Meet Our Staff
Directors
ALISA CLAIRE
Artistic Director
Instructor: Dance/Triple Threat
Alisa Claire is a New York City-based dancer, choreographer and entrepreneur. Her background is in dance, having spent a number of years performing. She is the artistic director of The LMProject, a dance company that specializes in working with and teaching children and teens the art of dance in many forms and styles.
Alisa Claire
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
OWNER
ANASTAS VARINOS
Director of Programming
Instructor: Song Performance/ Triple Threat
Anastas is a grad of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. As a performer, Anastas has performed regionally across the USA - from Ithaca to Birmingham! As a teacher, Anastas draws from his experience as a working actor, and the guidance he has received from some of the top performing instructors in the country.
Anastas Varinos
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING
CARTER LETSKY
Music Director
Instructor: Song Performance/Rock Band
Carter has studied at the University of Rochester where he studies Audio Music Engineering and Music Cognition. As a music director, accompanist and musician, he has worked at a number of theatres across the North Shore. Recent credits include: American Idiot, Songs for a New World, Spring Awakening and West Side Story.
Carter Letsky
MUSIC DIRECTOR
CHRISTINE KASPARIAN
Artistic Director
Instructor: Broadway Breakdown
Christine Kasparian has been entertaining and educating in the performing arts for the past 15 years - from Maine to California! A grad of Bridgewater State University with BA, she opened up LiveLoveMusic Performing Arts Studios servicing the Greater Boston area by providing private voice, piano, and acting lessons. She is currently a music and vocal coach at the Bay Colony Performing Arts Academy in Foxboro, MA. In the fall, she will be music directing Peter Pan at The Norwood Theatre. Her Meraki is Performing Arts Education!
Christine Kasparian
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
OWNER
HUNTER NOBLE LYONS
Director of Operations
Instructor: A Cappella
Hunter is a graduate of McGill University's internationally renowned Schulich School of Music in Montreal. He directed McGill's oldest a cappella group: Tonal Ecstasy, which tours throughout both the United States and Canada. Hunter has performed across Montreal and New England in various jazz ensembles.
Hunter Noble Lyons
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
BEN HAMILTON
Technical Director
Ben Hamilton has seven years of sound and lighting experience in live theater and event environments. Ben has studied at Full Sail University's Show Production and Touring program. He teaches theatre lighting and sound with Sharon Community Education programs. Recent show credits include Spamalot, April Fish, Little Shop of Horrors, Shrek, and The Wedding Singer.
Ben Hamilton
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Staff
JORDAN RAYMOND
Head Counselor
Jordan graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy with a degree in Musical Theatre and is currently enrolled at the New School in NYC with a focus on Arts Management. She is excited to bring her over 15 years of art education experience back to Meraki where she enjoyed summers not only as a counselor, but as a camper as well. The Meraki spirit that was instilled in her continues to drive her passion for the arts to this day and she can't wait to share these amazing two weeks with the entire Meraki family.
Jordan Raymond
HEAD COUNSELOR
GRACE DENONCOURT
Associate Artist
Grace Denoncourt is a graduate of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. She is a jazz vocalist, as well as a film, television, and theater actress, currently based out of New York City. With over 17 years of experience as a working actor, she credits camp with having given her the tools to succeed in her
profession.
Grace Denoncourt
ASSOCIATE ARTIST
ALLISON SCHMIDT
Costumes Instructor
Allison Schmidt is a professional tailor and designer from Salem, Massachusetts. In her years of experience in the field, she has sewn for summerstock productions, off-Broadway shows, and National Tours Of Phantom of the Opera and Anything Goes. Her passion is making custom built fashion and restoring vintage clothing.
Allison Schmidt
COSTUMES INSTRUCTOR
COURTNEY PLATI
Shakespeare Instructor
Courtney Plati has a passion for Shakespeare that started right here at camp when she was a camper! She is a graduate of Salem State University, and she has worked with the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in an intensive summer- long apprenticeship where she gained invaluable skills and knowledge which she has brought back and incorporated into her electives!
Courtney Plati
SHAKESPEARE INSTRUCTOR
JOHN McNEIL
Filmmaking
John McNeil is a graduate from Framingham State University and Boston University's Center for Digital Arts. John has interned abroad in France at the Cannes Film Festival, and is now working as a Grip and Electric in the Georgia Film Industry. John works on on Feature and Short Films year round. He has also worked with Oxygen Network, LifeTime Channel Original movies, Tyler Perry Studios, and more. John also spent 3 years as a Video Editor for NBC Sports Boston and the Celtics!
John McNeil
FILM INSTRUCTOR
MADELEINE CORLISS
Dance Instructor
Madeleine is thrilled to be coming back to camp to teach dance! Madeleine has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Syracuse University where she was also chosen for the Aaron Sorkin LA week. Madeleine has appeared in shows Off Broadway, around the country and at Lincoln Center. When she is not performing, Madeleine teaches dance classes in New York City and is thrilled to be bringing her New York know how and Camp Magic together.
MADI CORLISS
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Azalea Cormier
COUNSELOR
PHOTOGRAPHER
AZALEA CORMEIR
Counselor/Photographer
Azalea Cormier has been going to camp for 11 years. Camp Meraki is where she discovered her love for theater and the arts, and continues to come back to help kids do the same. She has been doing freelance photography for 4 years, focusing on portraits, landscape, and candid photography. She is very excited to be able to capture this year's summer at Camp Meraki!
EMILEE CLAPP
Instructor: Dance
Emilee Clapp has been performing onstage since before she can remember! Emilee is a current senior at Marymount Manhattan College where she majors in Acting with a minor in Musical Theatre, and has performed in A Chours Line; The Drowsy Chaperone; Kiss Me, Kate; Parade; and will be seen in Hamlet in the fall of 2018. Emilee found her Meraki right here at camp!
Emilee Clapp
INSTRUCTOR
HOPE CUSANO
Arts & Crafts Instructor
Hope Cusano is currently attending Marymount Manhattan College where she is majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Studio Art and Music. She has studied drawing and painting under Craig Banholzer. This fall she will have completed her Studio Art minor, and plans to study abroad in Italy to further her skills in studio art. She is thrilled to teach the Arts and Crafts elective that she loved taking when she first came to camp years ago.
Hope Cusano
ARTS & CRAFTS INSTRUCTOR
Megan Dwinell
INSTRUCTOR
MEGAN DWINELL
Instructor: Song Performance
Megan Dwinell is a grad of Pace University with a BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management and a minor in Special Events Marketing. Megan has appeared Off-Broadway and in numerous cabarets throughout NYC. She is continuing her performing arts training at places such as Broadway Dance Center and The Growing Studio. Megan currently works in the city at Ellen's Stardust Diner as part of the crazy performing waitstaff.
SEAN BURKE
Songwriting Instructor
Sean Burke is a current sophomore at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. He has been writing songs ever since his first year at Camp Meraki back in 2011! In addition to being in countless music groups on both coasts, he is also a seasoned studio musician with multiple records and collaborations under his belt. Sean is very excited to be returning to camp this year!
SEAN BURKE
SONGWRITING INSTRUCTOR
ALISON HAMILTON
Instructor
Alison is a current junior at New York University where she studies Education and Political Science. In her spare time, she enjoys directing her A Cappella group Vocollision, which competes in the ICCAs and is releasing an album in the fall. In addition to A Cappella, Alison enjoys stage managing productions with Bookshelf Theatre Company, of which she is currently the president.
ALISON HAMILTON
INSTRUCTOR
Frannie Tracey
COUNSELOR
FRANNIE TRACEY
Counselor
Frannie Tracey is an actor and writer from Boston who uses they/them pronouns. They work with The Theater Offensive's True Colors Troupe, helping to write shows about LGBTQ+ youth and touring the shows across Massachusetts. They can also be seen in the YouTube webseries, Pod17. This is their third year at camp and first year as a counselor. Frannie considers camp a home.
Cassie Seidel
COUNSELOR
CASSIE SEIDEL
Counselor
Cassie Seidel is currently a Theatre Major with a Business and Dance Double Minor at Muhlenberg College. She recently studied at Larry Singer Studios focusing on physical and vocal performance. She is also the 2016 Artistic Roller Skating Junior Dance World Champion. Cassie has a passion for movement and how it affects our emotions and is super excited to be on the Camp Meraki staff!
BRIANNA SEIDEL
COUNSELOR
BRIANNA SEIDEL
Counselor
Brianna is a student at Dartmouth College with a love for the arts! On campus, she is part of a student-run dance group. This summer, she's had the privilege of interning at Mohegan Sun Arena in their Entertainment and Sports department, hoping to further her dream of working in the music industry. She is also part of Team USA for Artistic Roller Skating, competing in the Junior Solo Compuslory in 2017.
SOPHIA BLAKE
Counselor
Sophia is a rising sophomore at Northwestern University where she is a double major in theatre and history. She has been performing on stage since she was six and has been a Meraki camper since she was 10. She can't wait to come back and help another generation of campers find their Meraki!
SOPHIA BLAKE
COUNSELOR
LYDIA UTTER
Guest Instructor
Lydia Utter is a graduate of the Boston University College of Fine Arts. She is an actor, a playwright, a director, a comedian, and a lover of fun. She recently studied in Italy, training in Commedia dell’arte and the Grotowski acting method in the Tuscan hills. She is adamant that she would not be where she is today without her camp family.
Lydia Utter
Seth Loomis
SETH LOOMIS
Guest Instructor
Seth Loomis is a musician, songwriter, and performer from Massachusetts. He works on several different group and solo projects, and is works with genres ranging from electronic to punk music. Currently, Seth studied at Skidmore College, where he is studies Music Theory and Composition.
CELESTE COLELLA
Guest Instructor
Celeste Colella is a graduate of Framingham State University with a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising. Over the years as a counselor and instructor at camp, Celeste has taught the Costume Design & Wearable Arts elective. Here she taught a variety stage/film make up skills and beginning sewing to kids ages 7-15, including zombie make up, latex wounds, skirts, vests, accessories and so much more!
Celeste Colella