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YOUTH THEATRE ARTS WORKSHOP
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MARYNA
HARRISON
Maryna Harrison is this summer's director of The Youth Theatre Arts Workshop. Maryna received her BA in Theatre
and Russian from Smith College where she studied with Academy Award winning actress, Vanessa Redgrave. She attended the acting
and directing conservatory program at the famous Moscow Art Theatre in Russia (home to director Stanislavsky, the founder
of "method acting.") As a professional director in New York City, she staged shows for off Broadway theaters including Emerging
Artists Theatre, The Vital Theatre and Here Arts Center. She directed original pieces at Lincoln Center Director's Lab, a
workshop dedicated to developing and producing the plays of NYU dramatic writing students. Maryna taught creative dramatics
and performance workshops at the Tony Award winning McCarter Theatre in Princeton and The Brooklyn Arts Exchange in New York.
She taught improvisation, character analysis and advanced directing at the Regional Center for the Arts, a performing arts
magnet school in Trumbull, Connecticut. Maryna is no stranger to camp. She was drama counselor a the Bank Street Summer
Camp in NYC where she originated and implemented curriculum of exposure to all aspects of theater for eight and nine year
olds. Maryna is a masters candidate at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and will obtain her MFA in directing
next year.
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MARTA
ORTEGA
Marta Ortega returns as musical director of The Youth Theatre Arts Workshop. Marta received her Bachelor of
Music Degree in Organ Performance from Montclair State University. She is currently the vocal teacher and choral conductor
of the Elizabeth High School Chorus and Vocal Ensemble. She is the Director of Music at the First Reformed Church and teaches
private piano and voice lessons at her music studio both located in Hawthorne, New Jersey. She is a member of the Music Educators
National Conference (MENC), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the International Association of Jazz Educators
(IAJE). Many of Ms. Ortega’s students have performed with the outstanding choruses sponsored by these organizations.
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KAREN CAHILL
Karen Cahill is our art director/set designer this year. Karen received her degree in theatre from De
Sales University in Pennsylvania. She has designed sets and props for many of the leading theatrical companies in the tri-state
area. An accomplished artist, Karen's work has adorned the sets of Crossroads Theatre, The New Jersey Shakespeare Festival
and The Princeton Theatre Festival. At George Street Playhouse, she designed props and sets for several educational tours
that visited schools throughout New Jersey.
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OLIVIA MODE
Olivia Mode once again joins The
Performing Arts Studio’s faculty as choreographer. Olivia studied jazz, ballet, tap, modern and hip-hop for over ten years
and is currently working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance at the prestigious Mason Gross School of the Arts
at Rutgers University. During her high school years, Olivia taught dance at Yvette’s Dance Studio in Cranford. She performed
with the Radio City Rockettes and danced at The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC.) Last year, she received Paper Mill
Playhouse’s Catch A Rising Star Scholarship for her performance as Cha Cha in her high school musical’s production of Grease.
Olivia was also featured in Plays-in-the-Park’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie this past summer.
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