About Us
CenterStage offers performing arts classes for children of all ages in New York City throughout the Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, AND Holiday Breaks. All classes are taught by distinguished professionals in the music, dance and acting fields. Each of our classes and lessons culminates in an end-of-semester performance in a beautiful NYC theater, where students take the stage to perform songs, dance numbers, scenes, AND full shows inspired by beloved Broadway classics and contemporary hits—sharing their hard work, creativity, and joy with their biggest fans!
CenterStage Teachers
Our teachers are committed to CenterStage's mission to inspire and teach children through the performing arts!
Samantha Jeffreys
Founder/Artistic Director & Teacher
Samantha Jeffreys, native New Yorker, has been hailed for her “beautiful, easy high register, balanced by a firm and substantial low voice” and her “stunning” stage presence, by the New York Concert Review. A classically trained soprano, Samantha has performed on stages nationwide, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center's New York State Theater. She attended the renowned LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts and then went on to receive a Bachelor of Music degree from the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase and a Masters of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music. Samantha's accolades include awards and recognition from the Metropolitan Opera's National Council, Artists International Competition, the Connecticut Opera Guild, Florida Grand Opera and the National Opera Association. As a member of numerous opera companies' Young Artist Programs, Samantha was given the opportunity to reach thousands of children across the country through their educational outreach programs. She is currently a teacher at the Acorn School and a teaching artist/consultant for the New York City Public Schools, including her alma mater, LaGuardia High School. Samantha is thrilled to combine her passions for education and the performing arts by founding CenterStage! Samantha also offers private voice lessons and audition coaching/ preparation for children of all ages.
www.samanthajeffreys.com
Sara Fanucchi
Early Childhood Program (Debut) Director / Head Teacher
Mezzo-Soprano Sara Fanucchi is a singer, teaching artist, and educator in New York City and is thrilled to be a part of the CenterStage community! Described by Opera News as a “vibrant, eye-catching presence whenever she was onstage” and as “refreshingly uncaricatured …attractive in sound and person,” she has performed extensively in opera and concert with organizations including the Minnesota Orchestra and Chorale, Source Song Festival, Minnesota Fringe Festival, and Bronx Opera among others. As a teaching artist and educator, Sara has been involved in opera outreach and education programs with Minnesota Opera, Mill City Summer Opera, and Opera New Jersey. Passionate about early education, Sara has also been teaching early childhood and preschool music and movement for more than 10 years. Sara holds a Master of Music degree in voice from Manhattan School of Music, a dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin and has completed Orff Level 1 certification in music education.
Saskia Lane
Early Childhood Program (Debut) Head Teacher
Brooklyn-based SASKIA LANE is a Juilliard-trained bassist, composer, performer, puppet maker and educator. In addition to her life as a performer, she dedicates much of her time working in early childhood. Through teaching music, art and movement, she strives to build a lifelong love of learning and connection for each family she works with. For over a decade she has worked as a Teaching Artist for the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, most notably as a lead artist with the Lullaby Project, where she collaborates with families in shelters, hospitals and correctional facilities writing original songs for their children. To date, Saskia has written four immersive music theater works for the very young, commissioned by Carnegie Hall. Her most recent, huddle, will be presented at Carnegie in the spring and fall of 2026. Currently, Saskia leads the Early Childhood Program at Brotherhood Synagogue.
Caitlin McNeilage
Director of Spotlight Program / Head Teacher / Acting & Voice Teacher
Caitlin McNeilage is a multi-hyphenate artist, producer, founder of the production company Leading Lady Creative and a founding member of New York Theatre Company. As an actor she has played Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival) and led the short film Mother Dearest. Her producing resume includes Barbie the Movie: in Concert at The Hollywood Bowl (Assoc. Prod.), Wild About You at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in The West End (Assoc. Prod.), three hit shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and her popular 54 Below concert series, "The Leading Lady Club." Other credits: Ètude (The Tank, World Premiere Production), The Leading Lady Club: A Feminist (But Still Likable) Sketch Show at NYC Fringe (Awards for Best Comedy and Fan Favorite), The Things I Did While Waiting For You To Fall Back In Love With Me (59E59), and Facings (UrbanStages). She was an Associate Producer on the World Premiere Recording of the new musical, Wild About You featuring Lea Salonga, Alex Newell, Katharine McPhee and more. As Associate Producer for the Tony Award-Winning production company, Keaka Productions, she has assisted on Broadway shows such as The Hills of California, SUFFS, Leopoldstadt and more.
Maddy Stillman
Head Teacher / Musical Director / Acting, Voice & Piano Teacher
Maddy is a New York City–based performer, musician, playwright, director, and educator. She is currently a graduate student at The City College of New York, pursuing her MSEd in Educational Theatre, and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she trained in the New Studio on Broadway. Maddy has been teaching musical theatre, private voice, and piano since 2017. She is passionate about helping young performers build confidence, creativity, and a strong foundation in the arts. She has directed and music directed numerous productions for students ages 4–18, including Seussical JR., Annie JR., Grease, Tuck Everlasting, Dear Edwina JR., Frozen Kids, and Willy Wonka JR. As a playwright, her work has been presented at venues across New York City, including The Player’s Theatre and the NY Theater Festival. Her play Can I Just Say Something? was produced Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse, where it received an extended run as a Lighthouse Series Round 1 Winner. Originally from Jupiter, FL, Maddy loves sharing her passion for theatre and music with her students and is grateful to be part of such a wonderful artistic community in New York City. www.maddystillmancreative.com
Sarah Crane
Head Teacher / Choreographer / Acting, Voice & Guitar Teacher
Sarah Crane is a performer, choreographer and teaching artist from Miami, FL. She received her BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. Was most recently seen in the Broadway First National Tour’s of Mean Girls and The Prom. She loves teaching all ages and styles and hopes to bring joy and confidence into each of the students.
Grace Konstanty
Head Teacher
Grace Konstanty is an educator, choreographer, and director from Boston, MA. She received her B.S in Educational Theatre from the Steinhardt School at NYU. As a lifelong performer and lover of theatre, Grace is passionate about the power of arts education. She enjoys teaching children of all ages, and hopes to foster a sense of community and confidence in her students.
Bianca Williams
Head Teacher / Choreographer / Set Designer
Bianca is a dance instructor from New York who is passionate about performing arts. She has worked with kids and adults of all ages teaching lyrical, liturgical, ballet, hip hop, mime, African, and flag dance. She found her passion for dance after performing in the Nutcracker at BMS (Brooklyn Music School) where she trained ballet for 3 years. She was then inspired to create her own dance group “Dewitt Dance ministry” teaching liturgical dance. In efforts to give back to her community she began to offer ballet lessons to youth who were seeking more performing arts. She then later continued to train with the company “Dance for Joy Ministries” led by Iris Cloud, former dancer of the Dance Theater of Harlem. She is currently a teacher at The Acorn School where creativity and kids are always at the forefront. She is always ready for a new adventure and is very happy to be a part of the CenterStage team.
Cristina Noya
Director of Operations / Head Teacher / Acting Teacher
Cristina is a Venezuelan-born actor and writer based in New York, working across film and theater in both Spanish and English. A graduate of The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute’s Two-Year Conservatory, she brings a strong foundation in classical and method-based training to contemporary narratives. Cristina was part of Voces LatinX (Lin-Manuel Miranda) with the finalist play Locos and has received multiple Best Actress awards and nominations from the Hispanic Theater Festival and the ATI Awards for her performances in El Último Apóstol (winner), Muertos de Amor (nominee), and Winter in Coney Island, The Musical (nominee). In addition to her work as an actor, Cristina is an accomplished writer with over a decade of experience creating original material in both Spanish and English. She is the self-published author of the Spanish-language YA romantic thriller INTERNUM and is currently developing multiple feature films and series, including projects written independently and in collaboration. Her writing often explores themes of identity, heritage, power, and transformation, with a strong focus on Latinx characters at the center of the narrative rather than the margins. At 17, she became one of the youngest assistant directors working in the Venezuelan film industry (Qué Pea), and by 19, she relocated to New York to continue her acting training. During her studies at Strasberg, she also worked extensively both onstage and behind the scenes as a director (Happy Birthday Mr. President), assistant director (Toxic Ties), and production assistant (El Último Apóstol winner of the 2nd Place for Best Production at the Hispanic Theater Festival, Muertos de Amor nominated for Best Production Of A Short Play at the ATI Awards, and Winter in Coney Island nominated for Best Production Of A Musical at the ATI Awards). Bilingual, bicultural, and multidisciplinary, Cristina has a career that spans continents, languages, and artistic disciplines, while she continues to build a body of work dedicated to amplifying Hispanic voices, honoring cultural complexity, and creating stories that resonate across borders while remaining deeply personal and human to her own background.
Jennie Hughes
Head Teacher / Choreographer
Jennie Hughes (she/her) is an NYC based director, choreographer, performer and the founding director of Forager Theatre Company. After receiving her training from Wichita State University (BFA in Musical Theatre) she moved to NYC to study with the Open Jar Institute Residency program under Jeff Whiting, Stacia Fernandez, and James Gray. Jennie prioritizes work that is women led and tells stories that are often overlooked in commercial theatre. Her most recent credits include: Spring Awakening (director/choreographer) with Forager Theatre Company, The Flying Dutchman Boards the Staten Island Ferry at SOOP to Nuts Theatre Festival (2nd place winner), Judy Moody and Stink (director/choreographer) at ArtsPower National Touring Theatre, and The Story of Oh! (director) at The Player's Theatre. Www.Jenniehughes.weebly.com
Annika Stenstedt
Voice & Piano Teacher / Head Teacher
Annika Stenstedt (she/her) is a NYC based actor and musical theatre writer/composer from California. She has a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the New Studio on Broadway, and she has been teaching music for three years. Favorite credits include Footloose (Rusty), Carrie (Carrie), Dogfight (Rose), Bandstand (Mrs. Adams), Legally Blonde (Kate, u/s Vivienne), and Head over Heels (Ensemble, u/s Pamela). She is also a two time nominee for Best Singer at the New York Theatre Festival, and regularly performs in cabaret venues around the city. As a musical theater composer, Annika has written two full length musicals, including a Rosie the Riveter musical inspired by the women on the Homefront during World War II. The music of ROSIE: A New Musical premiered in concert at 54 Below in 2024. Annika is also a composer and lyricist for Pixel Playhouse (as seen on Youtube and TikTok), for whom she has written songs inspired by Disney characters, literary tropes, and literary characters particularly from the romance genre. As a female musical theater writer, Annika aspires to write musicals about complex and powerful women, for a creative community that has historically been dominated by men.
Dylan Kaufman
Piano Teacher / Pianist
Dylan (they/them) is an NYC based actor, music director, photographer, and educator. They are a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where they received a BFA in Drama (Musical Theatre) through the New Studio on Broadway, as well as a double minor in Music and Education. They’ve worked extensively as a vocal arranger, orchestrator, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. As a pianist, they work at venues across the greater NYC/NJ area, such as Paper Mill Playhouse and Sandbox Theatre. They have a dedicated passion for developing new works and informed storytelling. Recent credits: Soon (East Village Basement), August Rush (Open Jar), Sweeney Todd (Sandbox Theatre). They have over a decade of experience teaching artists of all ages, and they’re thrilled to continue this passion with such a supportive and kind community. www.dylkaufman.com
James LaRosa
Voice & Acting Teacher / Masterclass Teacher / Consultant
James LaRosa is an award winning actor, singer, and voice-over artist. As an entertainment professional, his acting work has taken him from world famous venues including NY City Center, to co-star roles on television including Law & Order, to voicing characters for Rockstar Games. On stage, James has performed in countless productions in NY and throughout the country, including such iconic roles as Leo Bloom in The Producers, Mark Cohen in RENT, and Cosmo Brown in Singin' in the Rain. His voice has been heard on various Nickelodeon shows, Rockstar Games, and recordings for Broadway Licensing and TRW. As a passionate teacher and coach, James has held faculty positions at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, New York Film Academy, and has provided vocal coaching for The Vineyard Theatre and The Barter Theatre's Barter Players. James is happy to be part of the beloved Centerstage family in various capacities over the years as he shares his craft and love for singing with the next generation. www.thejameslarosa.com
Andrea Nwoke
Consultant
Andrea offers a dynamic and personable coaching style highly effective at enhancing self-awareness, increasing emotional intelligence, and developing admirable leadership styles. Using competency-based best practices, she supports teams and individuals to overcome momentum blockers, take charge of their professional development, and skillfully manage difficult situations. She empowers clients to find their Full Voice with intention, to grow with definitive action, and to celebrate every accomplishment. She has experience working within a broad range of industries and across multiple levels and functions within an organization.
An accomplished classical singer, Andrea's devotion to language, nuance, and precision translated beautifully to her 12+ years in the corporate world where she was an indispensable presence in the C-suites of multiple global companies. Her work includes training individuals to communicate and lead within various corporate cultures and geographies inclusive of Fortune 500 executives. Her experience in career management consulting brings a knowledgeable approach to working with professionals in career and role transition. Honoring her artistic passions, Andrea serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for the Seagle Festival. She is a frequent guest speaker, moderator, facilitator, and panelist for various arts organizations and DEI initiatives.
Schune Fu
Piano Teacher
Schune Fu is a Chinese-American pianist, composer, and playwright from New York. His work has been produced at the Tank, 54 Below, and UCB. He is a graduate of New York University’s Music Theory and Composition program. As a composer, he has worked with Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde), Devin Ilaw (Miss Saigon), and Alf Bishai (The Ear). As a pianist, he has performed at Carnegie Hall four times.
