The People of Creative Stage

Madeline Bender

Madeline Bender (Founder and Director of Creative Stage) has had a rich career as international opera singer, arts educator, and producer.  She has worked with some of the top stage directors, conductors and singers in the classical music profession, and has worked for over a decade in performing arts education.

Madeline has developed an array of innovative, multidisciplinary, child-focused performing arts curricula such as the Creative Stage Musical Theater Builders program, Filmmakers Workshop, Dancing Designers (with Clare Wasserman) and Puppet Theater Workshop (with Tiffany Iris).

Madeline is also the Founder and Director of Creative Stage Collective (CSC), a not for profit organization with a mission to bring the imaginative ideas of children to life through multi-generational collaboration. As writer, director and producer, Madeline has created numerous devised performances, including: Instrumental Storytellers at Symphony Space in Manhattan in collaboration with Concert Artists Guild (2020); the annual Creative Stage Spectacular! performances at Symphony Space (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023); Creative Stage Uptown at the Alvin Ailey Room at the Harry Belafonte Branch of the NYPL; and Dancing Storytellers for Carnegie Hall Fall Family Day (2018), and Musical Madlibs in Auckland, New Zealand with the renown NZTrio (2021). She is also the directer and producer of the annual CSC Summer Shebang!performances (2021, 2022, 2023). Madeline specializes in devising original work with multi-generational, multidisciplinary groups.

A passionate supporter for children's education, Madeline was the Founder and General Director of Voices of Hope.  Voices of Hope, an opera gala event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, raised over a quarter of a million dollars to provide life changing education to severely underprivileged children around the globe.

As a performer, Madeline has been praised by the New York Times, for her "dramatic stage presence",  "voluptuous soprano" and "theatrical flair”.  Her extensive performing career has spanned nearly 15 years, and saw her in leading roles on many of the world's most important operatic stages. She has worked with notable opera directors such as Sir Colin Graham, Sir Peter Hall, Robert Wilson, David McVicar, Paul Curran, John Copley, and the late Sir Jonathan Miller, to name just a few. Career highlights include performances as Euridice in Orphee’ e Euridice at the Le Theatre du Chatelet in Paris with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting; Helene in A Midsummer Night's Dream at La Monnaie, the Royal Opera House in Brussels, as well as with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Konstanza in Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail with the Baden Baden and Aix en Provence festivals; Violetta in La Traviata with Santa Fe Opera, as well as performances as soprano soloist for Beethoven's  Symphony No. 9 with the  New York Philharmonic, and Handel's Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Sir  Andrew Davis. 

Madeline received her Masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music.  She lives in NYC with her husband, operatic bass Paul Whelan, and their eleven-year-old son.

Tanya Bannister

Tanya Bannister (Co-creator and Lead Teacher of Instrumental Story Tellers ) is a distinguished private piano teacher with an award winning studio, and a solo performer with a distinguished international career.  She is also Founder and Director of the Alpen Kammer Musik Festival in the Austria Alps.  Her passion for music making and teaching for students of all ages spans the breadth of her various pursuits. 

Lauded by The Washington Post for playing “…with intelligence, poetry and proportion,” Tanya Bannister’s recent victories at the Concert Artists Guild International Competition and the New Orleans International Piano Competition confirm her status among the leading pianists of her generation. Receiving further distinction as an “Artist to Watch” on the cover of SYMPHONY Magazine, Ms. Bannister’s career has already brought her to many of the world’s great concert halls, with recitals at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Salle Cortot in Paris, Teatro Communale in Bologna, Tokyo’s Nikkei Hall, London’s Queen Elizabeth and Wigmore Halls, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Bannister’s extensive recordings include; chamber versions of Chopin Concerto No. 2, Mozart Concerto K. 449 and Schubert Adagio and Rondo, released in the fall of 2012, her debut recording, featuring three late piano sonatas of Muzio Clementi, was released in 2006 on the Naxos label, and her latest recording for Albany Records, This is the story she began, features solo piano music of American composers.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which occurred soon after Ms. Bannister’s victory in New Orleans, she joined forces with three previous winners of that competition to form “Pianists for New Orleans.” These artists performed together across the United States to achieve their ambitious mission to raise $100,000 to help support the classical music community of New Orleans.  Born in Hong Kong, Ms. Bannister holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Yale University, where she studied with Claude Frank, and New York’s Mannes School of Music, where she received an Artist Diploma as one of a handful of pianists selected to study with Richard Goode.

Katelyn Candiello

Katelyn Candiello is a graduate of New York University Tisch School of the Arts where she studied at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. She just finished touring the with the international company of the Wizard of Oz as the dance captain and the understudy for Glinda and the Wicked Witch. She is now the associate choreographer for the production as it travels to China, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. For the past eight summers she has been the head coordinator for the Broadway Bound Summer Workshops in her hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she teaches musical theatre to kindergarteners all the way to eighteen year-olds. She has a strong musical background and studied classical voice and piano for over a decade, and has trained in ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre. Currently Katelyn is getting her masters in Speech Language Pathology where she hopes to aid in vocal rehabilitation.

JASON DELFINO

As an actor, writer, and fashion CEO, Jason Delfino is a true entrepreneur. A native New Yorker, Jason has trained with some of the best in acting industry, such as Anthony Abeson (who has trained talents such as Jennifer Aniston) and Lynn Lipton. Jason has made appearances and guest spots on MTV, FUSE, TRU TV, as well as Broadway performances with the cast of WICKED & HAIRSPRAY. His Appearance on the TRU TV show “Caught Red handed” Has gained over 4.5 Million Views on YouTube. From his MTV commercials, Jason worked with Lauren Francesca, whose YouTube Channel has millions of views. As a voice over actor, Jason has worked for multiple games, and dubbed over new international shows as well. Jason also created his own Video Game inspired Fashion Brand called G.MOBA. G.MOBA was showcased at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Shanghai Comi-Con and Comic Cartoon Game Expo to name a few. Jason is also developing new books for his extended brands called “G.MOBA PAGES” & “G.MOBA AUDIO” which will be available digitally, and on podcasts as episodes soon.

Ella Smith

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Ella moved to NYC to study drama at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ella Smith studied at the Stella Adler Studio and, in her junior year, was selected to attend the Shakespeare program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In addition to her classical training, Ella studied improv and sketch at the Upright Citizens Brigade where she fell in love with comedy.

Ella wrote, starred in, and produced a short comedic film titled “Period.” and wrote an 8 part mockumentary web series about non-union-regional-summer-stock-low-budget theater called “This is B.S.” which she also acted in and produced. The series is currently in post-production.

Her production company ‘Funny Girl Productions’ is currently in its second year and launching a children’s branch titled ‘Funny Kid Productions’. Ella is also an active member of the sketch comedy group Stupid Hot and when not acting, finds great joy teaching acting classes at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.

Ella can be a local hire in NYC, Minneapolis, and Toronto and has dual American and Canadian citizenship.

TIFFANY IRIS

Tiffany Iris received training from Alan Langdon at Circle in the Square Theatre School, with theatrical projects ranging from straight plays to short films. Also a singer, Tiffany played the role of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors for which she was nominated for an Irene Ryan acting scholarship. She recently performed in Riddles of the Trilobites at the New Victory Theater, and is currently part of the Halloween The Wildlife Witches Super Scary Halloween Show at the Bronx Zoo. Tiffany is also a regular performer with the Creative Stage Collective.

As a proud Latina, proving to the world that you can create beautiful, meaningful and fun content without having to be stereotyped, drives Tiffany to continue in this unpredictable yet rewarding career path. Read more about Tiffany HERE.

Katherine McClintic

Katherine McClintic (Dancing Designers, Lead Teacher) is a New York City based Choreographer, and Dancer. She has been teaching dance to 3-12 year olds for 13 years. Katherine first began teaching kids dance classes at Artistic Dance Academy in California, at Turning Pointe School of Dance in Holland, MI and has continued offering workshops, and events for children throughout New York City ever since. Katherine also teaches beginning partner dancing and tap class for adults. She most recently choreographed “Medea” for Columbia University’s MFA Directors program(Dir. Miriam Grill). She also choreographed and developed “Spy in the House of Love” a full-length play based on the novel of the same name written by Anais Nin. Katherine’s choreography has been featured in the short film “Spies?”, the music video “Under the Sky of Your Tough Love”, and a concept film adapted from her work in “Medea”. Katherine has trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Musical Theater, Tap, Swing and Hip Hop since age 5. Katherine dances back-up for the stunning drag queen Pattaya Hart(Plu Sayampol) most recently at The Vic Theater in Chicago, IL and The Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ.  Favorite dance credits include “ASL: Rocky Horror Picture Show”(DeafTheaterofNY) “Singin’ in the Rain”(NCT) and “Grease”(TheLoveShow) She is thrilled to be a part of Dancing Designers with Creative Stage and to take the philosophies of devised theater into a young classroom. www.katherinemcclintic.com

Joel Oramas

Joel Oramas (Comedy Improv and Musical Theater Builders, Lead Teacher) Joel is an enthusiastic performer and teaching artist, with credits including work in Romeo and Juliet (Burning Coal Theater), The Rape of Lucrece (NY Shakespeare Exchange), The Taming of the Shrew (Connecticut Free Shakespeare), to musical theater performances in shows such as Pippin and Man of La Mancha (Jean’s Playhouse), and Avenue Q (Hippodrome Theater). He has also appeared in the London tour of the critically acclaimed work, Prisoner’s Dilemma. As a teacher, Joel has taught young people through the Orlando Shakespeare Festival (Acting/Education Intern), Children’s Stage Adventures (Actor/Educator), and the James Franco Acting and Film School (Voice and Speech Instructor), and during his time as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Florida, where he earned his MFA. Joel continues his work with young people through Curated Care, developing activities that help children develop physically and mentally. Joel is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University, BA and University of Florida, MFA.

Marissa Ryan

Marrisa Ryan (Creator and Lead-teacher, Comedy Improv) is a veteran performer of both stage and screen. Ryan made her screen debut in the 1983 film Without a Trace. From 1989 to 1993, she starred as Elizabeth Cooper-MacGillis in the NBC sitcom Major Dad opposite Gerald McRaney. She later went to star in the Independent films Love Always, Slaves to the Underground, Taylor's Return, and With or Without You. In 1998, Ryan joined the cast of Fox police drama series, New York Undercover as Det. Nell Delaney, during the show's fourth and final season. He guest-star credits include appearances on The Practice, Sex and the City, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order. Ryan co-starred as Abby Bernstein in the ensemble cast satirical comedy film Wet Hot American Summer. She reprised her role in the Netflix prequel series, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp in 2015. She has also appeared in films Don's Plum (2001), Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), and Brooklyn Lobster (2005). Ryan made her directorial debut with the independent short film Three Women of Pain, which she also co-wrote.

GERRY VEGA

Gerry Vega (Musical Theater Builders, Lead Teacher) is a NYC based Singer, Actor, Writer who has most recently self-produced two of his own solo-cabarets: Growing Up? and Pennies From Heaven-- performed at The Duplex Cabaret Theater and Feintstein’s/54 Below.

Gerry has recently partaken in some exciting workshops and readings: Steadfast Tin Soldier (dir: J. Quinton Johnson), ‘Twas The Night (dir: Ted O’Gorman), and, most recently, Actor Therapy sings Spring Awakening at Feintstein’s/54 Below (Moritz/Ensemble)-- to name a few.

He joined Actors’ Equity Association in 2014, and is an active participant of Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver’s Actor Therapy community, where he has coached with Lindsay, Ryan, and other industry professionals, like Kirsten Wyatt, Stephen Sposito, Peter Duchan. He proudly writes for the Actor Therapy community blog, we less #basic.

Gerry plans to spend the next few months manifesting magic over his self-created pilot, Life of [a] Manny. Read more about Gerry HERE

Madeleine Witmer

Madeleine Witmer is a singer, actor, dancer and songwriter from Broadway, Virginia. She graduated with a degree in Musical Theatre and Dance from Christopher Newport University, and then went on to tour multiple productions, including children’s theatre, with Virginia Repertory Theatre. She spent the last two summers at The Ferguson Center for the Arts as part of the company of the “New Musicals Lab,” workshopping multiple productions, as well as the world premiere of Drew Gasparini’s We Aren’t Kids Anymore. Since moving to the city, you may have caught her singing at The Green Room 42, Feinstein’s/54 Below, or as a featured songwriter in Gasparini’s “New Voices” series—which you can find on YouTube along with more of Mads’s original music. 

Madeleine is a regular performer with the Creative Stage Collective.

Caroline StranG

Caroline Strang (Musical Theater Builders, Lead Teacher) has graced the stage as singer, dancer and actor in roles such as Maureen in The Bluest Eye at the Guthrie Theater, as well as iconic fairy tale roles such as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella in Into The Woods with Red House Arts, to name just a few. Also a strong and dedicated teacher, Caroline has both a MFA in Acting Performance from the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and a BA in Vocal Performance from the University of Connecticut, and has nearly a decade of experience in the classroom.

CLARE WASSERMAN

Clare Wasserman (Co-creater and Lead Teacher of Dancing Designers) and has had a rich career as a costume designer with projects ranging from Quentin Tarentino films to Broadway shows.  Career highlights include exciting projects such as; Heidi Klum's Halloween costumes, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the Marc Jacobs costume ball, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Santa costume, and the creation of a Zac Posen dress for the HBO series, Sex in the City. Clare has also collaborated with award winning designers for the Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Side Show and Tuck Everlasting on Broadway,  as well as working with the prestigious Spoleto Opera Festival in South Carolina.

As an arts educator, Clare has held positions such as lead teacher at the Inner-city Arts Camp in Houston, TX, teaching artist at The New Works Festival at the University of Texas in Austin, and the Children Arts Program Coordinator, at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.

REGINA YUNG

Regina Yung (Musical Theater Builders Co-Teacher) a Hong Kong native, has performed as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber musician in numerous venues throughout Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory, and her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Manhattan School of Music.  Regina is currently a member of piano faculty at the St. Thomas Choir School and South Shore Conservatory.  She is also a chamber music coach at Duxbury Music Festival Preparatory Summer program as well as a collaborative piano faculty at Duxbury Music Festival.