Meet our Team

Our professional team of highly qualified instructors does everything to make sure that every show is an enjoyable experience. The team here at MT Ed strive to give our students the highest quality, educational, and most fun experience possible. MT Ed staff is background checked and cleared for education in NYS, and carry varying levels of First Aid, CPR, AED, and MAT training to ensure a safe environment for your children.

Tina Crandall

Founder and Executive Director

Tina Crandall has BA in Theatre and Dance and a Masters in K-8 education. Her passion is making theatre education accessible to all children. She has directed, choreographed and taught at many area theatres and schools, including Bishop Kearney, Wayne MS, Plank Rd. North, Holy Cross and Bloomfield MS/HS. She has directed the sold out runs of American Idiot, 21 Chump Street, Carrie, the Musical, and Heathers: School Edition at the Rochester Fringe Festival. Other recent credits include Something Rotten, Punk Rock Girl, Hadestown: Teen Edition, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals, Trevor, Monstersongs, and Sweeney Todd. Tina was an evaluator for RBTL's Stars of Tomorrow for several years, a program dedicated to supporting the process of growth and learning and acknowledging excellence in area high school theatre. In her free time she occasionally appears on stage, most recently in productions of Fun Home, You're a Good man Charlie Brown, It Shoulda Been You, Something Rotten, bare: a pop opera, Pippin, Disaster and Big Fish.

Amanda Hartmann

Choreographer/Dance Instructor/On-site Manager

Amanda Hartmann is a Graduate student at University at Buffalo where she is studying school librarianship. This is Amanda’s 8th year choreographing and directing productions, and has worked on over 50 shows in a directorial staff fashion. Amanda has trained in various styles of dance since the age of 7 and continues to add new styles to her repertoire. Currently she the dance class instructor for the classes at MT Ed and offers many opportunities for private lessons. She is also a choreographer for Hilton High School’s Drama Club and Musical program. Amanda loves working with students of all ages and loves to use dance as a way to foster creativity and confidence in her students as they grow into wonderful dancers.

Derek Scott

Director/Tiny Talents Instructor

Derek studies early childhood education at Monroe Community College, with plans to further his education at SUNY Brockport. He has been a part of MT Ed since 2019, at first a student, performing in shows such as; Shrek (Shrek), Something Rotten (Nigel), Rudolph (Santa), Descendants (Carlos), Tarzan (Tarzan), and many more! Then, transitioning over to staff, Derek works mainly with MT Ed’s Tiny Talents, writing original musicals for the children to perform! He has worked on many Tiny Talent shows now at MT Ed as the writer, costumer, director, vocal director, choreographer, set designer, and teacher for the students’ shows such as; Tinkerbell, The Mystery Machine, Alice in Wonderland, and Tarzan! Derek finds a true passion in helping the students find their voice and let their lights shine out on the stage, making sure each of them know just how important they are.

Katie Garver

Stage Manager/Director

Katie graduated from SUNY Brockport with a Children’s Theatre Degree, and could not be more excited to have found an amazing community to put it to use. She started helping Tina with Summer Camp shows in 2018, and has been working with MT Ed since. She enjoys Stage Managing the youth and teen shows, and directing the school break camps. When not working with MT Ed, she enjoys doing shows with Rochester’s Gilbert & Sullivan group The Off Monroe Players (OMP).

Heather Lonardo

Music Director/Vocal Director/Voice and Piano Instructor

Heather has a B.M. in Music Education and is currently enrolled in a Masters program at Nazareth College for Music Therapy. Previous credits include Elf, Jr., Alice in Wonderland, Jr., Heathers High School Edition, Singing in the Rain, Jr., Into the Woods, Jr., and the recent sold out run of Carrie, the Musical with RAPA, Godspell, Jr. at Seton Catholic School, and Legally Blonde, Jr. with Webster Summer Theatre. Heather loves helping in all aspects of theater, but especially enjoys helping the kids find their voice and their own talent.

Emily Beseau

Vocal Director/Choreographer/Director

Emily Beseau is a graduate of Ithaca College with a B.M. in vocal performance. She has studied ballet, jazz, and tap since she was 4 years old at N.Y.A.D. Emily enjoys performing in shows throughout the Rochester area. Favorite roles include Alice in Addams Family (Lyric Theatre), Mrs. Sowerberry in Oliver (RAPA), and Doris in Damn Yankees (RAPA). She has enjoyed choreographing RAPA’s summer stock shows for 2 consecutive years, as well as teaching lessons and theatre classes. She had the joy of choreographing NAC's production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in the winter of 2018.

Austen Parent

Director

Austen Parent (they/them) is a theatre artist based in New York City. With a BFA in the Dramatic Arts from The New School. Austen has had the privilege to work at MTEd and has appreciated every opportunity given to them. Some directing credits of theirs include The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Through the Looking Glass. Assistant Director credits include Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea. Dramaturg credits include These Shining Lives and Our Town. Stage Manager credits include Schamelia Blume, and Assistant Stage Manager credits include Lysistrata and Geva Summer Academy. They like to focus on the theater companies that create opportunities for young artists in Rochester, because they strongly believe in giving back to the community that helped make them the artist they are today. You can follow their artistic journey on their Instagram @parentproblem

Eli DelGaizo

Stage Manager/Director/Lighting Designer

Eli is a cosmetologist during the day. He has been performing in shows at MT Ed since 2021 and working as staff since summer 2023. He has been in many shows such as The Lightning Thief (Percy), Once (Guy), Pippin (Charles), and Monty Python's Spamalot (King Arthur). He has stage managed and directed several shows including, Seussical Jr., Alice in Wonderland Jr., Moana Jr., The Big Bad Musical, Matilda Jr, Frozen KIDS/Aladdin KIDS.

Kristen Klink

Music Director/Vocal Director/Voice and Piano instructor

Kristen has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. Kristen formerly taught K-12 music at Roscoe in the Catskills where she was instrumental in starting their theatre program with productions such as The 12 Dancing Princesses. Kristen also was the music director for MT Ed’s Fringe Festival production of Trevor, Punk Rock Girl, Annie KIDS and Shrek Jr.

Mad DelGaizo

Choreographer/Stage Manager

Mad is a recent alumni at MT Ed and is so excited to be joining the staff at MT Ed! Recent MT Ed productions he's worked on include, Seussical Jr, Shrek Jr, and Descendants Jr. He was the assistant choreographer for Holy Cross's Moana Jr. and Plank North's Alice in Wonderland Jr. and choreographed Annie KIDS.

Shelly Bruni

Choreographer

Shelly has an associates from MCC in liberal arts and a bachelor's from University Of Brockport in Psychology with a minor in theater. Shelly enjoys house and intern managing for MT Ed and loves spending time with the kids and staff! Shelly periodically subs dance for Amanda's classes at MT Ed, has choregraphed Through the Looking Glass and The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, and co-choreographed Hadestown at MT Ed and Legally Blonde at Bloomfield HS. Her most recent show was Big Gay Italian Wedding where she played Maurizio Lagrande and was also the choreographer.

Sheralyn Hendrickson

Choreographer/Vocal Director

Sheralyn is a local musician, performer, music therapist, and mom. She has danced since the age of 2 and has a B.M in Music Therapy with a focus on voice from Nazareth College. Previously, she worked as a dance instructor and music therapist mostly supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. In addition to working for MT Ed, she spends her current days
with her kids and as a music therapist and self-direction broker through her business Creative Expressions with Sheralyn. Sheralyn has performed in many local shows such as 42nd Street (Assistant Choreographer/Ensemble), Annie (Grace Farrell), Damn Yankees (Ms. Weston/Dance Captain), Sound of Music (Sister Margaretta), Annie (Mrs. Greer/Dance Captain), A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Cratchet/Ensemble) and has worked with MT Ed periodically over the last couple of years. She is so excited to be a part of this staff to continue working with such wonderful students and team members.

Amanda Schrader

Assistant Stage Manager

Amanda attended Nazareth University and earned a bachelors in Psychology and recently became a Licensed Master Social Worker. Amanda has studied contemporary, jazz, tap, and ballet since she was 3 years old. Amanda has assisted back stage with many shows, including Trevor, Shrek Jr., Seussical Jr., and Anastasia. Amanda enjoys assisting with stage managing and being part of MT Ed.