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Meet Our Staff

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Megan Charlesworth

Megan Charlesworth
Studio Manager
Music Together® and Piano 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 and 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.

Steffan

Steffan Bomberger
Voice and Acting Instructor

Steffan is a multi-instrumentalist, conductor, director, coach, clinician and teacher who is in demand throughout the mid-state for his interdisciplinary expertise and holistic approach to teaching the performing arts. Steffan has toured as far north as Cape Cod and as far south as Miami (and everywhere else in between on the east coast) as a collaborative pianist.

Steffan is the Founding Artistic Director of Steitz City Players, a nonprofit, community-centered theatre arts company, that focuses on bringing excellent arts opportunities to under-served populations in the Lebanon Valley. Their 2019 summer production, Godspell, was met with widespread acclaim.

As a seasoned actor, tenor and conductor, Steffan has performed across the US. He is currently prepping for an interactive vocal recital series highlighting the work of the American Songbook, which will culminate with his European premiere in 2021. Steffan is a member of NATS, ACDA, and AACT.

Local musical theatre directing credit highlights include Capitol Opera, Steitz City Players, Hershey Trolley Works, and Gretna Theatre. Steffan maintains a private studio in his hometown of Lebanon, PA and has taught master classes on the campuses of Messiah and Lebanon Valley Colleges. A 2013 graduate of Lebanon Valley College, he dual-specialized his bachelor’s degree in Sacred Music and Vocal Arts. He also holds an Associate of Arts in Humanities from Harrisburg Area Community College.

Trinda Shaull

Trinda Shaull
Music Together®, Piano, and Ukulele 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!

Kristin Chronister

Kristin Chronister
Voice Instructor

A Lancaster transplant from Atlanta, GA, Kristin Vienneau Chronister is a seasoned singer, performer, and voice teacher with a tremendous desire to spread the joy of music and performing to her local community. Kristin made her living for 15 years as a classical singer and private voice/piano teacher. Often considered a “crossover singer”, she ultimately focused her studies in opera and oratorio work but her love for singing also led her to dabble in performing musical theater, jazz, and folk music! Armed with a B.M. in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory of Music, a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University, and an A.D. in Opera Studies from University of Memphis, Kristin loves to explore vocal pedagogy, the voice/body connection, and how practicing singing can maximise the artistic expression of the human voice. 

When she’s not teaching, you can find Kristin serving as an Executive Board member for the Longs Park Amphitheater Foundation, volunteering for Penn Square Music Festival, and catching as many shows around Lancaster as she can find! Kristin currently lives in Lancaster with her husband Brad, two small children Maddie and Evan, and her adorable black cat Esmerelda.

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Meg Schmidt
Voice, Acting, and Musical Theatre Instructor

Megan is beyond excited to be part of the PPAS team. She is a 2020 graduate of Ithaca College where she earned her BFA in musical theatre. As a PA native, Megan was born and raised in Allentown and is eager to get back to her Pennsylvania roots. Graduating amidst a global pandemic, Megan quickly took on the challenge of teaching online private vocal lessons as well as acting coaching. This quickly sparked her joy in teaching within the performing arts. From 2021-2022 Megan worked as a Tour Actor/Director with the Missoula Children’s Theatre out of Missoula, Montana. During this time, she performed and directed Johnny Appleseed and Alice in Wonderland, traveling through 20 new states as well as overseas in Cuba, Japan, and South Korea.

Some of Megan’s most notable onstage credits include Featured Vocalist, Jingle Bell Jukebox (Servant Stage), Maria Rainer, The Sound of Music (Servant Stage), Sunny, Westerwynne (Silver Glass Theatre Productions) Evelyn Nesbit, Ragtime (NCC Summer Theatre), Sister Mary Patrick, Sister Act (Ithaca College), Olive Ostrovsky, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Ithaca College), Feste, Twelfth Night (Ithaca College). Megan has also performed in various NYC cabarets at 54 Below, 53 Above, and The Triad. 

 

When not performing, Megan loves spending time with her family and friends and performing as much as possible within her local community. She is also an arts and crafts fiend!

Rebecca Lehman

Rebecca Lehman
Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, and Voice Instructor

Rebecca is a PA certified music educator, and has taught private lessons for 6 years. Her greatest joy has been forming connections with her students and celebrating improvements as they grow in their musical abilities. She wants her students to love what they do, and works to provide a balance of fun and discipline in her lessons. Not only does she help students improve the quality of individual song selections, but she also teaches listening strategies and interpretation skills for overall musical competency. She is people-centered and dedicated to preserving the tradition of creating music.

Rebecca Lehman is a graduate of Eastern University. She was part of the Eastern University Choir, Eastern University Wind Ensemble, as well as Turning Point, an audition-based touring choir, where she was featured as a soloist. She taught K-5 general music and directed Beaver Creek Elementary school’s chorus in 2017. She also led guitar and ukulele classes at St. Patrick’s School in Malvern, where she taught basic skills and prepared students for Holiday and Spring performances. She has provided congregational music for the First Baptist Church of Norristown and was a stand-in vocalist at Renaissance Church Ministries in New Jersey. She also enjoys performing at open mics and listening to live jazz ensembles in her spare time.

Becca Snyder

Becca Snyder
Dance, Musical Theatre, and Acting Instructor
Social Media and Marketing Manager

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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Beatrice Levicoff
Voice and Piano Instructor

An accomplished voice and piano teacher, Beatrice is a Lancaster native who has been teaching students of all ages and skill levels in the Philadelphia area since 2015 and is excited to bring her expertise to PPAS. As a performer, she has performed at Lincoln Center (New York), the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall and Academy of Music in Philadelphia and made her Opera Philadelphia debut in 2020. Locally, she has performed at the Fulton Theater, Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, Footlighters Theater, Mount Gretna Tabernacle, Ephrata Performing Arts Center, Newtown Theatre, Mickey’s Black Box Theater, and the Lancaster Barnstormers. Currently, she is one of the Alto Staff Singers for the St. Thomas Episcopal Church choir in Flourtown, PA. Beatrice graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 2015 from Temple University’s Boyer School of Music, where she was also the recipient of the Esther M. Schulz Award for choral excellence in 2015, and also had the honor of singing for former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
 
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Rebecca Gentry
Musical Theatre Dance Instructor

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!