Our Team

DEREK WOODS

Executive Director/Founder - He has directed RCT’s productions of A Chorus Line, 42nd Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie, In The Heights, Sister Act, and Les Miserables School edition to name a few. Mr. Woods also serves as the tech director, audio and video designer for all of RCT’s productions, producing over 160 full scale productions and live events since the programs inception in 2010. Prior to the creation of RCT, Mr Woods was an award winning freelance producer, producing hundreds of arts and cultural reports in the Bronx for Bronxnet television. In 2007 He was hailed by then Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion as one of the borough’s leading Irish Americans, and the following year he received an EMMY nomination for his documentary on Irish immigration, “Memory Brings Us Back: Irish Stories of Farewells and Fortunes”, which he produced for the Aisling Irish Center. In 2012, he was honored by the Bronx Community College Irish Heritage Committee for outstanding community service , and he served as Grand Marshall for the 2017 Bronx St. Patricks Day Parade.

Derek has never strayed too far from his theatre roots. As a teenager, He was a member of the pioneering First ACT (The First All Children's Theatre), a professional NYC theatre company whose alumni include Ben Stiller and Diane Paulus. He was also the creator and director of BHPA (Bronx House Performing Arts), a borough wide teen theatre group from 1993-1998.

BECKY LILLIE WOODS

Artistic Director/Founder - Classes & Shows / Group Voice / Voice & Audition Prep

Becky has a Master of Arts in Teaching Music from Lehman College and a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She started teaching and directing in 2006, and has directed over 50 regional and community productions. In 2010, She co-founded the Riverdale Children’s Theatre, and has created and guided a program that has received national recognition for excellence. Among her Directing credits: Dear Edwina, Seussical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Peter Pan, Oliver, Once on This Island Jr and Annie Jr. As an actress and singer, she has performed regionally and nationally in such shows as Peter Pan, Annie Get Your Gun, Meet Me in St Louis, Dear Edwina and Grease and is a member of Actors Equity.

GUY VENTOLIERE

Teaching Artist/Advisor

Guy has a Specialized B.A. in Shakespearean Theatre (Combined Degrees in Classical Drama and Elizabethan Literature) from CUNY and studied with Ruby Dee and with Lee Strasberg, Westside Center for the Arts and the Actor’s Institute. He worked for SNL and was “Ted O’Toole” in the Disney series Cool Tool Adventures and was a scenic carpenter, theatre technician, Equity Actor & Stage Manager and has performed in over 100 plays on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally.He developed the Classic Theatre Collaborative, which introduced classical theatre to children & youth in over 32 community based organizations throughout NYC, including various locations of YMCA of Greater New York, and The After School Corporation.

SUZANNE BEAUBIEN

Costume Design/Instructor

Suzanne Beaubien has designed and created costumes for a long list of RCT shows. A lifelong seamstress, artist, and designer, she began putting her skills to work for RCT not long after her own daughter started appearing in shows in 2016. Since then, she’s enjoyed working closely with the creative minds at RCT to bring to life such amazing productions as The SpongeBob Musical, Frozen Jr., Matilda Jr., and Finding Nemo Jr., among others. In addition to costuming regular season RCT shows, Suzanne also enjoys teaching the talented kids at RCT the art of costume design—working closely with the young performers to hand-craft their own stage-worthy creations.

SHANA MAHONEY

Vocal instructor/Broadway Babies/Music Director

Shana Mahoney is a graduate from the Hart School of Music, University of Hartford, with a bachelor's degree in Music Theatre. She has performed in several Broadway musicals both here and abroad including the Broadway 1st National tour of CABARET, EVITA, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES, CATS, and FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, among many others. Shana teaches music to young students weekly and her private voice studio includes over 30 students. She is currently serving as Music Director for St. Barnabas Parish in Woodlawn.

TIFFANY LUTZ- Summer Lights Program Director

Tiffany has been an integral part of the success of RCT’s Summer lights Program since its inception in 2011. Tiffany has an MA in Educational Theatre from NYU, and a BFA in Musical Theatre from New World School of the Arts in Miami, FL. She served as Assistant Program Director for RCT’s Summer Lights program and has directed and choreographed numerous summer productions. Before focusing her career on arts education, she performed all over the country in shows such as I Do, I Do! (Agnes), They’re Playing Our Song (Sonya), and The Will Rogers’ Follies (Z’s Favorite) as well as on the high seas as a production singer for Norwegian Cruise Lines. She currently teaches Communications and Theatre at North Broward Preparatory School in Florida

DALE SMALLWOOD

Ms. Smallwood serves as the production coordinator/supervisor for all of RCT productions, and her creative ideas and experience have played a major role in shaping RCT’s professional approach and acheivements. She has worked as a professional stage manager in NYC for over 20 years and is a member of Actors Equity. She has stage managed numerous productions in the New York area including: The Pearl Theatre Company: Cymberline, Venice Preserv'd, The School for Scandal, Miss Julie, The Miser, and The Seagull. The Melting Pot Theatre Company: Home. La Mama: Agamemnon and she assisted on The Shawl and Living Proof at The Jewish Repertory Theatre and Dancing on Moonlight at The Public Theatre. She has also worked at Stamford Performing Arts Center with such artists as Sinbad and Patti Page, among others.

MIEKE MOLL

Choreographer

Mieke is excited to be working with RCT again after being the Assistant Director and Assistant Choreographer for Beauty and the Beast Jr. and Honk Jr. Mieke has a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from Syracuse University. Past choreography credits include The Music Man and The Wizard of Oz, and her favorite performance credits are Judy in A Chorus Line and Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act.

MONIQUE STREETY

Choreographer

Monique studied at the The Ailey School and graduated from their Certificate Program in 2019. She has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish (AAADT Principal), Judine Somerville (Hairspray live), Earl Mosley, Levi Marsmen, and Patrick Coker. She has also had the honor of performing with the Ailey Student Performance Group (ASPG) in their tri-state tour in addition to performing for the opening of Hudson Yards, in New York, as well as the launch of Adidas Primeknit activewear collection.

Monique Streety

Choreographer

Monique studied at the The Ailey School and graduated from their Certificate Program this past May. She has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish (AAADT Principal), Judine Somerville (Hairspray live), Earl Mosley, Levi Marsmen, and Patrick Coker. She has also had the honor of performing with the Ailey Student Performance Group (ASPG) in their tri-state tour in addition to performing for the opening of Hudson Yards, in New York, as well as the launch of Adidas Primeknit activewear collection.

Jon Audric Nelson

Music Director ( Sweeney Todd)

Jon is an accomplished music director, vocal coach and pianist for musical theatre and opera. Recent career highlights include Noel Coward’s Private Lives (Music supervisor), the 11th annual Colorado Theatre Guild HENRY Awards, Leonard Bernstein’s MASS at the Kupferberg Center, and a production of Rigoletto at Lincoln Center.As a NYC vocal coach, his clients can be found on Broadway, national tours, and at major regional theaters, in addition to the operatic stages of New York, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Berlin, London, Paris, and Bangkok, to name a few.

Monique Streety

Choreographer

Monique Streety

Choreographer

JOSHUA SOTTILE

Music Director ( The Lion King Jr.)

Joshua is a versatile artist, actor, and multi-instrumentalist. As a graduate of Wagner College’s theatre program, Joshua has played lead roles in various productions amongst his community and beyond including Carousel, Merrily We Roll Along, Les Misérables, and The Last Five Years, among others.

Josh is a member of Actor’s Equity Association, and continues to collaborate with Wagner College’s Theatre program.

JAMES MERILLAT

Music Director

James Merillat is an award-winning composer, has been working professionally in the theatre since his teens. He was an adjunct faculty member in the Drama Department at Catholic University in Washington D.C. James studied under Lehman Engel and Maury Yeston in the BMI Workshop for Musical Theatre composers and lyricists. Collaborating with Dick Pasqual, James’ show EXIT MUSIC, based on a short story by Noel Coward, was the winner of the first Bernice Cohen ASCAP Workshop Award and was produced off-Broadway by the Village Theatre Company in 1992 earning rave reviews. Other shows produced around the country include A Christmas Carol (1982, Baltimore), Still Waiting (1985 New York, 1989 and 1992 Chicago), Teasers & Tormentors (1987 New York), Trunk Songs (1993 New York), Playing the Palace (New York 1999, La Crosse 2002), Radio Eyes (New York 1986, Austin 2008) and Wonderland High (all over US 2010-present), licensed through Music Theatre International (MTI). James is a proud member of the Dramatist’s Guild.

LINDA LoPRESTI

Music Director

Linda LoPresti is our resident musical director for RCT/Bronx House. She has served as music director for 8 seasons at Bronx House and was the music director for 2019’s production of Into the Woods.She began working as a choral director and then received her Masters in Music at Lehman College. She has performed as a singer and musician at many NYC recording studios. She served as music director at PS57 in the Bronx and is an adjunct professor of music at Lehman College. She was recently honored for her outstanding work by the Music Educators Association of New York City

GUY VENTOLIERE

Teaching Artist/Advisor

KRYSTAL HALL GLASS

Choreographer Emeritus

Krystal Hall-Glass has been a part of RCT since its inception in 2010. She was the company’s first resident choreographer from 2011 to 2017. She also served as Director of the Dance Department at the Harlem School of the Arts. Prior to that, she spent seven years as the Director of Dance at Mindbuilders Creative Arts Center. As an instructor, she has served on the faculty of Howard University, SUNY Purchase, City College and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Krystal is a Performing Arts High School alumna and appeared in both the film and Broadway version of "The Wiz" while attending the Julliard School of Music. She toured both nationally and internationally, having worked with choreographers Michael Peters, Otis Sallid, George Faison, and actors Ossie Davis and Lynn Thigpen. Krystal is also the 1991 recipient of a choreographic grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. www.krystalhallglass.com

“ I don’t work with kids, I work with young performers”-Krystal Hall-Glass

JUSTINA ERCOLE

Choreographer Emeritus

Justina Ercole started at RCT in 2014, serving in various positions, including teaching artist, program director and choreographer. Ms Ercole is an accomplished performer/ choreographer, who has also been an active teaching artist since 2008. In settings ranging from dance studios to enrichment centers to theater camp, She has worked with kids in areas such as developmental movement, various styles of dance technique, gymnastics, music, and fundamentals of acting. Her goal is to create a safe environment where children can grow, explore, and most importantly, have fun! Among her RCT credits: Thoroughly Modern Millie,The Wizard of Oz,42nd Street, Joseph...,Annie, The Little Mermaid, Snoopy, Dear Edwina and The Wiz. To learn more about Justina, go to www.justinaercole.com

NISSA KAHLE

Music Director

Nissa Kahle is a NYC based Music Director, Pianist, and Accordionist. She has served as Music Director for many RCT shows and programs, including High School Musical, Spelling Bee and Lion King Kids and Drowsy Chaperone. Broadway: Chicago (key 2/accordion sub, rehearsal piano), The Great Comet (sub keys/accordion), National/International Tour: Chicago (key 2, music librarian). Off Broadway: Desperate Measures (rehearsal piano). Other NYC: Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular (key 2 sub), Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center (keyboard sub), 54 Below (cabaret MD/pianist). Her training includes a MM from Texas State University where she studied piano performance, opera accompanying, voice, and conducting, and an internship with the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle where she studied music direction for theater.