New Faces Honors
New Faces Honors for Excellence in Solo Performance – acknowledges thirty (30) students for their dedication and excellence in their craft of acting, dancing, or singing.
New Faces | 2024 features 30 students who have been selected by a panel of CSA casting directors (out of over 100 student audition videos) to participate in a two-hour masterclass in their chosen discipline. This year’s performance coaches include Celeste Simone (Voice), Maura Malloy (Acting), and Phil Colgan (Dance).
Coaches
PHIL COLGAN is a choreographer, performer, and instructor born and raised in NYC. Phil made his Broadway debut in the smash-hit Hamilton after opening the show’s national tour as swing and dance captain, and he can currently be seen in & Juliet, where he serves as assistant dance captain. Phil was Associate Choreographer to Susan Stroman for New York, New York (Tony nom: Best Choreography), and performed Off-Broadway in Andy Blankenbuehler’s Only Gold at MCC Theater. Favorite regional credits include shows at Paper Mill, Ogunquit, Gateway, The Fulton, Maine State, Gateway, and The REV, and TV credits include The Tony Awards, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and The Drew Barrymore Show. Other choreography credits include the LGBTQ+ reimagining of The Wizard of Oz (Geva Theater), Grease (The REV), as well as numerous music videos and charity benefits. Phil was honored with the 2023 Emerging Theater Artist Award from The Theater Hall of Fame, and he continues to share his passion for dance by teaching across the country and at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in NYC.
NISSA KAHLE (Accompanist) is a NYC based pianist and music director. She loves developing new musicals and is passionate about theater education for all ages! Fun Facts: Nissa also plays the accordion and has the cutest puppies in the world. Broadway: Chicago, Great Comet. Selected Off Broadway/Other NYC: Jersey Boys, Desperate Measures, Radio City, Big Apple Circus. She holds a Master of Music degree from Texas State University
MAURA MALLOY works professionally as a director/choreographer, writer, performer, and artist educator. She is thrilled to be joining the New Faces 2023 coaching team! Favorite NYC roles: Helena, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Phoebe, As You Like It; Adriana, The Comedy of Errors; Weird Sister/Lady McDuff, Macbeth; Prospero, The Tempest; The Syringa Tree. Directing/ choreographing credits include Into the Woods, A Little Night Music, Sense and Sensibility, Measure forMeasure, Our Town, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Fiddler on the Roof, Macbeth. For NYC High Schools: Little Shop of Horrors, Les Misérables, Spamalot,
CELESTE SIMONE As a vocal teacher she has worked with Kristin Chenoweth Chita Rivera, Adam Chandler Beret, actress Amy Irving, composer David Shire, Netflix’s The Family Ben Rosenfeld, Nickelodeon’s Michael Cohen and recording artist Eleri Ward. She was the NY
vocal coach on the movie The Phantom of the Opera. Celeste’s voice students have appeared on Broadway in Moulin Rouge, Hamilton, The Lion King, Chicago, Gypsy, Nine, Wicked, Spamalot, Tarzan, The Color Purple, The Book of Mormon, Jersey Boys, Hollywood Arms, The Grinch, The Carnegie Hall concert version of South Pacific, West Side Story, Baby It’s You, Rent, Follies, Next to Normal, Billy Elliot, Peter and the Star Catcher, Shrek, Once, Lés Miserables, Newsies, Kinky Boots, Matilda, Beauty and The Beast, The Producers, The Band’s Visit, A Beautiful Noise and MeanGirls. http://www.celestevoice.com
New Faces in a Solo Performance Honors
Acting
Catinca Balasov
Hunter College High School
William Benowitz
W.T. Clarke High School
Myli Bruno
Rye Neck High School
Kiyari Garcia
Talent Unlimited High School
Marin Gilmartin
Southampton High School
Tela Kopacz
Nyack High School
Olivia Magoloff
Wantagh High School
Sarah Rubinfeld
W.T. Clarke High School
Angela Tin
William A. Shine Great Neck South HS
Devin Williams
Farmingdale High School
Dance
Alyssa Alexander
Wantagh High School
Grace Bellia
Wantagh High School
Nicole Cui
Hunter College High School
Kayla Cuhna
W.T. Clarke High School
Lana Goldsmith
John L. Miller Great Neck North HS
Thea Hwang
Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School
Scott McKiernan
Cardinal Spellman High School
Lianna Menegalli
Wantagh High School
Geanne Rae Reyes
Cardinal Spellman High School
Sabina Sadiq
Hunter College High School
Voice
Haylie Christiano
Nyack High School
Valentina Ferrante
Rye Neck High School
Michelle Harris
William A. Shine Great Neck South HS
Hana Jang
Hunter College High School
Nara Lee
William A. Shine Great Neck South HS
Reilly Mackay
Chaminade High School
Patrick Ruhle
Chaminade High School
Trey Schloss
Nyack High School
Ani Vasquez
Talent Unlimited High School
Rachel You
William A. Shine Great Neck South HS