Dek Ingraham is a Pittsburgh-based director, actor, administrator, educator, and life-long student of theatre. Some of his most memorable projects include directing the North American premiere of Phil Willmott’s The Master’s Boy and associate directing the London premiere of The Guys by Anne Nelson. From 2006-2012 he served as a founding member and Managing Artistic Director of Phase 3 Productions. He is the creator of Prime Stage Theatre’s Second Stage series where he developed an evening of the speeches of John F. Kennedy to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination that now resides in the Kennedy Presidential Library. He held the position of Festival Director for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival from 2015 - 2021 where he has also served on the board of directors since 2010. Before joining the SSA community in July of 2021, he proudly served the arts community of the Pittsburgh region for 13 years as a staff member at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Dek studied Theatre at Marietta College and, after a 15-year hiatus, completed his undergraduate degree at Chatham University in 2020 where he now teaches as an adjunct professor of theatre. He holds an MFA in Directing and Theatre Pedagogy.
Music Director
Jeff Gross
Jeff Gross considers himself to be a very lucky man fortunate enough to find fulfillment from his two greatest passions: teaching and performing. He has been a part of the Shady Side community since 2011 having started out teaching Middle School Chorus and Strings, was Director of Admission there for a while, and this is his second year directing the choral and strings ensembles here at the Senior School. He finds the most difficult adjustment has been no longer having any height advantage over his students. Gross has performed over 30 leading roles in opera, operetta, and musical theater with Microscopic Opera, Quantum Theatre, The Theatre Factory, Pittsburgh Savoyards, Pittsburgh Opera, Undercroft Opera, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Greensburg American Opera, and Chatham Baroque. These days the majority of his performing is with the Pittsburgh Opera Chorus, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, and Voces Solis, a semi-professional chamber chorus.
Set and Lighting Designer/ Technical Director
Austin Davidheiser
Austin Davidheiser is Shady Side Academy's Technical Director and has designed sets, lights and/or sound for over two dozen SSA theatrical productions during his 13 years at the Academy. During that time he has enjoyed mentoring many students on SSA's stage crew. He was fortunate enough to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland twice with SSA students who were selected to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With over 25 years of professional experience, Mr. Davidheiser has had the opportunity of working in nonprofit, professional, industrial and educational theater (both at the university and high school level). A transplant from the eastern side the state (E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!). Mr. Davidheiser received a BA in Theater Arts from DeSales University and studied lighting design at Ohio University. Prior to coming to SSA he worked as the Technical Director for Kutztown University’s Speech, Communications and Theater department, designing lights as well as overseeing the construction and installation of, among others, Kutztown’s production of Lucky Stiff, which was selected to attend the KCACTF regional competition in 2006. Some notable credits at SSA include On The Verge (2010); Into the Woods (2015); The Addams Family (2017); Little Shop of Horrors (2019); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2020 Prime Stage Drama award winner for Best Crew); She Kills Monsters (2021) and Pippin (2022 Gene Kelly award winner for Lighting Design). Most recently Austin designed the set and lights for last November’s production of R.U.R.
Choreographer
Dr. Amanda Olmstead
Dr. Amanda Jane Olmstead is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University and a lecturer in the Theatre Arts Department at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, her MA in Performance Studies from New York University, and her BA in Theatre with a minor in Dance from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. At CMU and Pitt, Dr. Olmstead teaches musical theatre, history, performance theory, and acting. During the summer, she is the director of Shady Side Academy’s middle school summer camp, Camp Ren. Additionally, Dr. O has been choreographing for Pitt and Shady Side Academy for nearly eleven years (choreographing shows such as Mystery of Edwin Drood, Chicago, Hair, Big Fish, Urinetown, Pippin, Zombie Prom, and As You Like It). She has also recently choreographed Newsies and the upcoming production of Little Mermaid for Montour School District. To our outstanding and talented dance captains Hanna and Ozge, thank you for always leading us with light and positivity! To our assistant choreographer, Sophia, you are a true rockstar!! It has been an honor to work with you over the last four years. You are going to do amazing things!!
Conductor
Ian Hughes
Ian Hughes is in his seventh year as a faculty member at Shady Side Academy, and his second as Director of Bands at the Senior School. Prior to joining the Academy, he taught band, general music, orchestra, and chorus at Riverview School District, Commodore Perry School District, and Robert Morris University. He received his BA in Music from Grove City College, his M. Ed. in Independent School Leadership from George Mason University, and has done graduate work in music at Duquesne University and The Juilliard School. This is Ian’s second production at Shady Side Academy, having directed the Gene-Kelly-award-nominated pit orchestra for Chicago in 2023. Musical theater is a genre he has loved since his parents took him to see a touring production of West Side Story as a young child. One of his theater highlights is playing both Uncle Henry AND French horn in the pit orchestra for his high school's production of The Wizard of Oz.
Assistant Technical Director
Tron McConnell
Tron McConnell (Class of 1971) had been a member of stage crew (specializing in sound and lighting) when he was a student at SSA, and has been assisting with the winter musical productions at the Academy since 2008. He has worked on the productions of “Barnum”, “Guys and Dolls”, ”Kiss Me Kate”, “The Music Man”, “West Side Story”, “Grease”, “Into The Woods”, “Curtains”, “The Addams Family”, “Anything Goes”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, “Pippin”, “Chicago”,"Zombie Prom", and this year's production of "We Will Rock You". He finds that his engineering background is an asset for the design and construction tasks with which he is involved. Mr. McConnell wants to thank Austin Davidheiser and Dek Ingraham for giving him the opportunity to work with them on this year’s production and he also wishes to thank the cast, production staff, and pit orchestra for their efforts. And finally, he wishes to thank the students on stage crew with whom he has worked this year, for their dedication, their positive attitude, and their hard work.
Production Manager
Amy Davidheiser
Amy Davidheiser serves the Academy as calendar and spirit store coordinator and has had the pleasure mentoring SSA's student stage managers since 2013. She previously worked as an Equity and educational stage manager for more than a decade, primarily for regional theaters in the Philadelphia area. She was also the program stage manager for nine summers at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts, an intensive program for gifted high school students in theater, dance, music, writing and visual arts. Favorite productions include The Miracle Worker and Sweeney Todd (ACT I Productions;) The Screwtape Letters (Lantern Theater Company;) and Forever Plaid, Mountain, Evita, and Hamlet (Bristol Riverside Theater.)
Audio Engineer
Britt Pierce
Britt Pierce is an audio engineer with an education in music technology who lives for the unique satisfaction of creating just the right blend of music and voices.
Video Designer
J.R. Shaw
J.R. Shaw has been practicing theater all his life. He spent several seasons as Prime Stage Theater’s resident Lighting Designer. Other local designs include City Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Company, Alumni Theater Company and more. His passion is fostering new and original performances, which he did as Pittsburgh New Work Festival’s Production Manager for five seasons.He currently works for the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater as their Production Manager.
Production Audio Technician
Laura Moeller
Stage Manager
Jeffrey Brunner
Jeffrey Brunner (Form V) is excited to be stage manager for We Will Rock You. He’s loved working on this show since November, and can’t wait to share it with everyone. As stage manager, he takes notes on blocking, helps actors and crew as needed, and cues crew members backstage during shows. In previous SSA productions, Jeffrey acted as Radius in RUR, A Certain Potions Master in Puffs, and Steve in She Kills Monsters. Backstage, Jeffrey was a follow spot operator for Pippin, assistant stage manager for Chicago and Zombie Prom, and stage manager for Macbeth. He’s enjoyed working both on stage and behind the scenes over his four years in the theater department, and has especially loved stage management. Outside of theater, Jeffrey loves biking, playing trombone, and frisbee. Over his years in the theater department, Jeffrey is most thankful for the friends he has made, especially his assistant stage managers Caroline, Faiza, and Tommy. He’ll miss being a part of a community like this, and he wants to thank Ms. DH, DH, Mr. Hughes, Tron, Dr. O, Mr. Ingraham, and all the cast, crew, and pit members for all of the work that they have put into this amazing show.
Assistant Lighting Designer
Sam Davidheiser
Assistant Choreographer
Sophia Gombos
Sophia Gombos (Form VI), is very excited to be the Assitant Choreographer for We Will Rock You. Sophia has been in the SSA fall play since 6th grade, the musical since 7th grade, and really enjoys the people and experiences that she gets to encounter. She has been in a TV show and movie before, and loves being a part of a cast and seeing everything come together behind the scenes. Along with acting, Sophia has also been a model since she was 6 years old, and has attended over 300 commercial photo shoots, more than 10 TV commercials, done 5 voice overs, and walked over 40 fashion shows. Sophia’s been dancing since she was four, and started official vocal training when she was eight. Besides dancing, singing, acting, and modeling, Sophia also enjoys drawing, writing, golf, and rock climbing. Sophia is looking forward to working with more people and continuing her acting experiences here at SSA!
Assistant Stage Manager
Tommy Kann
Assistant Stage Manager
Faiza Krishnarao
Faiza Krishnarao (Form IV) is so excited to return to the musical this year and serve as one of the assistant stage managers. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from the stage managers and work with the cast members to make this show great. Faiza is excited about this new experience and looks forward to what she knows will be a great show. While she enjoys the performing arts world, she also loves playing tennis and softball. When she is not playing sports, helping manage things at the musical, working part-time, or spending her weekend at a debate tournament, you can find her hanging out with her friends and family, watching a good TV show, or reading a good book.
Assistant Stage Manager
Caroline Smith
Caroline Smith (Form IV) is enjoying her first opportunity to be a part of the stage management team after being a part of the stage crew last year for Zombie Prom. She looks forward to more productions at SSA!
Head of Wardrobe
Ada Lin
Drums
Alex Capsambelis
Piano / Keyboard
Cecilia Chen
This is Cecilia Chen’s (Form V) third year performing in the SSA Musical. She is very excited to perform with the Pit Orchestra on keyboard/piano this year, and she was previously a Featured Dancer in Cast in the last two years. Cecilia has been playing piano for a decade, and she is very excited to be part of We Will Rock You!
Keyboard 3
Samraj Delfyett
Samraj (Form V) has studied classical piano for 12 years with Dr. Tina Faigen, and trumpet for 5 years with David Gardner. Samraj has played both keyboards and trumpet in prior SSA Gene Kelly award winning productions of Chicago and Zombie Prom.
Musically, Samraj really enjoys playing in the Jazz band, where he serves as a student director. Samraj enjoys football, skiing and is always on the lookout for musicals with great horn parts. The type of ensemble playing that the pit orchestra affords is incredibly rewarding for Samraj, and he is looking forward to recruiting more jazz band members for future pit orchestras.
Samraj has played in the PMEA district jazz band the past two years. This spring, Samraj has successfully auditioned and is looking forward to playing with the PMEA All-State Jazz band on trumpet.
Bassoon
Neyla Hinedi
Neyla Hinedi (Senior) is excited to be apart of the SSA's musical production this year. This is her first production playing in the pit orchestra. She has played bassoon since 7th grade and plays in the school band and other youth orchestras in the city. In her free time, Neyla likes to cook and play with her cats.
Guitar 2
Kirk Howe
Keyboard 2
Ethan Hrach
Percussion
Angel Liang
Angel Liang (Form IV) is a percussionist in SSA 2025 Winter Musical Pit orchestra, excited to take on this year’s "We Will Rock You" themed performance. She has played the guzheng for ten years and spent two years in a band playing clarinet, this is her first time playing rock music.
Coming from a background in traditional and classical music, Angel sees this as a new challenge. Though unfamiliar with the genre, she is eager to apply her sense of rhythm and musical experience to percussion. Learning a new style is not always easy, but she is ready to step out of her comfort zone and adapt.
Angel enjoys being part of the Musical and working with others to create music. While rock is different from what she’s used to, she looks forward to trying something new and growing as a musician.
Bass Guitar
Vito Pogue
Vito Pogue (Form III) is joining the musical for the first time. Though having played stand up bass for six years, Vito only began playing bass guitar less than a year ago. Outside of music, Vito plays hockey and plays on the SSA Lacrosse Team. This is Vito's second year at SSA and his first year in the High School. Before coming to SSA, Vito attended Quaker Valley Middle School where he played in the orchestra and the school's ensemble group.
Percussion
Jacob Smith-Tatham
Jacob Smith-Tatham (Form 3) has always had a deep passion for the musical arts. His journey began with piano, which he studied for eight years, and it was during this time that he discovered his love for music. After that, Jacob expanded his skills to percussion in school, where he has been involved for five years, learning nearly every percussion instrument along the way. Recently, he’s started to experiment with trumpet and is eager to continue broadening his musical abilities.
In addition to his love for music, Jacob enjoys being outdoors and values the balance between academics and personal growth. He believes strongly in the importance of education and is committed to pursuing excellence both in his studies and creative endeavors.
Jacob’s dedication to music is matched by his enthusiasm for exploring new instruments and techniques, and he is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. He is looking forward to collaborating with his peers and further developing his talents both in and out of the classroom.
When he’s not playing music or studying, Jacob can be found enjoying nature and exploring outdoor activities. He’s thrilled to be part of this community and can’t wait to see what this year’s musical journey will bring.
Guitar 1
Kenzo Tran
Cello
Sarah Voigt
Sarah Voigt (Form VI) is excited for her fourth year playing in pit orchestra. She has been having fun with learning the electric guitar part on the cello for We Will Rock You.
Clarinet
Heather Wang
Clarinet
Eleri West
Keyboard I
Amy Xing
Amy Xing (Form VI) is excited to be part of this year's production of We Will Rock You. She has previously played keyboard in the pit orchestra for SSA's productions of Zombie Prom(2024) and Chicago(2023).
Crew
Rylie Al-Anazi
Rylie Al-Anazi (Form III) is excited to be a part of the SSA musical crew for this year's production of We Will Rock You. She works behind the scenes for building the set and is the lighting technician for the show. Having only done one show before this on a lower scale production, Rylie has quickly learned to adapt to the new environment and the importance of teamwork, communication, and attention to detail within this theatre production. In addition to her involvement in the musical, she is also active in softball during the spring and playing the violin throughout the year, where she continues to build skills in collaboration and problem-solving. In her free time, Rylie enjoys baking, drawing, writing, and listening to music, and she hopes to continue exploring all aspects of theatre crew. She appreciates all the help and patience she receives from her peers and directors. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a talented group and can't wait for everyone to see the final product on stage!
Crew
Layla Bey
Layla Bey (Form IV) is a new student at Shady Side Academy and this is her first year of Winter Musical as a part of stage crew. She played volleyball for the Shady Side Academy and Bulldogs collaboration team for the fall season. Despite having no prior experience building, painting sets, or being a stage crew member, she completed the tasks handed to her, putting in all of her efforts. Layla is a student who enjoys reading, drawing small pictures, and playing cozy games on her Nintendo Switch during her free time. Over breaks or on weekends, she can usually be found studying at a coffee shop drinking a cold matcha latte or warm citrus tea. On weekdays she strolls around campus, preparing herself to enter her next class. She is currently taking Algebra 2 (Math 3), Patterns in Western Identity, Chemistry 3, Problem Solving - Section 3, Literature and Writing II, and French 1. Her favorite subjects are Chemistry, French, and Problem Solving. She sees herself becoming a chemical engineer in the future and works her hardest in the subjects that will allow her to achieve that goal. Her favorite Bible verse is Psalms 55:22, which talks about giving your worries and burdens to God, and that those who follow Him will not be shaken.
Crew
Lila Cox
Crew
Ella Chen
Ella Chen (Form III) is super excited to be able to work on this years musical. She has worked on different productions in the past, but this will be her first year working at SSA.
Crew
Carson Davis
Carson Davis (Form VI) is back for his 6th performance working crew on the musical this year. He's a big fan of building set pieces and other construction. Pretty hyped to be back on flyrail after a two year break on run crew (with some light board mixed in). Not much else to say; he's just happy to be a part of the production.
Grateful for DH and especially Tron with all they do for the program.
Crew
Bella DeSanctis
Crew
Sofia Ebrahim
Crew
Evey Fuhrman
Evey Fuhrman (Form IV) Is very excited to be participating in crew this year. Despite leaving every evening after crew covered in sawdust and with perhaps a bit of hearing loss, Evey has been happy to help create such an amazing set.
Crew
Evan Fularz
Evan Fularz (Form V) is excited to be part of this incredible production. This is his third year working on the crew for the winter musical, and he is already looking forward to returning next year. Once again, Evan is contributing as a member of the wardrobe crew, a role he has held for three consecutive years. He is eager for the audience to witness the dedication and hard work of both the actors and the crew who bring this show to life. As a proud lifer at Shady Side Academy, Evan deeply appreciates the strong sense of community that the school offers. Beyond the winter musical, he looks forward to participating in adventure sports later in the spring. Outside of school, Evan is passionate about the outdoors; he enjoys biking, hiking, and camping. He embraces new challenges and is hardworking and compassionate. Evan is grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a talented team and to contribute to a production that showcases creativity and dedication. He hopes the audience enjoys the show as much as he has enjoyed being part of the process!
Crew
Gabe Gonzalez
Crew
Alexandra Hoe
Alexandra J. Hoe (Form III) is excited to be in her first musical in the Shady Side Academy Senior School in the crew. Alexandra has had several previous roles in the cast, such as Mrs. Whatsit in A Wrinkle in TIme and the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz Jr. in the Shady Side Middle School, and the role Dr. Hallemeier in this year’s performance of RUR. Alexandra finds joy in classical poetry, history, and language, as well as miniature painting and modeling, writing, and Dungeons and Dragons. Alexandra is very happy to be here, on the crew of We Will Rock You. Having done hard labor for the past three months in service of the crew, she hopes you enjoy the show.
Crew
Ryan Huang
Ryan Huang (Form V) is a human being that somehow still seeks after crew after years (3) of torture. He says something about the hope for a "job opportunity" in the field numbs the pain...
Crew
Jennifer Huang
Jennifer Huang (Form III) is excited to be part of this show. This is her first year of participating in theater and will be looking forward to doing more.
Crew
Xuanning Jin
Xuanning Jin (Form IV) is excited to return for his second year as part of the winter musical crew. He enjoyed working behind the scenes last year and is thrilled to contribute again to bringing this production to life. Xuanning appreciates the dedication and teamwork that go into creating a great show and is grateful to be part of such a talented cast and crew. He looks forward to another amazing experience and hopes everyone enjoys the performance! (Yeah....)
Crew
Julian Kaufman
Julian Kaufman (Form IV) is thrilled to participate in this production. He enjoys rowing crew, electrical engineering, programming, and participating in the We Will Rock You stage crew. While a part of the stage crew, Julian assisted in building props, setting up electrical equipment, collaborating with professionals, and learning new skills. He has learned a lot from this experience. From the skills he learned from the stage crew, he will help construct various devices for less fortunate communities. Outside of school, Julian is a part of Shady Side's boarding program and enjoys spending time with his friends. Julian developed his love for technology while young and intends to carry these skills into his career. Julian also is a part of Shady Side's DECA chapter and will compete at the state level. Julian's love for rowing crew stems from his love for collaboration and competition. Julian will participate in the scholastic national qualifiers for rowing this year. Julian is grateful for the chance to contribute to this production and appreciates the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. He would like to thank his family, friends, and mentors for their support and encouragement, as well as the stage crew team for an unforgettable experience.
Crew
Ellie Laman
Ellie Laman (Form IV) enjoyed her first year of stage crew. This was a new experience for her, and it did not disappoint. She mostly worked on finding and making props for this year's production. However, she also worked in other areas like hanging lights and painting set pieces. She made some great friends and loved to work with them to create the amazing set.
Crew
Felix Li
Crew
Tania Liao
Crew
Emily Lin
Emily Lin (Form III) joined the Winter Musical crew and it is her first time doing it, and since she enjoyed doing crew for the Fall Play, since she decided to help out with the musical this year. Emily enjoyed her time doing crew during this school year. She joined Shady Side Academy in her 6th grade year, and enjoys spending her time with friends. Emily was born on her mother's birthday, and often jokes about how she was a birthday gift for her mother since they celebrate their birthday together on the same day. She finds joy in reading, writing, as well as playing the piano and violin. Emily is very excited for the musical, and hopes that you enjoy it too.
Crew
Michael McCarroll
Crew
Oliver McCarroll
Crew
Julia Mele
Julia Mele is in Form III and is excited to be a working stage crew member for this year’s winter musical production. This is her first year here at Shady Side Academy and she has looked forward joining the stage crew group as an activity to combine creativity and hard-work to help with the making of this thrilling theatre piece. Julia’s interest in art has payed off well during her time working in stage crew, as she’s helped paint set backgrounds, design props, and bring the simple pieces of the set to life by mimicking realism. Julia has also enjoyed bonding with friends through stage crew work, as many tasks often require multiple people, and by this she’s also made new companions that make the work both fun and productive. Julia’s favorite tasks were ones that included painting, like most of the set pieces, and prop work, like collecting and designing the required prop pieces. Julia is excited to see the set and story of this production come to life with the help of her stage crew team, with many thanks to Mr. Davidheiser and Tron for leading the group to success.
Crew
Justin Ngan
Justin Ngan (Form IV) is excited to be part of the crew for this production. This is his second year at SSA, and he's thrilled to contribute behind the scenes. Justin has always enjoyed staying involved, whether on the tennis court, at the piano, or now helping out with the technical aspects of the show. While he’s used to playing sports and performing music, working on the stage crew has given him a chance to learn something new and experience a different side of theatre. He enjoys understanding the technical details that make the production run smoothly.
When he's not working on the show, Justin enjoys playing tennis as well as practicing the piano in his free time. He’s always looking for ways to stay busy and challenge himself, and being part of the stage crew has been a great opportunity to grow and try new things. Justin is excited to be working alongside such a talented group of people and is looking forward to the rest of the production. He hopes to continue learning and contributing to future shows, while also having a great time being part of this one.
Crew
Benjamin Nicholson
Crew
Amari Pamplin
Crew
Olivia Parker
Crew
Breslyn Plesh Stock-Bratina
Crew
Dominic Pogue
Dominic Pogue (Form V) has joined the stage crew for his first year after playing hockey for the first two winter seasons. He has generally helped with building projects (specifically those license plates and picture frames you'll see on the set).
Design and creativity have been his core interests for his entire high school life. At home, he paints, and at school, he is a student associate for the art department. He continually enters into scholastics, especially for writing--- which he believes has become his strong suit. He has a brother named Vito (Form III) playing electric bass for the pit orchestra. Dominic wishes to become an author or to find a job in the STEM field--- enjoying writing and researching historical topics or fictional things that are challenging to think about. He likes to try new things and this year he has decided to do so, beyond this he will going to Bordeaux for two weeks in March. He has two English Bulldogs at home--- one that would be sleeping on the floor in the lobby and another that would be too excited to stay in his seat.
As a self-proclaimed Jeoporady buff (although not really), an athlete, and hopefully a prospective author, he is glad to be on board this year.
Crew
Aarav Rai
Aarav Rai (Form VI) is excited to be part of the musical crew for this production. They take pride in contributing to the overall success of the performance. They are thankful for the opportunity to work alongside such a talented cast and crew and would like to thank their peers for their support and collaboration.
Crew
Brynn Stanton
Brynn Stanton (Form VI) has been a crew member since 2021, and she's excited to finish her high school career with such a fun show. Prior to attending Shady Side, Brynn had no experience with stage crew. Now, as a senior, she's taken on several leadership positions backstage. She feels very lucky to have learned so much in her time here and to have spent the past four years working alongside such wonderful people.
Crew
Kairan Sun
Kairan Sun (Form VI) is part of crew this year. This is his second year on crew for the winter musical.
Crew
Lily Toma
Lily (Form V) is extremely exited to be apart of this years musical! As a former cast member and current crew member of two years Lily has found a love for every part of putting these productions together. She is very greatful to have the opportunity to work with such great students and teachers :)
Crew
Chloe Will
Chloe Will (Form IV) is participating in stage crew for her second year. She has been a part of Shady Side Academy for five years and is excited to see the final production.
Crew
Audrey Xing
Audrey Xing (Form III) is excited to be a stage crew member for this production. This is her first year at Shady Side Academy. During the show, she will be operating spotlights and hopes you enjoy the show!
Crew
Neeta Yechoor
Neeta Yechoor is a creative high school junior at Shady Side Academy, thrilled to be part of the behind-the-scenes magic in this year’s production of We Will Rock You. As a stage crew member, she plays a vital role in bringing the show to life, contributing to set creation, set changes, and handling prop organization while adding her artistic touch to the production.
A lifelong lover of music and theater, Neeta is drawn to the rhythm, precision, and expressive artistry of the fine arts. She has been actively involved in theater, musical productions, and string orchestras since elementary school. At Shady Side Academy, she began her journey in musical theater as a freshman cast member before transitioning to the crew as a sophomore, eager to explore the technical aspects of stage production. This year, she has deepened her expertise in set design and stage management, relishing the collaborative spirit of working alongside her fellow crew members.
Beyond the stage, Neeta is an accomplished pianist and violinist and an active member of the school’s quiz bowl club, art club, and symphonic band. Expanding her musical repertoire, she has picked up the French horn this year. She also enjoys creative writing, sketching, crossword puzzles, chess challenges, and fast-paced games that push her intellectual limits. Passionate about social justice, Neeta aspires to a career where she can drive meaningful change, using her creativity and critical thinking to make a lasting impact.
Crew
Eric Zhang
Eric Zhang (Form III) is a freshman at Shady Side Academy, and it is his first year participating in musical theater as a member of the school's crew team. Passionate about behind-the-scenes work, Eric is learning the ropes of stage production, from set design to lighting and sound. Outside of his work in the crew, Eric is also interested in playing an instrument and is looking forward to continuing to participate in crew throughout his high school years.
Crew
Sunny Zhao
Authors
Queen formed in 1971 and in 1973 signed their first recording contract for EMI. That year they released their first album, Queen. The same year saw their first major UK tour, and in 1974 they released Queen II as well as making their first UK headlining tour. They made their first US tour, and in November released Sheer Heart Attack which was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
1975 saw their new release, A Night At The Opera, and – significantly – the single Bohemian Rhapsody. At 5 minutes 55 seconds, it should have been too long for successful radio play, but it became one of the greatest singles of all time, staying at No. 1 in the UK chart for nine weeks. The video, directed by Bruce Gowers, is credited with being the first genuine promotional video. The song has regularly featured in all major pop polls and was recently named again as the best single of all time. The success of A Night At The Opera was equally stunning, giving the band their first platinum album.
In 1976 they toured the US and Japan and by spring all four albums resided in the UK Top Twenty. Later that year they released A Day At The Races, and gave a free concert in Hyde Park to an estimated crowd of 200,000 fans. The album was a huge success, advance orders alone amounting to over 500,000. The following year saw two major US tours, the band’s sixth album, News Of The World and the legendary double A side single, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions.
1978’s Jazz, included another huge hit single in Bicycle Race and Queen toured the US and Canada. They spent much of 1979 touring in Europe and Japan, as well as releasing their first live album, Live Killers. They were also approached to write the score for a forthcoming feature film, Flash Gordon. Before that they released The Game in 1980 which went five times platinum in Canada alone! Another One Bites the Dust became the band’s biggest selling American single. Later that year the soundtrack for Flash Gordon was released and by the end of the year Queen had sold over 45,000,000 albums worldwide.
In 1981 they toured the Far East and were the first band to make a stadium tour of South America. They played to 131,000 people in Sao Paolo, the largest paying audience for any band anywhere in the world. Greatest Hits, Greatest Flix and Greatest Pix were released simultaneously later in the year, and Greatest Hits has rarely been out of the UK album charts since. Greatest Flix was the first collection of promo-videos released commercially by any band. Next year saw the release of the band’s twelfth album, Hot Space whilst they were in the middle of a European tour.
1984 saw The Works and the single Radio Ga Ga became a worldwide hit, reaching No. 1 in 19 countries. Another huge hit was I Want to Break Free, featuring one of their most famous videos, all dressed in drag. In 1985 they were the headlining act at Rock in Rio, the biggest festival to be held anywhere in the world. They again made history that year with the show-stealing performance at Live Aid from Wembley Stadium, which proved to be a turning point for the band, One Vision being the first post Live Aid release.
1986 saw their 14th album, A Kind of Magic, which was the soundtrack to the Russel Mulcahy film, Highlander. The title track became another worldwide smash and the album entered the UK charts at No. 1; later in the year the 2nd live album, Live Magic, went into the charts at No. 3. Between 1988 and 1991 Queen released three more albums, The Miracle in 1989 and in 1991 Innuendo and Greatest Hits II. All three entered the UK charts at No. 1, as did the single Innuendo.
On 23rd November 1991 Freddie Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS and the next day he died peacefully at his home, surrounded by family and friends. He remains the most high-profile loss from the disease in the entertainment world and the news shocked fans throughout the world. As a tribute Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days Of Our Lives was released as a double A-sided single to raise funds for the Terence Higgins Trust. It entered the UK chart at No. 1, where it stayed for five weeks, raising over £1,000,000 for the charity and Queen became the first band to have the same single top the UK charts twice. In December of that year Queen had 10 albums in the UK Top 100. In 1992 Freddie was awarded posthumously the BRIT’s “Outstanding Contribution to British Music” and Days Of Our Lives won Best Single. On 20th April many of the world’s top stars joined Brian, Roger and John on stage at Wembley for an emotional tribute to Freddie.
In 1995 the tracks that Queen had begun in 1991 were completed by Brian, Roger and John and the long-awaited Made in Heaven was released worldwide. It was the end of an era. Since then the phenomenon of Queen has remained, however, with continuing sales for their recorded output on CD and video. A ballet of their music by famous French choreographer Maurice Bejart was premiered at the National Theatre in Paris in 1997 and in May 2002 the hit musical We Will Rock You opened to sell-out audiences in London’s West End and continues to play to packed houses and standing ovations every night. Queen’s first DVD Greatest Video Hits Vol.1 was released at the end of October 2002, and yet another piece of Queen product entered the UK charts at number 1. October 2002 also saw Queen receive their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, joining The Beatles as only one of a handful of non-US bands to receive the much coveted honour. Last year, 2004 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Walk of Fame, and in the UK were voted by the public into the first UK Music Hall of Fame.
Queen’s musical has since opened in Australia, Spain, Las Vegas, USA, Russia, Germany and Japan and continues to have touring productions across the world.
Brian and Roger continue to be ambassadors for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the HIV/AIDS charity set up following the death of Freddie in 1991. To date the charity has helped over 800 projects worldwide and raised over $16 million in the fight against the disease.
Brian and Roger took Queen back onto the touring circuit for the first time since 1986 in 2005 and 2008, joined by former Free/Bad Company singer, songwriter and musical Paul Rodgers playing concerts across the UK and throughout Europe.
Since 2012 Queen have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with US singer/songwriter Adam Lambert and have toured extensively across North and South America, Europe, the UK, Asia and Australia and New Zealand. The band will be out on the road throughout 2017 playing over 50 shows.
Ben Elton is a multi-award-winning novelist, playwright, television writer, screenwriter and lyricist. He is also a theatre, screen and TV Director, a Stand-Up Comedian and a very occasional actor. Born in Catford South East London in 1959, Ben was state educated and studied drama at Manchester University, where he now holds an honorary Doctorate. He began his professional career in 1981. Ben married Australian musician Sophie Gare in 1994 and became an Australian citizen in 2004. He and Sophie have three children and live in Fremantle Western Australia.
In 2007 Ben Elton was awarded the Special Golden Rose D’Or at The International Television festival in Lucerne Switzerland for his life time contribution to the Television Arts.
NOVELS
Stark (1989), Gridlock (1991), This Other Eden (1993), Popcorn (1996), Blast From The Past (1998), Inconceivable (1999), Dead Famous (2001), U.K. No 1. High Society (2002), Past Mortem (2004), The First Casualty (2005), Chart Throb (2006), Blind Faith (2007), Meltdown (2009), Two Brothers (2012), Time. And Time Again (2014)
Six of the above were U.K. No 1 Bestsellers. Ben Elton’s novels have also been hugely successful in Australia (three No 1’s) and are published around the world.
TELEVISON
The Young Ones (1982/4) Writer (with Rik Mayall and Lisa Meyer). Alfresco (1982/4) Performer and Co-writer with Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson. Happy Families (1985) Writer. Blackadder 2 (1983) Co-writer with Richard Curtis. Filthy Rich & Catflap (1986) Writer. Saturday Live (1986/7) Comedian/Host. Blackadder The Third (1987) Co-writer with Richard Curtis. Friday Night Live (1988) Comedian/Host. Blackadder Goes Forth (1989) Co-writer with Richard Curtis. Ben Elton The Man From Auntie (1990 and 1994) Writer/Performer. The Thin Blue Line (1995/6) Writer/Co-director. The Ben Elton Show (1998) Writer/Performer. Blessed (2005) Writer/Director. The Wright Way (2013) Writer/Co-director. Upstart Crow (2016/17) Writer. Ben also wrote Mr Bean’s “exam” episode.
STAND UP COMEDIAN
Ben has been one of the U.K.’s most successful live acts for almost thirty years. He last toured in 2005/6. In 1990 he cohosted the Nelson Mandela Celebration at Wembley Stadium. He hosted the Brits in 1997 and 1998 and The Royal Variety Performance in 2000. He writes all his own material.
STAGE WRITING PLAYS AND MUSICALS
The New Review (1985) With Richard Curtis. Gasping (1990) Silly Cow (1991) Popcorn (1997) Blast from the Past (1998). The Beautiful Game (2000) Book and Lyrics, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. We Will Rock You (2002) Book, Music by Queen. Tonight’s The Night (2004) Book. Music by Rod Stewart and others. Love Never Dies (2010) co-wrote book. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
FEATURE FILM
Maybe Baby (2000) Writer/Director. Three Summers (2017) Writer/Director
Other directing work includes Silly Cow, The Thin Blue Line (with John Birkin), Blessed, The Wright Way (with Dewi Humphries), We Will Rock You, Tonight’s the Night and The Beautiful Game, reworked as The Boys in the Photograph.
MAJOR AWARDS
Three BAFTA’s (best Comedy, The Young Ones and Blackadder).
Two Oliviers (Popcorn and We Will Rock You).
The Royal Television Society Writers Award (Man From Auntie).
British Comedy Award (The Thin Blue Line).
Public and Professional Jury Awards at Reims (Thin Blue Line).
Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger Award for Crime Fiction (Popcorn).
WH Smith’s People’s Choice Fiction Award (High Society).
Prix Polar International Crime Writer Award (Amitiès Mortelles (Past Mortem, French edition)).
Critics Circle Best Musical Award (The Beautiful Game).
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