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WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

CLASSES

Instructors

Rachel MacKenzie

Director of Musical Theater and Acting

rachel@hopartscenter.org

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Rachel is a versatile performing artist and teacher who has years of teaching experience serving all ages through the public and private sectors. As an educator, Rachel has served as a Professor at NYU, The University at Albany, Anna Maria College, as well as guest lecturing at other many other collegiate institutions around the country. A veteran of the musical stage, she has been seen onstage supporting some of Broadway’s brightest stars as a background vocalist.

Nydia Calon

Visiting Instructor

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Nydia has been involved in many facets of the creative process from acting and directing locally and in Boston to the stages of New York City, to TV and commercials in Los Angeles and honing her writing and directing skills in the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She currently acts as one of the theater reviewers for the Worcester Telegram.

Paul Champlin

Instructor

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Paul is credited as the originator and co-founder of Enter Stage Left Theater in 1982. As writer, director, choreographer, and performer he has contributed to various theaters in Massachusetts and Rhode Island over the last forty years, and substantially to Enter Stage Left Theater. Productions he has directed for ESL Theater include Deathtrap, Twelve Angry Men, Hooray for Hollywood, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Bye-Bye Birdie, A USO Christmas, The Laramie Project, The Cemetery Club, Young Frankenstein, and most recently The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Deirdre McCarthy

Visiting Instructor

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Deirdre McCarthy has spent her academic and professional life as an educator of all things communication based framed within a creative context. Her 20+ years as a college professor have include a wide range of courses covering multiple subjects; the most intricate aspects of interpersonal communication through the most public of public speaking as well as dramatic studies covering every aspect of performance such as TV, Film, Writing & Voice Over. Deirdre has worked as a professional coach specializing in performance training for working actors/Voice Actors as well as those looking to break into the business.

Hazel Peters

Instructor

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Hazel has a diverse background in directing, audio engineering, stage management, voice acting, improv, and education. They have 6 years under their belt as a tutor, teacher, and leader of theatre and music programs for Middlesex county students. Hazel herself is a two-time global finalist for Destination Imagination's Improv Challenge and the founder of Bennington College's improv club and annual sketch comedy show. They currently work as a stagehand with The Lyric Theatre Company of Boston and runs multiple Dungeons and Dragons groups for students 11-14 y/o.

Alyssa Surrette

Instructor

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Alyssa is a Boston-based actor having worked for companies such as New Repertory Theatre and Reagle Music Theatre. Credits include Me and My Girl, Singing in the Rain, Fiddler on the Roof and many more. She is also no stranger to the New York stage as her credits include performances at Alvin Ailey and Carnegie Hall. Alyssa received her BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory and attended Walnut Hill School for the Arts majoring in theater in high school.

Karin Trachtenberg

Instructor

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A classically trained actress, Karin has tackled such major roles as Hamlet’s Polonius, King Agamemnon in Iphigenia in Aulis, and even performed in Latin as the Devil in Hildegarde Von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum. Always working on her craft, Karin trained extensively with legendary voice and Shakespeare coach, Patsy Rodenburg receiving teaching accreditation as a Patsy Rodenburg Associate.

Katie Vennard

Instructor

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Katie is a recent graduate from Providence College where she earned her Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts and Creative Writing. She teaches Little Actors classes at Hopkinton Center for the Arts. Katie enjoys helping students dive into their unique creativity and building their confidence through fun games and warmups.

Stacey Wein

Instructor

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Stacey received her BFA in Theater from Ithaca College and worked in theater and film in Los Angeles. She did industrial, commercial and gaming voice over work, both in and outside of the LA area, and studied and performed improv at The Groundlings. In the last year, Stacey wrote and directed a show for teens in Westborough and most recently, directed the 2nd-5th grade ESL production of Humpty Dumpty is Missing.

Sara Fitzpatrick

Instructor

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Sara is an independent visual media artist and educator who creates narrative fiction and personal documentaries. She has presented her work in the Undergraduate Research Conference in New England, and she was the recipient of the First Place Award for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences of the New England Chapter National Student Television Awards. She has been the instructor for Movie Making Madness at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts since 2019 where she teaches filmmaking foundations. Sara holds a B.S. in Communication and a Certificate in Film Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is also a college instructor for Visual Media Foundations of Image and Sound Practice at Emerson College where she will be completing her MFA in Film and Media Art this year.

Theater Program

The HCA’ Acting & Musical Theater Program welcomes students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. The Program provides a supportive and nurturing environment where students develop and use their unique talents and abilities. The Program offers a range of classes and workshops for performers at every level. Classes include acting, voice, movement, singing, dance, stage combat, improv, and more.

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In addition, the HCA’s resident company, Enter Stage Left Theater (ESL), produces six productions for children and  four for adults. Children and adults participate in these performances as actors, dancers, singers and as audiences. Learn more about ESL and casting visit our Community Theater webpage.

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