Teaching Artists
Our highly qualified teaching artists hold Bachelors Degrees, or higher, in their respective field. These individuals are working professionals within the industry and continue to strive for excellence in their own art. Many teaching artists also collaborate with the company in our offices and on the stage, providing consistent and familiar teaching philosophies for all.
Derek Adams
Bio coming soon.
Andrew Barbato
Andrew Barbato, a multifaceted theatre artist, has enjoyed great success in the Boston and New York City area as a vocalist and actor, director and producer, and musical theatre composer/writer.
Beginning at a young age, Andrew was an active performer in Boston while starring in productions at the Stoneham Theatre and Wheelock Family Theatre. He also appeared on the stage of the North Shore Music Theatre and provided vocals for numerous concerts, in New York City, at both The Duplex and Laurie Beechman. Andrew has studied acting and voice at the Carnegie Mellon University and the Circle in the Square Theatre School. He currently shares his time between New York and Boston and is a proud member of AEA.
As a musical theatre composer and writer Andrew has spent the last several years collaborating with his writing partner, Lesley DeSantis, to form the team of DeSantis & Barbato. In addition to presentations of their original musicals in the Boston area, the team's re-imagined musical interpretation of Alice in Wonderland, ALICE: A NEW MUSICAL, was presented at Connecticut's Palace Theatre in early 2010. Most recently, their music was featured in a Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. Andrew and Lesley continue to develop new works and oversee their Boston-based theatre company, Cellar Door Stage.
Currently, Andrew is Director of Creative Development & New Works at NCTC.
Shelley Currivan
Shelley Currivan began her career in the arts as a performer, at the Regional Center for the Arts in Trumbull, Connecticut, where she starred in numerous stage productions. Shelley also appeared on-stage at the Performing Arts Center of Connecticut and the Playhouse on the Green. As an educator, Shelley served as Choreographer / Dance Instructor for Fairfield Theatre Company's Cabaret Workshop program and as an Assistant Instructor for ARTSport Camp in Bridgeport, CT.
In the field of marketing, Shelley spent time as a Sales Associate for New York City's Marquee Merchandise and served as Vice President & Performing Arts Chair of the Activities Board for her collegiate alma mater, in which she was responsible for overseeing all promotional branding, community initiatives, and public relations. She received extensive training in communications and PR, from Marymount Manhattan College, and continues to expand her merchandising portfolio throughout the region.
Shelley is a proud graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, holding a Bachelor of Arts in the Theatre Arts. She remains deeply committed to the local theatre community and especially to the youth of Fairfield County. As an educator and artist, Shelley has seen lives touched and transformed through the power of theatre; she believes NCTC will make a positive difference for the Northeast and its communities.
Currently, Shelley is Director of Marketing & Communications at NCTC.
Ashley Kirchner
Ashley Simone Kirchner grew up in Harrisburg, PA, where she trained under Marcia Dale Weary at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Sandra Carlino at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet.
Annually, she participated in the Regional Dance America/Northeast festival and spent numerous summers at the Joffrey Ballet in NYC where she worked closely with many dance professionals, including Jeffrey Gribbler, Jonathan Phelps, Luis Fuente, Kirsten Kaschock, and John Magnus. Ms. Kirchner graduated Magna Cum Laude from Marymount Manhattan College, under the direction of Katie Langan, in 2010 with a B.F.A. in Dance with a concentration in Ballet. There she studied with Pedro Ruiz, Kristina Berger, Sheila Barker, Geoffrey Doig-Marx, Francisco Martinez, Banu Ogan, and Virginia Johnson. She also had the privilege to work with and perform works by Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Lar Lubovitch, May O'Donnell, Christopher d'Amboise, Katie Langan, Nancy Lushington, Peter Kyle, and Merce Cunningham. She was a member of the MMC Dance Company from 2009 to 2010.
Along with concert dance, she has always had a passion for musical theater, and studies acting and voice in Manhattan under Scott Illingworth and Paul Katz respectively. Regional credits include Annie Get Your Gun (dance captain), and favorite professional/dinner theater credits include Rocky Horror Show (Columbia), Sugar Babies starring Sally Struthers (Sugar Baby), Bye Bye Birdie (Kim), Will Rogers Follies (Zeigfeld's Favorite), and Grease (Sandy).
Ashley has been a resident faculty member of the Performing Arts Center of Connecticut since September of 2010. She has also instructed and choreographed students at Regional Center for the Arts. Currently, Ashley is a teaching artist and Resident Choreographer at NCTC.
Jonathan Lakeland
A native of Trumbull, CT, Jonathan is an experienced accompanist and musical director. He has studied piano since the age of five, and has been musically directing since the age of fourteen. Mr. Lakeland holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano and Conducting at the world-renowned Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Here, he studied with acclaimed pedagogue, Dr. Jim Goldsworthy. He has had the honor of working with such revered conductors as Carole Ann Maxwell, Dr. Ronnie Oliver Jr., Sun Min Lee, Dr. Andrew Megill, Dr. Joe Miller, as well as many others. He currently studies conducting with David Gilbert (former Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, and former principal conductor of the American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center). He has also participated in a conductor's table with current New York Philharmonic music director/principal conductor Lorin Maazel.
Mr. Lakeland's past credits include: "Once Upon A Mattress" at Westminster Choir College, "Les Miserables" at Staples Summer Theatre, "Beauty and the Beast", "Little Shop of Horrors", and much more. Equity credits include "It's A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play" at Music Theatre of Connecticut in Westport, CT which has earned a 2007 Moss Hart Award from the New England Theatre Conference. Jonathan made his New York debut in 2008 at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center.
Currently, Jonathan serves as Resident Music Supervisor at NCTC. He also serves as Music Director, accompanist, and orchestrator & arranger of all new works.
Julia Maggiola
Bio coming soon.
Anna De Masi
Bio coming soon.
Samantha Schecter
Samantha Reece Schecter was exposed to the arts at a very young age. She grew up with a lighting designer for a dad, and began performing at the age of seven. Samantha continued pursuing acting through high school, appearing on the stage of the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts in a slew of productions, including the world amateur premieres of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Little Women: The Musical."
Behind the scenes, Samantha has enjoyed working for the general management team of the Broadway hit "Rock of Ages," and serving as an assistant for Richard Frankel Productions in New York City. Most recently, Samantha spent time as an Artistic Associate at the renowned SpeakEasy Stage Company theatre in Boston. She has also been fortunate to direct numerous productions in the Boston area, including a successful mounting of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show LIVE!" at the prestigious American Repertory Theater.
Samantha continues to pursue new creative and artistic opportunities, while remaining deeply committed to theatre education. She is a proud graduate of the Boston Conservatory, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, with an emphasis in directing & acting. Samantha is excited to be a part of NCTC and, more so, excited to be able to inspire the youth of the Northeast in the hopes that they may follow their own passion and love for the arts.
Currently, Samantha is the Director of Education at NCTC.
Morgan Weitz
Morgan's lifelong passion for theatre began at the age of five, when she discovered her love for performing. Her passion and dedication only grew stronger, appearing in numerous productions throughout California during her formative years. Morgan was subsequently honored and recognized by the California Thespian Society, for her work with the west coast arts community, and for her dedication to the success of theater troupes in southern California.
Morgan began her teaching career as a Camp Counselor at Stages, a performing arts academy based in Los Angeles. Eventually, Morgan would join the Stages staff serving as a Director and Musical Director. Through her work with the school, she has seen the paramount role that theatre has in fostering creativity and self-confidence in kids.
Following her collegiate studies, Morgan relocated to New York City where she now continues to pursue new artistic endeavors. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Musical Theater, from the Boston Conservatory, with an emphasis in directing. She is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Morgan is the Co-Founder & Artistic Director of NCTC.
