Youth Program Faculty

Kelli Barrett has been living and working in NYC for a little over 4 years.  In that short time she has been on Broadway, Off-Broadway, TV, Major Motion Pictures, and  national commercials, sharing the screen and stage with over 40 beloved Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award winners. Broadway: Baby It's You! (originated the role of Mary Jane Greenberg) The Royal Family (Gwen Cavendish); Off B'way: Rock of Ages (originated the role of Sherrie Christian). New York Regional; Knickerbocker Holiday (MUFTI'sYork Theatre Co. as Tina Tienhoven); Project Shaw: Arms & The Man, On the Rocks (Player's Club). Readings/Workshops: Beauty (as Rose with music by Regina Spektor and direction by Tina Landau); An Officer and a Gentleman (as Paula with direction by Simon Phillips) Death Takes a Holiday (Roundabout Theatre Co with direction by Doug Hughes); Piece of My Heart (NYTW with direction by Leigh Silverman); Auctioning the Ainsleys (Cherry Lane Theatre); The Last Goodbye (Joe's Pub). Regional: Piece of My Heart (New York Stage and Film as Ilene Berns) The Last Goodbye (Williamstown Theater Festival as Juliet) Gypsy (Westchester Broadway Theatre as Louise); Ace (Old Globe/Repertory Theatre of St. Louis/Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Bright Lights, Big City (Prince Music Theater as Amanda). Film: Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Switch, Remember Me, Red Hook, Confessions of a Shopaholic. TV: "A Gifted Man", "Law & Order SVU", "Ugly Betty," "The Good Wife," "As the World Turns," "A Haunting in Connecticut."   Kelli is also the recurring role of 'Jane' on the new MTV series "I Just Want My Pants Back". UARTS Alumna.

Titus Burgess was born and raised in Athens Georgia where he grew up in the church and sang around the city with his mama (when he is home, he still does!).  As an only child he entertained himself by banging on the nearest piano; perhaps his passion for music and communication came from his need to fill time.  He graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in Music. He has appeared on Broadway as Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Sebastian the Crab in Disney's The Little Mermaid, Hal Miller in Jersey Boys, and Eddie in Good Vibrations.  Regionally he has been seen in The Wiz as the Cowardly Lion (La Jolla), Songs for a New World with Jason Robert Brown, Alice Ripley and Brian D'arcy James.  Television: "The View", "The Today Show," "Late Night with David Letterman," and currently appears on "30 Rock."  Solo CD: "Here's to You"

Hadley Cronk she began performing at the age of 10.  Hadley graduated with a BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School at CAP21.  Favorite roles at CAP21 include Josephine in Urinetown and The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods.  Recent credits include: A Christmas Carol with TheatreworksUSA, POP! at the Richmond-Shepard Theatre, New Beulah at the Gene Frankel Theatre, and Resilient Souls--an oratorio written by Tony award nominated composer and director Liz Swados. 

Jason Marquette graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His performance credits include the first national tour of the revival of 42nd Street, The Musical (original cast) and regional theaters all around the United States. In 2008 he mounted his self-produced NYC production called The Next Step. His choreography has also been seen in the SUNY New Paltz Production of Stephen Sondheim's Company as well as music videos, corporate events and various performance projects in New York and around the world. His work appeared in The Group Theatre Too's Choreographer's Canvas and the Undertoe Dance Festival in May of 2011.  He is the owner/operator of Marquette Productions – The Dancer's Music Source (www.marquetteproductions.com); and The Marquette Theater Project – Making theater matter again.   He is a partner of MPower Dance - Master Classes and Workshops that Mpassion, Mpower and Motivate. "Make your own destiny. Fate is determined by determination."

Mychal Phillips hails from the small town of Lexington, NC. She began performing with her local youth theater at the age of 10, when was too shy to talk to anyone. By the age of 16, Mychal was performing professionally throughout NC, and at age 18, she moved to NYC to attend the Cap21 conservatory. Since then, she has been working professionally in and out of New York for 6 years. She has been seen in the Theatreworks USA National Tour of "Seussical", as well as various regional productions and two original productions here in the city. Original cast recordings: "The Top Job" and "Disenchanted," available on Amazon. Mychal has directed numerous productions with children and adults, and is founder and co-director of Puttin' On The Ritz, a summer musical theater camp for ages 5-18 in NC. Mychal is no longer shy, and her family and friends sometimes wish she would stop talking.

Allyn Bard Rathus has a Master of Arts in Educational Theatre with Teacher Certification for all grades from NYU Steinhardt, and was the recipient of the 2010 Award in recognition of Outstanding Achievement and Citizenship in the Graduate Educational Theatre Program. Allyn received her BFA in Drama from CAP21 (NYU Tisch School of the Arts). Allyn has taught Drama at the Central Foundation Boy's School in London, The Mandell School in New York City, and Kent Place School in New Jersey. Allyn continues to work with Steinhardt faculty members on the Program's Youth Shakespeare Initiative, and on development of theatre for young audiences. Other recent credits include Perez Hilton Saves The Universe! (Producer, rat house productions, The Bleecker Street Theatre, NYC) You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Producer, The Century Center for the Performing Arts, NYC), Broadway: August: Osage County (Richards/Climan, Inc.), The Threepenny Opera & Assassins (The Roundabout Theatre Company), Acting: Woyzeck (NYU-Steinhardt), All My Children (ABC), Guiding Light (CBS), As The World Turns (CBS), national commercials and campaigns including Microsoft, Time Warner, Dick's Sporting Goods, L'Oreal, Cingular.

Thommie Retter is thrilled to be joining the amazing CAP21 Youth Program!  
In 2008, Thommie made the move from Los Angeles to New York for his Broadway debut originating the character of  Mr. Braithwaite in Billy Elliot The Musical. Thommie has choreographed for the hit Disney series Cory In The House and was a featured performer on an Emmy-nominated episode of Malcolm in the Middle.  Thommie is the creator and director of Tap Generation, a series of tap technique videos designed to progressively instruct all students in tap.  Thommie directed and choreographed the live, all tap show, Caution: Men at Work-TAP, which enjoyed a 40 city international tour.  A multi-talented teacher, he has been touring the country on the dance convention circuit  for the past twenty years.  Thommie has enjoyed success working with a variety of dance organizations including Tremaine Dance Conventions, Dance Makers Inc, Dance Masters of America, Dupree Dance Expo, MusicWorks Teachers Seminars, Al Gilbert Teacher Training Seminars and countless independent dance schools throughout the United States.  Internationally, Thommie teaches in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Japan, and throughout Canada.  Thommie has been featured in the national publications Dance Spirit, Dance.com, Dancer Magazine, Dance Teacher, and Dance Biz.  Before leaving his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thommie taught twelve semesters of tap for the accredited dance program at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He has choreographed for Pepsi International on their World Cup advertising campaign and has performed in several industrial shows including Compaq, Schick and GM.