Please... •
Turn off your cell phone.
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Refrain from conversation during monologues.
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Remain in your ticketed seat.
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Take a short restroom break when you need it so we can avoid long lines at intermission.
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Unwrap treats quietly & remove all trash when you exit the theatre.
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Photography (without flash) is encouraged.
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Enjoy the show!
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Don’t forget to stop by the merch table!
WELLAN THEATRE Cara Candal, Board Chair Sabeena Chacko Raskin, Vice Chair Jillian Dumas, Secretary Nina Mathur, Treasurer
Presents
SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS based on the original screenplay by Maria Montessori
Starring
THE WELLAN OWL with The entire cast of Wellan Montessori School And more than 300 local child actors. featuring Snack Preparation BEGINNERS
Table Washing PRIMARY
Spelling Checks LOWER EL
Research UPPER EL
Location Scouts VOYAGER
Toddler Wrangling BECKY & CO.
Bead Chains JEN C & CO.
Clock of Eons KAYLA & CO.
Creative Services TEAM TASCHEREAU
Service Learning CAITLIN & CO
Stunt Work & Play MARIA & CO.
Adult Learning VENKI INSTITUTE THE PERRAULT AGENCY
Operations, Revenue, & Legal Affairs J. JOLLY, ESQ.
Stage Management MCKEON & TASKRABBIT ASSOCIATES
Special Events K & K PLANNING
and team
Casting THE GRIFFITHS AGENCY
Ticketing & Seating HOOD, BORDERS & CUSANNO
Graphics BLASE DESIGNS
Digital Media PAN MEDIA
Child Actor Support COLLEEN & COUCH
Script Writing SNOW DAY SCRIPTS
Costumes BLACK & BLASE
Wigs SHEAR NONSENSE
Security FRONT DESK GUARDIANS
Food Service SANDWICH WORKS HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE
An AMS-AISNE Production in collaboration with Sacred Heart Parish
“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts...” William Shakespeare As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII
Director’s Note Welcome to our 2026-2027 production! William Shakespeare famously wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” While he was reflecting on the many roles we each play throughout our lives, his words ring especially true in a school community. Every day, we step into challenging roles that matter deeply— teacher, mentor, counselor, coach, administrator, and leader. Together, we shape a story whose ending still being written. As we celebrate our school’s 20th anniversary, we honor the remarkable cast of educators who have shared this stage over the past two decades. Flip through this playbill. You’ll see the faces of the current cast of extraordinary actors who will bring the 2026-2027 school year to life. Together, we’ll celebrate milestones, navigate challenges, applaud one another’s successes, and create moments worthy of a standing ovation. This year’s theme, Spotlight on Success, reminds us that success is never a solo performance. Like every memorable production, it depends on the talents of an entire ensemble. Behind every student achievement are countless moments of collaboration, preparation, encouragement, and care. Each member of our staff plays an essential part in creating an environment in which every child has the opportunity to shine. Thank you for the role you will play in this season’s production. Here’s to another unforgettable performance—one filled with joy, purpose, collaboration, growth, and, above all, student success. Places, everyone. The curtain will be rising soon.
Ruffling feathers off-broadway Famous for roles on Broadway, the Owl is changing things up by performing at the Wellan Theatre in Newton, MA.
Who? Who? Whooooo??!! Though it sounds like Owl’s nocturnal call, the loud hooting is happening in a school gym rather than a forest. This questioning refrain is being chanted by Elementary students eager to know who will be the guest star of this year’s school production. When drama teacher Jen Taschereau announces that Owl, the famous Broadway star, has accepted the leading role of Mascot, the kids go absolutely bonkers. “I am SO excited,” squeals Josie Galese, a rising 4th grader and founding member of the local branch of Owl Fan Club. Her peer, Miriam Hemberg Mierau, nods in agreement, adding, “I interviewed Owl for our class newspaper last year, but I never imagined that one day we would be performing together!” Meanwhile, in NYC, the tweeting is non-stop. Broadway fans and theatre critics alike are in an uproar.“Everyone is squawking loudly about the impact Owl’s absence from the Broadway stage will have,” said Helen Shaw from The New York Times. “No one predicted Owl would fly north. We had heard Owl was in talks with Lin-Manuel Miranda to star in a hip-hop musical about the life of Larry Bird. There were also rumors about Owl acting and directing a new musical based on Hitchcock’s classic, The Birds. So the theatre crowd is in shock.” Owl’s shiny beak was firmly closed when interviewers asked about the unusual choice of theatre venue for this season. However, a wren close to the actor has leaked information. “Owl has always wanted to inspire children to soar,” said the source. There has been speculation that the lucrative deal Owl signed with a cosmetic company may be a factor as well. Flying from professional acting to a school stage means giving up a celebrity salary. Owl recently became a spokesbird for Oiseau Bleu, the French firm whose luxury products are popular with owls worldwide. This gig may have given Owl the financial freedom to take a break from the pressures of dodging paparazzi. “Whatever the reasons, we’re thrilled to have Owl with us,” said Becky Alukonis, a bird aficionado and school administrator. “The children just love the warm, blue-feathered hugs they get from Owl on the first day of school.” Will Owl eventually return to Broadway? Or fly off to join the Royal Shakespeare Company? Whoooo knows?
Hamilton New York
“Remarkable. Moving. Groundbreaking. Inspiring” - The Wellan Weekly
Annie Chicago
“A generational talent. A gift to behold!” - Classroom Chronicle
Macbeth London
“A beak-dropping spectacle!” - The Boston Voyager
Save the Date: Grades 1-2: 1/21/27 @ 6 PM Grades 3-4: 5/27/27 @ 6 PM Grades 5-6: 4/1/27 @ 6 PM Grades 7-8: 5/20/27 @ 6 PM
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them.” WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Twelfth Night (Act II, Scene V)
SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
BETH
JOE
she/her
he/him
Black
Jolly
Head of School
CFO / COO, Director of Development & Legal Affairs
CAITLIN
AZURAE
she/her
she/her
Director of Curriculum & Instruction*
Director of Enrollment & Marketing
Bowring
Hood
NOTE: An asterisk * after a person’s name signifies another role listed in the relevant section.
DIVISION LEADERS
BECKY Alukonis she/her
JEN
Cardy
she/her
Division Leader, Beginners
Division Leader, Primary
KAYLA
CAITLIN
Stiffler she/her
Bowring she/her
Division Leader Lower Elementary*
Division Leader, Upper Elementary & Middle School*
JEN
MARIA
Taschereau
Gionfriddo
Division Leader, Specials*
Director of Auxiliary Programs
she/her
she/her
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
PRIYA
Venkateswaran she/her
COLLEEN Dischiave she/her
Program Director, Wellan Institute
Director of Student Services*
ERIKA
DEANNA
McKeon she/her
Business & Operations Manager
JODI
Griffiths she/her
Assistant Director of Human Resources & Assistant Director of Teacher Education Programs
BECKI
Fredrickson-Niemi
Warshow
Receptionist
Administrative Associate
she/her
she/her
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
BRITTANY Borders she/her
AMANDA Cusanno she/her
Associate Director of Enrollment and Parent Engagement
Assistant Director of Admissions
HALEY
JENNY
she/her
she/her
Blase
Creative Director*
ER STOP BY A F T T H E S HOW !
Pan
Marketing and Communications Coordinator II
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
AMY
Perrault she/her
KATELYN Lincoln she/her
Professional Development Coordinator*
Assistant Director of Development
MEREDITH
KAYLA
Dourian she/her
Keeling she/her
Assistant Director of Auxiliary Programs
Coordinator of Development & Auxiliary Programs
HELEN
NAOMI
she/her
she/her
Romero Nurse
Shmueli
Library Specialist
BEGINNERS
RAYMOND Niemi he/him
LESLIE Burden she/her
Beginners Teacher Beginners 1
Beginners Assistant Teacher Beginners 1
SARINA
LAUREN
Wilson she/her
Beginners Assistant Teacher Beginners 1
ELISABETH Gomez she/her
Beginners Teacher Beginners 2
Moon she/her
Beginners Teacher Beginners 2
BEGINNERS
ABBY
Zimage she/her
HANNAH Young she/her
Beginners Teacher Beginners 4
Beginners Assistant Teacher Beginners 4
LAURA
PAT
Spicer
Hernandez
Beginners Assistant Teacher Beginners 4
Beginners Teacher Beginners Bridge
JENNY
EMMA
she/her
she/her
Joya
Imamovic
Beginners Teacher Beginners Bridge
Beginners Assistant Teacher Beginners Bridge
she/her
she/her
BEGINNERS
SR. LAURETTA
BETH
Maynard
Kilgallon
Support Teacher Beginners
Support Teacher Beginners & Primary
she/her
she/her
Coming this Winter!
A WEATHER-DEPENDENT MUSICAL
The Sn ow Day produced by THE WEATHER CHANNEL
directed by WELLAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL
PRIMARY
JUTTA
SACHIE
Lossner-Liang
Karmacharya
Primary Teacher Primary 1
Primary Teacher Primary 1
ANA
AMALIE
she/her
Marban-Lorenzo she/her
she/her
Brandvold she/her
Asst. DL, Primary Teacher Primary 2
Primary Teacher Primary 2
ESTHER
HEMA
she/her
she/her
Lee
Primary Teacher Primary 3
Rao
Primary Teacher Primary 3
PRIMARY
SANDRA Fernandes she/her
FIONA Gohery she/her
Primary Teacher Primary 4
Primary Teacher Primary 4
JESS
MIRIAM
Brennan she/her
Valenzuela she/her
Primary Teacher Primary 5
Primary Teacher Primary 5
WEI
BETSY
she/her
she/her
Stanten Primary Teacher Primary 6
Teller
Primary Teacher Primary 6
LOWER ELEMENTARY
EMILY Gangi
she/her
MICHELLE Contos she/her
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 1
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 1
LAURIE
TASHI
she/her
she/her
Gallagher
Haig
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 2
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 2
MICAELA
KAYLA
Pierce she/her
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 3
Stiffler she/her
LE Teacher* Lower Elementary 3
ELEMENTARY
KATIE Kelley she/her
LE Teacher Lower Elementary 3
HERSCHELL Williams he/him
Support Teacher LE - UE
UPPER ELEMENTARY
AMY
Smith she/her
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 1
NOW CASTING! Open Auditions | Contact Admissions@wellan.org
CAROLINE Chizek she/her
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 1
FUTURE SCIENTISTS READERS LEADERS
UPPER ELEMENTARY
WENDY Smith she/her
BRIAN Johnson he/him
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 2
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 2
RUTH
RACHEL
she/her
she/her
Clifford
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 3
BETH Schuch she/her
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 1-3 *
Levy
UE Teacher Upper Elementary 2
VOYAGER MIDDLE SCHOOL
AMY
KASSIDY
she/her
she/her
Perrault
Fann
Math Teacher Middle School
STEM Teacher Middle School
JEFFREY
RYAN
Bigman he/him
History Teacher Middle School
training the biggest stars in the biz since 2018 W EL L A N I N S T I T U T E .O R G
Burden he/him
English Teacher Middle School
SPECIALS
MERAV Rosen she/her
DONOVAN Soucy he/him
Design Lab Specialist/ Maker Space Coordinator
Technology Specialist
VANESSA
HALEY
she/her
she/her
Irzyk
Blase
Art Specialist / Art Program Coordinator
Middle School Art Specialist*
EDSON
ROCIO
Alves
Rodriguez-Balboa
Spanish Specialist
Spanish Specialist
he/him
she/her
SPECIALS
KATIE
BARBARA
Ng
Brousal-Glaser
Music Program Director/ Music Specialist
Music Specialist
RYAN
JEN
she/her
she/her
Jean-Louis
Taschereau
Physical Education Specialist
Drama Program Coordinator and Specialist*
he/him
DANYU Wang
she/her Mandarin Specialist
she/her
LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES
COLLEEN
LYNN
she/her
she/her
Dischiave
School Counselor*
Hall
Learning Specialist
BETH Schuch she/her
Learning Specialist*
NONSTOP FLIGHTS FROM CURIOSITY TO DISCOVERY BOARDING NOW IN EVERY CLASSROOM
AUXILIARY
JULIE
SARA
Clarke
Farizan
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
AVALON
ALIX
she/her
she/her
she/her
Hadley
she/her
Herer
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
DARIUS
GIOVANNA
Hines
he/him
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Pritsoulis she/her
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
AUXILIARY
CHRIS
ALLIE
he/they
she/her
Schafale
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Sowa
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Thank You To Our Supporters We appreciate all the ways the Wellan Board of Trustees supports our school’s hard-working actors.
OFFICERS Cara Candal, Chair Sabeena Chacko Raskin, Vice Chair Jill Dumas, Clerk Nina Mathur, Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
AREA EDUCATOR TRUSTEES Kate Spelman, Head of Upper School Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
ALUMNI PARENT TRUSTEES Davina Harris Avi Spier
WELLAN PARENT TRUSTEES Purvi Agarwal Tom Carter Sree Chaguturu Erica DeRosa Nicki Eastburn Bob Kane Dana Lau Ashwin Rajendra Ruben Rodrigues Jon Schaffrath
AUXILIARY
EM
Townsend they/them
LUM Urban she/her
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
JENELLE
SOREN
she/her
they/them
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
EVA
BELLA
she/her
she/her
Williams
Strauss Auxiliary Programs Teacher
Shahan
Rees
Auxiliary Programs Teacher
! U O Y H EY JOIN THE
OWL
FAN CLUB!
Everybody tion loves the Satisfac Wellan 100%teed Owl, but uaran G you’re a cut above the rest. Did you know that you can show your love in an even BIGGER, BETTER, ultra-fashionable, and super-trendy way? Make a tax-deductible donation to the Wellan Annual Fund to OFFICIALLY join the WELLAN OWL FAN CLUB today!
scan here to donate!
How many have you seen? A BITE OF DRAMA!
WHOOO SOLVED IT?
YO HO, BRAVO!
DRACULA
SHERLOCK HOLMES
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LEGENDS TAKE FLIGHT
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MORE, MORE, MORE!
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A BALL TO REMEMBER
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CINDERELLA: YOUTH EDITION
MORIARTY’S DAUGHTERS
SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC FLUFFYFEATHEROCIOUS
Take a seat in “your own little chair” for a Fairy Godmother with a bit of an edge, an angsty teen Prince, and a magically musical fairy tale ending. A 2025 Production
Two sisters uncover problems, plots, and escapades more convoluted than anything Arthur Conan Doyle could conjure. A 2026 Production
A chipped tooth, a fairy named Garlic, and a whole bunch of colorful characters team up in this spectacularly re-imagined classic. A 2023 Production
Lost in the woods with no land, water, stars or sun in sight, four campers ask the wind to breathe its stories back into the world. A 2024 Production
MARY POPPINS “A practically perfect production” featuring beloved characters, unforgettable songs, and supercalifragilistic fun. A 2026 Production
The Standing Ovation Your Feathers Deserve. Not all gloss is created equal. Engineered for birds with places to be and audiences to impress.
Glamor for Owl Ad
OISEAU BLEU Pleins feux sur l a réussite