ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Steven Altinel is the founder and artistic director of the Long Island Musical Theatre Festival. He maintains an active schedule as a music director, pianist and vocal coach in the tri-state area. Recent credits include The Producers and The Hunchback of Notre Dame at The Argyle Theatre. Steven is often asked to present workshops on the topic of musical theatre at local and state conferences. He is also the choir director at Walt Whitman High School, where he has conducted his choirs on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Steven’s favorite performance credits include the touring company of A Royal Christmas starring Andrea Bocelli and the New York Philharmonic’s production of Candide starring Kristen Chenoweth (PBS). He is a proud graduate of Westminster Choir College. For more information, visit www.stevenaltinel.com.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Nathan Brewer is a director of theatre, opera, concerts, film, and events. Directing credits include Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera, Theatreworks/USA, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Town Hall, Park Avenue Armory, Forestburgh Playhouse, Princeton Festival, Long Island Musical Theatre Festival, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, American Pops Orchestra, Fairfax Symphony, West Virginia Symphony, and Blue Hill Troupe. Nathan has also directed the Helen Hayes Awards, Standing Ovation Awards (Kennedy Center), and Hispanic Heritage Awards (aired on PBS). Committed to the development of new works, Mr. Brewer has directed three original movie musicals for the New York Film Academy, in addition to multiple productions and industry readings of new musicals (NYMF, The York, 54 Below). Nathan has taught and/or directed at New York University (Tisch), Penn State, Westminster Choir College, and New York Film Academy. Assisting credits include Aladdin (Broadway), and Relatively Speaking (Broadway). Nathan is the Founder & Artistic Director of Recreational Arts, a performing arts educational organization, with programs in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. www.nathanbrewer.net

ASSOCIATE

Megan Gerlach is an Actor/Choreographer living and working in NYC.  Choreography credits include Funny Girl (Forestburgh Playhouse), The Addams Family, Shrek, Spamalot (Black Hills Playhouse), and has worked with Nathan Brewer and Marcia Milgrom Dodge both performing in and as associate Choreographer for Seussical (Theatreworks USA) since 2007.  Favorite roles include: (Judy) A Chorus Line (Bass Hall) and (Bonnie) in Anything Goes (Chanhassan Dinner Theatres). Megan graduated with degrees in Dance and Theatre from the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities.  She is thrilled to work with the amazing students of LIMTF again after choreographing Violet and Let It Sing - the music of Jeanine Tesori Revue last year.

MIDDLE SCHOOL INTENSIVE - DIRECTOR

Michelle Mallardi has played Belle in Disney’s” Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway at both the Palace and Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Other New York credits include “Chess”, “Internal Combustion” and “Astronauts” at the Fairbanks Theatre. She performed live as a soloist at Radio City Music Hall in the Christmas Show and with Liza Minelli. Also with Linda Eder at the Palace Theatre and Carnegie Hall. Michelle is on both recordings. National tours include “Les Miserable”, Frank Wildhorn’s “Jekyll and Hyde”, “A Chorus Line” as Morales, and in Europe as Maria in “West Side Story”. Some favorites are Evita Peron in “Evita” Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof”, Christine in “Phantom of the Opera”, Louisa in “The Fantasticks” and Gina in the East Coast premier of “One Last Ride” now a feature film. Her directing and choreography credits include assisting John Carrafa in choreographing the latest revival of Into the Woods on Broadway as well as being a part of the artistic team in a future upcoming Broadway Production still in development. She’s directed and choreographed musicals in various theatres on Long Island, New York and Connecticut and has taught with Joan Lader and Deborah Gibson in various workshops. She teaches voice at CW Post/Long Island University in the Musical theatre department as well as at her home. Her one woman show “Anything Can Happen” premiered in Europe and South America and is scheduled in Europe and Canada again this fall. She’s recently released her solo album “Love In Time” which can be found on Itunes. Please visit www.michellemallardi.com!

MIDDLE SCHOOL INTENSIVE - MUSIC DIRECTOR

Craig Coyle is a pianist/vocal coach and music director. He has been involved in many musical theater productions in the Long Island area and elsewhere. Most recently, he has musical directed "Pippin" at Massapequa High School and played keyboard in "Mamma Mia" at Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts and this summer, in addition to LIMTF, he can be seen playing keyboard for two other productions in Long Island and North Carolina. Craig plays for ballet and modern dance classes as well as musical theater classes at Hofstra University and he is also Music Director of the Congregational Church of Patchogue. He holds a B.M. in Piano from Westminster Choir College.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Sharon Lawton was President of the Board for Girl Scouts of the USA (Rolling Hills Council), in addition to serving as troop leader, cookie manager, and board member. For twelve years, she has managed the children and youth choirs at Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, where she first collaborated with Nathan Brewer in 1999. Since that time, Sharon has organized dozens of summer camps and productions, through which hundreds of lives have been changed. Sharon received a BA in Mathematics and an MS in Library Science. She met her husband Rich while training computer programmers at AT&T, and their two daughters have grown up through Nathan’s summer programs!

GENERAL MANAGER

For the past eight years Vanessa has taught music within the public school system. Her most recent placement in Queens resulted in implementing a brand new PreK-5 music curriculum where Vanessa maintains and directs a chorus, drum ensemble, and rock band in addition to a full schedule of general music classes. Not one to stay in one place, she also has experience teaching music abroad in Kasoa, Ghana through International Volunteer Headquarters. In her spare time, she sings as a soprano in the Long Island based eVoco Voice Collective, and this summer has been selected as a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Vanessa holds a B.S. in Music Education from Hofstra University as well as a M.S. in Music Education from Queens College.

PHOTOGRAPHY & DIGITAL DESIGN

Jenna is a professional retoucher and photographer. She received her Bachelor's in Fine Art and a Photography Minor from Pace University in 2018. Right now, she is working as a Photo Retoucher for Madewell and she is also a freelance photographer specializing in portraiture and theatre photography. Her role here at LIMTF began in 2016 as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret and has since shifted to photography, digital media, and program design. Being a former actor and vocalist herself, capturing photographs of performers in their element is extremely significant and fulfilling for her as an artist. www.jennaraynoha.com

MAINSTAGE DIRECTOR

Alison is a director, choreographer, and educator based in North Eastern Pennsylvania. Favorite credits include: Funny Girl (Broadway, Directing Observer), The Wild Party, Little Women, Pippin, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cinderella, Pumpboys and Dinettes, and Assassins. As a performer, she served as dance captain on the international tours of American Idiot and Nice Work If You Can Get It, and has performed regionally at theaters like Papermill Playhouse and The Rev. Currently she is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Wilkes University.

STAGE MANAGER

Carolyn is very excited to be joining the team at LIMTF! Carolyn is an alumna of Tufts University (summa cum laude) and of the William Esper Studio in NYC. As a singer & actor, she has been involved in the development of many new productions over the last decade. Some favorite roles include The Duchess (Elephant Man, starring Bradley Cooper and Patricia Clarkson), The Witch (Into the Woods), and Kate/Lilli (Kiss Me Kate). Carolyn has also produced several benefit concerts and is an active voice-over artist. She is also an acting coach and academic advisor for the college prep (DREAM) division of BroadwayVox. Love and gratitude to LIMTF, my family, and my wonderful husband (and favorite duet partner), Jared. @carolynberliner

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Grace graduated from Marist College in 2023 with a Media Studies and Production degree, with a concentration in Television and Film. Her minors were in Theatre and music, and she was on the executive board of both clubs. She is currently the Marketing Associate for New York Stage and Film. She promotes new and emerging artists’ musicals, plays, and screenplays, such as the musical adaptation of the novel A WRINKLE IN TIME, a play written and performed by Laurence Fishburne, and has worked with artists such as Joe Iconis, Beth Henley, Jo Bonney. As an avid theater go-er and performer who grew up on Long Island, she is thrilled to be with LIMTF!