NEWSIES Creative

Director
Melissa Weisberg
Melissa Weisberg graduated with a bachelor's degree in Government from Liberty University and a master’s degree in Government from Regent University. A life-long fan of the performing arts, she and her twin sister revived the theatre program at West End Christian School in Hopewell, Virginia, providing opportunities for students and alumni to participate in the joy of theatre. Her directing credits there include A Christmas Carol, The Odd Couple, and Little Women. Upon returning to New England, Melissa directed a one-act play at Greater Portland Christian School in South Portland, Maine. In 2017, she began assisting in the theatre department here at PCA, helping produce the spring musical and, a few years later, directing a Black Box show. In 2023, she directed PCA’s musical Cinderella and the fall show, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Special thanks to her family for their support, encouragement, and willingness to talk about Newsies for the last eleven months! And thanks to a wonderful theatre team, cast, and crew. All glory to God, with whom all things are possible!
Musical Director
Joy Eisner
Joy Wilson Eisner holds a degree in Music Education from Gordon College. She has been involved with theater and music directing, for decades with some of her favorite credits being Peter Pan, Oliver, The Pirates of Penzance, and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Prior to moving back to NH and joining the PCA World Language Faculty, Joy was the Director of Fine Arts for the Christian Academy of Guatemala. Her favorite parts of both teaching and directing are helping students push themselves to go beyond what they think they are capable of and seeing them develop a passion for the world and discovering how they can use their God given gifts to impact it for good. She wishes to thank her parents for the various ways they have supported her musical endeavors; the teachers who helped her along the way (one of whom is playing in the pit for this production); her husband and children for making theater productions and all they entail a family affair; Melissa Weisberg for stepping up and being an amazing partner in this show; and most of all God for giving her these gifts and the opportunities to use them for His glory.
Pit Director
Katrina Veno
Katrina Veno is a music educator and clarinetist. She received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from The University of New Hampshire and a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from The Ohio State University. Katrina is a member of the Portsmouth Symphony and is also active as a chamber musician. She was awarded Outstanding Young Band Director of the Year in 2022 by the New Hampshire Band Directors Association. She is finishing her 10th year teaching instrumental music at Portsmouth Christian Academy, including instrumental lessons, bands, jazz bands, and symphony orchestra. She has three young kids and a wonderfully supportive husband.
Choreographer; Assistant Director
Darby Goss
Darby Goss is thrilled to be back directing her fifth show with the PCA Players. Prior to this year, she directed Little Women: the Musical, The Day the Internet Died, The Hundred Dresses, and Look Me In the Eye, this year’s One Act Festival Show. Before directing, Mrs. Goss taught general music and choir, and acted and sang in many musicals and plays, and has too many favorite roles to count! However, her favorite roles of all time are wife to Nate and mom to one-year-old Theodore.
Technical Director
Wes Raines
Wes Raines is the upper school choral director and PCA's A/V Tech director. In addition to his duties at PCA, Wes is also the A/V Tech director at Bethany Church in Kittery, ME. Prior to his arrival at PCA, Wes held teaching and conducting positions at schools in Maine and New Hampshire. Wes also spent five years as conductor and music director of the Tri-City Community Chorus in Saco, ME. Wes's choirs have earned gold ratings in festivals and have performed in New York City and Disney World. Most recently, Wes's choirs have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, NY.
Master Carpenter
Wanda Kezar
Wanda Kezar has been involved in theatre for 12 years---from being a theatre mom to stage managing and set-building for 3 theatre companies. She teaches high school mathematics at PCA and enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, writing, reading, skiing, and wielding power tools. She would like to thank the many wonderful parents and students that helped make this set possible.
Lead Set Designer/Painter
Moriah Nadeau
Moriah Nadeau is a graduate with her master's in art education from the University of New Hampshire. This is her 5th year teaching art classes at the Upper School and Middle School. She enjoys many forms of art and sharing creativity with her students.
Producer
Victoria Bazile
Victoria is excited to be producing for PCAs theatre department for the third consecutive year! She is also an Admissions counselor at PCA and a Youth Pastor at Restoration Church in Milton, NH. Victoria's love for the performing arts is rooted in her past experiences dancing pre-professionally and acting. She is elated that this opportunity allows her to glorify God by combining both her passions of working with young people and the arts!
Stage Manager
Ella Morganti
Ella Morganti is excited to end her final year of stage managing with Newsies! She’d like to thank her assistant stage managers, Zack Cook and Cody Cresta for all their help. She’d also like to thank Miss Weisberg, Mrs. Goss, Señora, and Mr. Raines for all the hard work they put into the production.

MEET OUR CREATIVE, TECHNICAL & PRODUCTION TEAMS!

Costume Designer: Gina Henker

Costume Designer: Enid Band 

Prop Master: Vanessa Fillion

Prop Master: Kelly Belmonte

 

Assistant Stage Manager; Assistant sound operator: Zach C (10)

Assistant Stage Manager: Cody C (9)

Stage Crew: Olivia S (9)

Stage Crew: Ivan S (12)

Stage Crew: Hailey W (10)

 

Light Board Operation: Brady H (10)

Spot Light Operation: Alex L (9), Kate W (12)

Projections: Owen M (11)

Sound Operation: Xander K (11)

Sound Operation: Ken Eisner

Sound Engineer: Scotty Harris 

Assistant Sound Engineer: Gage H (10)

Sound Effects: Ava C (12)

 

Set build assistants: Levi A (12), Isaac F (12), Viola F (10), Rob Wack

Set painting: Upper School Art Students

Hair and Makeup Artists: Erin J (12)

Hair and Makeup Artists: Olivia M (12)

 

Pit Orchestra 

Violin: Susie Stevens, Chloe D (10), Bianca W (10)

Cello:  Kyla C (10), Connor L (10)

Clarinet: Sienna L (9), Sam S (12)

Clarinet, Flutes, Saxophones: Zakk Machemer

Trumpet: Cort Baussmann (alumni) and Jason H (10)

Trombone: Erick A (12)

Auxiliary Percussion: Kennedy R (10)

Drum set: Alyssa Ostrowski 

Keyboard 1:  Adelyn Nelson

Keyboard 2: Katie Poole  

Bass: Don Moultrop
 

Special Thanks to our Volunteers & Donors: Rob Wack, Alane and Levi Abbett, Vanessa Fillion, Isaac Fillion, Viola Fillion, Josiah Howard, Bev Shevenell, Leah Donnell, Rachel Rolley, Meleena Sheffler and Midcoast Youth Theatre, Amy St. John and Dale St. John, Kelly Belmonte, Alan and Sharry Weisberg, Amie Andress, Pam Peavey, Gina Henker, Enid Band, Megan Ballam, Janet Cannon, Lauren Odom, John Cannon, Anne Brown, Matt Tolley, Vivi Gunawan, Julieta Wibowo, Heather Paradis, Susan Arico, Isabella Sotir, Michele Gaulin, Matt Tolley, Rachel Tolley, Monica Leno, Amy Wack, Melissa Currier, Leanna Morin, LeeAnna Ngamcharoenthana, Tara Sherman, Daney Lynskey, Katie and Ben Airey, Ivan Sturgis, Tim Kelm