”Mr. Joel” (as his dance students call him) has a multi-faceted background which includes performing in musicals, plays, video, film, modeling and radio. He fondly remembers his first performance on stage…. as a singing and dancing marshmallow. It’s been uphill all the way! Proving the adage “you’re never too old to dance”, Joel started studying at 17 years old. He has never been the same! Since his humble beginnings, Joel has performed, choreographed and directed for many regional theatre companies. His favorite shows include “George M” (playing George), “Crazy for You” (playing Bobby), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (direction), and Fiddler on the Roof (choreography). He has been the primary director for VBP since the group was founded and is very excited to share this fantastic production with everyone.

Christine’s background in the performing arts began before she was born. Christine was fortunate enough to have an uncle who was a vaudeville performer. This knowledge sparked a love of dance and theatre in her and she has been dancing and singing on stage since she was 3 years old. After years of performing in and choreographing musicals all over the state, Christine operated CCS Dance Academy (with Joel, her husband) for 22 years. Her theatre work includes children, community, regional and summer stock productions. After 3 kids (and close to 100 shows) it was time to have one more baby… but this baby was a production company, “Vanilla Box Productions”. Christine now spends her time in the day teaching at Holy Name CCHS. She continues to work as a choreographer with multiple theatre companies in addition to the time she spends working with Vanilla Box Productions.

Nate Newton, originally from Holden, MA and now a resident of Woodstock, GA, works frequently as a musical director and accompanist throughout the East Coast. Most recently, Nate music directed The Mistress Cycle at the MMAS Black Box Theater in Mansfield, MA. Other local musical directorial credits include The World Goes ’Round (DASH nomination, Best Musical Director), Crossing Brooklyn (EMACT winner; NERF runner-up), A Little Night Music, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Chicago, 42nd Street, Oklahoma!, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and The Goodbye Girl. Nate was the dramaturg and musical director for the workshop of The Owl and the Pussy-Cat: A Longer Tale at Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta, GA. Nate is also a playwright, and this year his plays The Big Box and Some Kind of Blue were Second Rounders in the Austin Film Festival Playwrighting Competition.

Cameron is no stranger to the stage. Since the age of 5, he has been performing with Vanilla Box Productions and has played many characters ranging from Sandy in Annie to the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz, Bobby in Crazy For You: Young Performer’s Edition, and Dewey Finn in one of the first productions of School of Rock, Youth Edition. He most recently played the Cat in the Hat in “Seussical“. Besides doing theater, Cameron is a trained dancer and has won three national titles. Cameron also performs annually in the “Not So Nutcracker” in Lowell. He additionally directed a one act play which won “Best Props” and “Best Overall Production”. Cameron has been dancing since he was 7 years old and is a 3-time National Champion. In addition to helping with many production details and choreography, Cameron will be the primary dance teacher this summer.