Teacher | Performing Arts & Voice Lessons Madison NJ

Vanessa Dressler

Vanessa is a recent graduate of Drew University with a strong background in education, performance, and stage management. In addition to teaching at Sellwood, she serves as the Studio and Camp Operations Manager, where she oversees programming and supports students, teachers, and families within the studio. She has also works on the production team for Sellwood’s licensed productions, with recent credits including Beetlejuice Jr., Legally Blonde Jr., Frozen Jr., and High School Musical Jr.

As a performer, Vanessa has extensive experience in musical theatre and choral performance, having performed at renowned venues such as Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall. In addition to performing, she has worked extensively behind the scenes as a stage manager, assistant director, and wardrobe supervisor, giving her a well-rounded understanding of the theatrical process from rehearsal to performance. She is the recipient of multiple arts and leadership awards, including a Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star nomination, and continues to deepen her understanding of the art by serving as a judge for the Carteret Awards each spring.

Vanessa strives to create a supportive, high-energy environment where students feel safe to take risks, try new things, and have fun while learning. She is passionate about making theatre a joyful and empowering experience for every child and is committed to helping students grow not only as performers, but also as confident, expressive individuals.

Ella Bennett

Ella is an experienced administrator, educator, and performer. She received a B.A. in Theatre from Bard College and worked professionally as an actor before transitioning into education and administration.

Her performance credits include multiple horror films for Tubi TV, Shakespeare, and community theatre productions with Chester Theatre Group. She is also a recipient of a New Jersey Film Award and a NJ Act Perry Award nominee.

Ella has developed educational programming for summer camps throughout New York and New Jersey, as well as for the YWCA of Princeton. Previously, she served as Assistant Director of Operations at the Primrose School of Bedminster.

She is passionate about supporting the arts, creating meaningful educational experiences, and building community through her work.

Diane Fox

Diane is an accomplished mezzo-soprano and voice educator with over two decades of teaching experience, working with singers of all ages across a variety of musical styles.

As a performer, Diane made her international operatic debut at the Bolshoi Opera opposite legendary Metropolitan Opera bass Jerome Hines and toured nationally with the New York City Opera National Company. Her extensive career has included leading roles in operas including Aida, Il Trovatore, Don Carlo, Rigoletto, and Samson and Delilah, as well as concert performances in the United States and internationally.

Throughout her teaching career, Diane’s students have gone on to study at prestigious conservatories and universities and pursue professional opportunities across opera, musical theatre, jazz, rock, and contemporary music, including performances with Chicago Lyric Opera, Carnegie Hall, and Feinstein’s/54 Below.

Adrienne Mckeown

Adrienne Mckeown has taught voice in New Jersey for two decades. She teaches multiple musical styles, with technique firmly rooted in healthy, natural vocalism.

She played the role of Christine in Phantom of the Opera for ten years, including six years on Broadway. She has also been a guest soloist with major symphonies including the Cincinnati Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Adrienne’s students have performed on Broadway and National Tours in shows including Mean Girls, Beetlejuice, Fiddler on the Roof, Tina, Les Miserables, Matilda, Fun Home, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and on NBC’s The Voice. Her students have been admitted to prestigious voice and musical theatre college programs including Carnegie Mellon, the Cincinnati Conservatory, NYU, and the University of Michigan.

She is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and attended the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Influential teachers have included Richard Miller, Barbara Honn, Rita Shane, and Richard Lissemore.

She lives in Madison with her husband and their dog.

Deanna Knudsen

Deanna Knudsen is a theater producer currently co-producing the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Lost Boys. Through her production company, Elemeno (named for her kids: L, M, N, O!) Theatricals, she is passionate about creating more theater for multigenerational audiences.

Previously, Deanna led the education department at CMT San Jose for seven seasons, where she oversaw classes, camps, student matinees, and educational programming for ten productions each year while working annually with the National High School Musical Awards (Jimmy Awards). She also brings film and television experience from Pixar Animation Studios and William Morris Endeavor.

Deanna is thrilled to join the Sellwood Studio team for The Addams Family and looks forward to sharing her love of theater and arts education with the community.

Matt Mancuso

Matt is an actor, dancer, and musical theatre performer based on the east coast. He has performed at such regional houses like Walnut Street Theatre, Music Theatre of Connecticut, and has been a member of premiere casts on both east and west coasts. He has trained at such prestigious institutions As The Baron/Brown Studio in Los Angeles and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. As a Professional Ballroom dancer, he has performed, instructed, and competed nationally in the American Rhythm style of ballroom dance.
Throughout his professional dance career, Matt has been a finalist in many competitions. He has danced in numerous live shows and has trained with well-known choreographers: Anna Trebunskaya, Carolina Orlovsky, Corky Ballas, and Jonathan Roberts. As a Musical Theatre choreographer, he has been an assistant on a productions of Evita and Rent and is a two time NJ Act Perry Award nominee for Guys & Dolls and Reefer Madness with his choreography/ business partner Amanda Papa.

Nicole Karrs

Mezzo-soprano Nicole Karrs is a recent graduate of Stony Brook University, where she earned a Doctorate in Vocal Performance. With over 10 years of private teaching experience, she had previously taught undergraduate voice at Stony Brook. On stage, Nicole has performed in a variety of roles with Stony Brook Opera, including Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Costanza in L’Isola Disabitata, and Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring.

As a young artist, Nicole has showcased her talents in both musical theatre and opera productions with regional companies such as Central Florida Lyric Opera, Nickel City Opera, Miami Music Festival, TUNDI Productions, and most recently, the Northern Lights Music Festival. Among her favorite roles are Madame de la Haltere in Cendrillon, Olga in Eugene Onegin, and La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica.

Evan Waaramaa

Evan Waaramaa is a performing musician, composer, educator and content creator currently living in New York City. He can often be spotted playing fusion jazz on a red keytar at Manhattan clubs like Groove, Harlem Nights, and Silvana.

He can also be spotted in a wide variety of music videos performing with artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Troy Ramey. He routinely releases compositions and music analysis videos at his YouTube channel BitBlitz. And in the summers he can be found leading rock bands and recording classes as the head of Creative Arts at Park’s Music Department in Brookline, MA.

Combined with his experiences as a private instructor and having taught at NYU Steinhardt Evan has experience teaching students from a wide range of backgrounds.

Joseph Mathusek

Joseph Mathusek is a composer, performer, pianist, and director based in New Jersey. During his studies of vocal performance at Brigham Young University-Idaho, Joseph has performed various new musical works such as: That They May Have Joy (Ethan Wickman) and A Song Cycle (Ryan Terry). Joseph is also a highly sought after accompanist by vocalists and instrumentalists alike.

Joseph has composed a number of both large and small-scale works ranging from theatre pieces to commissioned choral arrangements that have been performed for thousands of audience members. Together with collaborator John Ertman, Joseph has written two musicals: Alone (American Music Theatre Project, Concept Album), And Mews (Commissioned 2023).

Joseph is an experienced private educator, teaching both voice and piano to students of all ages and backgrounds.

Connie Teng

Connie graduated with a BA from Northwestern University and has had a diverse and dynamic career.

She grew up dancing, starting with ballet and later expanding her repertoire to include lyrical, jazz, theater dance, and hip hop.

After performing professionally in musicals, she transitioned to straight theater, as well as television and film.

Connie has appeared in numerous regional and national commercials and had roles in major TV shows and films, including The Sopranos and Law and Order: SVU.

Today, Connie is focused on empowering others through coaching, leveraging her unique blend of experience from both the performing arts and the corporate world. She specializes in career and leadership coaching for working professionals and is passionate about mentoring and coaching young actors. You might also recognize her as one of the sassy moms in Tom and the Moms!