Julian Arroyo (he, him, his)

Bio to come!

Owen Buxton (he, him, his)

Owen was born in raised in Brooklyn, New York and currently attends Emerson College, where he studies film. He loves teaching lessons through media.

Michael Casey (he, him, his)

Michael, born and raised in Boston, has studied theater for over a decade at Boston Arts Academy, Bunker Hill Community College and Suffolk University. He teaches theater at the Charles River Creative Arts Program in the summers and assistant directs the Newton Freelance Players Troupe. Theater and Education are Michael’s biggest passions in life, and Rehearsal for Life has been a dream job, helping him realize his goals of teaching life skills through the power of theater. Michael is also currently a preschool teacher at the Shattuck Child Daycare Center. In his free time, Michael enjoys writing poetry and is a huge fan of pro wrestling.

IJ Chan (she, her, hers)

IJ (陳加恩) is a dance artist and educator born, raised and based in Boston. She has dedicated her life to training and performing in multiple dance genres for international dance masters. In her own choreographic work, IJ is interested in exploring the Asian-American narrative. She is committed to bringing quality arts instruction to low-income and minority youth populations within Boston, and Rehearsal for Life helps her accomplish this mission daily, while encouraging youth to be more empathetic and socially aware. In her free time, IJ also works as a freelance graphic designer, visual artist and seamstress.

Alissa Darsa (she, her, hers)

Alissa, a native of the Boston area, grew up in Freelance Players. She studied theater at Ithaca College before receiving her master’s degree from New York University. She previously taught in the summer program at Creative Arts at Park and assistant directed in both the Brookline and JP troupes before taking over as director of the Brookline Troupe. Alissa also works in film curation and development at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and podcasts about pop culture.

Cooper Evello (he, him, his)

Cooper studied music production and composition at the Cambridge School of Weston, Hampshire College, and the Berklee School of Music, and joined Rehearsal for Life with a background in music production, performance, arranging and composition. His work with Rehearsal for Life, allows him the opportunity to create music that helps make Boston youth’s time in school a little better and helps them process their feelings and struggles. Outside of work, Cooper can be found composing and recording music in his home studio, and performing around New England in his bands (ADDIE, Bog Berries, Hush Club, and Naomi Westwater).

Katy Harnish (she, her, hers)

Katy is a multidisciplinary artist, director, choreographer, and filmmaker from Boston, MA, with over 25 years of experience in dance. A classically trained ballerina, Katy is currently expanding her artistic exploration into forms like contact improvisation and authentic movement. Her work blends narrative and experimental storytelling, pushing the boundaries of conventional structure and dualistic thinking. With a deep commitment to promoting equity and highlighting the interconnectedness of all living beings, Katy uses her craft to foster empathy and understanding. Her passion extends beyond the arts into the realm of neuropsychology, where she seeks to integrate scientific exploration with creative expression, particularly through the lens of science fiction. Above all, Katy is driven by the belief that nature’s awe-inspiring beauty and its relationship to the human experience can serve as a powerful catalyst for both personal transformation and environmental advocacy. She is dedicated to using art as a tool for raising awareness and inspiring action to preserve and restore our planet, affirming that inspiring children to build embodied focus through movement practices is in direct service to this endeavor.

Kelvyn Koning (he/they)

Kelvyn specializes in composing for choir and theatre and performing as a countertenor and pianist. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Composition from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI and a Master of Music in Composition from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Kelvyn has been commissioned to write pieces for Boston Latin School, Chandler MS, Zeeland HS, Batesville HS, Arlington HS, the Da Camera Singers, Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, First Parish Needham, Calvin University, Lilith, Quorum, Cantilena, and the Oriana Consort. He has written two award-winning musicals, The Glassblower’s Daughter with Columbia Entertainment Co. and The Prince and the Painter with Moonbox Productions, and he recently released his first queer Christian album, The Veil is Torn.

Kelvyn is a founding member of Nightingale Vocal Ensemble and West Michigan Choral Lab, for whom he sings and composes music. Kelvyn has also sung with the Calvin Alumni Choir, Quorum, Lilith, Seraphim Singers, Tutti Music Collective, and the Oriana Consort. He performed as a soloist at the Beaver Island Baroque Festival in his home state of Michigan and has premiered several new vocal and piano works by his friends in Boston. Kelvyn is an active solo pianist and accompanist around Boston, working at the Boston Conservatory, the Freelance Players in Needham, and Watertown Children’s Theatre, as well as freelancing. He is also the Music Minister at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Natick, acting as the pianist, organist, and choir director. Kelvyn’s vision is to foster empathy, healing, and social justice for individuals and communities through music and writing. His philosophy is that different types of music can work together harmoniously to create new and beautiful things, just as different types of people can.

Ian Lao (they, them theirs)

Ian is a Filipino-American pianist, composer, producer and teaching artist currently based in Boston, MA. As a collaborator, Ian is dedicated to nurturing and uplifting the creativity of their fellow artists and storytellers, prioritizing those from Filipino, BIPOC and Queer communities. In addition to serving as a music director and teaching artist for Rehearsal For Life, Ian can often be found creating music in their home studio and riding their bike throughout the Greater Boston area!

Abby Lass (she, her, hers)

Abby holds a double degree in Drama and Psychology from Vassar College. During her time as an undergrad, Abby completed research on the psychological benefits of theatre education for adolescents and created a TEDx talk about the intersection of arts education and contemporary research practices. As a theatre artist, Abby has experience directing, acting, designing, choreographing, dramaturging, and intimacy coordinating. She has served as the Director of Education for Newton Theatre Kids, the Artistic & Engagement Intern at New Repertory Theatre, and has worked with students at the Newton Community Development Foundation, the Frances Jacobson Early Childhood Center, Camp Gan Israel, and Poughkeepsie Youth Theatre, among others. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Education at Lesley University. Outside of work, Abby enjoys cooking, cross stitching, and playing DnD.

Max Moline (he, him, his)

Max Moline is an artist with over a decade of experience directing, acting, and teaching across the Midwest and Boston. Max received training in theatre and art at St. Ambrose University and has worked as a youth educator and director at  Wheelock Family Theatre, Fayerweather Summer Arts, and Arlington Children’s Theatre. Max is also a trained improviser and is a current member of ComedySportz. When not working in the arts, Max can be found playing tabletop roleplaying games, attending a wrestling show, or enjoying a cup of good coffee.

Taylor Paine (she, her, hers)

Taylor is thrilled to be choreographing for the Brookline Troupe this session! This is her first session at Rehearsal for Life, and she has enjoyed every second of working with Alissa, Ian, and all of the wonderful kids! She is a recent graduate of Emerson College, earning her BFA in Theatre and Performance. Choreography credits include: Ride the Cyclone, Alice by Heart, and Fun Home (Emerson College), as well as Moana, The Wizard of Oz, Spongebob the Musical, and The Addams Family (Miami Children’s Theatre). Theatre credits include: Harper in ‘Less than more than Friends’ (Boston Playwrights Festival), Kiki in ‘Significant Other’, Elizabeth in ‘In the Waiting Room’, and Amina in ‘Dance Nation’ (Emerson College). She is so proud of all the hard work, creativity, and passion the kids have shown throughout our rehearsal process, and has had so much fun getting to know each one of them. When not working at Rehearsal for Life, you can catch Taylor working at Mini Movers Dance Studio in Charlestown!

Merle Perkins

Merle is a founding member of Urban Improv, with the company since 1992. An Independent Reviewers of New England award winner, she’s played roles at theaters in New England and abroad. Credits include TV shows like HBO’s “Six Feet Under”, films and local commercials. The Governor’s office, the Mayor of Boston, and the Red Sox have requested Merle to sing at events. Merle trained at Boston University and Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts. She loves being able to share her passion for music and theater with everyone who participates in our classes and workshops, and, outside of work, is an avid Boston sports fan.

Faith Soloway (they, them, theirs)

Faith is a writer, director, composer, and performer, and has been a Rehearsal for Life employee for almost 30 years– first, as the music director for Urban Improv 1994 through 2016, and, now, as the Interim Artistic Director. They wrote for all four seasons of Amazon’s groundbreaking television show “Transparent,” composed all the songs for “Transparent: Musicale Finale,” and is now seeing a lifelong dream come true in their original musical “A Transparent Musical” coming to life at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. With roots in the musical comedy world, Faith was the musical director at Second City in Chicago from 1985-1990. During that time, they were also a founding member of The Annoyance Theater. Faith’s favorite part of working for Rehearsal for Life is connecting with the students, watching their joy and curiosities, and watching their development.

Mary Torpey (she, her, hers)

Mary has been a director, teaching artist and creative collaborator in the Boston area for many years. She joined Rehearsal for Life in 2003 as assistant director with Freelance Players and teaching artist with Urban Improv and has been directing Freelance Players troupes since 2011. She is endlessly motivated by the collaborative, inclusive and expressive work she sees in the young artists and her colleagues. Originally from Maine, Mary graduated from Indiana University with a B.A in Theater and Drama and studied movement, voice and acting at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

Jamie Ullrich (she, her, hers)

Jamie has worked for Rehearsal for Life in various roles for over 15 years. Originally from South Dakota, Jamie earned a BA in Communication Studies from Seattle University and an MA in Media Arts from Emerson College. She has worked as a stage manager, and for several radio stations in Boston and Seattle, and is now gratified to be working for an organization that values artistic expression and social justice. The best part of her role at Rehearsal for Life is the look on students’ faces when they see the Teaching Artists enter a room or when the curtain goes down after a performance, demonstrating that the arts are so effortlessly able to create community and self-efficacy in a group of people – young or old! In her spare time, Jamie likes to run. She has completed a half marathon and is currently training for a full marathon.

Narcissa Campion (she, her, hers)

Before officially retiring in 2021, Narcissa was the Program Manager and a music director for Freelance Players. She joined the organization in 1982 and served as its Managing Director from the late 1980’s until 2019. An accomplished composer and arranger, she has won two Massachusetts Arts Lottery grants for composition. Narcissa is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she was awarded the Lamb Prize for composition, and the Barrett Fellowship for the study of musical theater. She has composed over 25 musicals for young people.

Kippy Dewey (she, her, hers)

Before officially retiring in 2021, Kippy served as Founding Director and artistic adviser to all Rehearsal for Life programs and oversaw the Freelance Players. Kippy has taught and directed at the Charles Playhouse and the Next Movie Theatre and held artist residencies in schools throughout the metropolitan Boston area. Kippy is also the founding director of Creative Arts at Park, a multi-arts summer program for young people ages 8-15.