About Us & Our Programs
About Us & Our Programs
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What will we offer?
Our daytime programs, running 9am - 12pm for incoming grades 6-10 and 1pm - 5pm for incoming grades 8-12, will focus on putting on a musical in all its aspects, giving students the opportunity to try choreography, costume design, lighting and sound, stage management, and set and prop design and construction in addition to performance. Our evening program, for ages 15-19, with rehearsals on Sundays and Tuesdays, will focus intensely on acting in both scene and song. Weekend programming will focus on workshop intensives and on non-musical plays.
Staff
Staff
Founder & Artistic Director:
Shay Wainwright
Founder & Artistic Director:
Shay Wainwright
Shay Wainwright (she/they) has been active in theater for more than forty years. Currently, she runs the drama program at Lynnfield Middle School, which has tripled in size during her tenure. In 2024 she received A Healthy Lynnfield’s Champion for Youth award, nominated by the students for her role in supporting, encouraging, and challenging them to spread their wings. She has directed over a dozen shows in the last five years, including working with Our Lady of the Assumption School, Reagle Music Theater, and Colonial Chorus Players. Shay believes strongly in the way theater can create community, foster confidence, and give students access to new ways to express themselves.
Technical Director:
Emerson Reed
Emerson Reed (they/them) is an actor and freelance creative from Kansas City, Missouri. Em studied Theatre Performance and American Sign Language Interpreting in undergrad at William Woods University, and then received an additional two years of training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC. They love all parts of the creation of theatre and look forward to continuing to share their passion and knowledge with a new generation. For the past 7 summers they have returned to Kansas City to teach for the Kansas City Repertory’s youth theatre ensemble, and while they will miss that company, they are so excited to be helping found one here in their new home of Massachusetts!
Music Director
Little Shop of Horrors:
Cecile Wong Tagliani
Cecile Wong Tagliani (Music Director) is thrilled to be music directing at Here Be Dragons Theater Co. Cecile has been a musician and piano/vocal teacher for 25+ years. Her MS degree in Occupational Therapy from Tufts has been instrumental in broadening her music teaching curriculums, supporting all ages and learning styles. For the past 14 years, she has music directed shows in the North Shore area for ages six to adult, as well as directed her own workshops and shows for children. Some of her favorite Music Director credits include: Annie, Jr.; Beauty and the Beast, Jr.; High School Musical, Jr.; The Sound of Music, Jr.; Legally Blonde, Jr.; Urinetown; Seussical; and The Fantastiks. Cecile is so excited to be part of this wonderful cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors. Big thanks to Shay for welcoming her, and many thanks to her family and friends for their endless support!
Music Director
Footloose (90 minute edition)
Jess Chann
Ms. Jess Chann graduated in December 2023 from the Voice Department at the esteemed Berklee College of Music with her Bachelor’s in Professional Music (Music Education & Performance concentrations). In addition to teaching private lessons, she is currently the annual music director and pit orchestra conductor for the North Andover High School Drama Guild since Sept. 2023. Some of her favorite shows she has music directed are: Little Shop of Horrors, Ride The Cyclone, and Grease. She has 4 years (and counting) of experience instructing private voice/clarinet/piano students of all ages from 3 to 30-something years old. Although she specializes in voice, she has over a decade of experience performing live on Bb and bass clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone, and piano in various ensembles. Born and raised in the Greater Boston area, Jess has had ample opportunities to learn and perform a diverse array of both traditional and classical genres and styles—ranging from classical soprano pieces to soulful R&B, pop, rock, and musical theater songs. As a self-taught pianist and multi-instrumentalist, Jess greatly encourages versatility in musicianship—any type of music her students could possibly wish to learn, she enthusiastically offers the technical and emotional guidance to make it happen. Learn more at her website: jesschann.weebly.com
Music Director
Newsies Jr/Little Mermaid Jr:
Braden Willenbrock
Braden Willenbrock (he/him/his) is ecstatic to join the Here Be Dragons production team for Newsies Jr. and The Little Mermaid Jr.! Braden is a freshman at Boston University studying Vocal Performance and Music Education. Braden is very passionate about music education and is very excited to start pursuing music positions. He is grateful to be offered the opportunity to further his passion for music with coming generations. Braden would like to thank the Here Be Dragons team for taking a chance on him and fostering his love of music.
Choreographers
Patrick Malone
Katie McGuinness
Patrick has been involved in theater for five years and has been choreographing for two. His choreography has been seen in Descendants, The Lightning Thief, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Beetlejuice Jr., and Rock of Ages: Teen Edition. Previous roles have included Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Beetlejuice in Beetlejuice Jr., Chad in High School Musical, and many more. Patrick is also a playwright who has had two original works performed by the Lynnfield Public Schools theater department. He can’t wait to be a part of Here Be Dragons!
Katie has been dancing for 14 years and choreographing for 3. She began her dance training at LeAnne Leslie’s School of Theatrical Dance in Lynn, where she became a competition team member at the age of 12 and a Company member at 13. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, acro, lyrical, and of course, musical theater. Previous choreography includes The Lightning Thief, Beetlejuice Jr., and Rock of Ages: Teen Edition. When she’s not dancing or choreographing, Katie can often be found with a good book, out to eat with her friends, or rewatching Gilmore Girls. She’s beyond excited to share her love of dance and theater with students this summer, and hopes to help make Here Be Dragons the fun and safe creative environment she has found theater to be.
Sabrina Hayman
Ella Hodsdon
Sabrina is thrilled to be working with Here Be Dragons! She is going to be a junior in high school and has been choreographing for Shay since eighth grade. She has done dance for thirteen years and has trained in all different styles. She is part of her school's dance team, theater department, and soccer and tennis teams. The first show Sabrina choreographed was Beauty and the Beast Jr, in which she also played Mrs. Potts. She has been part of the theater community since second grade and is excited to expand her horizons in theater.
Ella is so excited to be helping choreograph for Here Be Dragons! She is going to be a junior at Lynnfield High School and she has been choreographing for Shay since the summer before her freshman year. Ella has been a competitive dancer at the Dance School of Wakefield since she was 9 and has been dancing for 14 years! She is well versed in many styles: ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, modern and musical theater. She is also a student teacher at her dance school, does track and field, and is on her high school dance team, as well as performing in her high school's musicals and working as crew for Drama Fest. Ella has been involved in theater since 6th grade and is so excited to continue her theater education and journey with Shay!
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