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Meet Our Staff

STAFF
Megan Charlesworth

Megan Charlesworth
Studio manger | piano, Music Together® & Rhythm Kids® Instructor

Megan Charlesworth holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Slippery Rock University of PA, and a Master of Music in Music Ed from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she studied the impacts of integration of culturally diverse materials in the music classroom. Megan joined PPAS in 2019 as a Music Together teacher and has since taken on the additional roles of private piano instructor and arts administrator. Prior to her work at the studio, Megan taught in public and private schools as a classroom music teacher, working with children ages K-12. 

Outside of the studio, Megan serves as the Director of Music at Calvary United Church of Christ in Reading. She lives in Reading with her husband Preston, daughter Imogen, and son Whitaker. 

 
Debra Macut

Debra Macut
Director of Acting | Acting instructor

Debra Macut holds a BA in drama and psychology from Franklin and Marshall College and an MFA in Acting from Catholic University of America. Ms. Macut is also a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA). Ms. Macut has enjoyed a successful career in professional theatre, having performed throughout the U.S. This includes a 10 year residency at Stage One in Louisville, Ky. and a world premiere production of “The Great Gilly Hopkins” at the New Victory Theatre on Broadway, in which she originated the role of Maime Trotter. Debra also has experience with industrial work including film, commercials, and voice-overs.

Ms. Macut’s teaching background is extensive, with over 20 years of experience including workshops on general acting, children’s theatre, and Shakespeare. Debra has taught college level courses at Indiana University Southeast and acting for young people at Harrisburg Area Community College and Penn State Harrisburg.

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Juliana Alfano
Online Voice & Acting Instructor

Juliana Alfano joined PPAS in 2018 just after receiving her Master’s degree in Voice Pedagogy and Performance from The Pennsylvania State University where she studied with Norman Spivey.  She performed with Penn State’s Opera Theater including roles as Phyllis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe and Morgana  in Handel’s Alcina, as well as a program titled “Operatif” which included scenes from Die Fledermaus (Adele) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mrs. Page). Also, she performed with the University Choir as the soprano soloist in Hayden’s Kleine Orgelsolomesse. In addition to her performing at Penn State, she also held a voice studio comprised of Penn State students while completing her degree as well as a private studio with voices of all ages.

Her training outside of Penn State has taken her around the world. She took part in a Baroque Opera Workshop at the Aaron Copeland School of Music, working with world renowned soprano, Julianne Baird and performing as Valletto in scenes from Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di PoppeaPrior to that, in the summers of 2014/2015 she attended Classical Singing and New York in June, an intensive vocal study program with leading professionals from Juilliard, Mannes, and Manhattan School of Music. Her studies have also taken her abroad to Salzburg, Austria, where she spent a summer training and singing at the Patti and Allan Herbert Frost School of Music.
Juliana holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Crane School of Music under the tutelage of Deborah Massell at SUNY Potsdam in Northern New York. Her favorite musical theatre roles from her undergraduate years include Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes and performing in the ensembles of A Chorus Line and Ragtime. In her spare time, she can be seen gushing over every cute puppy she encounters on the street and learning the ukulele.

Trinda Shaull

Trinda Shaull
Piano, Guitar & Ukulele Instructor | Music Together® & Rhythm Kids® Instructor

Trinda Shaull is an experienced private music instructor and educator, having substantial experience in both the classroom and with private lessons.  She is excited to join the PPAS teaching staff.  Prior to joining PPAS, Trinda directed several ensembles including percussion, choral and symphony groups. She also had the pleasure of music directing Annie Jr and producing Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure.  

She holds a B.S in Music Education from Lebanon Valley College.  Outside of the studio, Trinda teaches private lessons out of her home in Reading. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and gardening. She lives with her husband, three cats, and her baby boy!

Becca Snyder

Becca Snyder
ACTING & DANCE instructor | Social Media Manager | Summer CAMP DIRECTOR

Becca Snyder is an actor, director, and teaching artist local to the Lancaster area. Becca has worked professionally in NYC, Boston, and Lancaster. In 2019, she graduated from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Musical Theatre and an emphasis in Directing. While in college, Becca developed a passion for education and helping to teach the next generation of theater artists. She is thrilled to join the Popovsky team and help cultivate and foster a healthy and supportive theatrical experience for her students!

 
Some of Becca’s most notable onstage credits include Titanic (Madeleine Astor) at the Fulton Theatre, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine), and Next to Normal (Natalie) at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Aside from performing, Becca has also Directed and Assistant Directed numerous productions in the Boston area, including You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Boston Conservatory), Cabaret (Moonbox Productions), Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Lyric Stage Company), and Brundibar & But The Giraffe (Boston Conservatory). 
 
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Becca Gentry
DANCE instructor | choreographer

Rebecca Gentry is a professionally trained ballet and ballroom dancer, though she dabbles in a variety of dance styles, from Bachata to Bollywood, Tap to Tango. She is the owner of City Ballroom Ballroom Dance Studio and the director of The Dance Collective, Lancaster’s only youth ballroom and latin competitive dance team. She has performed locally with the Grant Street Dance Company, UpFront Theatre Company, and PRiMA Theatre, has choreographed for both PRiMA and UpFront, as well as Encore! Home School Productions, the Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts, the People’s Shakespeare Project, and The Musical Box Theatre in Red Lion. She is resident choreographer in the Manheim Central High School theatre department. Her most favorite shows to work on include Jesus Christ Superstar, HAIR, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She enjoys teaching and connecting with kids of ALL ages!

 
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Sierra Fields
Voice Instructor

Sierra Fields is a music and theatre teacher who works with students of all ages, both in the classroom and on stage. Sierra received a B.S. in Music Education and a B.A. in Voice, musical theatre minor from Lebanon Valley College. She works as a Theatre Teacher for the Hershey Area Playhouse Theatre Academy and serves on the Education Committee at the Playhouse. She is currently an Elementary music and chorus teacher at Palmyra Area School District, as well as the middle school director of Palmyra Theatre. Sierra is passionate about providing a safe space for artistic and vocal growth.

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Natalie Niles
Voice Instructor

Natalie Niles is a passionate music educator dedicated to nurturing students’ musical and personal growth. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a concentration in voice from Elizabethtown College, where she studied under Dr. Anne Gross. Natalie is currently pursuing her Master of Music Education (MMEd) at Elizabethtown College with a focus on Music & Peacebuilding. Certified in Orff Schulwerk Level 1 and World Music Drumming Level 1, Natalie incorporates creative, global approaches to her teaching. She serves as a K-5 general and vocal music teacher in the Conestoga Valley School District, where she inspires learners with engaging and inclusive music experiences.

Natalie is thrilled to offer private voice lessons designed to celebrate each student’s unique strengths and goals. She emphasizes technical excellence, artistic expression, and a deep love for music. Her ultimate joy is helping students find their voice and confidence through music.

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Jonathan Walker-VanKuren
Voice Instructor

Jonathan Walker-VanKuren is a stage director, opera singer, and educator, serving as the Director of the Music Theatre and Opera Program at Lebanon Valley College. With a career spanning opera, musical theatre, and education, he has performed across the world and directed productions such as Tuck Everlasting and School of Rock. He is an advocate for inclusive theatre practices, most recently having presented on sensory-friendly performances at the Musical Theatre Educators Alliance Conference in NYC. Jonathan’s teaching emphasizes storytelling, vocal artistry, and performance technique, blending his professional experience with a passion for nurturing young talent. Beyond academia, he has directed, produced, and music directed for community theatres within Central Pennsylvania. He has mentored students who have achieved success across various facets of the performing arts. His students have pursued graduate programs in vocal performance and opera, excelled as educators, and built careers in the recording industry, contemporary commercial music (CCM) singing, and regional theatre. Many have also performed in professional national musical theatre tours, showcasing the breadth of opportunities his training supports.