban Stages), Things to Ruin (Second Stage & The Zipper Factory), The Black Suits (SPF The Public Theater) and Lit and Messy and Not At All Ashamed (written by Joe Iconis). She has a designed many productions for New York University such as Candide, King David, Violet, Floyd Collins, Urinetown, The Merry Widow, A Little Night Music, Parade, A New Brain, and new works: I’ll Be Damned, Like You Like It, Blood and Other Humours, Odin and 29. Additional theater credits include 42nd Street, Man of La Mancha, Nunsense, California Suite (Plays in the Park), The Univited, Let Him Sleep (Brea Theater League), and The NJ Renaissance Festival. Assistant Costume Designer for Una Calle sin Salida (Film by LMF Productions). Michelle was a costume designer for Knott’s Berry Farm Theme park for several years and costumed many stage performances such as Tales from the Crypt and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She has worked as a celebrity dresser and worked on Madonna’s “Girlie Tour”. Michelle is on the board of directors for Theatreworks USA.
Andrew Kato, Conceiver/Developer
Andrew Kato is currently the Artistic Director of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, South Florida’s largest award-winning regional theatre. He has been Coordinating Producer on the Tony Awards for the last six years (winner of three Emmy Awards). He has produced many Broadway concerts including Chess in Concert starring Josh Groban; the Twentieth Anniversary Concert of Dreamgirls; and the Tenth Anniversary Concert Version of Into the Woods among others. He was an Associate on the Broadway productions of Jelly's Last Jam, Angels in America and the off-Broadway productions of Bomb-itty of Errors and Cryptogram and has conceived, developed and/or directed many new musicals including Switch!, 1001 Nights, Street Songs/Madhattan and Diva Diaries.
John Mercurio, Composer/Author
John Mercurio wrote the music for Glimpses of the Moon which recently completed an encore run in the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel. Last summer, his musical Myth was selected to be developed at the O’Neill Music Theater Conference where John was awarded the Georgia Holof Lyricist Award for Myth. He has also received grants from the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and the Gilman-Gonzalez-Falla Foundation for his work in musical theatre. He wrote the music and co-wrote the book to Diva Diaries which has been produced at the Tampa Bay and Broward Center for the Performing Arts, as well as the Lakeshore Theatre in Chicago. Last fall, his prep school musical, Academy was chosen to be developed at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre funded by a MacArthur grant. Other productions: 1001 Nights, The Riverhaven Book Club, (Lyric Theatre, Florida); A Time to Be Born (Fringe Festival 2006). John has received degrees from the Eastman School of Music, NYU and attended the BMI Advanced Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. http://www.johnmercurio.com
Jaclyn Miller, Assistant Director
Jaclyn Miller is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this project. She most recently served as the Swing/Dance Captain on the National Tour of Happy Days the Musical. Then, finished up the summer as the Assistant Dir./Choreographer of Joseph...Dreamcoat at the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma.
Alexander Rovang, Music Director
Alexander Rovang is thrilled to be working with this phenomenal cast on John Mercurio’s Academy! A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, Mr.Rovang moved to New York 12 years ago hoping to become the Nebraskan Glenn Gould. Instead, he found himself working with an incredible variety of groups such as the Boys' Choir of Harlem, the off-Broadway political satire “Bush Wars”, and the Susan Marshall Dance Co. among others. He’s played opera in Israel, tango in Argentina, and "Swing" in Chatham, NY. Someday Mr.Rovang hopes to get a real job like his mother (a cardiologist) or throw in the towel and race motorcycles like his dad. Other than Glenn, he will probably be survived by everybody.
Glenn Rovinelli, Orchestrator
Coming Soon!
Jennifer Sardone-Shiner, Director of Marketing
Jennifer is a graduate from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. degree in Advertising/Public Relations. Jennifer has worked in marketing in all aspects that include sports, concerts, comedians, theatre, tradeshows, and special events. Her experience has brought her to the Florida Citrus Bowl, UCF Arena, Coral Sky Amphitheatre, Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Pompano Beach Amphitheatre throughout Florida. Most recently has been the Director of Marketing for Fantasma Productions for over three years for all events such as lecture series with President Clinton, concerts such as Elton John, Britney Spears, Tony Bennett, Tim McGraw, Bill Joel and many more.
Currently Jennifer serves as the Director of Marketing for the new Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Jennifer handles and oversees all aspects of marketing for the theatre, the plays, the new Conservatory of Performing Arts as well as all of the limited engagements and children performances. The marketing strategy consists of: direct mail, flyers, posters, media buyer for TV both cable and network, all radio/NPR, brochures/mailings, all newspaper/magazine ads, season subscriptions, newsprint and more. Jennifer currently resides in Port Saint Lucie with her husband.
Scott Simmons, Director of PR
Scott Simmons is a Palm Beach County native who is constantly amazed at the beauty here, and the cultural diversity of our region. He was with The Palm Beach Post for nearly 17 years, and for nine years was the editor of the newspaper's TGIF magazine. He also originated the "Look What We Found" antiques column that appears each week in the newspaper's Florida Home section, and helped create the Palm Beach ArtsPaper.
Michael Schweikardt, Scenic Designer
Recent credits include ELLA a musical about jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald which is appearing in cities all across the country, critically acclaimed productions of 1776, Big River and Camelot for Goodspeed Musicals, Barnum for The Asolo Rep’s 50th anniversary season, American premiers of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold and The Bird Sanctuary, Oklahoma! starring Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase celebrating The Oklahoma State centennial and National and International Tours of James Taylor’s One Man Band. Upcoming projects include the world premier of the new Duncan Sheik/ Kyle Jarrow musical Whisper House opening at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre in January 2010. Online portfolio: www.msportfolio.com
Andrew Tucker, Stage Manager
Andrew comes to us straight from The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival where he just finished Twelfth Night with David Bell. The former resident of The Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Andrew worked under the amazing Artistic Direction of Andrew Kato (Coordinating Producer - Tony Awards). Some of his favorite productions were Same Time Next Year (dir. J. Barry Lewis), Smokey Joe’s Café (dir. Bill Castellino), Master Class (dir. Marcia Milgrom Dodge), Noises Off (dir. David Bell), and Barnum (dir. Gordon Greenburgh). Originally from New York, other favorite credits include former National Director of Stage Management Blue Man Group where he coordinated a stage management team for the 2002 Grammy Awards, Off-Broadway: The Countess by Gregory Murphy (Beckett/Lambs Theatre), Museum (dir. Carl Forsman), National Tours: Beehive and Brief History of White Music (dir. Rick Seeber), Regional: Swine Palace Productions; Flesh & Blood, Rocky Horror, suBurbia (dir. Barry Kyle), Geniuses (dir. Steven Soderburgh), San Francisco production of Shear Madness (dir. Bruce Jordan), San Jose Rep. The Road To Los Angeles (dir. Kim Eulle) Long Wharf Theatre: The Good Thief (dir. Carl Forseman), New Vista Theatre: The Sunshine Boys (with Bruce Adler) just to name a few. Andrew dedicates this production to his parents who just celebrated fifty years of marriage.
Grant Yeager, Lighting Designer
Coming Soon!
Jeffrey Barry-Marketing Art Director
Originally from Colorado, Jeff spent much of his life growing up overseas in various areas, including 11 years in Jakarta, Indonesia, and three years in Caracas, Venezuela.
Jeff has always been very involved in theater, both onstage and behind the scenes. His love for theater and the performing arts continued throughout college where he was involved in several student produced plays and films. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Florida International University, concentrating in creative advertising.
Jeff is absolutely thrilled to be working in a theater, especially one as cool as the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and is looking forward to growing with the Theatre family!
Barry Rawdon, Website Designer
Barry is the President/Founder of the South Florida based website design and development company Silicon Coast. He provides effective solutions for businesses and organizations of all sizes to have a successful presence on the Internet.
Silicon Coast offers the complete package of professional website design and development services; including managed hosting and Internet marketing.
Silicon Coast is based in South Florida and regularly serves clients in the cities of: West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Stuart, and Port St. Lucie. However, we have also provided website design and development solutions across the United States and around the world. Distance is not an issue in the digital age, we can work with clients anywhere.
At St. Edward's Academy, two seniors make a harmless bet on whether they can influence an unsuspecting freshman to break a few rules to succeed. But when the transaction goes recklessly out of control, the boys become entangled in a fight for their own academic and personal survival. Inspired by Goethe’s Faust, Academy is a pop chamber musical about boys learning to become men—and remaining true to themselves.
