Rosemary Newcott (Director) is the Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth and Families and has worked at the Alliance since 1988. Her directing credits include The Jungle Book, Alice Between (premiere); A Christmas Carol; Cinderella and Fella (premiere); Slur (premiere); Waiting for Balloon (premiere); The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Pearl Cleage’s Tell Me My Dream (premiere); Courage (premiere); The Wizard of Oz; Seussical; Class of 3000 Live! (premiere); Go Dog Go!; Einstein Is a Dummy (premiere); The Book of Ruth; The Hobbit; and many more. She directed the Alliance’s Palefsky Collision Project for its first 10 years and pioneered the Alliance’s innovative Kathy and Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young. Favorite directing experiences on the national scene include Jason Invisible and Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical for the Kennedy Center and Frida Libre for La Jolla Playhouse. Rosemary was named an Atlanta Lexus Leader of the Arts in December 2001 and received the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Fellowship. The Atlanta Journal- Constitution named her best director of the year in 2002 and, in 2005, she won the GTC Distinguished Career Award. She is a 2009 recipient of the Princess Grace Special Projects award and several Suzi awards, including the 2010 Spirit of Suzi Bass Award. She has served on the boards of TYA/USA and Kennesaw State University’s theater department. Rosemary has degrees from Northwestern University and New Jersey City University. She is a member of AEA and SDC. This is Rosemary’s final season as Alliance AD of TYF and will ever be grateful for the many gifts she has been afforded through her association with so many remarkable human beings. 

What an honor this is to take on another unique and exciting TYA show with the Alliance Theatre. You may remember Chani from her Alliance Theatre debut in Dancing Granny as mischievous and graceful "Wind." Other credits: Beautiful Blackbird (Alliance), 110 In The Shade, Simply Simone (Theatrical Outfit), Holler If Ya Hear Me (True Colors), Hunchback, In The Heights, 2017 Christmas Canteen (Aurora Theatre). Chani is a proud Vocal Performance/Joel A. Katz Music & Entertainment Business alumna of Kennesaw State University. Thanks for jamming with us! Keep up with Chani Maisonet on Instagram @Chanimaisonet.

Avery Sharpe (DJ/Musician/Dancer) is pumped for yet another show with the impeccable Rosemary Newcott and the Alliance Theatre! Hailing from Kennesaw State University, he has been seen on multiple stages across Atlanta and the nation. Atlanta credits: Pearl Cleage's Tell Me My Dream, A Bucket of Blessings (Alliance Theatre), Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet (Actor's Express), Black Nerd (Dad's Garage Theatre), Once Upon a Mattress (Stage Door Players). Furthermore, you can see him regularly as an improvisor at the internationally acclaimed Dad's Garage Theatre. He wants to thank his family, friends, Yeshua and Mon Papillion for their undying love and support of him, and thank you for seeing live theatre!

Recent Alliance credits: Winnie the Pooh; A Christmas Carol; The Jungle Book; The Dancing Granny; Cinderella and Fella; Ugly Lies the Bone; Pancakes, Pancakes!; Tiger Style!; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical; James and the Giant Peach; Shrek and Charlotte’s Web. Local credits include The World Goes Round, Million Dollar Quartet, Dreamgirls, Peter Pan, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Ragtime, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); The Book of Will, Dividing the Estate, It’s a Wonderful Life, Confederacy of Dunces, and Big River (Theatrical Outfit). She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from Niagara University. Member of Actors’ Equity Association. Love to Ali and Maggie. 

Paige Hernandez is a multidisciplinary artist who is critically acclaimed as a performer, director, choreographer and playwright.  As an AEA equity actress, Paige has performed on many stages throughout the country. She has collaborated with the Lincoln Center and has been commissioned by several companies including the National New Play Network, the Smithsonian, The Kennedy Center and the Glimmerglass Festival. She is the recipient of an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council as well as two Helen Hayes nominations for choreography and performance. Paige has also been named a “classroom hero” by The Huffington Post, a “Citizen Artist Fellow” with the Kennedy Center, "40 under 40" by the Washington Post and one of “Six Theatre Workers You Should Know” by American Theatre Magazine. With her company B-FLY ENTERTAINMENT, Paige continues to develop and tour original work internationally. www.paigehernandez.com