Simon Duffill | Page 3 | SELLWOOD STUDIO

Samantha Lax

Soprano Samantha Lax has received praise for her “winning voice & scene-stealing charm.” Making a career in opera, Samantha has been seen on stage with Indianapolis Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, OperaDelaware, Light Opera of New Jersey, Baltimore Concert Opera, and more. She is also a busy choral musician, singing with multiple New Jersey based ensembles as well as the Princeton/Philadelphia based recording ensemble, The Same Stream.

Samantha holds her Master of Music from New England Conservatory and her Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College. As a performer, Samantha specializes in contemporary British and American repertoire but has a soft spot for musical theatre. She, along with her family raises puppies for the Seeing Eye and is always happy to see dog photos.

Natalie Pereira

Natalie Pereira is a writer, singer, teacher, and performer based in New Jersey. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.A. in Music with Performance Honors and a B.A. in English and Textual Studies. Natalie writes and performs her own original music, singing at venues such as 54 Below, and is working on and performing in new and developing musicals. Her first solo album is slated to be released soon!

Natalie has fully immersed herself in the New Jersey youth theater community, directing and music directing numerous shows. She has performed, directed, and music directed at the Summit Playhouse, a venue close to her heart (notably – The Prom, Seussical Jr., and many more); music directed and taught at Centenary University’s Youth Performance Workshop; and run various theater and voice classes at the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. She is an active vocal teacher and coach, working with students from kindergarten to post high school.

Natalie is invested in using art and expression to build confidence, relationships, and happiness. As a teacher, she believes in building strong foundations in technique while finding and fostering each student’s individual voice.

Deborah Williams

Deborah has had an extensive career culminating with thirteen seasons with the world renowned Metropolitan Opera. She has sung in every major concert hall in New York.

Her career with the New York City Opera spanned twenty-four years and included works that ranged from Broadway and Operetta to Wagner including many appearances on PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center.

Deborah has worked with such Broadway greats as Rebecca Luker, Susan Stroman, Paul Gemignani, Eric Stern, Scott Ellis, Karen Ziemba and Tony Roberts, among others. Her touring resume includes ten national and international tours of both musical comedies and operas.

As a keyboard artist,she was awarded the Paderewski Medal by the National Association of Teachers of Piano.
Deb has a Bachelor of Voice Performance degree from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Master of Music Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College of Rider University. She is currently the Music Director at the Church of St. Rita on Staten Island.

John Ertman

John is a professional writer, director, and actor based in New York. John has written two musicals, Alone (American Music Theatre Project, Concept Album) and Mews (Commissioned in 2023 by The Tank) with collaborator, Joseph Mathusek.

He has independently produced three pop albums: The Abbey Road Live Session, Idle Growth, and Reality and has had his work performed at venues such as 54 Below and The Bedford. In addition, his music has been recorded at acclaimed studios including Abbey Road, Power Station NE, and The Bridge.

John is an award winning director of immersive theatre, internationally recognized by critics for his innovative approach. Selected awards include: Best New Media Award (Lonely Wolf UK 2023), Audience Choice for Best Interactive Experience (FIVARS 2021), and 4x Critics’ Picks for Best Interactive Theatre (Medium/No Proscenium 2020-2022).

As a performer, John originated a role in Fifty-Seven at APAP in 2023 and led The Mosquitical as Newman at NYMTF. John earned a B.A. in Communications from Northwestern University, where he majored in Theatre and was a member of the inaugural class of the Music Theatre Writing & Composition program. John is also a student of several established composers including Mark Hollmann (Urinetown), Masi Asare (Paradise Square), Craig Carnelia (Working), and Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop).

Tom Sellwood – Principal

Tom Sellwood is an award-winning performer and vocal coach whose career spans Broadway, London’s West End, and international stages. His credits include leading roles in major musicals, national tours, and acclaimed concert work across the U.S. and U.K.

As Studio Director of Sellwood Studio of Performing Arts, Tom is best known for his work as a teacher and mentor. His students have won countless awards, including NATS National Championships, YoungArts recognition, and top placements in regional and national competitions, and they have earned admission to some of the most competitive collegiate theatre and music programs in the country.

Tom specializes in guiding young singers toward healthy, sustainable technique and authentic storytelling. Whether preparing a student for a Broadway audition, a college prescreen, or their very first solo, he brings a rare combination of artistic expertise, clarity of instruction, and deep care for long-term vocal development.

Annual Governor’s Awards Winners

We are so proud of our talented Sellwood Studio students who competed at the Annual Governor’s Awards Competition hosted by Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey (STANJ). Congratulations to Caroline Byrne, Lauren Byrne, Sophie Santoriello, Jonas Wilcox,Jack Howden and Becca Axler for their outstanding performances and placements in various categories. Their hard work and dedication truly paid off!

Special shout-out to Jonas Wilcox for placing 1st in Contrasting Monologues, Jack Howden for placing 1st in Character Analysis and being a finalist in the Dramatic Pair category and Becca Axler for placing 6th in Musical Solo.

We are thrilled to see our students achieve such impressive results in this highly competitive event that involves hundreds of students from high schools throughout New Jersey.

Young Arts Award for Voice

Congratulations to Katie Holzer for her incredible accomplishments! Not only did she land the lead role of Mal in Descendants at Montclair Kimberley Academy, but she also won the prestigious YoungArts Award for Voice in Popular Music category.

The YoungArts National Competition winners are chosen for their caliber of artistic achievement by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through an adjudication process that includes multiple rounds of review. This award recognizes work that demonstrates exceptional technique; a strong sense of artistry; and a depth of thinking/performance that exceeds the level of peers at this career stage. In addition to a monetary award, Katie will receive a medallion, a lifetime of creative and professional support, and access to YoungArts Post—a private, online portal for YoungArts artists to connect, share their work and discover new opportunities.

Katie, we are so incredibly proud of you and look forward to see what else the future has in store for you!

NATS NYC Success

We are incredibly proud of all our amazing students who competed in the NATS NYC Student Auditions yesterday! Their talent, hard work, and dedication truly stood out, and we are beyond excited to celebrate their achievements.

Every single participating student earned scores in the 90s.

Congratulations to all our incredible performers:

A special shoutout to our winners:

Children 1A

2nd Place: Olivia Shapiro

3rd Place: Sienna Sellwood

Children 1B

2nd Place: Scarlett Hamilton

Youth 2A

1st Place: Jake Naughton

2nd Place: Miya Behrmann

Youth 2B

1st Place: Scarlett Sellwood

Upper High School, Musical Theatre

2nd Place: Lauren Byrne

2nd Place (a tie!): Delilah Rowe

We are so excited to see what’s next for these rising stars as they head into regionals!

Perry Award for Outstanding Youth Actor

Exciting news! Ren Bailey, a student of Ms. Ashley’s, has won the prestigious Perry Award for Outstanding Youth Actor in a Play! Ren’s captivating performance in Chatham Community Players’ Jersey Voices One Act Festival 2023 earned this well-deserved recognition. Congratulations Ren, we are so proud of you!

NATS National Champion

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SELLWOOD STUDIO | Where talent grows

Author: Simon Duffill