Orange Community Education & Recreation

Want to work on your vocal range or learn to play the piano or drums? Private weekly 30- minute lessons are available with our talented and professional team members to help you expand your craft. You can work on material of your choice, making weekly lessons a great way to prepare for an upcoming audition. There is a detailed cancellation policy, please inquire about it prior to registering. Lessons are by advanced appointment only and must be paid for at the time of booking. Please note that private lessons are not considered a Stagecrafters class. Once you register for a day, the coach will reach out to participants on a first come first serve basis to select a time. Please understand that you may not receive your first choice of time but we will do our best to accommodate all schedules. Attendance Policy: Lessons missed due to student illness or any other circumstance are still considered billable. Lessons canceled due to school closing, graded school events only (i.e. – band/choir concerts – if advanced notice is given) or a Stagecrafters approved event are excused and you will not be billed for the lesson. Please be aware that a written note or courtesy call to cancel a lesson does not mark that lesson as “excused” and our coaching staff is not required to follow-up with each student regarding absences. LIST OF COACHES BELOW: Ann Marie Falcone, Vocals and Piano - $40 per 30 Minute Lesson Ann Marie earned a B.M. from Northwestern U, an M.M. from The U of Arizona, took vocal pedagogy at Malone College, and completed an M.F.A. in Creative Writing in nonfiction with accents in fiction at Chatham U. Having taken and given numerous years of private voice, clarinet, and piano lessons, Ann Marie understands the beauty of the development of an artist's life. Students have been accepted to the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphonies, and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Voice students have participated at Heights Youth Theatre, Beachwood Theater, the Beck Center, Hathaway Brown's Summer Theatre Institute, and Stagecrafters, along with their school productions. They've also been selected for the Cleveland Orchestra Children's and Youth Choruses. Maria DiDonato, Vocals and Piano - $40 per 30 Minute Lesson Maria has her Masters in vocal performance and bachelors degree in music education with a minor in theatre. Maria is currently a Music Theory professor at Cuyahoga Community College at the Western Campus and is the music director for Cleveland State University. Maria not only enjoys teaching vocal techniques to all ages; she also enjoys performing. Maria is a gem to our team. Justin Hart, Drums - $40 Per 30 Minute Lesson Justin is a Cleveland-based professional drummer and percussionist with over twenty-five years of musical experience. He has enjoyed working as a freelance drummer for theater, recordings and live performances for the past decade around Ohio and neighboring states. He is always excited to help students follow their beat through music. Claire Connelly, Vocals - $40 per 30 Minute Lesson Claire is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and she recently received her masters degree in vocal performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Claire has performed in numerous operas, operettas and musical theater around the country and she continues to perform in the Cleveland area. She has been a loyal Stagecrafters team member for over ten years and brings priceless experience to our team. Samantha Weiskind - $40 per 30 Minute Lesson Samantha is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Music Education. She currently serves as the choir director for West Geauga Middle and High School in addition to pursuing a Master of Music in Music Education at Kent State University. Katie Kitchen - $40 per 30 Minute Lesson Katie involves herself with a wide variety of music, from contemporary, jazz, and musical theater, to Handel, Bach or Mozart. A native of NW Ohio, she performed in regional theaters and was active as a vocalist, pianist, and percussionist. Since living in Cleveland, Katie has been pursuing a Bachelor's in Voice Performance at Cleveland State University, singing professionally, attending young artist programs in New York, and is the recipient of the Shari Bierman Fellowship Scholarship with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus for the past three years. She applies her performance experience and love of vocal science and pedagogy to her coaching, and aims to be a supportive and engaging teacher to all of her students.

Auditions will be held on Sunday, September 29 at PPLC from 11-3 . Register here to reserve your audition spot. You will be placed on a waitlist and if you are cast in the show, we will proceed with your Participation & Costume fee at that time. Stagecrafters’ Spring Community Production will be BEAUTY AND THE BEAST! Enrollment is by audition only and students must be currently enrolled in a Stagecrafters’ class to be eligible for auditions. After auditioning, students will be assured a part in one of the two Community Productions. Please note that program ad and participation fees are required if cast. Auditions will be held on Sunday, September 29 and performances are scheduled for January 17-19, 2025. Information and details concerning auditions, rehearsals, and fees will be distributed in all eligible Stagecrafters classes. Please be familiar with mandatory fees prior to auditioning. All mandatory fees (Participation, Ad & Costume) are included in price below. MY FIRST PRODUCTION: Enrollment is by a first-come first-serve basis. No audition is necessary. Your student must be enrolled in a Stagecrafters class to participate. Information and details concerning rehearsals, and fees will be distributed in all eligible Stagecrafters classes. All mandatory fees (Participation Fee & Costume Fee) are included in price below. Rehearsal dates: Sundays, 12/1, 12/8 & 12/15, 1:00-3:00 then MANDATORY TECH WEEK Sunday, January 12-Thursday, January 16 Production dates: January 17, 18, & 19, 2025 Production Team: Wendy Scott-Koeth, Tali Singer, Rachel Sternfeld