BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JUSTIN GIACHETTI

What Does Theatre Mean To Me?

For me, theatre is all about connection and communication. Theatre goes back almost four millennia, and is one of the oldest known methods for storytelling and communicating philosophies, ideals, order, and chaos. I think that’s why it’s endured for so long. Theatre is, yes, meant to entertain, but it also has a duty to educate, to commune, to heal, to create, and to hold a mirror up to the audience and the world and reflect us in both the mundane and fantastic. 

Justin Daniel Giachetti is a professional actor, Dramatist Guild Playwright and Lyricist, Artistic Director, and arts educator. Some of his previous credits have been Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, Harry in “Company”, the book writer and lyricist of “Relapse The Musical” (highest earner at NJ Fringe 2019), Playwright of critically acclaimed “Faith in Shackles” (Best of the Fest in NY Summerfest), and director of "Disenchanted" (2020), “Laramie Project” (2019), “How I Learned to Drive” (2019), and “Rabbit Hole” (2018). He is also a performing and teaching artist with Staten Island educational theater company, Illuminart Productions. For more information, feel free to visit justindanielgiachetti.com

MARGARET STAEDLER

What does theatre mean to me?

Theatre is a voice for the voiceless - but it’s more than words. Theatre is a feeling. It’s confessing your heart’s desire even when you are afraid of rejection. It’s feeling so happy that all you can do is dance. It’s crying at the Grand Canyon. Theatre moves people to act, to make change in the world, and it is my hope to bring change through the art that is theatre. 

Margaret Staedler is currently a Los Angeles-based artist with ties across the country. She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Acting with minors in Dance and Gender/Sexuality Studies. She has been performing her whole life but also holds experience in carpentry, choreography, theatre management, and video editing. She acts as the Vice President and Casting/Technical Director of DU and couldn’t be more thrilled with the season to come. Some of her favorite performance credits include: Rabbit Hole (Izzy), Hamlet (Guildenstern), Heathers: The Musical (H. Duke), and The 25th…Spelling Bee (Logainne).

KELSEY BROWN

What does theatre mean to me?

Theatre means getting to be myself. All the time, whether it be shopping at the grocery store or teaching, I have to be a different version of myself. I am afraid of being me- the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, when I am performing onstage, singing a song to an audience, or getting to direct or write a work, I finally feel free to be all parts of Kelsey Brown. Theatre is invigorating and freeing.

Kelsey Brown is a South Jersey-based performer, educator, musician, director, administrator, and writer. She graduated with her Bachelor’s from Rutgers University, triple-majoring in Theatre, Music, and Education in 2018, and will be graduating from Rowan University in Summer 2021 with her Master’s in Theatre Arts Administration. Directing credits include DU's upcoming production of "Richard the Third," "The Addams Family," "Disenchanted: Stay at Home Version," and her own original work, "Social Therapy," in the 2017 NJ Fringe Festival! Recent performance credits include "A Delightful Quarantine" (Lucy Fuller), "A Fragment of the Day" (Narrator #1),  [title of show] (Susan Blackwell), and many cabarets both online and in-person! For more information, feel free to visit Kelsey's website at www.tinyurl.com/kelseylbrown .

HELENE DUBOIS

What does theatre mean to me?

To me, theatre means getting the opportunity to meet other creators and collaborate on art. Theatre is all about learning and growth, whether it's because of the roles you play, the people you meet, or the situations that get thrown at you. I think that one of the best ways to learn is by having fun, and theatre is definitely an outlet for that. Collaborating with people who share the same passion for the arts not only helps you learn about theatre itself, but it creates unbreakable bonds.

Helene Dubois is a NYC-based teacher and performer. She has a Bachelors in Childhood Education with a concentration in Mathematics, as well as a Theatre minor from SUNY Oneonta. She is currently a graduate student at The College of Staten Island studying to be a Special Education Teacher. Her most recent credits include Rent (ensemble), Chicago (dance ensemble), Clybourne Park (Francine/Lena), Ghosts (Regina Engstrand), Hamlet (Rosencrantz), and Race (Susan).

JOE GAMBINO

What does theatre mean to me?

Theatre is one of the only places where having a brain that moves at 300 miles per hour feels like a good thing. It allows me to tackle multiple roles at once while knowing that I’ll always have a soft place to land thanks to the phenomenal, supportive people that I work with.

Joe Gambino is an NYC-based arts educator, designer, and performer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication and is currently a candidate for a Master of Science in Education. Recent directing credits include Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus, The Princess and the Pandemic, Dear Edwina, Jr., Seussical, Jr., and Mary Poppins, Jr. Recent performance credits include It’s Beginning to Look a lot like DUC-Mas (Self), Clue: Stay-At-Home Edition (Mr. Green), RENT (Mark Cohen), and Mamma Mia! (Eddie). 

What does theatre mean to me?

As theatre-makers, we have the opportunity to entertain, to challenge ideas and beliefs, to communicate truths, and to shape the world through art. There is nothing more powerful than the ability to examine what makes us human and to share these findings in a creative, exciting, and often fun way! 

What does theatre mean to me?

As a reserved and cautious person, I believe theatre encourages and challenges me to break through my anxieties and to live more freely as an artist and individual. It is an exciting way to take risks. It is a unifying art form that fosters collaboration and connection amongst people who share that same artistic drive. Each moment is temporary, and each is entirely unique. Theatre means getting to share these special moments with my collaborators and with audiences in a beautiful way.

What does theatre mean to me?

Family. Theatre has always given me a second family. They boost me when I'm down and love me for me. You go in together and come out together. There's judgement, just immediate acceptance and that's the best feeling.

What does theatre mean to me?

Theater to me is about inspiration. Being inspiring and getting inspired. That means in theater you are learning and growing as person. Theater to me isn’t just something that I do. It’s who I am.

What does theatre mean to me?

To me, theatre means being able to create and express oneself in a public space, whether that be live on a stage, recorded in a studio, or performing on Zoom. As not only a theatre performer but as a professional musician, the performing arts allow for creativity, self-expression, and the ability to hone in on a sense of self-fulfillment. Being a musician (and, when I get the chance, performing in musicals) allows me the opportunity to showcase the hours of practice, dedication, and time that I put into my craft to share with others. Not only is this fulfilling, but it also hopefully shows the audience and anyone listening the importance of the performing arts.

What does theatre mean to me?
Theatre is home. It's a safety blanket. It's self expression. It's freedom. It's an escape from reality. It is cohesive and contradictory all at once. That's what makes it so wonderful. 

What does theatre mean to me?

I suppose it's the line between entertainment and self-reflection, both for the audience and the performer. More often than not, the events that occur onstage are fictional, in that they were wholly or partially created by the playwright for an audience to view, appreciate, and be entertained by. However, when theatre is presented correctly, there should always be an element of truth and humanity, something that connects the performer with the audience in a shared recognition of our human condition. Therefore, theatre to me should be a vehicle for connecting perfect strangers on levels that they didn't even know they were connected on.