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Steven Abusch (Executive Director)
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Steven Abusch (Executive Director) is co-founder of the Play Group Theatre and has proudly guided the organization through its nomadic years, ultimately spearheading the “NoBro” campaign and landing PGT in its permanent home. Steven is the ultimate multi-tasker at PGT — from the scene shop to the offices, he is equally happy climbing a ladder during tech week as balancing the books with the finance committee. As one of PGT’s resident set designers, Steven has designed the sets for Willy Wonka, Hair, Children’s Letters to God, Honk!, Once on this Island, Guys and Dolls, The Jungle Book, Godspell, Into the Woods, A Year with Frog and Toad, West Side Story, Charlotte’s Web, Our Town and Little Shop of Horrors, among others. Steven also designed and created a series of man-eating plants for Little Shop of Horrors, as well as the masks and puppets for Children of Eden. Steven has directed several PGT productions, including Pippin, Lord of the Flies, Peter Pan, The Wiz, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Hobbit and From The Inside Out, for which he also wrote the book and lyrics. He also co-wrote the book and lyrics for Family for Sale. Steven has studied both visual and performing arts throughout his life and received his BFA in fine arts after studying at SUNY Binghamton and Scuola Lorenzo De’Medici in Florence, Italy. Steven’s favorite roles are off-stage Husband to Jill and Father to Aviva and Ilana.
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Jill Abusch (Artistic Director)
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Jill Abusch (Artistic Director) is co-founder, Camp Director and resident second mommy to many students and alumni of The Play Group Theatre. As Artistic Director, Jill has guided the MainStage and StudioStage programs from their inception. She is proud to have directed the Teen Conservatory summer writing program for several years, resulting in the original musicals Pieces of Reality, Unpaved Roads, Second Cup and Foolish Mortals. Jill also co-wrote the book and lyrics for Girl Talk, Piper and Family for Sale. She has taught a variety of classes from Little Theatre to Advanced Acting Technique and has gone into schools and camps to train teachers on the use of drama in the classroom. Highlights of Jill’s PGT directing career include: Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, The Red Sneaks, Children of Eden, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Dining Room, West Side Story, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Once on this Island, Hair, Children’s Letters to God, Romeo and Juliet, 13 and The Tempest. Jill studied acting and directing at the Stella Adler Conservatory and the Classical Studio at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned a BFA in drama. She adores working alongside her husband and partner, Steven, and is especially proud of their best productions, by far: Aviva and Ilana.
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Jeff Downing (Associate Artistic Director)
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Jeff Downing (Associate Artistic Director) is originally from Chillicothe, Ohio and received a BFA in Theater Design and Production from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Jeff has been directing, teaching, and designing at The Play Group Theatre since 2003. Some of his favorite shows include A New Brain, Zanna Don’t!, Urinetown, Grand Hotel, Seussical, The Laramie Project, A Man of No Importance, The Secret Garden, Marvin’s Room, and Captain Louie. He has written two original musicals for PGT with collaborator Barry James; Once Upon a Time and Toby and Walter. Jeff spends his summers directing and performing at Grandstreet Theatre in Helena, Montana where he has recently played Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Chip in Spelling Bee and Man One in Songs For a New World.
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Rachael Longo (Director of Education)
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Rachael Longo (Director of Education) is a graduate of Skidmore College where she received her BS in Theater in 2000 and New York University where she earned her MA degree in Educational Theatre in 2005. Her NYC acting credits include A Night of Paula Vogel at The Producers Club and Anything for You for the Creative Acting Company. At NYU, she played Laura in The Glass Menagerie and Treves in an adaptation of The Elephant Man. Rachael has also worked as a producer, director, make-up artist and choreographer for many stage productions. Since graduating from NYU, Rachael has dedicated herself to Educational Theatre and has worked as a professional teaching artist and education director; leading workshops in theatre and dance in New York City and Westchester County. At PGT, Rachael has directed Homeroom, Journey To Me and Wavelengths and assistant directed The Tempest. In addition to her work at The Play Group Theatre, she has taught with The New Victory Theatre, Pelham Arts Center, Lighthouse Youth Arts Center and Ossining Arts Center.
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Joshua Simon (Technical Director)
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Joshua Simon (Technical Director) is lucky enough to work at PGT all year long. He graduated from Brandeis University in 2007 with a degree in Sociology and a love for theater. He really loves working with the incredible staff and cherishes the moments when he gets to work with the wonderful, talented, super-nice children, too. One day, Josh hopes to become an astronaut and firefighter. Josh would like to thank the PGT Staff, PGT Parents, and Vicki for being so wonderful and supportive.
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David Alpert (Teaching Artist)
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David Alpert recently served as the assistant director for the world premiere play by Tony Kushner, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide…, at the Guthrie Theater, as well as at the Public Theatre, both directed by Michael Greif. Prior to that he assisted Des McAnuff on the Broadway revival of Guys & Dolls. SELECTED NY: White Noise (Assistant Director; Sergio Trujillo, dir.), Joseph… Dreamcoat, Everything is Fine (ASCAP/Stephen Schwartz), Here Today (Theatre Row), Caty Bridgewater (Alvin Ailey Studios), American Family (Bridge Theater), Six O’Clock (Players’ Theatre, Festival Winner), 8Minute Musical Festival (NYMF), Cocaine:the Band:the Musical (NYMF), The Craig Stevens’ Guide… Broadway, concerts at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Room, Sweet Caroline’s, the Duplex and the Laurie Beechman Theater. SELECTED REGIONAL: Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors, 1776 (Guthrie Theater, directing intern), Cherry County Playhouse, Mason Street Warehouse. Every year, David proudly presents the Living for Today concert series, which brings together Broadway performers for a night of music to benefit the Gilana Shira Alpert fund. In 2006, David was selected to direct a new play at the American College Theater Festival. David is an associate member of SDC, and graduated summa cum laude from Western Michigan University with a BA in Directing, as well as a BA in Stage Management. Always for my family.
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Joe Ametrano (Teaching Artist)
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Joe Ametrano (Director) Raised right here in White Plains, Joe is happy to be back for his third summer at PGT. In past summers, he has directed Dreams and The People Garden, both with our Young Actors Ensemble. Joe has directed plays and musicals for many years all over the country. His credits include Candide at Yale, The Miracle Worker at St. Croix Festival Theatre, Sylvia at Cortland Repertory Theatre and most recently, High School Musical and A Raisin in the Sun. Joe holds a B.S. in film from Boston University College of Communication and a Masters in directing from The Actors Studio Drama School. When he’s not here at PGT, Joe teaches Drama at Boynton Beach Community High School near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joe would like to thank Vincenzille, Checchina and the entire Familia Ametrano for their continued love and inspiration.
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Bianca Bryan (Teaching Artist)
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Bianca Bryan is delighted to be teaching at PGT and sharing her passion for acting with all of you! Favorite theater credits include: Matilde in The Clean House (Barksdale Theatre), Masha in The Seagull, Rose in The Secret Garden, Frau Schmidt in The Sound of Music (Helen Hayes Theatre Company), Bianca in Good Ol’ Girls (North Carolina Theatre), the Stepmother in Cinderella (Westchester Broadway Theatre), and several roles in The American Girls Revue and Circle of Friends in NYC. She can currently be heard on the radio in Gold Bond and Allegra commercials, and as the Worgen female playing character in the videogame World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Watch for her on David Letterman the 3rd week of every December as she sings holiday parody carols! Graduate of Brooklyn College (MFA) and Manhattan School of Music (BM). Proud member of AEA & AFTRA.
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Dan Gorka (Teaching Artist)
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Dan Gorka (Assistant Director/Teaching Artist/Director of Fun/Dean of Discipline/Set Designer) has been with PGT in some capacity since the summer of 2001. Dan has a BFA from SUNY Purchase School of Art and Design. He is now assistant directing, stage-managing, and designing scenery for the new main stage program. He also has the distinct privilege of being the Special Day Coordinator, aka Director of Fun for the summer program. Dan loves camp more than anything.
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Scott Hamilton (Teaching Artist)
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Scott Hamilton, born and raised in Michigan, now resides in New York City. Prior to relocating to NYC, Scott received his BBA in International Marketing and a BA in Vocal and Dance Performance from Western Michigan University. While continuing to study his craft, Scott has performed with contemporary and modern dance companies throughout NYC, International tours, regional theaters and International Cruise Lines. His goal was to be doing what he loves, and thankfully he loves it more and more each day. “Laugh often, and live for today.”
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Maria Portman Kelly (Teaching Artist)
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Maria Portman Kelly is thrilled to have been part of the PGT family since working as the dialect coach for A Man of No Importance in 2005. Other teaching artist credits: Big Green Theater at Still Waters in a Storm in Brooklyn; Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Horace Mann School; Stages of Learning at PS 6 and PS 59 in New York; Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC; L/A Arts in Auburn, ME; and The Wide Awake Theatre Project in Ohio with PGT Associate Artistic Director, Jeff Downing. As an actor, Maria has performed with her own green theatre collective, Superhero Clubhouse, as well as The Culture Project, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Shakespeare Theatre Company among others. She holds a BFA from the University of Cincinnati (CCM).
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Stephanie Kovacs (Teaching Artist)
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Stephanie Kovacs has directed and taught at PGT since 1996. Some productions include: The Sound of Music, Honk!, Our Town, Merrily We Roll Along and A My Name Will Always Be Alice, among others. At PGT, she originated the Three-Week Program and the PGT Kids program. She’s taught workshops in schools across Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and New York and is a director and teaching artist with such companies as Little Village Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, Two River Theater Company, The University of Illinois, Theatre Arts Center, GLTBQ and Performing Arts from the Heart. Stephanie also works as an AEA/SAG actress and an independent casting director. She trained at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Stella Adler Conservatory, A.C.T., Yale, the University of Illinois, and Minneapolis Children’s Theatre.
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Dan Lawler (Teaching Artist)
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Dan Lawler teaches on the Adjunct Voice Faculty of Seton Hall University and has served on the adjunct faculties of New York University, Rosie’s Broadway Kids and numerous arts-education programs in the Tri-State area. Maintaining an active voice studio in NYC, Dan holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from New York University and a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College. He also spent the summer of ‘08 as an apprentice teacher at Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP 21). As a professional singer and actor, Dan performs regularly in New York and regionally, most recently in the critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway hit With Glee for the Prospect Theater Company and the new musical Shine! for the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Dan is a member of Actors’ Equity, New York Singing Teachers Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
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Nick Nicassio (Teaching Artist)
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Nick Nicassio (Music Director) This is Nick’s second summer as a musical director and composer for Play Group Theatre, and he has been working with PGT Kids and teaching voice lessons throughout the year as well. Nick holds a Master of Music degree in voice from Manhattan School of Music, and he is a seasoned piano accompanist. He has sung with the Los Angeles Opera Chorus and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and has performed as a leading tenor in opera and oratorio. His musical arrangements have been performed by chamber ensembles and chorus, and in a national broadcast on PBS. Nick co-wrote music for the 6-Week Teen show last summer, and is busy working with the students and staff to create 2 original shows this year! Although Nick’s background and training has largely been in classical music, he has always loved musical theater, and his appreciation for it has deepened while being a part of the PGT community.
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Michael Potsic (Teaching Artist)
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Michael Potsic (Musical Director/Teen 3 Composer) is thrilled to be spending his first summer with PGT. Michael’s musical directing credits include Oklahoma!, Grease, The Bronco Way, High School Musical 2, Aladdin, The Donkey Show and Ising. Michael attended Western Michigan University for Musical Theatre Performance. His performance credits include Tony (West Side Story), Recruiting Officer (Mother Courage…), Mr. Erlanson (A Little Night Music), and Senator Fipp (Urinetown). Michael’s original musical Flight will receive its first New York reading in November; with an untitled project set for a reading in the spring.
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Emily Rosen (Teaching Artist)
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Emily Rosen (Director) is psyched to be spending her fifth year as part of the PGT summer staff. She has been working on the six-week writing program for the last four summers, and has greatly enjoyed adapting the process with the three-week teens this summer. Emily graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Drama and English, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in English and Theatre Education at NYU Steinhardt.
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Pirronne Yousefzadeh (Teaching Artist)
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Pirronne Yousefzadeh’s work has been seen at The Public/Joe’s Pub, Soho Rep, Ars Nova, New Georges, The Cherry Pit, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Hangar Theatre, where she was a 2006 Drama League Directing Fellow. She is an Emerging Artist of Color Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop, Resident Director at Ensemble Studio Theatre, New Georges Affiliated Artist, and an alumna of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab and Drama League Directors Project. Pirronne has also worked as a Teaching Artist at McCarter Theatre and Two River Theater Company, and recently joined the faculty at Bard High School Early College. M.F.A., Columbia University.
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