envisiontheater4kids@gmail.com
Staff
nancy edelman, co-chair
Nancy Edelman teaches English at SAR High School. She has had a long career in Jewish education, the bulk of it spent as an English and art history teacher as well as curriculum director at TABC. Before coming to SAR, she was the founding head of humanities at the Idea School. She was the recipient of the 2015 Teaneck Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year award and experienced 30 minutes of national fame as a Jeopardy contestant in 2021. Nancy received her BA in English at UCLA, and her MA in the Teaching of English at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Rebecca lopkin, co-chair
Rebecca Lopkin is the Artistic Director and Founder of Envision Theater, an educational theater company that creates and facilitates performing arts programming for schools in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. She is a director, designer and choreographer as well as a teaching artist and actress. She has been the theater director at Camp Shoshanim for the past ten years and more recently at NCSY's Camp Maor, a Performing arts camp for girls. She holds a BS and MA from New York University in Educational Theater.
laura melcinoff, keynote speaker
Laura Melnicoff is a professional cellist based in the New York Capitol Region. She designs music performances for all ages, and currently teaches classroom Music Appreciation for elementary school students. Her performance experience has taken her across the globe, to venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Heichal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, and the airwaves of WQXR and Israel’s Kol HaMusika. Her regular engagements with the orchestra for the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene led to her stint on Broadway, playing in the orchestra for Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. A native New Yorker, Laura grew up with the excellent youth music education programs in New York City, and received her Bachelor’s in Music from Mannes College of Music at the New School. Her Master's degree in cello performance is from Tel Aviv University, where she interned in the cello section of the Israel Philharmonic.
dina bogner heiss, judge
Dina Bogner Heiss spent ten years as a successful talent agent in NYC representing young actors for film, television and theater. Her clients included stars of the films The Social Network, Elf, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Pitch Perfect, the television series The Bear, Glee, Gotham, Smash, Victorious, and How to Rock and the Broadway productions of Hamilton, Tootsie, Spring Awakening, The Book of Mormon, 13, Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, The Lion King and many, many others. Dina has taught classes for young actors at camps, workshops and studios throughout New York City and New Jersey.
sarah feinmark, judge
Sarah Feinmark has been working on and off the stage for many years. She graduated with a degree in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine from Johns Hopkins University, a minor in theatre arts, an Arts Certificate, and a minor in vocal performance from Peabody Conservatory. After college, she received a certificate from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. In her professional acting career she got the opportunity to teach at theaters and small schools before getting the chance to work with the Missoula Children's Theatre and several Equity regional theaters. Sarah is graduating with a Master of Social Work next month, and has been using her performance background to build and facilitate creative social and recreational programming for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
stephanie martinez, judge
Stephanie Martinez is a teaching artist, stage manager, and director from Long Island, New York. She received her BFA in Stage Management from Hofstra University and is currently pursuing her M.S.Ed in Educational Theatre at The City College of New York. Stephanie is the resident director of the West Hempstead Secondary School 9-12 Drama Club as well as a teaching artist for Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Drama Club, Arts for All, Mainstages, Queens Theatre, Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, and the Hofstra University Continuing Education Program. She is particularly passionate about providing culturally responsive and trauma-informed theatrical education to students across the tri-state area.
keri setaro, judge
Keri Setaro is a graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and The London Academy of Theater and has studied with Seth Barrish and Susan Batson as well as the improv group the Groundlings. Keri has had a long career in voice over, voicing video games, cartoons, TV and radio. Recently she has taken her love of talking to a whole new level by hosting and producing the popular mom podcast MOMTOURAGE. Whether doing red carpet interviews with celebs or teaching yoga, Kerialways brings her brand of relate-ability, humor and honesty to everything she does. Keri is a modern dancer and a yoga teacher and has a particular love of absurdist theater and ways of non-traditional movement as storytelling. Credits: NY Theater: The Pioneer, Walk Two Moons, See Rock City, Women at 4 O’clock, JOE! The Musical, Historic Times and Alphabet City. Regional Theater: The Matchmaker (Centerstage, Baltimore) Ah, Wilderness! (St. Louis Repertory & Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park). London Theater: The Water Engine and The King Stag. Television: “Orange is the New Black”, “Nurse Betty”, “All My Children” and “Law & Order: SVU".
jeorgi smith, judge
Jeorgi Smith has been working professionally within the performing arts industry since she was five years old. National touring credits include Judy Moody & Stink (Sophie/ Laura/ Jessica) and Your Alien (Meep). Off-Broadway credits include Camp Rock (Georgina) at Theater Row, A Little Princess (Dance Captain) at The Pershing Square Signature Center, High School Musical (Ms. Tenny) at Theatre Row and The People Garden (Bethany/Ellen) at The York Theatre. Outside of performing, Jeorgi is an accomplished director, choreographer, and acting coach. Jeorgi’s production work has been nominated for a National Youth Arts Award and Off-Broadway Broadway World Award. Jeorgi’s students have been seen on Broadway, TV, Film, and have gone on to pursue Musical Theater and Acting degrees from prestigious universities such as UNCSA, Shenandoah, CCM, OCU, and more. They have also been seen competing in competitions such as The Jimmy Awards and Broadway World’s Next On Stage. For more information about Jeorgi, visit http://www.jeorgismith.com. @JeorgiSmith
dathan b. williams, judge
Dathan B. Williams is the former Associate Artistic Director of The Harlem Shakespeare Festival. His recent directing credits include: Off-Broadway: Me and Steppin’ (The New Federal Theater). Regional: Measure for Measure for Flagler College, Moana, Jr for Rubicon Theater and Director/Playwright of Shall I Compare Thee: The Sonnet Project for Southwest Shakespeare Company (nominated for Best new Play 2022 Arizona Broadway World). Most recent as an actor: The Railway Children at Northern Stage. Other credits include: Broadway –Show Boat; Off-Broadway – Christmas in Hell – (NY Premiere) plus eight others. Regional – Over 42 Companies, including The Eugene O'Neill and The Goodman Theater. Nat’ Tour - Show Boat plus three others. International - Two Seasons at the Stratford Festival – (’91 Guthrie Award). He recently was a sub-adjunct Professor at Brooklyn, Hunter and City College. He has also taught at Cornell University and Syracuse University.