kevin cook

Kevin Cook
Director of Education

Kevin earned his B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Richmond in Virginia and his M.A. with an emphasis in writing and directing for the theatre from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Kevin spent many years touring as a professional actor before settling down to teach acting as well as to create and manage theatre productions. Kevin’s theatre management includes productions with Penn and Teller, Kathy Bates, Farrah Fawcett, Gary Sinese, Lynn Redgrave, John Mahoney and Holly Hunter (all NYC), Sheena Easton (Las Vegas), David Cassidy (Las Vegas, National and International Tours) as well as one of the largest production shows in the world MGM Grand’s EFX (Las Vegas). Kevin wrote the book for GET HAPPY one of the definitive works on the songwriter Harold Arlen and won Winter Haven’s National Playwriting Award for Best Musical for the children’s fantasy A DRAGON’S TALE! Along with composer and arranger, Denis Kashoid, Kevin has recently written the children’s musicals COOL YULE TIDINGS – A WORLDLY CELEBRATION, TOY TROUBLE, THE PIED PIPER OF POSSUM KINGDOM and an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes called THE ROCKER’S NEW RAGS. Denis and Kevin are currently creating a musical theatre adaptation of Dracula scheduled to open in Dallas in July of 2013.

 

Michael Abrams
Acting

Beth

Beth Bontley
Acting, Lyric Interpretation

ElizaBeth Bontley graduated from Trinity University with a BA in Speech/Drama; from the Circle in the Square Theater School in NYC; and recently completed her MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts through Goddard College. While in New York, she performed extensively off and off/off Broadway with Willow Cabin Theater, Our Gang Theater, Circle in the Square Projects and Roundabout Stage II.
Locally, she appeared in Echo Theater’s Fefu and her Friends; in Theater Three’s The Women; The Memory of Water, as well as several staged readings at Circle Theater; Steel Magnolias at Artisan Theater; and has been active in Ft. Worth’s V-Day celebrations.
She has directed for DFW Playwrights, the Texas Unbound Festival, Watertower’s Out of the Loop Festival, Unity’s Magdalene Festival, TCC, Bedford Onstage, Wingspan Theater, and was assistant director to Susan Sargeant’s Moon for the Misbegotten at Circle Theater. She produced, directed and performed in The Guys. Recently, she has been focusing on creating original material including, 6 Women Who Have Found their Author at TCU, The Girlz2Women Quest, and her year long project 12 in 12 at the Firehouse Gallery.
She is an acting and performance coach and a speaker on holistic principles, eco-philosophy and women’s issues. She taught acting at TCU and TCC; currently teaching at Stage and Dallas Summer Musicals.

Michael Gasparro
Kerry Dove
Choreographer

Kerry brings to Dallas Summer Musicals over 28 years of teaching experience. Having grown up as the daughter of a prominent dance studio owner in Toronto, Ontario, Canada she has studied tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, acrobatics, Scottish and Irish dance since the age of 2.  She has continued to train both locally and in New York. After receiving certification through the R.A.D. (Royal Academy of Dance), the B.A.T.D (British Association of Teachers of Dance) and the C.D.M.A. (Canadian Dance Masters of America), Ms. Dove became the owner and director of her mother’s studio at the age of 16, when she traded in her competitive shoes for the rewarding role of teacher and mentor. Throughout her teaching career her students have achieved over 500 placements in regional, national and international competitions and many have gone on to performance careers in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, including a teaching position at the prestigious Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Her choreography experience includes everything from solos to large groups to full scale musical productions, television shows, pageants and show choirs. While in Toronto, Ms. Dove created and implemented a national dance competition for the Kiwanis Club and the city of Toronto, where she worked as the director of a Performing Arts Program for inner city at-risk youth.
Currently Ms Dove is a faculty member of Ballet Conservatory in Lewisville, where she teaches tap, jazz, acro and musical theatre and directs a 30 member dance company that performs and competes throughout the metroplex. As well she has choreographed several full scale musical theatre productions, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Annie, Beauty and the Beast and other theatre projects for Faith Christian School in Grapevine. She has taught for DSM for the past 4 years, staging several musical theatre pieces encompassing selections from Newsies, Aladdin, High School Musical, Polar Express, The Wiz, Wicked, Guys and Dolls, Oliver, Grease, Mary Poppins, A Chorus line, Hairspray and many others. She continues to expand her body of theatre work through freelance work in and around the Dallas area.

Michael Gasparro
Michael Gasparro

A Dallas native and graduate of the prestigious Baylor University School of Music Michael Gasparro is no stranger to Dallas Summer Musicals and is thrilled to be part of the staff at the DSM Academy. Michael has been singing since before he could talk and began developing his love for Musical Theater throughout his time at Coppell High School where he played roles such as Charlie Brown in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and Curly in Oklahoma.  While at Baylor he broadened his horizons by beginning to train as a Classical Vocalist and Operatic Tenor. His recent operatic appearances include the title role of Ormindo in Francesco Cavalli's L'Ormindo and Leroy in Offenbach's The Lantern Marriage.  Also a classically trained pianist Michael often accompanies himself and others for various performances in the area.  As a voice instructor Michael fuses his love for a wide realm of styles of music with strong vocal techniques to help his students learn the skills necessary to perform many different styles of singing.  He currently works as a Private Voice Instructor at Coppell and Lewisville High Schools as well as a church musician and professional singer in the Dallas area.


Jennifer Glidden
Music Director

Jennifer Glidden, singer/music director, has been teaching and working with students of all ages for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Southern Methodist University and a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  She is currently completing her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at the University of North Texas. She has served for the past four years on the voice faculty at University of North Texas as a Teaching Fellow, has taught in the GISD Music Enrichment Program for the past six years, and maintains a private voice studio. Ms. Glidden’s students participate in a variety of activities including Solo and Ensemble, All-Region and All-State Choir, specialty school and community groups, community theatre, and competitions.  Her students have advanced to the national round of the ACTS competition, have been finalists in the Classical Singer High School Competition, have received superior ratings at Regional & State solo contests, have been members of the Texas All-State Choir, and have received half to full tuition scholarships to music schools across the United States.  Ms. Glidden is dedicated to teaching young people about the art of singing, the discipline of performance, and the wonderful world of theater.  She hopes that each student leaves her classes with new skills, more knowledge, and a family of friends. Ms. Glidden is an active performer and recitalist performing both classical and musical theater repertoire. Some of her favorite roles include Regina from Regina, Donna Anna from Don Giovanni, Miss Jessel from Turn of the Screw, the Countess from The Marriage of Figaro, and Mrs. Murrant from Street Scene. In 2012, she will be performing the role of Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly in the Voertman Concert Hall at the University of North Texas. In addition, this past month, Ms. Glidden earned first place in the 15th International Canto Lirico Voice Competition and Festival held in Trujillo, Peru. As the top winner, Ms. Glidden will perform recitals in London and Mexico City in 2012.

denis kashoid
Denis Kashoid
Musical Director

Denis Kashoid comes to Dallas Summer Musicals by way of  Russia. Following ten years of studying the art of music, Mr. Kashoid continued his education by completing a Masters degree in music performance and education awarded by Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Denis is a teacher accredited on the college level, a performance artist in piano and trumpet, musical director for the theatre and an orchestrator. In the United States, Denis has most recently been the conductor and musical director for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, SEUSSICAL, GODSPELL, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, FAME, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK, JUNGLE BOOK, THE BIG BAD MUSICAL, and WILLIE WONKA.  Denis has partnered with author Kevin Cook to write the music and arrangements for COOL YULE TIDINGS, TOY TROUBLE, THE PIED PIPER OF POSSUM KINGDOM, and the modern adaptation of the Emperor’s New Clothes called THE ROCKER’S NEW RAGS.  Denis has also recently scored the new film I AM GABRIEL. Denis is currently working with Kevin Cook on creating a musical theatre adaptation of Dracula scheduled to open in Dallas in July of 2013. To hear samples of some of Denis Kashoid’s original composition and film scoring, visit www.deniskashoid.com or ckcreatives.com.

Ty Lawrence
Ty Lawrence
Production Stage Manager

As a student of theatre and cultural anthropology, Ms Lawrence attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Her technical stage work includes productions of OKLAHOMA!, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK and PENNY. Ty began her stage management career with the Junior Players Guild in Dallas with THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGENT EVER. She was Production Stage Manager for the SPECTACULAR SENIOR FOLLIES presented at the historic Majestic Theatre.  She is currently the resident Production Stage Manager for Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts. Student know her management skills from recent academy productions such as COOL YULE TIDINGS, THE BIG BAD MUSICAL as well as TOY TROUBLE, THE PIED PIPER OF POSSUM KINGDOM and this summer’s teen intensive FAME. Ty is also stage manages productions for DFW Performing Arts Conservatory including FAME, SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE and their upcoming production of GODSPELL .

Roxanne Muncy
Choreographer

Roxanne Muncy received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Dance Education with a Theatre Minor from Texas Woman’s University located in Denton, Texas.  She has been teaching Dance and Theatre for 25 years all across the great state of Texas in dance studio’s, private and public schools as well as community programs.   Mrs. Muncy has also danced professionally, choreographed and judged in various capacities for over 20 years.  She has been a member of many professional organizations including AAHPERD, TAHPERD, NDA, TDEA, DTDA and TETA.  When she is not chairing a committee, she is actively involved in presenting workshops, master classes and teaching for various community theatres, events and festivals.  Mrs. Muncy has also directed and choreographed for numerous high school dance/drill teams, show choirs and musicals.   Mrs. Muncy is currently teaching dance at Billy Ryan High School in Denton, Texas.  She served as the Fine Arts Representative for Denton ISD and helped write and develop the Denton ISD Dance Curriculum.  She also teaches and choreographs for the Denton Community Theatre as well as the Texas Woman’s University Community Dance Classes.  Mrs. Muncy has received many awards and honors throughout her lifetime but the K-12 Dance Educator of the Year has meant the most to her.  Mrs. Muncy feels very blessed to be recognized for doing what she loves and dedicates her passion to making a difference in the lives of her students.  She is excited about joining the staff at Dallas Summer Musicals.

Amanda Seale Farrow
Dance Instructor / Choreographer

Amanda teaches choreography for the DSM Academy. Amanda has been dancing since before she could walk. She was trained in classical ballet, pointe, and contemporary ballet, modern, tap, and jazz for over 20 years and has been teaching dance for over 9 years. Originally from Abilene, she was a company member of Abilene Ballet Theatre and a dance instructor for Ballet Abilene from 1999 to 2005. Her company performed The Nutcracker every winter, and attended Regional Dance America Southwest every spring, where she featured contemporary ballet dance pieces. When she graduated from Wylie High School in May of 2005, she attended and graduated in August 2009 with a BBA in Arts and Entertainment Marketing from Baylor University. From 2006 to 2009, Amanda taught at Joy’s School of Dance ages 3 to adult in ballet, jazz, contemporary ballet, and tap. In June 2009, Amanda began an internship at Dallas Summer Musicals in the Marketing Department. Amanda was later given the position of Marketing and Social Media Coordinator at Dallas Summer Musicals, and began teaching for the DSM Academy in September of 2010. She is so excited to be a part of the DSM Academy!

Melissa Ward

Melissa received her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas; and then pursued her graduate studies in Vocal Pedagogy at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas where she taught voice as a Graduate Assistant. 
While Melissa was pursuing her degree in music, she was on stage performing lead roles for operas such as Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte; Puccini’s La Bohème;  Rossini’s Cenerentola;  J. Strauss’ Die Fledermaus and E Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel ;  but her favorite work has been that of Oratorio music. She is often called upon to be the Soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah.  She has performed the soprano solo work for Mozart’s Requiem,  C Minor Mass, Vesperae solennes de confessore; Hyden’s Creation; Verdi’s Requiem; Vivaldi’s Gloria; Rutter’s Gloria and Faure’s Requiem, to name a few.  In the past she has performed in musicals; such as, Man of La Mancha, Godspell, Into the Woods and Wizard of Oz. Melissa has taught voice for 15 years.  She is new to the Dallas area; but before coming to Dallas, she taught private voice for Keller ISD, and most recently for the Wichita Falls ISD and The Academy of Performing Arts in Wichita Falls.  Currently, Melissa stays busy as a sought after vocalist doing concerts, recitals, performing solo for conventions and conferences, and is a church vocalist.  She is also a private voice teacher in the Dallas area.  For more on Melissa you can visit her website at www.melissaward.org


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