RESIDENT ARTISTS

Chandler Maria Bingham started her training in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary ballet at an early age. Chandler was accepted into the Conservatory of Performing Arts (C.O.P.A.) – Dance Program at Point Park University. Chandler graduated in 2019, obtaining her B.A. in Dance with a Minor History. She has performed choreography by; Daniel Karasik, Kiki Lucas, David Norsworthy, Kaylin Horgan, and many others. She has also performed in stage/film work with Rashaad Newsome, Allana Clarke, and several Netflix productions as a background artist.

In addition to being a multidisciplinary performance artist, Chandler also enjoys teaching and choreographing, working with local youth theatre companies. Chandler is also a Virtual Global Instructor with Juntos Collective, most recently teaching in Nicaragua. Chandler was an apprentice with Staycee Pearl Dance Project 2018-2019, before relocating from Michigan, and joining the company in the Fall of 2019.

Kaila Carter was born in Washington D.C. and began dancing at a young age. In her youth, she took classes at various studios and spent her summers studying at intensives, including, but not limited to, The Rock School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theater of Harlem, and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. For high school, Kaila attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts where she majored in dance and was under the tutelage of skilled and dedicated teachers such as Charles Augins, Sandra Fortune-Green, and Katherine Smith. At Ellington, Kaila was given the opportunity to perform with artists Patti LaBelle and Smokey Robinson, among other exciting experiences. During this time, she was also given the opportunity to be a founding member of the pre-professional dance company Visions Contemporary Dance Ensemble, now known as Katherine Smith Contemporary Dance Ensemble.

Kaila is an alumna of Butler University, where she graduated in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Dance/Arts-Administration and a minor in creative writing. At Butler, she participated in full length ballet productions, like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake and in contemporary roles such as Little Blue Devil by Susan McGuire and Catching Shadows by Cynthia Pratt. While pursuing her degree, she was also able to grow choreographically and was given many opportunities to showcase her work, including a piece of hers being featured on European stages. Soon after graduation, Kaila joined Ballethnic Dance Company, where she performed as a company member for two seasons and taught ballet to young students. She was also chosen to participate in Dance Canvas’ 2019-2020 choreography showcase for emerging artists.

Kaila is currently a Company Artists with Confluence Ballet Company, an instructor at Hill Dance Academy Theatre and is excited to join Pittsburgh Musical Theater this summer!

Indira is a performing and visual artist and a native to Atlanta, Georgia. She began her dance training at 3 years old at Atlanta Festival Ballet, and continued her training at Ballethnic Academy of Dance in East Point, GA. As she grew up, Indira fell in love with ballet, and began to train pre-professionally with Ballethnic Academy of Dance. One of her fondest memories to date is of her performance as “Sarah” (Clara) in Ballethnic’s Urban Nutcracker. She has had the opportunity to perform throughout the southeast, participate in summer intensive programs at Ballethnic, Orlando Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet, under a merit scholarship. Indira received her education from Woodward Academy in College Park, GA, until her junior year of high school, after which she transitioned to Ben Franklin Academy in Atlanta; the work-study program at BFA allowed her to accept an apprenticeship with Ballethnic Dance Company while continuing her evening pre-professional dance training, and to graduate from high school a semester early in December 2016.

Indira continued her education at the University of Oklahoma in fall 2017 as a National Award Scholar and a member of the Honors College while dancing as a Trainee, and later, Studio Company member of the Oklahoma City Ballet. While continuing her studies, she moved to Houston to dance as a member of Vitacca Ballet II. She graduated in 3 years in May of 2020 with her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with Academic Distinction and a 4.0 GPA. Indira is currently a Guest Artist and Freelance Dancer in the Atlanta area. During these unprecedented times, she is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dance Canvas; Peace, Love, and Dance Project Atlanta; and Ballethnic Dance Company. Indira is currently a dancer with Confluence Ballet Company, based in Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s studios, as well as a faculty member at Hill Dance Academy Theatre, and a new Resident Artist at PMT. She is excited to be on staff for SMT!

Brecken was a student of the PMT Conservatory for many years throughout his childhood. He has been seen in many credits with the company which include Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Jekyll and Hyde in Jekyll as Hyde, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and most recently Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Brecken is currently attending Point Park University for a BFA in Musical Theater. In addition, he is the lead singer for a Pittsburgh-based punk rock band. Brecken would like to thank God, his family, and his friends for their unwavering support. He dedicates his life’s work to the late Elmer and Joanne Lauster, his loving grandparents who loved nothing more than seeing him perform. Philippians 4:13.

Danny Herman (SDC) Mr. Herman has appeared on Broadway in Contact, A Chorus Line (Mike), Leader of the Pack, Song and Dance (First National Tour), Big Bad Burlesque (Off-Broadway), Die Soldaten (NYC Opera) and was the associate choreographer for Michael Bennett’s Pre-Broadway Workshops of Scandal. A recipient of the Jeff Award (Chicago), the After Dark Award (Chicago) and the B. Iden Payne Award (Austin, TX), Mr. Herman has directed and/or choreographed World Premier musicals at the Goodman (Chicago), Long Wharf (New Haven), Zipper Theater (NYC), Ford’s Theater (Washington, D.C.), City Theatre (Pittsburgh), Playwrights Horizons (NYC), George Street Playhouse (New Brunswick, NJ), Directors Company (NYC), Theaterfest (Upper Montclair, NJ), Bottom Line (NYC), The Rep (Nashville), The Royal George (Chicago), LA Children’s Theater, Naked Angels Theater Company (NYC) as well as dozens of other Broadway Musical Classics all over the country.

Mr. Herman choreographed George Lucas Super Live Adventure (Japanese Tour), Jane Fonda Workouts (Designed by Theoni Aldredge, Shubert Theater, NYC), Tabaluga and Lilli (2 European Tours), the 1987 national tour of Dreamgirls, and the movie Two Step. Mr. Herman directed and choreographed Madhattan (New York, New York Hotel & Casino, Vegas), Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus (3 International Editions), Rugrats - A Live Adventure (2 World Tours) and the acclaimed Dreamgirls - the 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert for The Actors’ Fund.

Lindsay has been a resident artist at PMT for many years, including from 2008-2013 and returned to the company in 2017 to serve as resident artist once again and the company marketing manager after living in Arizona. As a former PMT kid herself, she truly believes in the company mission and seeing the continued accomplishments and growth of the students both on and off stage. Some of her favorite productions as a performer with PMT include: The Little Mermaid, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, Footloose and of course the holiday tradition, A Lyrical Christmas Carol. She was also the choreographer for The Music Man JR. and Bye Bye Birdie Young Performers Edition at PMT.

Lindsay holds a BA in Journalism and Media Communications from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. She is thankful for her forever friends at PMT and knows she can always come home. Love to her husband Eric, and best furry friend, Dixie!

Regina Kettering, PhD: Regina joins Pittsburgh Musical Theater as Artist/Music Director in Residence. Past credits include Mary Poppins (Chartiers Valley SD), Shrek (West Mifflin SD), and Phantom of the Opera (Blackhawk SD). She has been Organist/Music Director at multiple Pittsburgh churches over the past 15 years. The adaptability and flexibility required for organ translate well to the dialogue between pit and stage.

Classically trained by Anne Liva and Michael Popick, Regina started playing piano at 4. She performed publicly at 8, and accompanied choirs by the age of 10. In high school, she memorized the equivalent of a Master’s level recital, playing Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and more. Moving to Pittsburgh allowed her to learn the king of instruments - organ - from Craig Dobbins, Music Director of Sewickley Presbyterian Church. She performed the last public recital at Heinz Chapel, playing music composed by women from 1500-2020 on International Women’s Day.
Regina is an active member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She earned a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in protein crystallography.

Kevin is the PMT Conservatory Technical Director. He has set designed several shows at Pittsburgh Musical Theater including The Music Man Jr., Sister Act, Jekyll and Hyde, We Will Rock You, and Newsies. He has also worked in various other technical positions at PMT and PMT Conservatory such as sound designs for Evil Dead the Musical (2019), Hunchback of Notre Dame (2019), and A Lyrical Christmas Carol (2019). Over the past several years as the resident artist with the Teen Performance Intensive Program helping to educate students in technical theater design and application. Kevin attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and studied theatrical design and direction. He is eager to continue to work with the students and professionals at PMT!

Shannon received a B.A. in Theatre from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Concentration in Music and Dance in 2015. She launched her professional career with an acting apprenticeship at Serenbe Playhouse in Georgia, making Atlanta her creative home until returning to the Pittsburgh area in 2020. She joined the PMT teaching artist team in September 2021, and has enjoyed teaching Shakespeare, Musical Theater Workshop, Broadway Juniors, and Acting. This summer, she is Assistant Directing The Lightning Thief before moving to Columbus this Fall to pursue an M.F.A in Acting at The Ohio State University. Her mission is to further her knowledge of the craft of storytelling while training to become a better educator and leader for aspiring young artists like the students here at PMT Conservatory.

Callee is overjoyed to be back in her hometown as a resident artist and teacher at PMT. Her performing highlights include her Wilde Award-nominated performance as Eponine in Hope Summer Repertory Theatre’s Les Misérables, Horatio in Hamlet (Off-Broadway), performances at the world famous 54 Below and, most recently, Mary Magdalene in PMT’s Jesus Christ Superstar. Callee is also a consistent contributor at Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre and a member of their youth board - geared toward developing the next generation of classically trained actors in the greater Pittsburgh region.

She holds a Bachelors of Music from Baldwin Wallace University’s Music Theatre program where she was awarded the Beverly Buck-Meyer scholarship for excellence in performance, is a former company member of Hamlet Isn’t Dead (NYC), and is currently pursuing Actor Combatant status with the Society of American Fight Directors. In her free time she practices Tae Kwon Do, studies history, and plays with her two beloved hound dogs.

Nick Mitchell is thrilled to be spending another summer alongside the incredibly talented students and Artists at PMT. After a brief stint in NYC, Nick moved to Pittsburgh 15 years ago where he found both an artistic family and his amazing wife, Miss Gemma! He is an active actor/director in the Greater Southwest Pennsylvania region. Directing highlights at PMT include Evil Dead: The Musical and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Locally, he also directed the critically acclaimed productions of Bright Star for Front Porch Theatricals and Assassins at Stage 62. When not acting or directing, Nick is an avid arts educator. He has taught here at The Conservatory at PMT, as well as at the Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Propel, and Plum High School. He is also building and maintaining his own private acting and coaching studio. Nick studied Musical Theater at Oklahoma City University, continued his education at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and is currently taking classes with Z/A Studios.

Samantha has been dancing since she was a young girl in her hometown of Medina, Ohio. Her dance studies started at age two and continued through college. Through her experiences, she had the privilege of performing with American Ballet Theatre and Cincinnati Ballet Company. Her expertise is in ballet and jazz, but she also has extensive training in modern, tap, contemporary, and musical theater. Samantha graduated from Slippery Rock University, teaches English Language Arts in the Baldwin-Whitehall school district, and works with the Musical Theater program at J. E. Harrison Middle School.

This is Samantha’s first year working in the SMT program with Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and she can’t wait to keep working with such talented kids!

LaTrea Rembert is a Pittsburgh artist who has worked with the STAYCEE PEARL dance project for the past three seasons. Originally from Cincinnati, LaTrea is a graduate of Point Park University where he obtained his B.A. in Theater Arts while minoring in dance. LaTrea has worked with several local theater companies such as The REP, City Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights and Pittsburgh Musical Theater. He has also had the opportunity to work with Anthony Williams (Loving Black), Attack Theatre and The Opera Theater of Pittsburgh.

Erin is glad to be back in her happy place with Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Her latest adventures include Kate in Brighton Beach Memoirs (The Theater Factory), Marian Thayer in Titanic (Split Stage Productions) Sister Julia Child of God in Nunsense (PMT), Freulein Schweiger in The Sound of Music (PMT), Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein (TTF) and various roles in Forbidden Broadway (TTF). Many hugs and kisses to Scott, Brody, and Ben.

Quinn Patrick Shannon has been a regional performer and director in New York, Pittsburgh and Central PA. He first appeared with PMT at the age of 6 as Tiny Tim in the original 1991 production of A Lyrical Christmas Carol. He directed Hair (2017) and Sweeney Todd (2016) for the Richard E. Rauh Conservatory, but is perhaps best known at PMT for his appearance as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2017). Favorite PMT appearances include Young Frankenstein (Igor), Grease (Roger), and Sister Act (Joey). Other favorites: Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson) for the Pittsburgh Public Theater, Forever Plaid (Frankie), The Toxic Avenger (White Dude), and Titanic (Pittman/Etches) for the Pittsburgh CLO, and most recently The Current War for Quantum Theatre (Francis Upton) this past June. He would like to thank his amazing wife Caroline for her never ending love and support.

Caity Skalski started her music theater journey as Broadway Jr. when she was five years old! PMT gave her a deep sense of music theater knowledge and experience that she's taken with her throughout life. She also received a BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University. Some of her professional credits include the Broadway National Tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella as the Stepsisters cover/ensemble, Star to Be in Annie at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, and a principal dancer at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts! Her favorite PMT credits include Eponine in Les Mis and Kate in Legally Blonde.

Dr. Tortorello is the Resident Music Director of Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Recent productions include Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, HAIR, Newsies, and The Sound of Music. She teaches multiple classes for the pre-college program in the PMT Conservatory. Dr. Tortorello is also an accomplished classical musician and performs with a variety of instrumentalists and singers. She frequently collaborates with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony. A dedicated teacher and coach, she has maintained an active piano teaching studio for the past twenty years. Dr. Tortorello began piano lessons at the age of four in her hometown of Mount Kisco, NY. She holds a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with Antonio Pompa-Baldi. She received a Masters degree and Professional Studies certificate in Collaborative Piano from CIM, studying with Virginia Weckstrom. She also earned a Doctorate in Collaborative Piano and Coaching at the University of Minnesota and studied with Timothy Lovelace. Francesca and her husband, Pittsburgh Symphony cellist Michael DeBruyn, have been performing as a professional duo since 2004.

Kassi Tiedjens is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began her dance education at the age of 4 with the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy. Kassi studied with the Milwaukee Ballet School for 14 years and had the privilege of dancing in company productions of Michael Pink’s The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Peter Pan. During her academic career, Kassi attended the performing arts high school Pius XI where she performed several soloist roles in a diverse number of styles and repertoires. Recently, Kassi graduated cum laude with high distinction from Butler University and received a BFA in Dance Performance as well as a BA in Psychology. During her time at Butler University, one of the top three ranked dance programs in the nation, Kassi had the opportunity to dance in corps de ballet, demi-soloist, and soloist roles in large-scale productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Midwinter Dances, as well as student-made choreographic works. Kassi enjoys the intellectual and artistic side of dance and pushes her students to engage in critical thinking when approaching any style of movement.

Kassi joined Confluence Ballet Co. for their inaugural season as a company artist and has performed in an array of soloist and group pieces. Executively, Kassi functions as Confluence’s Costume Manager and Communications Associate. When Kassi is not dancing, she enjoys taking yoga classes, sewing, and baking.

Rocker Verastique appeared in the original Broadway companies of Contact, Chicago, Victor/Victoria and Carousel. Mr. Verastique’s other Broadway credits include Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera and The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, as well as the world premiere productions ofHearts Desire, Jekyll and Hyde, Spirit and the Broadway workshop of Fosse. Rocker’s other credits include Paul in A Chorus Line (Pittsburgh Musical Theater), Konstantine Morrisine in On Your Toes (Gateway Playhouse. NY), Sophisticated Ladies (Drury Lane, Chicago), Feld Ballet, Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, danced six years with artistic director Mikhail Baryshinikov in American Ballet Theatre. In Los Angeles, he spent four years on the television series Fame and was the male lead in the award winning music video “Nasty” opposite Janet Jackson.

Mr. Verastique has choreographed dozens of musical theater classics all over the country, as well as, Cabaret (Saint Edward’s University), Chicago (Austin Playhouse), Miss Saigon (Pittsburgh Musical Theater), Leader Of The Pack, Dreamgirls and Beehive (Pittsburgh Playhouse), Five Guys Named Moe and Little Me (Candlelight, Chicago), A Chorus Line (Geva, Rochester NY), Helldriver’s of Daytona (Royal George, Chicago) and the movie Two Step, as well as co-choreographing Rugrats - A Live Adventure (2 World Tours).

Ted is an actor, director, and educator. As an actor, Ted has made numerous appearances on stage and screen including Richard Linklater’s recent picture “Last Flag Flying" and as the unfortunate plumber Ralph in the recent horror film "The Clog." As a director, he has staged over 50 productions. He has held directing positions at Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Bucks County Playhouse and Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, CA, where he also served as the Education and Outreach Director.

Ted has been an instructor with Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Pittsburgh CLO, and the New York Film Academy. He has also had the privilege of serving on artistic panels for Carnegie Mellon University and teaching at Harvard University for the New York Film Academy. Ted holds a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre from Point Park University and a master’s degree in directing from the Actors Studio Drama School. He is a proud member of both Actors Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA.