Mission: Stage Artistry Studios’ mission is to provide the highest caliber of performing arts education to students of all ages and abilities, and to foster individual growth in a caring, supportive artistic community.
In order to accomplish this mission, Stage Artistry Studios:
- Provides a warm, safe environment where students feel encouraged to take risks and grow.
- Surrounds students with expert, conservatory trained teachers who have extensive high level professional credits to serve both as teachers and mentors who encourage students to reach for high standards and their personal best.
- Creates a positive, fun environment where friendships and love for the arts grow and flourish.
- Builds each student's self confidence on and off stage.
- Carefully places each individual student in classes appropriate to his or her age, level, and experience.
- Designs customized courses of study to meet a student's individual needs and goals.
- Builds a framework for students to develop focus, responsibility, and a strong work ethic.
- Fosters a sense of community and teamwork in a non-competitive environment where people strive to do their best while encouraging and supporting their peers.
- Provides a variety of unique performance opportunities for students to demonstrate the new skills they have mastered.
- Celebrates the growth and accomplishments of all students.
Meet the Team
Our teachers have all been conservatory trained and/or professionals in the performing arts industry. Fueled by the passion they have for their craft, they bring their knowledge and experiences to Stage Artistry Studios.
Mary Elizabeth Rich
Founder & Teacher
Mary Elizabeth Rich is originally from New Jersey and has been an industry professional for over twenty five years. She has performed in Broadway National Tours, European tours, countless regional productions, and Las Vegas, as well as in television and film. She did her undergraduate studies at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and completed her graduate work in theatre at Circle In The Square in New York City where she was a recipient of the American Theatre Wing Award. Mary is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA and is delighted to be a working professional in the entertainment industry. She has worked with such stage legends as Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, Lee Roy Reams, Chet Walker and Dorothy Louden. She has taught voice and acting for over 10 years. She created her version of Triple Threat Training to help young performers bridge the gap that exists between singing, acting and dance. This training helps students marry all the important elements of becoming a well-rounded performer in an extremely competitive field. Mary is a big believer in embracing the uniqueness and worth of each individual student while helping them develop their vocal, dance, and acting skills, as well as their overall curiosity of the theatre. She now resides in Lakeville, Massachusetts with her husband and 5 year-old son.
Ian Lewis
Founder & Teacher
Ian has worked in the show production industry for over twenty years. From a young age, Ian knew that he had a passion for recording and audio production. He started working at the local radio station and a few recording studios where he was encouraged and mentored by industry professionals. Ian attended Full Sail University and graduated top of his class with a degree in Show Production and Touring. His career took him all around the United States and the world working for several production companies and finally for Princess Cruise Line where he met his wife Mary. Together with his wife Mary, Ian hopes to impart his knowledge and mentor students in the way that gave him the excitement and dream of producing shows.
Courtney Moniz - Tap, Jazz for Musical Theatre - Hip Hop, Commercial Dance
Courtney Moniz started dancing at the age of two and fell in love instantly. She was a student at Artistic Dance Studio until the age of 19, as a competition dancer and a teacher’s assistant. She graduated from Rhode Island College with a B.S. in Business Management and a Minor in Dance Performance/Education. She graduated with high honors and was recognized and awarded for her outstanding choreography. During her time at RIC she was part of the Rhode Island College Dance Company. Courtney also received the role of the college's residency zumba instructor. Miss Moniz had the pleasure of dancing with Providence Ballet
Theatre during their 2015 season. Courtney has managed and taught various competition teams after graduating from school, and also danced with The Movement Specialists hip-hop company for over 5 years. Courtney has trained with top choreographers in the New York to Boston area and loves to keep growing as a dancer and a choreographer. She enjoys both the business side of it as well as the creative, passionate, teaching side. Moniz continues to dance in professional guest roles in, and around the Boston area. Most Recently Miss moniz danced with 8&1 Dance Company and looks forward to joining
their East Coast Extension. She currently is the director of their board and submissions team. She also is an adjudicator for That’s Entertainment Performing Arts Competition. Miss Courtney is thrilled to be a dedicated teacher, and judge, and thrives off
inspiring the next generation. She looks forward to continuing her professional career as well as keeping her focus on her students and sharing her knowledge and dedication with
them.
Michaela Pendola - Kids Acting / Muscial Theatre - Kids Intro to Triple Threat - Adult Musical Theatre
Michaela Pendola is a graduate of Rhode Island College where she studied Musical Theatre and Dance. In her time at RIC, Michaela had the opportunity to perform with the RIC Dance Company and was cast in multiple theatre productions. Some of her favorite theatre roles were “Mary Anne” in When We Were Young and Unafraid, “Bette” in The Marriage of Bette and Boo and “Magenta” in The Rocky Horror Show. Michaela also worked as the Assistant choreographer for RIC’s productions of Quilters and The Rocky Horror Show, and in 2017, she choreographed RIC’s Growing Stage production of Evil Dead The Musical. In her final year at RIC, she worked as the Student Creative Consultant and Dramaturg for the RIC Dance Company’s original work, “END IT!: Modern Day Slavery”, an educational performance on Human Trafficking. Michaela is grateful for the dedication and guidance of all of the professors at RIC and is so proud to receive her degree from Rhode Island College. Michaela currently teaches dance at studios in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. https://michaelapendola.wixsite.com/2020
Brianna Davis - Broadway Babies, Intro to Dance, Kids Ballet, Tap, Jazz
Brianna is a graduate from Rhode Island College with a B.S. in Community Health and Wellness (with a concentration in Movement Studies) as well as a minor in Dance Performance. As a member of the RIC Dance Company, she was afforded the opportunity to work with several artists and choreographers from across the Nation. She performed as an ensemble member in several RIC Musical Theatre Performances, including Beauty and the Beast, Seussical the Musical, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and performed with The Providence Ballet Theatre for their Christmas Performance of Twas the Night Before Christmas from 2014-2018.
Right after college, Brianna dove into the science field to learn more about the movement of the human body. She has worked within Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and is now developing an assisted stretch and corrective exercise program with a muscular therapy Facility in MA. Brianna's goal is to combine her science and injury prevention knowledge with her passion for dance to help the future generation of performers reach their dreams safely, strongly and with a smile! She is thrilled to be a part of the Stage Artistry Team and is excited to continue to learn and grow with her students each week.
Emily Fleet - Musical Theatre and Group Voice
Emily joins Stage Artistry Studios with a BA in Theatre with a concentration in Musical Theatre from Rhode Island College. Emily runs the children’s theatre program at the GAMM theatre in Warwick and has performed in numerous shows in the area, as well as performing at the Kennedy Center as a National Musical Theatre Fellow Nominee with Jason Robert Brown and Lindsay Mendez. She was also awarded the Richard Maltby Jr. Award in 2019. Emily has also trained at the university level in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Voice and Acting joining the ranks of the true triple threat teachers at Stage Artistry. We are thrilled to have Emily at SAS to share her excellent vocal and acting skills with our students.
Jo Patrick - Master Class Instructor, Musical Theater Dance
Jo graduated from The Baltimore School For The Arts, and performed at King’s Dominion, Opryland, and Walt Disney World. In 1985 he became a principal dancer with the international renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for 15 years. Jo was a lead singer/dancer in the 1st National Tour of Fosse, and a featured performer in A New Day starring Celine Dion at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. His Regional Theatre credits include: Cats (Mistoffelees), Brigadoon (Harry Beaton), Carousel, Oklahoma (Dream Curly), and countless other productions. Jo also traveled the world for 4 years as a guest entertainer for Princess Cruises. He directed and choreographed productions of West Side Story and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at the Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Jupiter, Florida. In 2017, he choreographed Young Frankenstein for Super Summer Theatre at Spring Mountain Ranch. He's been teaching Fosse workshops all over the US and here in Las Vegas for Cirque Du Soleil shows “O”, Zarkana, and “KA”. He is currently a certified BeMoved instructor as well.
Dawn O'Connor - Master Class Instructor, Technical
Dawn has been working in the technical side of theater for the past twenty years as a stage manager and producer. Some of her favorite regional theater credits include Hello Dolly!, Carnival!, Diary of Anne Frank, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Paper Mill Playhouse), Hamlet (McCarter Theatre) Pirates of Penzance (Goodspeed Musicals), Miracle on 34th Street the Musical, Hairspray, and many others. She also worked on the Samuel French Off Broadway Play Festival, and the Goodspeed Annual Festival of New Musicals 2007-2010 where she worked with upcoming Broadway playwrights and students from The Hartt School at Univ. of Hartford and The Boston Conservatory. Dawn has also worked for Royal Caribbean Cruises Live Show & Entertainment division, and has assisted in producing many corporate theatrical events including NYC Fashion Week. Currently, Dawn is an evaluator for Paper Mill Playhouse's Rising Star Awards, a statewide competition of NJ high school musicals. She holds an MFA in Theater and Stage Management from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, a BA in English Literature from Montclair State University, and is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association.
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