Tony Ramirez-Mata is Professor and Head of Musical Theatre at the University of Florida and an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Latin American Studies. A Mexican American multi-award-winning director, he has directed, choreographed, and performed in musicals, plays, operas, and cabarets in New York, Off-Broadway, and regional theatres across the United States and internationally.

His regional credits include The Kennedy Center, The Old Globe, Theatre Under the Stars, Stages Repertory Theatre, The Hippodrome State Theatre, Weathervane Playhouse, San Diego Opera, the Houston and San Diego Gilbert & Sullivan Companies, and Lamb’s Players Theatre. In New York he has collaborated with Circle Repertory Theatre, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, Lincoln Center Summer Festival, New Dramatists, Riverside Shakespeare, INTAR, and the Obie Award-winning Repertorio Español.

Internationally, Mata has worked in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Grand Cayman, and the Dominican Republic. His directing credits abroad include Baby at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and The Magic Flute with Opera Festival di Roma. He has also served as a guest artist and instructor at institutions including Columbia University, Cambridge University, the University of Windsor, and the Institute of the Arts Barcelona.

Mata’s work has received numerous honors, including seven Latin ACE Awards in New York, four HOLA Awards for his Off-Broadway production of Dinner for Two, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Directing Fellowship. He has also received six Meritorious Achievement Awards in Directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

At the University of Florida he was named Teacher/Scholar of the Year in the College of the Arts and received the UF Presidential Medallion and Provost Preeminence Award. In 2017 he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, one of the highest honors for theatre educators and professionals.

He holds an MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University and takes his greatest pride in the success of his students performing on Broadway, national tours, and stages around the world.

Kim Ball is a respected dance educator and choreographer in Central Florida with more than 30 years of dance experience. She studied dance at Daytona State College and the University of South Florida and continued her training in Orlando, New York, and Los Angeles. Early in her career, she performed as a dancer at Walt Disney World and taught at private dance studios throughout the region.

Ball has choreographed for numerous professional theatres and educational institutions including Orlando Family Stage, Orlando Shakes, The Athens Theatre, Theater at St. Luke’s, Daytona State College, the University of South Carolina, Flagler College, and Seaside Music Theater.

Her recent credits include Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The SpongeBob Musical (Orlando Family Stage), Little Shop of Horrors and Evita (Orlando Shakes), Rent, Holiday Inn, and Grease (Athens Theatre), and The Prom and The Lightning Thief (Daytona State College). She choreographed Hairspray last summer at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Kim holds a Master’s Degree in Theatre with a Musical Theatre concentration from the University of Central Florida and currently serves as an Adjunct Dance Professor at UCF and Daytona State College.

Brittany Marcell Monachino is a dancer, singer, creative artist, and educator with a diverse career spanning Broadway, national tours, opera, and dance companies. She made her Broadway debut in King Kong: Alive on Broadway (Original Broadway Cast), where she received a Chita Rivera Award for Best Ensemble under the direction and choreography of Drew McOnie.

Her performance credits also include the National Tour of Wicked, appearances on Saturday Night Live, the Houston Grand Opera’s Carmen with choreography by Rob Ashford, as well as productions of Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story, and Saturday Night Fever. She contributed towards the development and pre-production of Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical with direction by Aditya Chopra and choreography by Rob Ashford.

Before entering musical theatre, Brittany performed with Philadanco under the direction of Joan Myers Brown, performing works by renowned choreographers including Christopher Huggins, Milton Myers, and George Faison. Her artistic journey has also included international performances with Norwegian Cruise Line across Hawaii, Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa.

Alongside her performance career, Brittany has spent over a decade teaching and advocating for accessible dance education. She has worked with organizations including Orlando Ballet, American College Dance Association, The Washington School of Ballet, VIVA School of Dance and Brenau University. She recently made her co-directorial and choreographic debut with productions of In the Heights and Chicago in Lima, Peru with Spotlight Performing Arts.

Passionate about storytelling and creative development, Brittany is also involved in casting initiatives through the Casting Society of America and the Black Theatre Coalition, supporting greater representation and equity in the entertainment industry. She is additionally certified in Mental Health First Aid through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Brittany received her formal training from The Washington School of Ballet and Draper Center for Dance Education. She received her BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance and The College at Brockport. She further studied acting at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Atlantic Theater Company, and The Barrow Group.

Alex Pollard is thrilled to music direct West Side Story at the Dr. Phillips Center. An Orlando native, he has long been active in the local arts scene as both a performer and music director.

His performance credits include multiple operas and musicals, as well as multiple shows at Walt Disney World including The Festival of the Lion King, Americana, and Candlelight Processional with The Voices of Liberty. He currently sings with the Orlando Symphonic Chorus as Bass Section Leader and with The Solaria Singers of Orlando Sings.

Alex holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Choral Music Education from Florida State University and serves as Head Choir Director at Boone High School. His choirs have received national recognition and consistently earn superior ratings at district and state assessments. His music direction has earned multiple Applause Awards nominations, with favorite credits including The Lightning Thief, Guys and Dolls, Mamma Mia, and Matilda.

Eric Loscheider is an actor, director, fight choreographer, and currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in Acting and Movement with the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Florida. Recent: Accomplice (Intimacy Direction, Hippodrome Theatre), Pirates of Penzance (Fight Direction, UF Opera Theatre/Phillips Center). Acting credits include Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, on-screen, and voiceover work. A long time faculty member at the William Esper Studio in New York City, he has also taught at NYU-Tisch, the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University (MFA program), and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, and the Society of American Fight Directors. MFA: Rutgers University, under William Esper.

Amyia Burrell is Head of the Young Dancer Program at Orlando Ballet School, where she works with pre-professional, academy, trainee, and second company dancers. She also teaches modern dance technique at Valencia College and serves as a dual enrollment professor at Dr. Phillips High School’s Dance Magnet program.

Originally from Los Angeles, Amyia trained with renowned dance artists including Debbie Allen, Tina Landon, LuLa Washington, Ana Marie Forsythe, and Diane Maroney Grisby. Her professional performance career includes over a decade touring with Disney’s The Lion King National Tour (2006–2017), as well as performances with Tokyo Disney and Walt Disney World.

While performing, she also taught master classes across the country for Broadway Connection and Disney Theatrical’s education programs. Since joining Orlando Ballet in 2018, Amyia has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and choreography, receiving Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Choreographer honors at the 2022 Youth America Grand Prix.

Her students have received top placements at Youth America Grand Prix and Universal Ballet Competition and have been accepted into prestigious programs including The Royal Ballet School, Princess Grace Academy, San Francisco Ballet, English National Ballet, UNCSA, and Alvin Ailey.

Amyia also works as a guest choreographer and adjudicator, including for the Applause Awards and Disney Musicals in Schools.

Adonus Mabry, an accomplished choreographer/performer with extensive experience, is thrilled to join FMTI's teaching staff. His notable choreography credits include renowned productions such as Nosferatu, Lenox Avenue, Gorgeous, and From Here at the Renaissance Theatre Company; The Prom and Anastasia at Rollins College; Ain't Misbehavin' at Athens Theatre; Hunchback of Notre Dame, Spamalot, Head Over Heels, and Cabaret at Encore! Performing Arts; as well as In the Heights at Osceola Arts. Additionally, he contributes his expertise as a choreographer/performer for Hawkmoon Productions and Metropolis Productions, both based in Orlando, FL. Adonus received substantial dance training in central Florida and has performed extensively across the nation, on cruise ships, and internationally.

Jazmin Krug is a professional dancer, singer, and actress with extensive experience across live performance, entertainment, and commercial media.

Her performance credits include stage shows and special events for SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, and Walt Disney World, where she appeared in 11 Equity stage productions. Internationally, she performed as a featured soloist for Princess Cruises and has worked as a dancer, judge, and brand ambassador for the Orlando Magic.

Jazmin has collaborated with numerous entertainment companies including Feld Entertainment, Renaissance Theatre, Hardrive Productions, JM Best Entertainment, and Kreative Department. Her media and commercial credits include projects for Publix, Kay Jewelers, Walt Disney World, IHOP, Harley-Davidson, and PGA.

In addition to performing, she works as a choreographer, creative director, and instructor. She has choreographed for the Orlando Magic and pre-Olympic gymnasts and currently teaches at Backstage Dance Studios and other professional training programs throughout Central Florida.

A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Jazmin is also a Jacob’s Pillow scholarship recipient and a two-time So You Think You Can Dance Las Vegas contestant. She has performed alongside artists including Pitbull and Ne-Yo and appeared in national media broadcasts and Disney specials.

Lauren Langa has been performing and teaching voice for over 20 years. She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida State University, majoring in Vocal Performance and Choral Music Education, and holds a master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.

Her students are regularly accepted into many of the nation’s leading musical theatre and vocal programs, including Carnegie Mellon University, University of Michigan, Penn State, Shenandoah University, Texas State University, and Florida State University.

Many of her students have also represented the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at the Jimmy Awards, including 2017 national winner Sofia Deler and 2025 finalist Adam Bouchachia.

Lauren’s professional students have appeared on Broadway, national tours, television, and film in productions such as The Outsiders, Stereophonic, Kimberly Akimbo, SIX, Mean Girls, Hamilton, Hadestown, Spamalot, and MJ: The Musical, as well as the film The Prom and NBC’s Emmy Award-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live.

She specializes in vocal pedagogy, contemporary commercial music styles, and vocal health. Lauren currently serves on the voice faculty at Rollins College and works as a music director, voice coach, and teaching artist for numerous projects at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Seth Durbin is a freelance director, music director, educator, and pianist based in the greater Orlando area. In addition to maintaining an active private piano and voice studio, Seth collaborates with a variety of organizations and local theatres, bringing a strong commitment to storytelling, collaboration, and musical excellence to every project.

Seth earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Elmhurst College in the Spring of 2015. Following graduation he joined the faculty at Waubonsie Valley High School, where he spent nine years directing a wide range of choral ensembles and academic courses. His responsibilities included leading non-auditioned and auditioned ensembles such as Bass Chorus (grades 10-12), Freshman Bass Chorus, Freshman Treble Singers, Varsity Chamber Choir, Mosaic (a 100-member gospel and multicultural choir), Mosaic Ensemble (a 16-member chamber ensemble), and Sound Check (top mixed show choir). Seth also taught AP Music Theory and co-music director the school’s Spring Music and Homecoming Variety Show.

Beyond his work at Waubonsie Valley, Seth remained actively involved in community theatre as a music director and served as a Teaching Artist with Paramount Theatre’s School of the Arts. In his role, he co-taught the High School Musical Theatre Intensive, music director the annual Final Showcase, led the Summer Musical Theatre Intensive, and taught the Audition Boot Camps for both the middle and high school students.

In the fall of 2024, Seth relocated to Central Florida with his partner Mark, and their dog, Titan, to pursue expanded opportunities in musical theatre. He currently teaches private piano and voice lessons and works as a show director and music director for projects with LEGOLAND Florida Resort, local theatres, and schools throughout the Central Florida area. In addition to music directing, Seth works as a Teaching Artist for the Dr. Phillips Center as well as Theatre South Playhouse. Recent music directing credits include Beetlejuice, Jr. (Dr. Phillips Center’s Youth Production), Chicago the Musical (Osceola Arts’ Young Actors Company), and Alice By Heart (Theatre South Playhouse).

Tara D. Deady is an Associate Professor and Musical Theatre Voice Specialist at the University of Central Florida. Her work focuses on musical theatre performance, vocal health, and stage violence.

She has presented research and workshops on these topics at institutions and conferences including NYU, Harvard, and international conferences in Austria and the United Kingdom. Her published work appears in Voice and Speech Review and The Fight Master.

Recent favorite performance credits include directing, producing, and performing Off-Broadway in ReuKnighted: UCF Sings 50 Years of Hits at Feinstein’s/54 Below, playing Rose in Gypsy, and appearing as Miss Knag/Mrs. Wittiterly in the Orlando Shakes production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

Tara is one of only 43 active Estill Mentor & Course Instructors worldwide with Estill Voice International. She is also an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and holds certifications in five weapon disciplines.