OUR MISSION

JANE O’LEARY (she/her) oversees year round educational programming, including the Playwright Mentoring Project, KidsAct! and TeensAct! She founded the Devised Theatre Ensemble, our youth theatre program which creates original family musicals for talented local teens. With a  Masters in Applied Theatre from CUNY School of Professional Studies, Jane has a strong background in devising, educational theatre, co-intentional directing, and social justice theatre.   Having studied Drama as an undergraduate at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jane studied at Stella Adler Studios as well as Playwrights Horizons. Jane has presented at conferences at Williams College, Keane University, MCLA, NAMI  and Baruch College. Jane is a former board member at the Christian Center, in Pittsfield, and a member and former co-chair of Berkshire Cultural Assets Network (BCAN). Jane will be presenting at American Alliance of Theater Education’s annual conference, “Echoes of Us”. Jane has received trainings in trauma informed care, Mental Health First Aid, Berkshire Suicide Prevention specialized training for working with youth. Jane has also presented professional developments for National Alliance on Mental Illness on using theatre as a tool for mental health and resilience.  She has provided professional development in drama in education for BRAINworks, Williams College, and Pittsfield Public Schools. 

Emily Rivera (she/her) is a theatre educator, director, music director, performer, and community engagement leader whose work bridges professional theatre, arts education, and vocal empowerment. At Barrington Stage Company, she serves as Director of the Musical Theatre Conservatory, an Artistic and Peer mentor for the Playwright Mentoring Project, and Music Director for KATA! Spring Break. As a professional singer and actor, Emily has performed internationally and with opera and theatre companies throughout the U.S., with credits spanning opera, musical theatre, and national tours. She has led workshops, residencies, and training programs throughout the Northeast, with specialized experience in song interpretation, vocal pathology, healthy voice use, voices in transition, and trauma-responsive work with survivors. Drawing on an extensive professional career in performance, directing, music direction, and conducting, Emily creates rigorous, inclusive spaces where artists can develop their voices, confidence, and authentic expression.

Miranda Gescheit (she/they) who is better known by Randi to the PMP participants, is a theatre-maker whose work centers on accessibility and artistic empowerment. With a background in stage management and devising, Randi is dedicated to creating spaces where collaboration and creativity thrive. Her path into arts education began in Buffalo, NY, as a teaching artist for Theatre of Youth (TOY) and an actor for Independent Health’s Fitness for Kids Challenge. Having grown up in the NYC public school system, Randi is driven by the mission of ensuring every young person sees themselves reflected on stage. Currently serving as the Education Associate at Barrington Stage Company, she plans initiatives that introduce youth to live theatre and empower them to claim their place within the arts.