Setting the Stage for Tomorrow's Stars

Todd is the Executive Director and Founder of Syracuse Children’s Theatre (SCT), which began operations in January of 1999. Under Todd’s leadership, enrollment in SCT programs increased from 250 students in the first year to over 800 students in the most recent school year, representing a 400% growth. Prior to founding SCT, Todd co-founded and served as Producing Director of Syracuse Civic Theatre, which produced professional quality community theatre at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center from 1995 to 2008. In Syracuse Civic Theatre’s 14 seasons, Todd produced over 100 full-length musical, dramatic, and Shakespearean productions, which included over 2,000 students performing in leading and chorus roles. From 1990 to 1994, Todd served as Assistant Professor of Theatre at Kentucky Wesleyan College where he taught classes in acting, directing, and public speaking and directed 12 theatrical productions. At Kentucky Wesleyan, he also developed the Classics for School Program, which offered productions such as Romeo and Juliet, All My Sons, The Pirates of Penzance and Hamlet to more than 10,000 students. While attending graduate school at Florida Atlantic University, Todd served as personal assistant to Broadway director and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Joshua Logan, and directed current Broadway star and three-time Tony nominee Marc Kudisch in two productions.

Todd holds an MFA in Directing from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Speech & Theatre from Kentucky Wesleyan College. Todd has won numerous awards for his productions and leadership in the theatrical community, including two Syracuse Area Live Theatre (SALT) awards for productions through the Syracuse Civic Theatre. 

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Todd@sctkids.com

Kellie is the Associate Director for Syracuse Children’s Theatre (SCT), having previously served as Director of Creative Dramatics and Director of Acting.  Kellie is a member of New York State Theatre Education Association. She has directed numerous shows for SCT, including: Disney’s High School Musical 2, Disney’s Camp Rock, 13 The Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Wipeout, Night at the Wax Museum, and The Little Mermaid. As an actress in Central New York, Kellie’s favorite roles include: Rosalind in Shakespeare’s As You like It, Ado Annie in Oklahoma!, Bombalurina in CATS, Wicked Witch of the West, in The Wizard of Oz, Edith Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, and Curly’s Wife in Of Mice and Men. Kellie has also performed with Bless the Mark Players at the Sterling Renaissance Festival and the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway One Act Theatre Festival in Galoshes.

Kellie holds a BS in Communications from Ithaca College. In 2011, she received the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 Award for her civic involvement, volunteerism, and contributions to the growth of Syracuse Children’s Theatre. When not in rehearsal or on stage, Kellie teaches Zumba, Zumbatomic, and Aqua Zumba at Syracuse University, Fayetteville Family YMCA, Jewish Community Center, and SCT. 

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Kellie@sctkids.com

Nikita holds a BA in Music from SUNY Oswego and is thrilled to be a part of the Syracuse Children's Theatre family, having grown up performing in shows with SCT since a young age. Some of her favorite theatrical credits include 'Peter Pan' (Peter Pan), 'Cats' (Mr. Mistoffelees), 'Oklahoma' (Ado Annie), and 'High School Musical' (Kelsi). She began her dance education at the age of five at Center of Ballet and Dance Arts and she continued dancing throughout her college experience in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and modern. Branching out from musical theatre, Nikita has also performed in several operas with Syracuse Opera Company as well as several ballets including 'The Adventures of Rudolph' and 'The Nutcracker'. While taking a brief hiatus from college, she taught English for two years in an International Kindergarten in Beijing, China. Aside from teaching English in a Montessori environment, she also was a certified KinderMusik instructor and taught an after school World Music class. She hopes to continue sharing her love of music and dance through her compositions, performances, and other creative outlets.

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Nikita@sctkids.com

Babs is thrilled to be joining on as Education Director at SCT. She was one of the original campers that started in 1999. It was here where her passion of theater grew. She was avid in the community theater scene of Syracuse performing at Syracuse Civic Theatre and the Town of Manlius shows. Babs holds a BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory. She had the privilege of being asked to do a master class with Barbara Cook. She was a cover soloist with the New England Philharmonic, and a soloist with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus. Babs has worked at regional theaters such as The Goodspeed Opera House, Seacoast Repertory Theater, New London Barn Playhouse, and the Hanna Theater. She has done many NYC workshops and readings of new musicals and has traveled the country with Broadway’s 1st National Tour of PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT. Babs has also been teaching and coaching many children over the years. She has also taught at The Conservatory at Hillbarn Theater in Foster City, CA.

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Babs@sctkids.com

Liana began teaching at SCT in 2017. Since then, she has music directed and directed more shows than she can keep up with! Liana earned both her BM and MM in Music Education from Syracuse University. During her time at SU, she had some of the most incredible musical experiences of her life, including studying voice at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France, as well as touring and competing internationally in both France and Bulgaria with the Syracuse University Singers, SU’s most select choral ensemble. Currently, Liana teaches 5th and 6th grade chorus and general music as well as pre-k general music at Solvay Middle School. In addition to her public school teaching, Liana also teaches private voice and piano.

Jalynn has been at SCT since she was 8. She fell in love with the staff, people, and community and has been with us ever since. Jalynn loves working at SCT, helping the kids, and watching them grow as actors. Working with the kids is her favorite part of the job. Jalynn’s favorite thing to do during her free time is dance. She has been dancing since she was 6 years old. Starting in the Fall Jalynn will be attending Le Moyne College with a major in Marketing and minors in Dance and Arts Administration.

Lindsay Hebert is thrilled to be a part of the SCT staff. She has participated in many school and community theater productions. Some of her favorite roles in Cosette (Les Miserables), Mable (Pirates of Penzance), and singing the role of Christine (Phantom of the Opera). Lindsay has been accepted into All Counties and Area All states for choir and trombone, and sung in the 2020 All Nationals Mixed Choir. She enjoys dancing at the Ballet and Dance Center, working with Front Row Players, and teaching piano lessons. Lindsay is attending the Crane School of Music to study music education because she loves working with children and inspiring their love for music.

Lisa began working at SCT as a music director in winter 2016. Lisa has also directed SCT shows including: The Rockin' Take of Snow White, Willy Wonka Jr., Seussical the Musical Jr., Madagascar Jr., and Moana Jr. 

 Lisa holds a BM and a MM in Music Education from Syracuse University. Lisa remains involved in theatre when she isn't in Syracuse by playing in pit orchestras and working with community theatres. In 2020 she received an achievement award from the Theatre Association of New York State for her choreography in a production of High School Musical. During the school year, Lisa teaches high school band and dance classes in Olean, NY. 

Corina Miller grew up in Syracuse, NY where she danced competitively for many years. She then went on to receive a BFA in Dance from The College at Brockport in 2014. Corina has been lucky enough to study with great dancers such as Jon Lehrer, Bill Evans, members of the Taylor 2 Dance Company and more. Throughout her time at Brockport, and after graduation she has had the opportunity to participate in multiple professional performances, including Inside/Out at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Rochester Fringe Festival, and The American College Dance Festival. Post college, Corina went on to teach Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and Contemporary in Syracuse, NY at CMC Dance Company before spending a year in New York City, furthering her dance education, and dancing with various modern dance companies. She has spent the last year teach various styles of dance in studios across Buffalo, NY and looks forward to passing on her knowledge and love of dance to the students at the Syracuse Children's Theatre.

​Jessica started out as a student at SCT and has been with Syracuse Children’s Theatre for the past 8 years. She loves dance and has a passion for choreography and absolutely loves working with children. She has been a part of over 40 musical theatre productions throughout her high school career. Some of her favorite roles she’s played are Maui (Moana), Tanya (Mamma Mia), Chicago (Liz), and Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty). Jess has been dancing ever since she was little, with training in the styles of tap, ballet, jazz, and musical theatre. She will be attending PennWest California University in the fall to study event planning and management as well as play on the women’s golf team. 

Hannah Sywulski has 9 years experience performing with SCT. She went from student to intern, and is now very excited to be a staff member. Hannah plans on studying music education in college, and hopes to dual major or minor in theatre. Hannah plays piano, French Horn, and is trained on voice. Some of her accomplishments include being selected for Area All State Ensembles in French Horn and voice for the past 3 years, and being selected for Conference All State on voice this year. She also founded a drama club at her local elementary school, and has directed two shows there. Hannah also loves acting, some of her favorite roles include; Mme. Thenardier (Les Miserable School Edition), Maria (Sound of Music), Lucy (13!), Belle (Beauty and the Beast Jr.), and so many others. Hannah is extremely excited to be on staff, she loves teaching kids, and can’t wait to inspire more children through the art of musical theatre!

Carrie Wilson has been teaching with SCT since 2000. She is the vocal/general music teacher at Phoenix Middle School with 17 years of teaching experience. She also has 21 years experience teaching private piano and voice lessons, with former students appearing on Broadway, auditioning for The Voice, and attending Eastman School of Music. Her own children have been student performers at SCT since 2008. Her onstage performance credits include numerous productions with Syracuse Civic Theater, Theater 90, Star Productions, Town of Manlius Productions, and CNY Playhouse. Favorites include Godspell, Joseph, Annie,  Charlotte’s Web, Oliver, and A Christmas Story. Carrie has also been a pit performer on piano for Suessical, The Music Man, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Singing in the Rain, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, and Annie.  Carrie is excited to join summer staff for Cinderella’s Glass Slipper in August. 

Cheryl Wilkins-Mitchell earned a BFA in Classical Ballet and minored in Modern (Horton) from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). She is a member of American Federation of Television and Radio Artists( AFTRA). She danced with the Dance Theater of Harlem (apprentice), Contemporary Dance Theater of Cincinnati, Bill & Jacui Landrum Dance Theater, William Couser Dance Theater, R’Wanda Lewis Afro-American Dance Company, Ruby Millsap Dance Theater, Syracuse Ballet Theatre, Southwest Jazz Ballet and Theater Under The Stars (TUTS, Houston). Cheryl spent over a year touring in South America with a Walt Disney Productions and NBC Entertainment dance company. Locally she performed with Syracuse Stage, SSO, Syracuse Community Choir and the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company (PRPAC) including their Trinidad and Tobago Tour of the acclaimed show “What’s Going On.” Shows: Cabin in the Sky, Death and the King’s Horseman, Bubbling Brown sugar, Buffalo Chips, Faith, Hope and Charity: A Tribute to Mary McLeod Bethune Films: The Main Event, Deathtrap, King of Comedy, Voices From The Edge TV: Blues and Gone WGBH Boston,For Heaven’s Sake Los Angeles. 

Wilkins-Mitchell’s notable teaching credits include such institutions as the Dance Theatre of Harlem as assistant to Karl Shook (children’s class), Inner City Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the Northwest Houston Dance Academy, SU and LeMoyne College. Cheryl Wilkins-Mitchell was founder and director of the Onondaga Dance Institute for thirteen years. She is currently on faculty at SUNY Oswego in the School of Communication, Media and the Arts and has choreographed several of the theater productions—The April Witch, 1940’s Radio Hour, Big: The Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Devils, Soldiers and Souls. She co-choreographed fully staged production of The Pearl Fishers for the Syracuse Opera. She is a select choreographer for the Society for New Music Vision of Sound. Wilkins-Mitchell served as the dance coordinator at the SU South Side Initiative Kuumba Project. Most recently served on the faculty of the Ballet and Dance Center and director of the DTS School.

Ms. Mitchell was a Teaching Artist in regional arts institutions for many years. She served on the NYSCA Dance Panel for three years and was a dance representative on Senator DeFrancisco’s Young Artist Development Program Board as well as a recipient of the DeFrancisco Individual Artist Award. Cheryl Wilkins-Mitchell is the recipient of numerous community awards; the Community Service Award from the Syracuse Chapter of the LINKS, Inc., the 2000 Martin Luther King Jr Unsung Heroes and Heroines Award from Syracuse University, the Marjorie Dowdell Fortitude Award from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., honoree of the National Council of Negro Women, and a Builders of Communities and Dreams Award from the Syracuse Commission for Women. Former Mayor Matt Driscoll proclaimed May 30, 2003 Cheryl Wilkins-Mitchell Day in the City of Syracuse, while former County Executive Nicholas J. Pirro recognized her work through ODI with a Community Recognition Day Award. Syracuse/Onondaga County NAACP honored her with the Freedom Community Service Award 2014. 

Wilkins-Mitchell is the mother of two adult children - Masai and Aisha. Her mantra is to be “creatively progressive and culturally significant.” She looks forward to sharing the gift of dance with SCT.