Our People…
STAGES attracts the best and brightest people to work with our students. Ours is an international team of instructors with a broad depth of experience in the performing arts disciplines of dance, music and theatre – critically acclaimed professional actors and actresses, composers, dancers, musicians, playwrights and many other practitioners will make regular stops at STAGES to lead classes for our students.

The positive experience and safety of STAGES students is our top priority. The background/history of each STAGES staff member and instructor is thoroughly and aggressively screened by a licensed private investigator before employment is offered.

STACEY KOLOSKI
STAGES Owner & Instructor
See About Us

HOLLYE SEDDON
STAGES Owner & Instructor
See About Us

AMBER CALLAHAN
STAGES Technical Director and Designer
Amber Callahan acquired her undergraduate theatre degree from UMaine in Orono and is currently a freelance designer, carpenter, and scenic artist in the Portland area. Previous design work includes The Pillowman, Almost Maine, Romeo ett Juliette, 101 Dalmations, Jesus Christ Superstar, Edgar Lee Master's Spoon River Anthology, and You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. She is skilled in scenic construction and painting, make-up design, costume construction and puppetry. She is also passionate about children’s theater! At STAGES Amber will design and build for all of the STAGES theatrical productions, beginning with Aladdin Jr in early 2009.

MICHAEL DONOVAN
STAGES Managing Director
Director & Choreographer, STAGES Productions
Michael is an experienced and talented director and choreographer for several venues in southern Maine, including The Portland Players and Lyric Music Theater. He was the Director of the performances at Anthony’s Dinner Theater in the Old Port, and is also an actor, having performed most recently in La Cage aux Folles at the Portland Players. At STAGES, Michael has choreographed Beauty And The Beast and Les Miserables (both summer 2008), Aladdin, Junior (winter 2009), and RENT: The School Edition (spring 2009). This summer, Michael will choreograph all three of STAGES’ Student Repertory Theater Program productions of Sweeney Todd: The School Edition, Into the Woods, Junior, and West Side Story (for which he will also serve as director). In the Studio, Michael builds curricula for, and teaches musical theater, dance and acting classes to kids of all ages, preschool through high school, and is the manager for the new “Studio C” private lessons program.

ELIZABETH PROVOST
STAGES Administrative Director
As Administrative Director, Liz serves as one of the “faces of STAGES” on the front lines… she handles bookkeeping and maintains financial information and processes; manages HR and benefits for STAGES instructors; liaises with vendors and clients; organizes press and marketing activities and generally keeps the directors’ sanity in check! Liz has been with STAGES since shortly after the company opened in 2007, and is a friendly and familiar face to the many students and families who come into the studio. Liz is also a wonderful mom and educator and may join the ranks of STAGES instructors later this year teaching creative movement and dramatic play for our preschool-aged students!

FRAN PAGE
STAGES Assistant Manager & Instructor
DIRECTOR, Spring Musical Production of RENT: School Edition
STAGES Assistant Manager Fran received his BA degree in theatre with a focus in acting and directing from Plymouth State University. While at PSU Fran had the opportunity to serve the Plymouth Players as Assistant Artistic Director, as well as the Squam Players as a founding member of the board of directors. Before college he was part of a traveling troupe called “Voices” that toured the state of NH battling social stigmas and issues through theatre, music and dance. Through his study of theatre and education Fran has continued to spend part of his artistic existence creating community and understanding through theatre. He currently serves as the founding Artistic Director of the Passages Project, and can be seen on stage as a musical funny man at various venues around town including Lyric Music Theater, Portland Players and Anthony's Dinner Theatre; and has recently finished directing Pippin at Portland Players. At STAGES, Fran manages the studio during Saturday class sessions, instructs students of all ages in acting, improvisation, musical theatre. Fran will be directing the School Edition RENT in Spring 2009.

MARCUS BAGALA
Music Director/Guitarist, STAGES Spring Production of “RENT: The School Edition”
Marcus Bagala, 19 years old, is currently attending the University of Southern Maine as a composition major, and will be moving to Boston this fall to finish his degree. Marcus has numerous credits as an actor and pit musician all throughout the Maine community theater scene, as well as heading the band, “The Shams” for four yeas as lead singer and guitarist. Marcus played the principal role of “Marius” in the Summer 2008 production of “Les Miserables: The School Edition”, and has been seen in many performances in this area, including “The Music Man” (Portland Players), and “Aida” (Lyric Music Theater). In the spring production of “RENT: The School Edition”, Marcus is teaching all voice parts, and working individually as a vocal coach for cast members.

SAM BAGALA
Music Director/Pianist, STAGES Spring Production of “RENT: The School Edition”
Sam Bagala, 17 years old, has been playing piano since the age of 5.  He has been homeschooled his entire life, until he started taking classes at USM at age 13. Now a junior in high school, he has two years of college under his belt, and a long list of performance credits all over Maine in ensembles, bands, and groups of all music genres. He has attended many master classes, workshops and summer programs and has worked with the best. As a professional music director, Sam has worked at Lyric Music Theater, the Portland Players, and Community Little Theater to name a few.  He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Ralph Gould Award and first place at the Bangor Symphony High School Concerto Competition, this winter.  At STAGES, Sam played “Bambatabois” and several other character parts in the 2008 Summer production of “Les Miserables: The School Edition,” and is accompanying all rehearsals and leading the band for the spring production of “RENT: The School Edition.”

DEANNA DiSOTTO
Instructor, Creative Movement, Music and Dance
Co-Director, STAGES Spring Musical Production of “Pirates of Penzance”
Deanna has a BS degree in early childhood education from the University of Maine at Farmington. She has concentrated in her studies on creative arts for the young child and extensively researched the benefits of creative play for children.  Deanna has been a Music Together teacher, a lead preschool teacher at the Little Dolphin School in Westbrook, and is now a Pre-K teacher in the Lewiston School where she uses a creative approach in her every day teaching. Deanna has been with STAGES since it opened in 2007, and was instrumental in building our “Body Boogie” program. Deanna has served as a production assistant on nearly all of the STAGES productions to date, and will be co-directing (with Director Hollye Seddon) the Spring Musical Production of “The Pirates of Penzance”.

MARY GREENVALL
STAGES in the Schools Instructor, Kids Yoga & Creative Movement
Mary Greenvall currently serves as the program director for the Boys and Girls Club in Portland where she oversees the delivery of arts and education programs.  She has a degree in English and Secondary Education from Saint Michael’s College and has worked as a teacher and ed tech in several area schools including The Spurwink School, Gray New Gloucester High School and South Portland High School. She is an excellent curriculum developer and a wonderful teacher. Mary teaches children’s yoga and creative movement as part of our “STAGES in the Schools” program.

MEGAN HETZEL
Co-Director, STAGES Productions
A Maine native by way of Chicago, Megan brings to STAGES her love of all things dramatic! A skilled early-childhood educator, Megan holds a degree in Outdoor and Environmental Education, and has worked with several schools including the Johnson State Child Development Center and the Little Dolphin School in Scarborough, ME. She loves working with kids of all ages, and has been instrumental in helping STAGES deliver childrens program curriculum at Little Dolphin School, and has worked on the production team for STAGES summer 2008 production of Beauty And The Beast.  At STAGES, Megan has served as co-director for You Can’t Take it With You (fall 2008), and Aladdin Junior (winter 2009), and is now serving as the Co-Director for RENT: The School Edition (spring 2009).

DANIEL KOLOSKI
Instructor, STAGES A Capella Kids Choir
Orchestra Director, Summer 2009 Student Repertory Theater Program – “A Celebration of Stephen Sondheim”
Dan is a composer and musician (piano and bass) and worked at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Arena Stage, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington in the years before moving to Maine.  His original music and arrangements have been heard in venues throughout the United States. He has performed with and directed various ensembles through the U.S. including the orchestra for the first American revival of Rags in New Haven, CT.  He is a composer of the new musical, The Scarlet Letter.  He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, and Yale University where he sang with and business managed the Yale Whiffenpoofs.  At STAGES, Dan has taught preschool music classes, accompanied vocal music lessons, and served as the Orchestra Director for the STAGES musical productions of Once On This Island, Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast.

JAMIE LUPIEN
Music Director, STAGES Spring Production of “Pirates of Penzance”
Vocal Coach, Summer Rep Productions of “Sweeney Todd” and “West Side Story”
Music Director, Summer Rep Production of “Into the Woods”
We are thrilled to welcome Jamie Lupien to STAGES as a vocal coach and music director. More bio information coming soon!

TAMI WENTWORTH
STAGES in the Schools Instructor, Music and Storytelling
Tami comes from a well rounded theatrical and artistic background and has enjoyed many years of working both on stage and behind the scenes. Tami recently won the Lakeside Theatre talent competition and has also starred in her role of a lifetime - the title role from Hello Dolly - in Rangeley, Maine. In the theatre world, Tami has made costumes, built puppets, designed sound and lighting, taught dance, worked in casting design and box office. She enjoys creating art – photography, decoupage, mosaics, and murals – and especially enjoys teaching young children.  At STAGES, Tami works with the “STAGES in the Schools” program, building the curricula for and teaching music and storytelling to preschool children.