| Welcome Back! |
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Susan Schobel
Burt Wood Welcomes their New Piano Teacher
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The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro welcomes Susan Schobel to their staff. Susan is a 2002 graduate of Apponequet Regional High School in Lakeville. In 2006 Miss Schobel graduated from Wagner College where she dual majored in Music and Elementary Special Education. From there Susan attended Bridgewater State College and obtained her Masters in Education and Special Education.
Since 2006 Susan has been teaching 2nd grade at the Mary K. Goode School in Middleboro. Miss Schobel was a student at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts for six years and was the recipient of The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts scholarship in 2002. |
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Valerie Amaral
Voice, Choir, Pageant Preparation &
Miss Massachusetts 2007 |
Miss Amaral is a resident of Acushnet and is an Honors student at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. Miss Amaral has studied voice for 12 years: classically for three years with John Weiss and she has studied for the past 9 years with Lorna here at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts. Miss Amaral combined her love for music and service and founded the Gift of Harmony community service program, designed to bring music to the community free of charge.
For more about Valerie click here! |
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Katie Elizabeth Boyd
Pagent Preparation and Fitness
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A native of Taunton but currently a resident of Boston, Katie Elizabeth Boyd will join the staff of the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts this month in Middleboro, Mass. She has been competing in pageants since a very young age. Most recently her titles include Miss Taunton 1999, Miss Fall River 2000, Miss Bristol County 2002, and Miss New Bedford 2004. She has studied with the Burt Wood School since 1994 and was Rizzo in Grease.
She has also studied under Kenneth Almeida of Taunton High School and starred as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Katie is well versed in all phases of competitions especially in the Miss America and Miss USA programs. She was top ten at Miss Massachusetts in 2005.
For more about Katie click here! |
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Lynn Bettencourt-Hallenbach
Acting, Voice & Group Acting and Group Musical Theatre |
Lynn Bettencourt is a native of Middleborough and a graduate of Middleboro High School. During Lynn's senior year of high school, she was the intern at Burt Wood, where she also studied voice with Miss Lorna! Lynn then went on to attend and graduate from the University of Southern Maine where she studied Theatre and Business. During her undergraduate studies, she performed in many shows including West Side Story, Into the Woods, Play it Again Sam, Fixin' Amos the The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For her portrayal of Bev Mazor in Fixin' Amos, Lynn was nominated to compete in the National Competition for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, sponsored by the American College Theatre Festival.
For more about Lynn click here! |
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SAT COURSE INFO |
Anna Ferguson
Math and Langauage Arts Tutoring
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Anna Ferguson, a resident of Middleboro, is currently tutoring in Math and the Language Arts. Anna has a Bachelor's Degree in special education and a Master's Degree in education and is certified to teach in both middle and high schools. Anna began her teaching career in the Middleboro School system as a special needs aide and in-school suspension specialist. She is currently a language arts and math teacher for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District, where she teaches 6th, 7th and 8th grades at the Hanson Middle School. For the past two years, she has been the lead teacher in their MCAS Summer School Program, for which she wrote and developed the curriculum.
The students who Anna tutored during the 2003-2005 school years all raised their grades and also earned higher scores on standardized testing.
Anna has also volunteered for several Burt Wood Summer Arts Festivals ~ where she has provided the wonderful service of concessions!
She lives in Middleboro with her husband John and her son Joe. She is the mother of Camille and Melissa, who is a Voice Teacher at The Burt Wood School. Anna is also the Nonni to three beautiful grandchildren: Gina, (her Beautiful Girl), Joey (her Jo-Jo), and Lacie (her Lou-Lou-Bell). |
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| CONGRATULATIONS
to the
NEW
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Donnelly! |
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Melissa Donnelly
Voice, Acting, On-Camera Acting, Audition Prep., Pageant Prep. |
Melissa is in her tenth season at Burt Wood and has one of the most active schedules. A native of Middleboro, Melissa earned a degree from Hofstra University, with the help of the original Louisa Burt Wood Pratt scholarship. With the Hofstra Chamber Singers, Melissa toured the East Coast and Great Britain. Along with her many featured roles, she has also performed for NFL Quarterback Boomer Esiason, N.Y. Senator Alfonse D'Amato, Billy Joel and former President George Bush. She has also shared the stage with Tony award winning Broadway Diva Betty Buckley and 2005 American Idol Top 10 Finalist Constantine Maroulis.
For more about Melissa click here! |
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Wanda Howard
Voice and Acting - Substitute Teacher
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Wanda Howard, of Buzzards Bay, is in her fourth year on the Burt Wood staff. Wanda has a varied performance and teaching background...her most notable student being Burt Wood's own Artistic Director, Miss Lorna, who is also Wanda's daughter! She has also performed in numerous community theatre productions, in Boston area clubs, and as a professional karaoke demonstrator for area establishments. One of Miss Wanda's favorite roles was that of Miss Hannigan in the 1995 BWSPA Summer Arts Festival production of "Annie" - which is celebrating it's 10th anniversary this year. Miss Wanda lives on the Cape with her husband Doug and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren Paige, Tyler, Taylor and Trey. Wanda has been a substitute teacher with Burt Wood since Jan. 2004.
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Scott Philie
Voice, Piano & Music Theory |
Scott, a resident of Middleborough, recently joined The Burt Wood staff in 2005. He teaches private voice, piano and also music theory. Scott has been the Musical Director for the annual Burt Wood Summer Arts Festival for Footloose", 2005-"Fame", 2006 "Those Summer Nights" and will be returning for the 2007 Summer Arts Festival production of "High School Musical." The former owner and operator of Halifax Music in Halifax, Scott has been playing the piano since the tender age of five and became a professional performer at the age of 14. He has been the lead singer and keyboardist for the 1980s band, Square Pegs; and also the 1950s band, The Corvairs. Having received his formal training from Berklee College of Music, Berklee College of Music, Scott has played with several industry 'greats' including Smokey Robinson, Charlie Daniels, The Marshall Tucker Band, Fabian and Steve Smith of Journey, to name a few. |
| Scott has also appeared on stage in several lead roles of major productions including the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz", Roger in "Grease" and Judas in "Godspell". He has an extensive background in musical direction with several different theatres with some of his favorites being: "Godspell", "Grease", "Fiddler on the Roof", "Pippin'" and "Guys & Dolls". The Music Director for the past four years at the North Congregational Church in Middleboro, he lives in town with his wife Gina and chidren Tyler, Britney and Maggie. |
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Anna Dalton
Ballet Foundation, Tap, Dramatic Jazz, and Private Lessons
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Anna Dalton, a Junior at Bridgewater State College, is an Art Major minoring in Dance Education. Over the past 17 years, she has experienced a multitude of dance styles by many different choreographers. Her specialties are Tap, Ballet, and Jazz, each mixed with a hint of modern and a touch of hip hop. After competing on the Dance Express Senior Dance Company for three years, and competing a jazz solo her last year there, she has been in BSC performances such as Drakula the Rock Opera where she was dance captain her freshman year, Dance POPS! - performing and choreographing a performance piece included in the show. She stresses the importance of ballet technique and teaching students to listen to and express the feeling of the music.
For more about Anna click here! |
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| Congrats to Andrew Osborne who won a DAYTIME EMMY for his work as a writer for the hit show CASH CAB! |
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Andrew Osborne
Film Production |
A Middleboro native, Andrew teaches the competitive Burt Wood class, Film Production. The class is based on college curriculums and is geared towards the student intending to pursue a degree in the film and performing arts.
In the Fall 2004 season, he also added classes to the school curriculum: Screenwriting & Production and Comedy & Improv. Both classes were geared to teenagers and adults.
In 1999, Andrew was hired to write the film Dramarama for Warner Brothers (based on his original pitch and currently scheduled for production in 2004 with Lindsay Lohan (Freaky Friday) attached in the lead role.)
For more about Andrew click here! |
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| Burt Wood School Welcomes New Staff Member! |
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Liam Leahy
New Teacher at Burt Wood School
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Liam Leahy is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth where he studied music with a focus in music education. While at UMass Dartmouth, Liam was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and the university's Honors Program (he was one of the first music majors to complete the Honors Program); he graduated summa cum laude as a Commonwealth Scholar. He also had the honor of performing the National Anthem and UMD Alma Mater at the 2007 Commencement Ceremony.
Burt Wood is now offering guitar with Mr. Liam.
For more about Liam click here! |
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| Burt Wood School Welcomes New Staff Member! |
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Erin Nicole Draper
New Teacher at Burt Wood School
Acting and Musical Theatre Teacher |
The students and staff at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro are pleased to welcome Erin Nicole Draper as a new acting and musical theatre teacher. Erin is a senior at Bridgewater State College majoring in theater with a minor in secondary education. Upon graduating at the end of next year, she hopes to go on to teach public school theatre. She migrated to the east coast in the fall of 2006, and is a native of California, where she studied performing arts and social justice for two years at the University of San Francisco prior to the big move.
Some of her favorite past acting roles include Peter Pan in the musical, Peter Pan, Agave in Euripides' the Bacchae, and Emily in BSC's production of Our Town, but her heart really lies in directing and connecting with young people through theatre in a way that touches their hearts. Ultimately, she hopes, changes lives through art. For this reason, she is thrilled to be joining the team at Burt Wood as an acting and musical theatre teacher! |
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| Burt Wood School Welcomes New Staff Member! |
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Dave Gow
New Teacher at Burt Wood School
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Dave Gow began playing piano at the age of 6. It was this decision that served as a springboard for his musical career. He loved playing piano so much that he decided he wanted to play more instruments. At age 10 he began to play the saxophone, and performed in his first jazz concert at age 11. It was at this time that he began studying the art of improvisation, one of the most important skills a jazz musician can have.
A native of Auburn, Massachusetts, Dave was heavily involved in the music program in the Auburn school system. He was active in band and jazz band from elementary school right up through high school. Dave also participated in the high school pep band and played in the pit orchestra for the senior class musicals for 6 years straight.
For more about Dave click here! |
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Lucy Record
Choreographer Summer Arts Festival |
Lucy, a renowned California choreographer, has been the main choreographer for the Burt Wood Summer Arts Festival for the past five years. She has choreographerd the musical spectaculars "Oliver", "Bye Bye, Birde", "Anything Goes", "Grease" and "Footloose". She will be returning for the 2005 season with the Summer Arts Festival production of "Fame". Lucy has a varied and extensive background in dance and performance, with her most recent credit the honor of being named Best Choreographer by the Santa Monica Theatre Guild for her work on a production of "Sweet Charity", (the fifth time she has won this esteemed award).
For more about Lucy click here! |
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| Office Administration |
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Maureen Whalen
Business Manager
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Maureen Whalen first became involved with Burt Wood soon after it's inception when her daughter Molly was cast as an orphan in the 1995 summer production of "Annie". Starting off as a 'Volunteer Mom' she was soon hired on as Burt Wood's Business Manager - and organizer extraordinaire! Along with her numerous responsibilities in the office, she was also seen as Mrs. Darling in Burt Wood's production of "Peter Pan" in 1996. It is Miss Maureen's love of feather boas, disco music, dancing and overall zaniness that keeps the office running at an upbeat and fun filled pace; but it is her organizational abilities and business know-how that keep the school running smoothly. Burt Wood would not be Burt Wood without Maureen's influence.
Maureen lives in Middleboro with her husband Bob, daughter Molly and two dogs, Belle and Izzy.
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| She and her husband Bob celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary in September of 2007! |
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Ellen Cooley
Office Manager |
Ellen Cooley was an awed audience member of both "Annie" and "Peter Pan" - having attended the productions to see her niece Devon, who was cast in both shows, and another niece Melissa, who appeared in "Peter Pan". By the next summer's production of "The Wizard of Oz", she was a volunteer and back stage crew member. The summertime productions still remain her favorite part of the season and she was distressed to have missed most of the 2005 production of "Fame"!
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Shortly after volunteering, Ellen was hired to work in the office and to oversee all press and school publicity. Ellen has also worked with various production and theatre companies in stage management - and thrives on the hectic pace of being back stage!
After several years of training, she continues to entertain with her flute - mainly to an audience of four: her cats - Majorcca, Andy, Berta and Johnna. Ellen lives in Middleboro and in her "spare time", she also works for Poland Spring, - Drink your Water! |
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Tahlia Tavares
Office Assistant
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Tahlia is a native of Middleborough and is the sister of our Artistic Director, Lorna Brunelle. Her days are kept busy with her wonderful sons Tyler and Trey; her nights, helping to keep things running smoothly here at the school. She is currently in "secret training" to become the next Reba McEntire. Tahlia's long-term goal, to get her own name-plate so that people stop confusing her with Miss Maureen, has been achieved! Tahlia lives in Middleboro with her children and fiance.
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| Costumes |
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Ann Cavanaugh
Costume Mistress |
Ann is a Middleboro native and graduate of Middleborough High School. She spent her senior year of high school in Sweden as a Rotary International Youth Exchange Student. Ann is a cantor and flute soloist at Sacred Heart Church in Middleborough and serves as Membership Recruiter and Scholarship Chairman for The South Shore Bay Band in which she plays alto saxophone. As well as teaching privately, Ann has taught music in both public and private schools. She plays in a flute quintet and has been a member of the Middleborough Chowder & Marching Society for many years. |
| She earned a B.A. in Fine Arts - Music Education from St. Michael's College with the help of scholarships from The Rotary Club and the Middleborough Music Guild; and she also earned an MAT- English from Fitchburg State College, as a graduate assistant in the children's library. She has performed on stage as a musician and an actress, and has also done some film work.
Ann lives in Middleborough with her husband Dave and two sons, Rob and Andy, and the family dog Sandy and cat Blaze. |
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Sandra Schobel
Costume Mistress
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Sandra Schobel credits becoming involved with the arts to her daughter Susan, because it was her daughter's fantasy world that originally brought her to the theatre. Having designed and created costumes for her children and grandchildren for many years, she made her Burt Wood costuming debut with the memorable and eye-catching crocodile in "Peter Pan". She has since been the sole Costume Mistress for all Burt Wood productions - including "The Wizard of Oz", "Cinderella", "Oliver", "Spoon River Anthology", "Antigone" and "Bye, Bye Birdie". Her creations continue to amaze the Burt Wood audiences - from the delightful mice and birds of "Cinderella", to the rags and hand-me-downs of the orphans in "Oliver". |
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| Internships |
| Burt Wood School Welcomes Our Newest Intern! |
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John Condry |
John Condry is a junior at Bristol Plymouth High School in Taunton and resides in Middleboro. He recently completed the Boston Casting On Camera Acting course with Lorna Brunelle and is a member of the drama club at B.P. High. John assists Miss Valeria Amaral in the group musical theatre classes on Tuesday. |
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Aly Levy
Teacher:Choir and Assistant Teacher: Group Acting
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Aly just completed her freshman year at Bridgewater State College and was a 2006 graduate of Coyle and Cassidy High School where she was she an active participant in both Choir and Drama. While a student there, she was seen in lead roles in the 2005 production of "Honk" and also in the 2006 production of
"The Wiz".
Alyson has been a student at The Burt Wood School for several years and has performed in numerous stage productions with the school. Most recently, she played the lead character, Serena, in the Summer Arts Festival 2005 production of "Fame", amazing her audiences with both the clarity and maturity of her voice as well as the dynamics of her acting; and also in the 2007 production of "Those Summer Nights" where her rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" brought the house down!
For more about Aly click here! |
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| Set Design and Construction |
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Roger Brunelle
M.I.B. - Set Design & Construction |
Roger Brunelle - husband of Burt Wood's Artistic Director - has been involved with the school since before it even opened it's doors. Not only has he actually built doors and rooms for the actual school, but ensured it's smooth re-opening in November of 2000 - when the school moved to a larger facility. Roger, along with Bob Whalen, is one of the sole Burt Wood builders - having constructed every recital and production stage and/or set. An invaluable member of The Burt Wood team (especially during the summers) Roger's innovations have inspired everything from flying monkies and grand, flowing staircases to an entire ocean liner on stage. Roger is also an integral part of Burt Wood's M.I.B. - 'Men In Black' - or notorious stage crew.
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Roger is also the satisfied customer (a.k.a. the 'Smiley Man') in all of Compass Bank's promotions and advertising, which can be seen in print work and also in billboards along Rts. 195 and 140.
In his 'spare time', Roger is a member of the painter's union out of Boston and he lives in Middleboro with his wife Lorna. He enjoys working on their historic house, The Ebeneezer Soule Home. |
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Robert Whalen
M.I.B. - Set Design & Construction
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Bob Whalen, one of Burt Wood's notorious 'Men In Black', became involved with Burt Wood and the theatre because of his daughter Molly. Since his first exposure to a production, Bob's numerous talents have repeatedly been put to the test - and he never fails to amaze and inspire. As one of the chief builders of everything from Cinderella's carriage to The London Bridge, Whalen Construction continues to be an integral part of Burt Wood. Along with making it snow, a witch disappearing in a ball of fire, and sending confetti flying in celebration of Cinderella's marriage, Bob is also a member of Burt Wood's M.I.B. - or 'Men In Black' - a much sought after Stage Crew. Bob also enjoys learning the ins and outs of 'the business' as he accompanies his daughter Molly on her many auditions.
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| Bob spends his 'free time' building beautiful homes in the local area and is a Town of Middleboro Building Inspector. He lives with his wife Maureen, daughter Molly and their two dogs: Belle and Izzy. |
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Brent Hastings
M.I.B. |
Brent Hastings, of Wareham, is an integral member of the M.I.B. team. Having first appeared on the Burt Wood stage as a cast member, his most notorious role was that of the Flying Monkey in "The Wizard of Oz". Brent has since taken on the challenges of being back stage, assisting during productions and both before and after, with construction of the Burt Wood sets, and with Strike. Brent was a member of the graduating class of 2006 at Upper Cape Regional Vo Tech.
Brent attended UNITY college in Unity, Maine majoring in Conservation Law Enforcement, last fall. He recently completed first year at Unity and will be a sophomore at Cape Cod Community College in the fall. He is studying to be an EMT. |
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