JULIE BORSOTTIJulie Borsotti is a graduate from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies and Communication. She has been acting, singing and dancing for many years now, and has a passion for Musical Theater and Choreography. Recent credits include ECT's Guys and Dolls (Adelaide) and LTM's Legally Blonde (Brooke Whyndam). She has choreographed two professional ICCA a cappella competition sets, Musical Theatre dance intensives, a middle school drama production, and various camp showcase musical theater and hip hop numbers. She works at the Hartford Stage Box Office as well as runs various after-school and dance programs through the Glastonbury Parks and Recreation department. She is also a Theatre and Dance instructor at the Glastonbury Music and Arts camp. As a Teaching Artist, she hopes to be able to continue to inspire her students to continue to love and pursue the arts just as much as she does!
KEVIN CRONINKevin Cronin (née Barlowski) is a multidisciplinary creative artist and change agent committed to empowering individuals of all ages and abilities through education and the arts. Currently, as Director of Education and Outreach at Playhouse on Park, Kevin is enthusiastic about inspiring thinkers, dreamers, and doers with essential, transferable, 21st-century skills. A theatre educator with over 15 years of experience, he has taught with esteemed organizations such as Hartt School of Music, Hartford Performs, Bay Path University, The Miracle League, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Unified Theatre, and West Hartford Public Schools. As a director, music director, and actor, he has long focused on crafting and performing in productions that resonate with younger audiences, adhering to the belief that if they can see it, they can be it. His educational background is rich and varied, including an M.S. in Education Administration from Bay Path University, an M.A. in Shakespeare and Education from the University of Birmingham, a certificate in Musical Theatre Performance from Circle in the Square Theatre School, and a B.A. in Theatre Education and Directing from Emerson College. Kevin is a staunch advocate for creating brave and inclusive spaces, decolonizing curriculum, and promoting lifelong learning. He is committed to fostering a vibrant educational landscape where every learner feels empowered to explore their passions and realize their full potential. He looks forward to welcoming you into his “collaboratory” soon!
SHANNEN HOFHEIMERShannen Hofheimer is thrilled to be on the educational staff of Playhouse Theatre Academy! She graduated from The Hartt School of Music with a B.M. in Vocal Performance, and served as the Director of Theatre at The Ethel Walker School in Simsbury for 8 years until she departed to make her Off-Broadway debut this past summer in Winesday: The Wine Tasting Musical at The Jerry Orbach Theatre. She has toured nationally, performing stage adaptations of classic literary works for school groups with Chamber Theatre Productions, and also starred alongside Marie Osmond in The Sound of Music, which toured with NETworks productions in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, and Korea. Shannen has performed at The Milton Theatre in Anything Goes, as well as with Playhouse on Park in their production of A Charles Dickens Christmas. She has also had the privilege of teaching various summer theatre classes with PTA for the past two years. Additionally, Shannen teaches private voice and acting lessons to students of all ages. Students have received callbacks for Goodspeed Opera House, performed in mainstage productions at Hartford Stage, received full scholarships to NYU Steinhardt's Vocal Performance program, and have advanced to final round callbacks for the prestigious opera program at Juilliard. For news about Shannen's upcoming performances and educational endeavors, you can find her on Instagram (@shannenraevocals), or visit her website www.shannenhofheimer.com
DARLENE ZOLLERDarlene is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Playhouse on Park where she has directed PIPPIN, NUNSENSE, CHICAGO (Best Director of a Musical/Broadway World,) PINKALICIOUS, ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE,SWINGING ON A STAR and THAT HOLIDAY FEELING, SAY THINGS FUNNY, and choreographed; PIPPIN, INTO THE WOODS, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, IN THE HEIGHTS, A CHORUS LINE, HAIR, CABARET, PASSING STRANGE among others. She is the founder, director and choreographer of stop/time dance theater, the resident dance company of Playhouse on Park, now in its twentieth year. She was voted Best Director of a Musical/Broadway World for I’D RATHER BE DANCING. CT Critics Circle nominee for Best Choreographer for HAIR, ROCKIN’ THE FOREST and IN THE HEIGHTS. She IS Mama D of MAMA D’s OUTRAGEOUS ROMP; a grown ups only music, dance and comedy event-exclusive to the Playhouse. Social media followers know her as "the driveway lady" for having taught 450 consecutive days of WE'RE BETTER WHEN WE'RE DANCING dance classes online during the pandemic where she gathered a loyal following. Darlene is a former adjunct professor at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School where she directed and choreographed CHICAGO and did the choreography for ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, SMILE, CURTAINS and NUNSENSE. She also teaches dance classes for adults at The 224 ECOSpace and is a dance/fitness instructor at Big Sky Fitness in Vernon.