Isabel Carrington, Director of Education

Isabel Carrington has been the Director of Education for the Warner Theatre since 2003 and manages all aspects of the Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education (WTCAE), including the development of the general prospectus and school-wide curriculum.

As a dramatic arts instructor for over twelve years, Isabel has taught children and adults of all ages in various artistic disciplines, specifically: Stanislavsky, Meisner and Linklater acting techniques, improvisation, playwriting, Shakespeare on stage, Greek drama, dialects, theatre history, and movement for the actor.

In addition to expanding the general arts curriculum with the addition of dance, music, visual, technical and writing arts programs here at the WTCAE, Isabel has also been an active proponent of arts integration in the Torrington Public School system and other school districts throughout the state.  She has developed and facilitated successful artist-in-residence programs for area schools and has partnered with state organizations to bring arts awareness and educational outreach opportunities to children and adults from all demographics and socio-economic backgrounds. 

At the WTCAE, Isabel is the instructor of the most advanced acting class, Performance Lab, for high school aged students.  She has directed over eighteen Young Actors Series productions on the Warner’s Main Stage and Nancy Marine Studio Theatre stage. 

Isabel has written and directed two original full-length plays, You Belong to Me and The Love We Leave Behind, both produced by the Warner Theatre and cast entirely with students from her Performance Lab class.

In 2010, Isabel was recognized at the Honoring Farmington Women awards ceremony for her work in arts education awareness throughout the state.

Isabel attended Syracuse University for her undergraduate degree in Language Arts and Theatre, and Wesleyan University’s Graduate Liberal Studies Program. She has worked as a professional actor and director in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut for over fifteen years.

David Anctil

David is thrilled to be a member of the WTCAE staff, where he has enjoyed watching young actors thrive. An accomplished performer, David has been seen in regional, New York, and community productions such as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Thoroughly Modern Millie, A Chorus Line, Kiss Me, Kate, Chicago, Grease, Hello, Dolly, and Crazy For You. David is well-versed in all theatrical disciplines, and has studied voice, acting and dance with artists and mentors such as Paul Halley, Regina O’Malley, Jason Robinson and Earl Mosley. David is especially gifted in working with young performers and has directed, music directed and choreographed numerous plays and musicals, including RENT: School Edition, Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast Jr., Godspell Jr., Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr., and most recently 13 with his own theatre troupe. David is the Founder and Artistic Director of New Generation Theatre, whose mission is to bring young artists and new works to public attention. 

Lynn Paulella-Beard

Lynn has a Master of Arts from NYU and a Bachelor of Music from WCSU. She has studied Acting at University of Cincinnati, Theatre and Film at the New England Actors Theatre, Weist-Barron,TVI Actors Studio and The Singers Forum in New York City. Lynn’s many stage credits include: The King and I (Anna), Jekyll and Hyde (Lucy), The Phantom (Christine), Nine (Luisa), Quilters, Pirates of Penzance (Kate), All Night Strut, Savage in Limbo (Savage) and The Happy Journey (Beulah). She has worked in commercials and film. Her directorial credits include: Funny Thing Happened on The Way to the Forum, Last Night of Ballyhoo, Lost in Yonkers, They’re Playing Our Song. Chorus/Vocal Director for productions of Beauty and the Beast at Brookfield High School and Music Man at Danbury High School. She has maintained an active voice and acting studio for over 15 years and is a member of the National Association for Teachers of Singing (NATS). She has taught at as an adjunct at WCSU Theatre Dept. and as a Drama Teacher at Augusta Prep Day School.

Katie Brunetto, Drama and Dance Instructor

Katie attends the University of Connecticut, after having recently completed the 2008-2009 national tour of Magic Tree House: The Musical as the lead role of Annie. Katie also studied at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts as a member of the Musical Theatre Department, and has studied dance with Earl Mosley and acting/scene study with Will Osborne. Katie also performs professionally with improvisational dinner theatre company Aspen Dream Productions, LLC. Katie continues to advance her dance techniques by studying with Sheila Waters-Fucci (tap) and Peggy Terhune (ballet).

Charlene Donaghy
Stage Management, Fiction Writing & Memoir Writing Instructor

Charlene A. Donaghy is an award winning playwright.  Her play, Who You Got To Believe, won the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival New England Regional.  It has been produced in Connecticut, Kentucky and Alabama, and was honored as an Alternate Selection in the Association for Theater in Higher Education New Play Development Workshop in Los Angeles.  It debuted in New York City at the 2010 Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival.  Her play, Trinity, received a finalist award in the New Orleans Saints and Sinners Literary Festival.  Her other writings have been honored by The Writer's Workshop of Asheville, NC and featured in numerous publications including In the Eye:  A Collection of Writings.  Charlene has been a Guest Artist Advanced Participant in the Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting Intensive.  She holds an MFA in Writing for Stage & Screen from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. and a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from Vermont College.  She is the Director of Production for the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival and a Stage Manager at The Warner Theatre and other venues.  Charlene teaches writing and stage management in programs she developed at the Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education in Connecticut.  She is a breast cancer survivor, resides in Connecticut, and her second home, the magical city of New Orleans, is and forever will be the muse for her art.

Sheila Waters Fucci

Sheila attended Springfield College where she performed with The Frank Hatchett Dancers. She earned her BFA in Dance from The Boston Conservatory of Music & came to Connecticut via Nutmeg Summer Theater then taught for the UConn theater department. She has performed, choreographed, and directed for Community Theaters throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, including, Simsbury Theater Guild, Manchester Musical Players, Little Theater of Manchester, Nutmeg Summer Theater, Salisbury Players, Nth Players, Montage and for many area middle & high schools. Since coming to The Warner Theater in 2004, Sheila has choreographed “The Music Man”, “Cinderella”, “Man of La Mancha”, “Seussical”, “Crazy for You” and the World Premier and First National Tour of “Magic Tree House: the Musical”. Sheila has been a faculty member at Deborah’s Dance Workshop in Torrington since 2006 teaching tap, musical theater, jazz and creative movement. She also teaches Tap at Connecticut Dance Theater, Inc. Sheila will be directing and choreographing a March production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” for the Thomaston Opera House. At The Warner she choreographed a May production of “The Producers” and will be directing and choreographing the summer production of “Willy Wonka”.

 Sheila continues to study tap and jazz dance in NYC. And, she is happy to serve as a board member of The Warner Stage Company.

Suzanne Jacob-Muccino, Build-A-Story and Figure Drawing

Suzanne Jacob-Muccino holds a BFA in Illustration from the University of Hartford. She has studied painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and ceramics. She had produced art and illustration for various businesses, publications, and private commissions. She has also taught art at the elementary level as a substitute in local public schools. She has utilized art as a therapeutic tool working with both adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. Most recently, she has completed an internship with Prime Care, Inc. working as a behavior assistant/milieu counselor for adults and adolescents living in group homes. Currently she is completing final thesis requirements toward a Master in Human Services degree. 

Amy Jones, Violin Instructor

Amy Jones has a Bachelor of Music in Applied Music and Music Theory from the Hartt School, and a Master of Music in Music Theory from the Hartt School. She is a member of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, New Britain Symphony Orchestra, Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra and the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra, as well as a freelance violinist/violist and a classical music contractor for Powerstation events. Amy uses a traditional method of instruction with her students.

Wendy Larsen-Certified Group Exercise & Yoga Instruction

Wendy has been a certified group exercise instructor for 20 years through AFFA, YMCA and the last 10 years with NETA. She has been practicing Yoga for the last 12 years on a personal basis level to compliment her active lifestyle and to balance her aerobic and weight lifting practice. Wendy studied and became certified by Yoga Instructor Elin Larsen, who was trained by local Avon Yoga guru Ruth Bender.  She also holds a Yoga certification through NETA and is insured.  Wendy currently teaches Yoga, Yoga for seniors, step aerobics and senior fitness classes throughout Litchfield County In addition to her Yoga and Fitness with Wendy business, Wendy is also a Connecticut Certified Master Gardener and is owner and president of Pretty Soon Blooms, LLC.

Dr. Elizabeth Lorenzo, Voice & Piano Instructor

Dr. Elizabeth Lorenzo is a singer, pianist, and music historian with extensive experience in both popular and classical music. Born in Southington, Connecticut, Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music (cum laude) from Dartmouth College, and went on to earn a Master of Arts (emphasis: Voice Performance) at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2005 she received her Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at the Warner, Elizabeth currently teaches voice, piano, music history, and music theory at Central Connecticut State University and Naugatuck Valley Community College. She was also the music director for Seussical, a Young Actors Series production at the WTCAE. As a lyric soprano, Elizabeth has sung numerous operatic and theatrical roles, including Ilia (Idomeneo), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Barbarina (The Marriage of Figaro). In the spring of 2008 she sang in and served as costume coordinator for the Naugatuck Valley Community College production of Hair, and was a piano accompanist for the college’s performance of Godspell. Elizabeth continues to pursue an active choral career as well, performing with and accompanying for such groups as the Naugatuck Valley College Chorale and the small ensemble Vox Concordis, and she frequently serves as cantor at Yale University’s St. Thomas More. Elizabeth maintains an active scholarly presence in the music history field. She is a frequent guest speaker and program notes writer for the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra

Les Ober, Drama & Tech Theatre Instructor

Les holds BA and MA degrees in Communications and Theatre from the University of Hartford. He has been a High School teacher at NW Regional #7 for thirty-six years with a focus in honors-level Shakespeare, Performing Arts, Film, Analysis of Literature, and Speech. He has directed over 100 productions, including Death of a Salesman, Sweeney Todd, Richard III, Secret Garden, and most recently, All My Sons in the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre. Les has been the lighting designer for school and professional productions as well as the Warner Theatre’s own productions of Cinderella and CATS . He has also directed numerous documentaries and films for summer youth employment programs. He served as Vice President and President of the CT Drama Association, which involved directing the New England Drama Festival. Les is also the recipient of the Long Wharf Theatre's 1999 Mary Hunter Wolfe Award

Dan Ringuette, Voice, Piano, Saxophone, Clarinet & Bassoon Instructor

Trained as a performer and educator, Dan received his Bachelor of Music cum laude and Master of Music degrees in Bassoon Performance, as well as his teacher certification in music at UConn. He spent eight years teaching instrumental music in the CT public schools, and has also been a lecturer in Music Theory at UConn. In addition to teaching voice, piano and woodwinds at the Warner, Dan musically directs many local stage productions, and is the Music Director for the Immaculate Conception Church in New Hartford. Dan is currently working on developing a new musical, The Doughnut Girls, for the Warner stage with Rod Oneglia. Dan is also the Music Director for the national tour of Magic Tree House: The Musical, and has served as Musical Director/Conductor/Accompanist for The Producers, Crazy for You, Godspell, Seussical, Pump Boys & Dinettes, Beauty and the Beast, Dirty Blonde, The Who's Tommy, West Side Story, Into the Woods, The Music Man, Kiss Me, Kate, Evita, The Sound of Music, and Once on this Island. Among Dan's favorite roles are The Cat in the Hat in Seussical, Mozart in Amadeus, Dan in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Claude in Hair and Farleigh/St. Cyr in The Scarlet Pimpernel, L.M. in Pump Boys & Dinettes, and Henrik in A Little Night Music. Dan has also played reeds and keyboards in over 30 regional and community musical theater productions across the state, and has been a freelance bassoonist with the Blackledge Woodwind Quintet, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, the Willimantic Orchestra, the Connecticut Chamber Orchestra, and the Norwich Concert Band.

Dina Viel, Dance Instructor

Dancing since the age of four, Miss Dina has been teaching dance for 24 years. Throughout the years Miss Dina has also competed and placed in many competitions and had the opportunity to take classes with well known choreographers such as Scott Benson, Darryl retter, Al Gilbert, Henry Le Tang and Frank hatchett to name a few. Owning her own studio for 20 of those years she now has the pleasure of teaching Tap, Jazz, Country Line, Hip Hop, and The Little Movers classes for the Warner Theatre as well as perform in musicals. Miss Dina enjoys teaching dance to her students and believes that dance helps their self-improvment, self-esteem,self-confidence, and develops self-image while providing discipline.