Music Faculty
Hallie Wetzell
FSPA Vocal Director, Instructor of Voice
Hallie Wetzell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Occidental College and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from New England Conservatory of Music. As FSPA Vocal Director, Hallie oversees the FSPA Voice program and serves as music director for all ensembles, as well as productions of the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) and Electric Youth. Hallie was the Vocal Director for the FSPA Children’s Choirs for the professional touring companies of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2000 and 2005 and Evita in 2004. She has been on FSPA’s Faculty since 1998 and became Vocal Director for FPAC in 1999. hwetzell@fspaonline.com
Kim Rezendes
FSPA Assistant Director, Director of Little Music School and Children's Music, Instructor of Piano
Kim Rezendes graduated magna cum laude from Providence College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and from Rhode Island College with a Master’s Degree in Teaching Music. As coordinator of Children’s Music at FSPA, she also serves as Program Director for the Little Music School and Instructor of Musical Theater. Kim serves as Associate Organist at St. Mary Church in Franklin. One of FSPA’s first students, Kim joined the FSPA faculty in 1997. krezendes@fspaonline.com
Timothy Ayres-Kerr
Instructor of Voice and Songwriting
Timothy Ayres-Kerr holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Pedagogy both from New England Conservatory. Tim has performed as a soloist in Opera, Oratorio, and Operetta, often portraying lead tenor roles in the works of Gilbert & Sullivan. Tim founded The Parlour Opera Players to present short operas in non-traditional venues throughout Boston. Tim is also a composer and his second completed work for the stage, A Game of Werewolf, earned him a place in One Ounce Opera’s Fresh Squeezed Ounce of Opera showcase. Tim was also awarded the grand prize in the Lester Levy “Save Our Songs,” competition. Tim joined the FSPA Music Faculty in 2019.April Lisette Ball
Instructor of Voice
April Lisette is an award-winning singer and musician from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who has built a diverse and accomplished career in the performing arts. She is currently based in Boston where she works as an actor, singer, pianist, and educator. April holds a BA in Music Performance (voice and piano) from New Mexico Highlands University, and an MFA in Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. With over thirteen years of teaching experience, April specializes in piano and voice, focusing particularly on musical theatre voices. She has taught both in one-on-one settings and workshops, showcasing her versatility and commitment to education in the arts. Notably, she has had the opportunity to accompany students at Carnegie Hall for the Young Artist's Concert and internationally at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto for the Student Honors Concert.Jeffrey DiIorio
Instructor of Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, and Songwriting
Jeffrey DiIorio holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Music Performance and Philosophy from Providence College and a Masters in Music Performance with a focus in jazz guitar from the University of Rhode Island. While at PC, Jeffrey performed with their Pep Band, Jazz Band, Funk Ensemble, and Jazz Combo. He has studied with Jay Azzolina, Lyle Brewer, David Riley, Phil Sargent, Julian Lage, Adam Smirnoff, and Bruce Bartlett. Professionally, he has performed with ensembles led by Alex Lee-Clark, John Allmark, and Mark Burney as well as with The Mac Odom Band, The Phunky Autokratz, and Nightshift Entertainment. Jeffrey was the recipient of the Reverend Leo S. Cannon, O.P. Award for Excellent Musicianship as well as Judges’ Choice at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival. Jeffrey joined FSPA's Music Faculty in 2019. John DiSanto
Instructor of Percussion
John DiSanto holds a Bachelor of Music from Boston’s Berklee College of Music and is a FSPA percussion faculty member. John has over 45 years of drum performance and teaching experience in the greater New England area and touring abroad. John’s early career included owning a music academy and instrument center in Easton, Massachusetts for 25 years, where he provided music education to thousands of students and a creative teaching environment for dozens of instructors. Now, the school has evolved into a piano and antiques center; where John, also a piano technician, restores vintage pianos and offers tuning and repairs together with his wife, Anne, an established singer/songwriter. John's extensive and diverse experience includes performances with Dick Johnson, Mokoto Ozone, Moksha, The Drifters, Coasters, Tom LaMark cabarets and he currently is the drummer for "The Rat Pack is Back", a Las Vegas national touring group and percussionist for the Cape Cod Art Ensemble. As a drummer and recording engineer, he also has multiple recording credits and discography as both a player and producer for projects serving Boston area musicians.Irina Fainkichen
Instructor of Violin
Irina Fainkichen studied at Rachmaninoff Music College and St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia. She also got her degree from Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, Israel. She is a busy freelance violinist in the Greater Boston area. Irina performed with Broadway on Tour’s “Phantom of the Opera”, and “Hello Dolly” at Boston Opera House, “An American in Paris” at Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. She performed many shows with an amazing legends such as Marni Nixon, Sarah Brightman, Johnny Mathis and “The Who”. Irina is a former longstanding member of Cape Symphony and has an extensive experience playing with many symphony orchestras including New Hampshire, Plymouth, Lexington Symphonies and also Pro-Arte Chamber Orchestra. Irina has been on FSPA Music Faculty since 2009 and has played in the orchestra of many Franklin Performing Arts Company productions including Annie, Sound of Music, Charlie Brown, Peter Pan, Music Man, Spamalot, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, and most recently Legally Blonde, Humbug!, and Sweeney Todd. Irina is a concertmaster for the annual FPAC holiday production of the Nutcracker and a coordinator of THE BLACK BOX Classical Series,
Ali Funkhouser
Instructor of Piano, Voice, and Repertoire Consultation
Ali Funkhouser has a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University. Before attending OCU, Ali was a lifelong FSPA student. Her performing credits include the national tours of Joseph...Dreamcoat and Evita, Legally Blonde (The LEX), Puccini's Suor Angelica (Chelsea Opera NYC), Young Frankenstein, Hairspray, Company, How to Succeed..., and more. She has performed her solo cabaret show "I Only Wanna Laugh" at NYC's Don't Tell Mama. Ali studied improv comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade. In addition to her musical theatre and vocal training at OCU, Ali continued her piano studies in the studio of Professor Claudia Carroll-Phelps. Her performing credits with the Franklin Performing Arts Company include The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde, Newsies, Joseph…Dreamcoat, Little Shop of Horrors, and many many more. Learn more at www.alifunkhouser.com. Ali joined the FSPA Music, Drama, and Voice faculty in 2020.Richard Labedz
Instructor of Saxophone
Richard Labedz is a highly sought-after freelance performer in the New England area as well as the Director of Bands and Jazz Studies at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts. Prior to his position in Newton, Labedz taught at Dean College and Naropa University. A strong advocate for jazz education in the public schools, Labedz has presented clinics at the International Association for Jazz Educators Conference as well as having been a guest artist for numerous school band programs throughout the United States and Australia. Labedz has served as an adjudicator for district and state festivals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and is an experienced arts advocate and educational leader having started several honors groups, has successfully implemented several grant projects for music education. Labedz is passionately involved in working with students at all levels and delivers a creative and personalized curriculum in his approach to instruction.
In addition to being a dedicated music educator, Labedz has developed a successful career as both a creative artist and commercial performer. Labedz has had the opportunity to perform throughout the United States and internationally working with: John Adams, The Aspen Chamber Symphony, The Boulder Philharmonic, Dave Brubeck, Matt Catingub, Peter Christlieb, Claflin Hill Symphony, Electric Youth and The Boston Show Band, Jon Faddis, Bob Florence, George Garzone, Slide Hampton, The OJ's, Art Lande, Dave Liebman, Keith Lockhart, Bob Mintzer, Bobby Shew, Max Roach, Bobby Rydell, The Ryles Jazz Orchestra, The Thayer Symphony, Robin Eubanks, Jiggs Whigham, The Worcester Jazz Orchestra, and Phil Wilson.Seungok Lee
Instructor of Piano
Seungok Lee comes to FSPA from several countries. In her native Korea she earned her Bachelors in Music from Youngnam University in Daegu and then became the staff accompanist for the Daegu City Opera Company. She then enrolled in the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, Italy where she spent six years earning a diploma in piano performance and in harpsichord performance. She followed this by enrolling in Oberlin College Conservatory, in Ohio, where she was awarded an Artist Diploma in early music. Moving to Boston, Ms. Lee enrolled in the Longy School of Music and earned a performance diploma and a Masters in Music degree both in early music. She then enrolled in Boston University where she earned a Masters of Music in early music. She has performed numerous recitals in Milan, Ohio, and Boston and she has worked with or accompanied several artists in the Boston area. She is also currently on the faculty of the Boston Arts Academy.
Anissa Perona
Instructor of Voice
Anissa Perona (she/her/hers) holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance/Musical Theatre from New York University Steinhardt, as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Her performance credits include Urinetown (Hope Cladwell), City of Angels in Concert [at NYU Skirball] (Alaura Kingsley), and a new musical version of Pride and Prejudice by Dillon and Caps (Jane Bennet). She has also performed at various concert venues in New York City, including the 10th Anniversary of 35MM with Ryan Scott Oliver and Lindsay Mendez's Actor Therapy at Feinstein's/54 Below. She has taught and coached singers around the Boston area, as well as students at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and with the Boston City Singers. Anissa is so excited to be joining the voice faculty at FSPA. Myranda Rose Silva
Instructor of Voice
Myranda Rose Silva is thrilled to be joining the FSPA Music Faculty! She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theatre and Public Administration from Rhode Island College. She is a Providence-based singer, actress, dancer, and musician. Her performance credits include Head Over Heels (Pamela), 9 to 5 (Judy Bernly), The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, among others. Myranda is a 2023 Irene Ryan Award Finalist at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1, a Stephen Sondheim Award-winning actress, and a proud 2019 Jimmy Award Nominee.Johanna Stipetic
Instructor of Voice, Children's Dance, and Musical Theater
Johanna Stipetic is a professional performer, director/choreographer, and theatre educator who holds a BFA in Drama with Minors in Music and Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Select regional credits include Legally Blonde (Elle Woods), Something Rotten! (Portia), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena), Hello, Dolly! (Ermengarde / Dance Captain), TARZAN (Ensemble), etc. Johanna is the Director of Theatre Education at the Cape Playhouse as well as the primary Musical Theatre instructor at the Arts Edge Dance Company. Along with performing and choreographing all throughout New England, she actively serves in Music Ministry as a soloist across multiple churches all over Cape Cod, and has her own private studio where she works 1-on-1 with students on voice, dance, acting, and college audition preparation. @johanna.stipeticIda Zelman
Instructor of Piano
Ida Zelman has a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Vilnius Music Conservatory. She is a skilled educator with extensive experience in teaching a wide range of levels and interests, including young beginners, intermediate, advanced students, and avocational adults. Ida has comprehensive coaching experience in chamber music ensemble. She successfully prepares many students for the Royal Conservatory Music Program, who pass with high marks and perform on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Ida joined the FSPA Music Faculty in 1993.
Ben Cameron
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Ben Cameron is your Broadway Buddy! Ben is a Broadway veteran having appeared in Footloose (original cast), Aida, and a little show called Wicked (original cast, if you listen to track #2 of the Wicked cast album you can hear Ben drop the plot pivotal line, "Glinda, is it true you were her friend?" He has toured the US and Europe in productions of Footloose, Fame, The Who's Tommy, State Fair, and Sweet Charity (playing opposite Molly Ringwald). He has enjoyed 2 sold out runs of his 1 man show "Different is Good" in 2005 and 2010. He continues to write, direct, and choreograph intimate shows for Broadway and cabaret stars at some of NYC's most notable venues. Ben has served on the faculties of NYU's CAP21 studio and Wagner College and as creative consultant for Mapinspired:The Storytellers' Dance Company. Ben continues to teach dance and theatre workshops and choreograph around the world. Ben is the creator of Broadway Sessions. Sessions has been running for over 8 years and brings Broadway's brightest together at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Since creating Sessions, Ben has become one of the theatre community’s most beloved hosts and personalities. Ben has also produced web series My Broadway Bar, Dance Captain Dance Attack, and Broadway ObSessions.Sara Jean Ford
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Sara Jean Ford is best known for starring as Christine Daaé on Broadway and in the National Tour of the worldwide sensation The Phantom of the Opera. Also on Broadway: CATS (Jellylorum), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Smitty), A Little Night Music (Mrs Anderssen, Anne/Petra cover), and Finian's Rainbow (Arlene, Sharon cover). Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks (Luisa, Revival Cast Recording). Broadway in Chicago: WICKED (Glinda/Nessa Rose cover). Regional: The Music Man (Marian), Into the Woods (Cinderella), Sunday in the Park With George (Dot), Candide (Cunegonde), Carousel (Carrie), and originated the role of Nellie Oleson in Little House on the Prairie. Concerts: Dream of Now Dream of Then, Anyone Can Whistle at City Center Encores!, Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz and Eric Whittacre at Lincoln Center, Paradise Lost at Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Sara is the proud mama of Annie.Tyler Hanes
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Dance
Tyler Hanes was only 17 when he was discovered by Ann Reinking while attending Broadway Theater Project in Tampa, FL. She cast him in the 1st national tour of the Tony Award winning musical Fosse. Following the tour, he attended Carnegie Mellon University, leaving after a year to make his Broadway debut in the 2002 Broadway revival of Oklahoma! Soon after, he appeared in the original Broadway companies of Urban Cowboy, The Boy From Oz, The Frogs, the 2005 revival of Sweet Charity, and as Larry in the original revival company of A Chorus Line. Tyler also appeared in the Broadway companies of Hairspray and the 2014 revival of On The Town. He starred as Rum Tum Tugger in the highly anticipated Broadway revival of CATS, for which he was nominated for a Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway show.Off-Broadway, he was featured in the musical Juno opposite Victoria Clark, Stephen Sondheim's A Bed And A Chair: A NY Love Affair, opposite Bernadette Peters, and American Dance Machine for the 21st Century.
As a choreographer, his credits include Kristin Chenoweth: For The Girls on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre, Dancing With The Stars, Kristin Chenoweth’s Some Lessons Learned World Tour, Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home for PBS, The American Country Awards, Prohibition with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Way You Look Tonight with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, and the Latin American premiere of El Chico De Oz in Lima, Peru. He is currently producing and starring in the upcoming dark comedy “Ms. Guidance.”
Jim Hogan
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Jim Hogan is making his Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of Kimberly Akimbo! He has also been seen in the national tours of Waitress, The Phantom of the Opera, and Spring Awakening. His regional credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Broadway at Music Circus), The Circus in Winter (Goodspeed), and Ragtime (Arden Theatre Co.) Jim appeared in The Seagull (dir. Michael Mayer). Workshop credits include The 12 (dir. John Doyle). Jim received his BFA in Musical Theater from Penn State University. He appears as a soloist with Symphony Orchestras across the country and is a member of the viral sensation #T3 whom recently appeared on AGT! @jimhogan220 and @t.3official Emily Koch
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Emily Koch just finished a year and half long run with the Broadway Company and the First National Tour of Waitress. She was also seen on Broadway and on tour as Elphaba in Wicked from 2015-2017. Regional: Little Women (Palo Alto TheatreWorks), ValueVille (NYMF), In The Bones (APAC, World Premiere, and New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play). Workshops: iLLA! A Hip Hop Musical (O’Neil Center), The Tale of Despereaux (Universal Pictures/The Old Globe). Readings: Housewarming (NYMF), Luna (World Premiere), All The Walls (World Premiere), and Luna and the Gold River Docks. Carnegie Mellon Musical Theatre Class of 2013, youngARTS Finalist, and Interlochen Arts Camp and Academy alum.Kara Lindsay
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Kara Lindsay has a BFA from Carnegie Mellon. Her Broadway credits include Wicked (Glinda), Newsies (Katherine, Original Cast and Fathom Events Film), and Beautiful (Cynthia Weil). National Tour credits include Wicked (Glinda) and Little House on the Prairie (Laura). Regional credits include Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse, Little House on the Prairie at The Guthrie, Mary Poppins at North Carolina Theatre, Cinderella at Kansas City Starlight, Cabaret at Kansas City Rep, and Lone Star Love at The 5th Avenue Theatre among others.Kevin Massey
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Acting
Kevin Massey graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Music Major on the Pre-Med track. When a friend convinced him to move to NYC for one crazy year before going off to med school for 8-12 more years, he found himself on the European tour of GREASE! playing Doody and began to imagine a life in the theater. After making his Broadway debut in the Tony Nominated Sign Language Rival of Big River, he decided perhaps this is where his path should go for now. Since then, Kevin’s been in 3 more broadway shows, understudying and playing the leads in the original cast of TARZAN (Tarzan), Memphis (Huey), and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (Monty). He re-created Monty for the 1st National Tour of Gentleman's Guide, toured with Big River, and played Tarzan in german in the Hamburg production of TARZAN.Kevin has originated lead roles in Bonnie and Clyde (Ted, Asolo Rep), Little House on the Prairie (Almanzo, Guthrie, Paper Mill, 1st National Tour), Three Musketeers (D’Artagnan, Chicago Shakespeare), Bella (Bonny Johnny/Snaggletooth, Playwrights Horizons), Grumpy Old Men (Jacob, Ogunquit), and The Rivals (Jack Absolute, Bristol Riverside Theater). Check out his resume for a more complete list at www.kevinmassey.com
Christopher Rice-Thomson
Broadway Faculty - Voice, Dance, and Marketing
Christopher Rice-Thomson most recently was seen performing in Broadway tour of HAMILTON. Broadway: Pretty Woman, The Book of Mormon. Tours: West Side Story (Baby John, Tony understudy) and White Christmas. His viral #Tappy YouTube videos have received over 10 million views and been featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, The Meredith Vieira Show, On Air with a Ryan Seacrest, and more. Chris has appeared with Franklin Performing Arts Company as Jack Kelly in Newsies and in his own creation: Christopher Rice’s The Tappy Christmas Special: LIVE! Follow Chris on Instagram & Twitter: @ChrisRiceNYClay Rice-Thomson
Broadway Faculty - Voice and Dance
Clay Rice-Thomson is currently performing on Broadway in Moulin Rouge (Ensemble). He has also performed on Broadway in King Kong (King’s Company), Newsies (Spot Colon), Matilda (Michael Wormwood), and the Broadway National Tours of Wicked (Chistery), West Side Story (A-rab), and Cameron Macintosh’s Oliver. TV credits include: Saturday Night Live, The TONY Awards, MACYS Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Tonight Show, GMA, The Late Show, The View, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. Clay has performed at events featuring Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles, and Pharrell Williams. He recently choreographed the Franklin Performing Arts Company production of Matilda and starred in Christopher Rice's The Tappy Christmas Special: LIVE! For more, follow Clay on Instagram and Twitter @claythomson!