Casey Harkness Andrade

FSPA Dance Director, Dance Company Director; Instructor of Jazz, Contemporary, and Dance for Musical Theater

Casey Harkness Andrade is a professional choreographer, educator, and performer. She received her B.A. in dance performance from Rhode Island College where she trained and studied with exceptional choreographers such as Clay Talifaro, Sean Curran, and Mark Taylor. After graduation Casey continued her education at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and Boston Ballet, where she studied weekly in a variety of classes. While a dancer of the Andary Dance Company, Casey had the opportunity to perform at the Cunningham School in New York City and tour the northeast. As a new member of the Franklin Performing Arts Company Casey has enjoyed roles such as Morticia in The Addams Family Musical and the Amayzing Mayzie in Seussical. Casey has also been an adjunct faculty member at Rhode Island College and Dean College, teaching jazz, tap and working with the RIC dance company as assistant rehearsal director. She recently joined the dance faculty at Salve Regina University, once again sharing her passion for jazz dance with SRU dance majors. In 2010 she became an adjudicator and choreographer for the Elite Dance Challenge regional and national competition. Later Casey joined the judges panel for Celebration Talent Competition and Sheer Elite International Dance Competition. Currently Casey is the dance department director at Franklin School for the Performing Arts and the director of the FSPA Dance Company. She teaches a variety of classes in dance and musical theatre as well as creates and facilitates curriculum, placement of students, and performances for the school.  She joined the FSPA faculty in 2011.   

Mariko Matsumura

Instructor of Voice

A native of Tokyo, Mariko Matsumura, Soprano, holds Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music and BM in Vocal performance from the University of Montana. Her solo performance credits include works with the Missoula Symphony, Masterworks Chorale, Opera unMET, New England Light Opera, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, JYUGOYA Ensemble, and Lorelei Ensemble. Operatic performances include Aida, Hansel and Gretel, Der Rosenkavalier, and The Magic Flute. She has also premiered numerous compositions throughout New England and Japan.  An advocate for Japanese cultural outreach programs, Ms. Matsumura has served as artistic director/conductor for Japanese Chorus Ensemble, Chorus Boston. Under her direction, the chorus was invited to present traditional music throughout New England from 2012-2019. Ms. Matsumura studied voice with Robert Honeysucker, D'Anna Fortunato, Elizabeth Vrenios, and Yasuko Ohara, and conducting with Gary Funk. She is on voice faculty at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts. She also serves as Director of Music Ministry at First Congregational Church in Melrose.  Mariko joined the FSPA Music Faculty in 2002.

Raye Lynn Mercer

Director

Founder of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts, Raye Lynn Mercer received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Middlebury College and attended the Vienna International Music Center in Vienna, Austria, where she studied with Maria-Regina Seidlhofer of the Academy of Music. Her teachers included Guiseppe deLellis, Diana Fanning, Gabriel Chodos and Yoriko Takahashi. Pianist, director and choreographer, Raye Lynn has presented 34 seasons of musicals, plays, concerts and dance productions with FSPA and the community-based Franklin Performing Arts Company, established in 1991. Raye Lynn serves as Administrator of the school, oversees the FSPA musical theater program and directs the international touring ensemble Electric Youth. Her school’s student résumés include Broadway’s Matilda and Wicked, Lincoln Center, national Broadway tours, regional companies, European concert tours, Fox-TV’s American Idol, annual performances at Walt Disney World, and placement in top college and conservatory arts programs. Combining profession and hobby, Raye Lynn has directed Symphony of Horses productions across the country. Internationally, she has developed Electric Youth’s professional concert tours in Europe and taught musical theater workshops in Austria and Hong Kong. President and Executive Director of the Franklin Performing Arts Company, Raye Lynn is the visionary behind THE BLACK BOX, a performance and event venue located behind FSPA in the heart of downtown Franklin.    

Clyde Nantais

Instructor of Ballet/Pointe - Pre-Professional Program

Clyde Nantais joined the FSPA Dance Faculty in 1992. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Boston Conservatory and a Master of Education from Temple University. He has performed leading roles in Equity Summer Stock and dinner theater productions. Mr. Nantais danced with Boston Ballet for seven years before teaching in its school for 17 years. He was the principal ballet teacher at the National Institute of the Arts in Taipei, Taiwan. He has served as Ballet Master for the Boston Conservatory Dance Theater, the Berkshire Ballet, and the Pioneer Valley Ballet. As choreographer, he has staged over 50 original works for more than 40 companies and schools worldwide. Mr. Nantais was also the Executive Director of the Boston Dance Company Studios and Associate Director of the Boston Dance Company. He recently retired from teaching Ballet for Musical Theater students at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and has also retired from the faculties of the Boston Ballet and Charlotte Klein Dance Centers.   

Nick Paone

FSPA Drama Director, Instructor of Acting and Improvisation

Nick Paone holds a BA in Theater from Occidental College. A former Equity performer, Nick traveled all over the US performing with TheaterWorks, USA. His regional performing credits include Cabaret, Macbeth, The Wedding Singer, Little Shop of Horrors, Pirates of Penzance and The Tempest. Nick has written, conceived and directed for the Franklin Performing Arts Company since 2001. In 2007 he created FPAC’s Whatever Theater Festival, a week-long festival of one-act plays, Shakespeare on the Common and musical entertainment. Nick joined the FSPA Drama Faculty in 2001.  

Kellie Stamp

FSPA Dance Department Coordinator, Director of FSPA Dance Ensembles, Instructor of Tap and Jazz

Kellie Stamp is a graduate of Stonehill College where she was an active member of the Stonehill Theater Company.  She served on their Board of Directors and competed at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.  After receiving her Masters of Performing Arts Education from Emerson College, she continued her tap and jazz training at the On Stage Academy for the Performing Arts, as well as with Rosemarie Boyden and at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Kellie has also studied Dance for Musical Theater with Broadway actress and choreographer, Leslie Woodies. In addition to teaching dance classes as FSPA, Kellie choreographs for Electric Youth, Broadway Bound, Broadway Light and many FSPA and FPAC productions. She is also the Director and choreographer of CenterStage and Next Step.  Kellie first joined FSPA in 2001. Her performing credits include lead roles in 42nd Street, West Side Story and Sweet Charity, as well as many roles in FPAC productions including Addams Family, Anything Goes, Into the Woods, Humbug!, The Miracle Worker and Little Shop of Horrors.  Her choreography credits include FSPA and FPAC productions of Humbug!, Anything Goes, 'Tis the Season, Cabaret and many others.

Hallie Wetzell

FSPA Vocal Director, FSPA Academy Director, Glee Club, Instructor of Voice

Hallie Wetzell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Occidental College and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from New England   Conservatory of Music. As FSPA Vocal Director, Hallie oversees the FSPA Voice program and serves as music director for all ensembles, as well as productions of the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) and Electric Youth. Hallie was the Vocal Director for the FSPA Children’s Choirs for the professional touring companies of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2000 and 2005 and Evita in 2004. She has been on FSPA’s Faculty since 1998 and became Vocal Director for FPAC in 1999.