Diane Hamilton has been a performer, choreographer and director in the Washington area for the past 30 years. Currently, Diane is the Artistic Director of MTC and is Director and Choreographer of MTC’s teen performing ensemble Singular Sensations. She holds a degree in Dance from the University of Maryland and is a certified member of Dance Masters of America. Diane taught at the Catholic University. She has choreographed for major theaters and universities on the east coast and Wagon Wheel Playhouse in Indiana. In NYC, Diane has studied extensively with Paul Draper, Bob Audy, Judy Bassing, Luigi and Frank Hatchett. She teaches jazz and tap, and has also directed and/or choreographed MTC productions of A Chorus Line, Oklahoma!, and many others. Diane choregraphed Thoroughly Modern Millie for MTC in January 2007. Former students include Goldie Hawn and many other Broadway performers.
Timothy Marshall Ballard is a native of Anniston, Alabama and holds a Master’s degree from Jacksonville State University. Mr. Ballard has done post-graduate study at Florida State University in the Opera Performance program. He has numerous choral, operatic and musical theatre performances to his credit. His operatic repertoire includes works by Puccini, Verdi, Berlioz, Leoncavallo, Mozart, and Handel. Last year, he was heard in the title role of Signor Deluso, an opera by Thomas Pasatieri. Mr. Ballard has performed in numerous Sondheim roles and sang the role of Roscoe in the NPR broadcast of Follies that was recorded in Florida. He has performed widely throughout the Southeast. Mr. Ballard is currently pursuing the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology, specializing in opera studies, with a minor in Vocal Pedagogy and Vocal Literature. Mr. Ballard is a member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a professional music fraternity and Alpha Psi Omega Dramatic Honors Society.
Mary Bentley has been active in Montgomery County for several years as a music teacher, singer, accompanist and vocal coach. She is currently on the faculty at Montgomery College (piano), and works with the children’s choir at the Shrine of St. Jude in Rockville. She has worked on productions at Montgomery College as an assistant director, assistant music director and/or rehearsal pianist. She has taught early childhood music classes at the Academy of Music ( Gaithersburg) and at area preschools. Mary received her B.A. from Saint Olaf College, and a Certificate of Music from Montgomery College (voice and piano). She is currently working toward certification as a general/vocal music teacher. Mary has worked at MTC since 2003 as an instructor and accompanist, and currently teaches musical theater prep and community outreach classes.
Lisa Carrier holds the degrees of Bachelor of Musical Theatre and a Master of Music and post graduate work at North Carolina School of the Arts Fletcher Opera Institute. Favorite roles include Musetta in La Boheme (national tour), Mona Kent in Dames At Sea, directed by her teacher and mentor, the original Broadway Mona, Tamara Long, Zelda Zanders in Singin’ in the Rain with Tony Award nominee Lara Teeter. She has performed at The Kennedy Center in world premiere productions of The Nightingale as the Narrator (also the national tour), and The Emperor’s New Clothes as Reyalto. Also Yum Yum with Washington Savoyards in The Mikado , Nina in Dear World with American Century Theatre. Ms. Carrier is on the voice faculty at the School of Music at Montgomery College, where she is also a resident stage director.
Debbie Clark has over 30 years of training and professional experience in Dance and Musical Theater. Debbie trained in Ballet and Modern Dance at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas on scholarship. Debbie has studied in New York at the Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey and Steps; The Edge and Morro Landis Millennium in LA and Joy of Motion Dance Center in DC. Debbie has performed worldwide in all dance forms; from concert work at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC to Las Vegas Style musical revues in Japan and beyond. Debbie has performed for Princess Cruises, Cunard Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; Harrah’s Casinos, Grand Casinos, Bally’s Casinos,Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal. She has performed solo roles in “The Nutcracker,” “ Swan Lake,” “Coppelia,” and “Don Quixote”. She has appeared in “A Chorus Line,” “Godspell,” “Carnival,” “Brigadoon,” “The King and I,” and “The Act.” From competitions to the concert stage to musical theatre, Debbie brings her diverse dance background to the studio. Debbie is known for her high energy and hands-on instruction; binging her extreme love of dance to every class.
Anne Crawford has an Associate's Degree from Montgomery College in theatre performance and has studied tap, jazz and ballet for many years. She has taken master classes taught by Gregory Hines, Gus Giordano and Mercedes Ellington and has experience teaching tap, jazz and ballet to students age 6 through adult.
Christopher Gerken has acted professionally for 20+ years, most recently receiving critical acclaim from the Washington Post for his performance in the starring role of Jekyll and Hyde - The Musical. Chris is an award-winning local director as well. He has toured nationally with a children's theater company and has taught outreach theater classes in schools throughout the country. Chris teaches acting at MTC.
Pauline Grossman holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Tennessee and is a drama and dance teacher with over 10 years experience in arts education working with students from age 4 through adult at all skill levels. She has taught dance at MTC and at other studios across the country. She is also a professional choreographer and performer. Pauline teaches tap at MTC.
Barry Hamilton is a Judge of the District Court in Montgomery County, MD. He has a BA degree in Political Science from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor from New York University. In theatrical circles, he is well known as a director, music director, actor and accompanist. He has worked at the White House, Arena Stage, National Theater, The Kennedy Center, and the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Barry has accompanied, both locally and on tour, the cabaret review Mrs. Foggybottom and Friends and international Irish tenor Mark Forrest. With his wife, Diane, Barry has co-directed several MTC productions, including Grease and Thoroughly Modern Millie . He is the music director/accompanist for Upbeat Unlimited.
Lauren Katsikopoulos, a native New Yorker, began dancing at the age of 6 and studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz Lyrical, Modern and Hip Hop. She danced with the Bronx Dance Theatre Senior Company for 14 years where she traveled and performed all over the world. Lauren has 25 years of experience as a dance instructor, specializing in Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop. She participates in dance workshops when available in New York City, Washington, DC, and Baltimore. Lauren has had the opportunity to take classes from many great dance artists such as Marty Kudeka, David Scott, Jamal Sims, Napoleon & Tabitha Dumo, Poping Pete, Flomaster and many others. Lauren has experience teaching all levels of dance and has choreographed for competitive dance teams for 25 years in the Maryland area. She looks forward to using her teaching expertise, and performance experience to challenge students from all over.
Dave Larko has been music director and accompanist for Young Americans of Washington for twelve years. By day, Dave works as a research meteorologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. In his spare time, Dave likes to play golf, eat and sleep.
John Marlowe, a native Washingtonian, received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance and Education from The Catholic University of America. He has been involved in music and education for 35 years and has directed or been music director for over 200 musicals in the Washington area and accompanied for many local singers. For 23 years he served in the music and theater departments of Sidwell Friends School. John currently is Director of Performing Arts at The Barrie School. John’s wife, Ann, is also a musician.
Robert Moses has been teaching and dancing for the past 12 years and is the owner of Power Moves, Inc, a dance and aerobics company. He is on the staff of Maryland Children's Theater and the choreographer of United, a gospel dance group. Robert was a back-up dancer with Boost tour which featured Paula Abdul and dance captain of the Results Fitness and Dance Team. He taught master classes for Reebok Dance and Fitness and is currently on tour with Dance Power Express, a dance convention workshop. Robert is also an accomplished singer and pianist and performs with the group Reality. His contemporary jazz style is evidenced in his hip hop and jazz funk classes at MTC.
Laurie Newton attended Penn State University where she received her BA in Integrative Arts (Dance/Theatre/Music) and minors in Kinesiology, Interdisciplinary Dance and Movement Science. She attended graduate school for dance at American University, and earned a graduate certification in Arts Management. Laurie has been a performer, director and choreographer for many productions in the area and has studied with many great Broadway and dance artists such as Frank Hatchett, Chet Walker, Joe Tremaine and Gus Giordano. She currently teaches jazz, tap and theatre dance at MTC and is on the dance faculty at Montgomery College in Rockville.
Betsy Nuell has been a professional actress and drama coach in the Washington area for 20 years. She has a BFA in Theater from Stephens College and a BA in English and Theater from the University of Cincinnati (CCM). Betsy has her own business, “The Perfect Monologue,” where she coaches theater students. For MTC, Betsy has directed the acclaimed productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, and A Chorus Line . Betsy teaches acting at MTC.
Tommy Parlon, a native of Washington, D.C., received his M.F.A. in Dance (Choreography and Technology) from Arizona State University and his B.F.A. in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. From 1998-2002 he was an Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University. While in New York City he danced with J. Fregalette Janson Dance, Centaur Dance Theatre, Beyondance Inc! and the Paris based multi-media performance art company FIASCO. Mr. Parlon has danced in pieces by Doug Varone, Stephen Petronio, Alvin Mayes, Laura Dean and Elizabeth Streb. His choreography has been commissioned by Incidents Physical Theater of New York City, NEW ARTiculations in Tucson, Arizona, Lansing Chamber Dance in Michigan, and numerous colleges through out the United States. He was awarded an Individual Artist Awards from the Maryland State Arts Council in Solo Dance Performance 2004 and in Choreography in 2007. Mr. Parlon is currently the Artistic Director of Tommy Parlon Dance Projects in Washington, D.C., the Artistic Associate of Ground Zero Dance in Richmond, and the Director of Education at The Musical Theater Center.
Tammy Roberts has studied voice, dance, and acting in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with many well-known artists. Tammy performs professionally in musical theater productions and has appeared in local dinner theaters, Signature Theater, and the Kennedy Center. She is teaching Musical Theater Prep and voice at MTC.
Debbie Romano is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a BA in dance, and has played leading roles in community and dinner theaters in the local area. She has taken master classes with Gregory Hines and Gus Giordano and has studied dance in New York with Frank Hatchett, Judy Bassing, and Luigi. She conducted workshops at various studios in the Washington area and now teaches jazz and tap at MTC.
Kevin Sockwell is a veteran actor/director, having performed or directed for Signature Theater, Burn Brae Dinner Theater, Source Theater, Adventure Theater, Montgomery Playhouse, and many others. He has directed The Wiz, The Wizard of Oz, Robin Hood, The Truth About Cinderella, and Winnie the Pooh for MTC. He teaches acting.
Cheryl Stafford is a professional dancer, singer, director and choreographer. Classically trained in Ballet, Modern Dance and Voice at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory, she currently directs and choreographs productions ranging from the Renaissance to Modern musical theater. Ms. Stafford has sung and danced in over 350 performances nationwide. Cheryl teaches Start to Sing! and semi-private voice for MTC.
Dr. Mira Yang earned her D.M.A. Degree at The Catholic University of America and her M.M. from Peabody Conservatory. She worked with the Washington Opera, Washington Concert Opera, with Pala Association for the musical theater repertoires. She taught music for grades K – 12 and directed a number of school musicals. She is the president of Asian American Music Society and is Artistic Director for “Opera Ensemble” & “Bethesda Summer Music Festival” promoting Opera, Musical Theater repertoire, and Singing with Body Movement. She has been an Adjunct Professor at American University and voice faculty at Catholic University. Currently, she is on the Community Advisory Board for the Kennedy Center and the Arts in Communities Advisory Panel for the Maryland State Arts Council. Ms. Yang teaches Semi-Private Voice and Step One to Idol for MTC.
