the PROM Cast

After a 20 year hiatus Maysa is back on stage as part of the ensemble of The Prom. She trained in NYC at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She wants to thank Cristian Romero for his continued support of her dreams as well as her children Lio and Penelope who feel so excited to see their mom pursuing her long life dreams.

Melissa Broder (Dee Dee Allen) is thrilled to back with OLT after her debut as Judy Steinberg in It Shoulda Been You last summer. She has been performing in community, regional and off-Broadway shows since she was a kid, and has been featured in countless musicals, plays and cabarets. Melissa is a proud Lifetime Member of the St. Bart’s Players, NYC’s longest-running community theater, and has served on its Board, in a variety of capacities, for more than 25 years. Some favorite recent acting credits include Princess Puffer/Angela Prysock (The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Penny Sycamore (You Can’t Take it With You), Gingy (Love, Loss and What I Wore), Rona Lisa Peretti (Spelling Bee), Madame Armfeldt (A Little Night Music) and Sister Robert Anne (Nunsense). Melissa sends special thanks to the artistic and production teams, cast and crew and everyone involved behind the scenes. Melissa lives in Hoboken, NJ with her husband, Michael, and their kittens, Penny and Puffer.

Evan is delighted to join the Ensemble of The Prom. She's currently serving her third year as President of Old Library Theatre, and will be directing Titanic this October. You may have seen her as Jenny Steinberg in It Shoulda Been You. Visit evanmakesmusic.com for more. Beijinhos, queerida.

Fabio Del Carlo (Ensemble) Fabio is thrilled to be making his debut on the OLT stage in this production of The Prom. Acting credits include Billy Elliot The Musical (Mr. Braithwaite / The Grand Theater), Bright Star Touring Theater (Lead Actor), Disney Cruise Line (Youth Activities Entertainer). Fabio has a BFA in Theatre Performance from Niagara University and currently resides in NYC where he is a full-time summer camp program director. Fabio is a tap dancer/teacher and special FX makeup artist. He enjoys playing volleyball, piano, and loves Halloween! He is beyond excited to attend prom for a 4th time! Find him on instagram @the_real_fabiodc.

Patrick Dwyer (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his OLT debut! A recent NJ transplant, he’s performed with Bergen County Players in Godspell and The Velveteen Rabbit, and with Hawthorne Pride Alliance in The Laramie Project. Favorite NYC credits include The Music Man (Harold Hill), How to Succeed (Finch), Curtains (Cioffi), and Once Upon a Mattress (Dauntless). Patrick is an award-winning composer/lyricist whose work includes Thirtywhatever, Ten Reasons Why I Am Going to Hell (two MAC Award nominations), and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Off-Broadway, national tour). Patrick dedicates this performance to the memory of Erin Coleman.

Laura Ellis is so excited to be a part of The Prom, which might be her favorite musical. This is her second show with OLT, and she graduated from American University in May 2022 with a degree in Theatre Arts. Her previous credits include Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and her senior capstone at American University and OLT's 2023 One Act Play Festival as Lillian in Logical Conspiracies.

Catherine is very excited to be making their OLT debut in The Prom! They were most recently in the Bergen County Player’s production of The Velveteen Rabbit and stream video games on Twitch in their free time. Catherine graduated with a BA in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and are currently working in Special Education. Tremendous thanks to the cast and crew and a special thanks to Kat for constantly pushing me out of my comfort zone and giving me the confidence to get back in to the theatre!

Brendan Garnett is happy to be making his OLT Debut. He was last seen playing Beethoven in Dogs Sees God at Villagers Theatre. He has a Bachelor's in Theatre from Morgan State University. Some of his favorite roles are: (Noah “Horse” Simmons)The Full Monty, (Lucien P. Smith)The Boys Next Door, (Tom)Roommates, (Armand)Once On This Island, and Urinetown(Billy Boy Bill). He would like to dedicate this performance to his Father for always giving him unconditional love and support. Continue to be my Guardian Angel. To my awesome director, Thank you for choosing me and allowing me to breathe life into Principal Hawkins. To my awesome castmates, let's continue to live truthfully in the moment.

Alicia Hayes is so excited to be a part of The Prom! Additional acting credits include: Colleen/Lisa Simpson (Mr.Burns:A Post Electric Play)(Perry Award nomination), Emmy (A Doll’s House: Part Two), Molly (Jake’s Women), Fabian (Twelfth Night), Emily (Our Town) and others. In addition to being onstage, Alicia is a director, playwright and stage manager. She serves on the Board of Members at Studio Playhouse and is a proud member of their Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Alicia is also incredibly thankful this year for her house of worship, Forefront Church; a LGBTQIA+ affirming&welcoming church in Brooklyn that is fully devoted to “Love thy neighbor”. Special thanks to Chelsea Friedlander for her 3(!!!) years of vocal guidance. Love and thanks to those who support her in all her endeavors. Off we go! www.aliciachayes.com

Rebecca is stoked to be making her OLT debut! She is a graduate of DeSales University with a BA in theatre. Favorite credits include Sally Jackson/Katie Gardner (The Lightning Thief) Beth (Little Women), The Little Mermaid, Wizard of Oz, and Beauty and the Beast. She would like to thank all of her family and friends for their constant love, support, and encouragement. And a huge thanks to the cast and the entire production team for all of their hard work!!

Brooke Kaye is excited to be back with Old Library Theatre and getting to perform in one of her favorite musicals, The Prom. She hopes you enjoy this funny and heartwarming show with the meaningful message of acceptance. Brooke is an actress/singer who has been entertaining local audiences for the last eight years, appearing in various plays, one-acts, musicals, and music revues. Some of her favorites include, We Will Rock You!, Shrek, Willy Wonka, Mamma Mia!, Wizard of Oz, Freckleface Strawberry, Disaster!, Golden Oldies, and Play On! When Brooke is not performing, she enjoys playing piano and spending time with her husband, children, and rescue dogs. She would like to thank the amazing production team - Eliah, Armanda, Daniel, Cici, and Jennie - for making this such a great experience.

Jonathan is thrilled to be doing his first show in four years since moving to New York City! He was last seen on the Indianapolis stage in such roles as: Jake in Burnt Part Boys, Tommy in The Who’s Tommy the Musical, Phoebus in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Abel in Children Of Eden, Lord Farquaad in Shrek, and Leaf ConeyBear in 25th Annual Putnam County SpellingBee—to name a few. He would like to thank his sister, friends, and his partner, for all the love and support in pursuing his passion over the years. He is over the moon for the opportunity to work with Old Library Theater and hopes you enjoy the show! IG: JonnyBoySinger

Caitlin is thrilled to return to OLT’s stage after finally performing in last year’s production of Legally Blonde! She has been on stage for most of her life and has also worked background on several television shows and a movie (currently in post production!). Favorite previous roles include Leilani (Legally Blonde), Emilia (Othello), Tamora (Titus Andronicus), R.C. (Bug), Judith (Stage Door), Sister Julia (Nunsense), Olive (Spelling Bee), and the Woman (Death of a Salesman). When not performing, Caitlin works as a Paralegal and Executive Assistant. Thanks to cast & crew for all of their hard work! Eternal Love and Gratitude to her family for encouraging her to express her creativity for her whole life.

Amy is thrilled to be back participating both on the stage and behind the scenes at Old Library Theatre with The Prom! She was previously seen on stage in OLT's productions of Urinetown, Legally Blonde, A Night At The Movies Fundraising Concert, and It Shoulda Been You as well as backstage as producer for Legally Blonde (OLT Award Winner) and Fly By Night, director of the 2023 Youth Showcase, and costume designer for The House of Blue Leaves and It Shoulda Been You. She also serves on the OLT Executive Board as Membership and Inclusion Manager. Thanks to the cast, crew, and everyone at OLT for creating such an amazing show and theatre family!

Mike is thrilled to be back at Old Library Theatre and is very excited to be a part of The Prom! Some of his favorite performances include Legally Blonde (Carlos), The Addams Family (featured soloist), Grease (Eugene), and West Side Story. Mike enjoys spending his free time singing covers of Broadway songs, doing makeup on TikTok, and spending time with his friends and family. He would like to thank his friends for all the support. He would like to thank his voice coach Richard Todd Adams for helping him better his vocal abilities. He would especially like to thank his mom, dad, and sister for always being his biggest inspirations. Everybody have a fun time at The Prom!

Aubrey Lefkowitz is thrilled to be returning to Old Library Theater for The Prom! She has not been able to perform in a musical since 2019 when she played the role of Kate in OLT’s production of Wild Party. Since then, Aubrey has been working as a paralegal, but she has been able to fuel her passion for the arts by choreographing Mendham High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast, and the Helen Hayes Youth Theater production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Aubrey is so excited to be back on the stage and working with such a talented company!

Jackie Leibowitz is thrilled to be back for her fifth show with OLT after appearing onstage in Baby, The Full Monty, Parade, and most recently backstage as crew for It Shoulda Been You. She holds a BA and MA in Musical Theatre Studies from Temple University and currently runs her own Broadway-themed Etsy shop, Broadway Dork Designs. Some favorite previous roles include Hope Lennon (Finding Hope – World Premiere), Rona Lisa Peretti/Olive’s Mom (Spelling Bee), and Queen Aggravain (Once Upon A Mattress). She is also a freelance Stage Manager, Dramaturg, and Musical Theatre Historian. Jackie would like to thank the friends she’s made at OLT (old and new!) for welcoming her in and making each show a family as well as her Prom family from Cedar Grove High School who shared the set you see onstage and their love with this production. You can find out more about her at JackieLeibowitz.com or check out her shop @BroadwayDorkDesigns. Upcoming: Stage Managing Titanic this fall with OLT!

Adam would like to thank you for coming to the show and reading his bio while you wait. He is excited to be attending this Prom after his own traumatic one years ago. He will be reprising his favorite roll of Ensemble and as someone who easily blends into the background, you may have inadvertently seen him in the following OLT productions: Sideshow, Sweet Charity, Urinetown, It Shoulda Been You, The Full Monty, & Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. He'd like to thank the cast, crew, and production team for making this is a much more memorable Prom.

Sherry Mayce is pleased to be making her debut at Old Library Theatre in this production of The Prom! She is happy to be back performing after recently graduating from Montclair State University with a Bachelors of Arts in music therapy and is now a licensed music therapist. In between classes, she performed on several different stages as a classical soprano, including NJPAC, Carnegie Hall, and a selection of venues throughout Europe. Some favorite credits are The Lightning Thief (the oracle), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, (Marie), and The Messiah (soprano).A huge thanks to the production team of The Prom for being so welcoming and delightful to work with!

Red is honored and excited to be performing with Old Library Theatre. They have made strides in Theatre being a part of two Off-Broadway musicals and several other productions across New Jersey. They have also had multiple Art Exhibitions throughout New York City. Lastly they would like to thank the cast and crew for their support

Jeff Parsons is thrilled to bring Barry to life with this fabulous group of talented people! He returns to his OLT family this year, following his award-winning experience as the stage manager for It Shoulda Been You. Jeff has most recently appeared in Bedroom Farce (Players Guild of Leonia), Elf (CDC Theatre), Falsettos (Antrim Playhouse), Greater Tuna (Studio Players), My Big Gay Italian Wedding (OLT), and A Year With Frog and Toad (Teaneck New Theatre). Jeff spent many years producing and stage managing, for film and stage, including the first middle school pilot production of Wicked Jr at Teaneck Community Charter School. Thanks to his incredibly supportive family.

Kesiah is thrilled to be performing her first show with Old Library Theatre as a featured dancer. She graduated from the Institute for American Musical Theatre in 2021, and recently appeared in various short films.

Maritza Puzino is very excited to be cast in The Prom! with Old Library Theatre. Her previous credits with OLT include House of Blue Leaves, Legally Blonde and Urinetown. Plus, she is honored to be serving as the treasurer for the 2023 OLT Board! She is incredibly grateful for the learning experiences and fun she's been able to share with the creative team and casts, both old and new. When she is not on the stage, you'll see her selling Real Estate around Bergen, Essex and Passaic county, so give her a call there! She'd like to thank the cast, crew, friends and family for their support in all her endeavors. Enjoy!

Cynthia is thrilled to return to OLT as Shelby in this production of The Prom! While Cynthia is no stranger to the stage, having been a singer and dancer all her life, it wasn't until last year that she made her theater debut in OLT's spring musical Legally Blonde. After having such an awesome experience, she knew that her first show wouldn't be her last! Cynthia thanks OLT for taking a chance on her last year and continuing to support her passion for performing, none of which would have been possible without the support of her family and friends, new and old! When Cynthia is not on the stage, she can be found in the high school hallways with a coffee in hand, trying to convince fellow staff members that she is, indeed, a teacher, not a student.

Dave Toussas (he/him) (Broadway/Parent Ensemble) Dave is excited to make his debut with OLT! He is happy to work with this talented cast, and amazing Production Team. He was recently seen in West Milford Players Collection of Short Plays. Prior favorite roles include Mr. Krabs in The SpongeBob Musical, Maurice in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Rosen Performing Arts Center. General Harrison Howell in Kiss Me, Kate at Madison Public Theatre, and Sergeant Carlino in Wait Until Dark at Rhino 237. Dave has also performed in seasonal specials at the Barn Theatre in A Christmas Crisis and War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast. Dave would like to thank his friends and family for all their love and continued support!

Michelle Ward is thrilled to be back at OLT after her (award-winning!) turn as Aunt Sheila in It Shoulda Been You - her favorite part ever! - & the D.A./Phormizer in Legally Blonde. Michelle got her BFA in musical theater from NYU/Tisch (CAP21) and has performed regionally, in NYC, and at sea. She's now a business coach (learn more at 90daybusinesslaunch.com) and hockey mom who lives in Montclair. Thanks to Eliah for seeing this "mover" as a Broadway Fosse dancer and letting her perform this fun role in this fun show with these fun people! She gives credit to the dance cardio teachers of Obè and her friend Patty for getting her past this dance call. Love to Ramona, Luke, Mom and Chuckles - Team Awesome! Follow her on Instagram at @heymichelleward.

Emily (she/her) is excited to do another show at OLT. Last year, she won an OLT Award for her performance as Little Sally in Urinetown! Some previous roles include: Kate (Legally Blonde, at OLT), Shelia (Hair), Hope (Urinetown), and Iris (Fame). Emily would like to thank her loved ones, especially her cat and her partner. Here is a quote from Emily’s 8 year old brother that he would like you all to read - “My sister is not actually mean, she’s actually very nice and she’s just acting.”

Tim White is so grateful to be in this beautiful show. By day he is director of study abroad at Montclair State University. He leads history walking tours for community, family, and school groups in Northern NJ, and hopes you might book a tour. 100% of proceeds go to study abroad scholarships. Tours include: Harlem, UWS, Central Park, Times Square, Greenwich Village, Chinatown & Little Italy, Jewish Lower East Side, Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge & Heights, and Ellis Island. Some favorite past roles include Jerry in The Full Monty (OLT), featured singer in Laura Benanti & Friends (Pleasant Valley Productions), Lockstock in Urinetown (Barn Theatre), Bud in Bridges of Madison County (OLT), Robert in Company (Pleasant Valley), Enjolras in Les Misérables (NJCU), and Pippin in Pippin (Heights Players). Tim lives in Montclair and is so happy to work with this amazing cast and production team. He hopes this show brings some light to at least one person who is living through dark times because of their LGBTQ+ identity. All his love to Keith, Sutton, & Nate

Lyss is a 2020 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Wagner College, located in Staten Island, NY, where they earned their B.A. in Theatre, as well as pursued a NYS Teaching Certificate in Special Education. During their time in college, they worked as an Actor, Director, Choreographer, House Manager, and Stage Manager on student and class productions. Additionally, they were selected as the Assistant Director for the Mainstage production of “On The Town” (dir. Theresa McCarthy). Lyss was also the teaching assistant for Wagner College’s Directing Classes, under professor Michael Tennenbaum. They have written, directed, and choreographed youth shows at Camp Lou Henry Hoover, in Newton, NJ. Professionally, Lyss is a teacher, coach, and Stage Manager at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan, NY. Although Lyss has appeared on stage in works and shows in New Jersey, New York, and Edinburgh, Scotland, The Prom marks their first role post pandemic. Lyss would like to thank their family, and the cast and crew of The Prom.