Joanie Walsh, Executive/Artistic Director, M.T.S, M.Ed - Joanie founded the Children's Theatre Workshop 15 years ago when her daughter Kyra said she wanted to "try theatre". Now 15 years later we are still going strong! Joanie holds a Bachelors Degree in English with a minor in theater, and a Masters in Education. She is certified to teach both Theater and English - though her first love is theater! She is employed as the full time Theatre Teacher at Methuen High School where she teaches Acting 1 & 2, Tech Theatre, Intro To Theatre, Scene Study & Improv. Joanie is also the full time Director of "Stage Door 22", the Methuen High School Theatre Club. Though she loves her work at Methuen high...she rejoices every summer when CTW rolls around again. Joanie believes that the arts are a central part of a child's education as it helps kids to gain confidence while they learn empathy, problem-solving, collaboration & creativity . One of her favorite parts of CTW is hiring back former CTW students who now serve as the CTW counselors. "I've been really lucky to watch quite a few kids grow from little guys into mature, well adapted young adults. I love that." Joanie has directed over 75 shows in her career and looks forward to creating more theater magic this summer!
Janessa Murphy, Assistant Director - According to Joanie, hiring Janessa was the best decision she ever made for CTW. Janessa's enthusiastic, "can do" personality is infectious. She is enormously talented in vocal instruction and elementary education and is always in charge of costumes (her favorite...because she's fantastic at it.) Along with her work at CTW Janessa is also the Choral Teacher at Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen and mom to Quinn, Reese and Jack. Prior to settling back home in New England, Janessa and her husband lived in NYC and LA where they worked as actors. Though they enjoyed the work - coming back home was the right choice to start a family. Lucky for us...CTW was looking for someone just like her!
Mike Ferrara - Music Director/Senior Counselor
Michael Ferrara is excited to return to the Children's Theatre Workshop for his sixth summer! Mike is very passionate about musical theatre, and he recently graduated from Westfield State University with his bachelor's degree in music education. Mike’s primary position with CTW is the music director – teaching vocals to the actors, rehearsing the pit orchestra, and conducting the show! In total, Mike has music directed ten different shows, over half of which were here with CTW. Aside from teaching music, you can find Mike working with the actors on character development, or even assembling the set backstage. Regardless of the job, Mike is excited to be back with CTW for this 2019 season!
Michael Ferrara is excited to return to the Children's Theatre Workshop for his sixth summer! Mike is very passionate about musical theatre, and he recently graduated from Westfield State University with his bachelor's degree in music education. Mike’s primary position with CTW is the music director – teaching vocals to the actors, rehearsing the pit orchestra, and conducting the show! In total, Mike has music directed ten different shows, over half of which were here with CTW. Aside from teaching music, you can find Mike working with the actors on character development, or even assembling the set backstage. Regardless of the job, Mike is excited to be back with CTW for this 2019 season!
Kyra Walsh - Middle School Director/Marketing & WebSite Developer
You may also know her as the inspiration behind Children’s Theatre Workshop! When Kyra was a little girl she told her mom (Joanie Walsh) that she wanted to “try theatre” and now here she is all grown up entering her sixth summer working as a Senior Counselor for CTW. Even though she has only worked with us for 6 summers she has been involved in almost all the performances since the very beginning. Her most memorable performance would be Les Miserables starring as Madame Thenardier. Kyra will be a Junior at Lasell College in the fall where she majors in Event Management, minors in Performing Arts and is very involved in the drama club. She recently starred in Footloose, The Vagina Monologues and Refugee Women at Lasell. Kyra is super excited for the Children’s Theatre Workshop’s thirteenth season and can’t wait for it to get started
You may also know her as the inspiration behind Children’s Theatre Workshop! When Kyra was a little girl she told her mom (Joanie Walsh) that she wanted to “try theatre” and now here she is all grown up entering her sixth summer working as a Senior Counselor for CTW. Even though she has only worked with us for 6 summers she has been involved in almost all the performances since the very beginning. Her most memorable performance would be Les Miserables starring as Madame Thenardier. Kyra will be a Junior at Lasell College in the fall where she majors in Event Management, minors in Performing Arts and is very involved in the drama club. She recently starred in Footloose, The Vagina Monologues and Refugee Women at Lasell. Kyra is super excited for the Children’s Theatre Workshop’s thirteenth season and can’t wait for it to get started
Julia Burke - Counselor
Julia is so excited to back on the team for CTW Summerstock! She has been performing with CTW since the beginning, her favorite performance being Les Mis (2017) where she was seen as Fantine. Julia is in her Junior year at Emmanuel College i where she is pursuing a degree in Theater Arts with a minor in Communications and Media Studies. At Emmanuel, she has starred in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour, as well as the East Coast Collegiate Premiere of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. CTW will always be Julia’s favorite part of the summer, and she can’t wait to see what this one has in store!
Julia is so excited to back on the team for CTW Summerstock! She has been performing with CTW since the beginning, her favorite performance being Les Mis (2017) where she was seen as Fantine. Julia is in her Junior year at Emmanuel College i where she is pursuing a degree in Theater Arts with a minor in Communications and Media Studies. At Emmanuel, she has starred in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour, as well as the East Coast Collegiate Premiere of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. CTW will always be Julia’s favorite part of the summer, and she can’t wait to see what this one has in store!
Connor Mangan - Counselor
Connor is very excited to be back on CTW’s Summerstock team! He has been performing with CTW since 2014 and is thrilled to continue to participate! Recently he has performed as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes and most notably as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in 2017 with CTW. He is a sophomore at University at The University of Hartford where he is majoring in Musical Theater. He is also a phenomenal dancer with years of study in tap, jazz and ballet and is our top choreographer for our shows including the CTW Summerstock productions of Mary Poppins, and Anything Goes! CTW has always been the highlight of his summer and he is thrilled to see what’s in store!
Connor is very excited to be back on CTW’s Summerstock team! He has been performing with CTW since 2014 and is thrilled to continue to participate! Recently he has performed as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes and most notably as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in 2017 with CTW. He is a sophomore at University at The University of Hartford where he is majoring in Musical Theater. He is also a phenomenal dancer with years of study in tap, jazz and ballet and is our top choreographer for our shows including the CTW Summerstock productions of Mary Poppins, and Anything Goes! CTW has always been the highlight of his summer and he is thrilled to see what’s in store!
Ryan Walsh - Former Senior Counselor / Occasional helper, set builder and mover
After graduating from URI with a double degree in Communications/Journalism, Ryan has been working as a teacher for the past two years in Methuen. There is a strong possibility that Ryan will rejoin our staff this summer to help out here and there. Ryan does all sorts of things for CTW. You can catch him working with kids on music, character development, choreography and he is also our "go to" when it comes to the set build. Ryan even directed the recent middle school productions "Honk" and "Mary Poppins".
After graduating from URI with a double degree in Communications/Journalism, Ryan has been working as a teacher for the past two years in Methuen. There is a strong possibility that Ryan will rejoin our staff this summer to help out here and there. Ryan does all sorts of things for CTW. You can catch him working with kids on music, character development, choreography and he is also our "go to" when it comes to the set build. Ryan even directed the recent middle school productions "Honk" and "Mary Poppins".