Where Young Performers
Find Their Spotlight
Building confidence, creativity, friendships, and the courage to try something new — one curtain call at a time.
A Theatre Home for Every Young Performer
WHO WE ARE
Curtain Up Studios is a youth musical theatre and performing arts program serving children 5-18 and families across the tri-state area — where every experience level is welcome and every role matters.
✦ ✦ ✦
Founded by theatre educators and directors with a passion for arts education, we provide high-quality musical theatre experiences through mainstage productions, workshops, acting classes, summer camps, school partnerships, and private coaching. Our experienced teaching artists are committed to creating an environment where every performer feels encouraged, challenged, and celebrated.
Meet the Co-Founders & Artistic Directors
Two lifelong theatre educators united by a single mission: creating a welcoming space where young performers grow in confidence, creativity, and community.
Paula Hegyi
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Paula’s love of theatre began early, growing up in Los Angeles surrounded by musicals. Her mother, a tap dancer, taught her routines in the kitchen while cast recordings of Annie, A Chorus Line, and The Pajama Game played constantly in the background. By sixth grade, Paula was already writing production scripts on a typewriter — dreaming up stories, organizing casts, and discovering a love for bringing people together through performance.
After building a career in television production in New York and spending more than a decade running a dance program at a local elementary school, Paula found her way back to what she loved most: musical theatre. For Paula, directing and choreographing young performers brought everything full circle.
Paula met fellow co-founder Diana Roth-Fili at Glen Rock’s Central Elementary School in 2009 while collaborating on a school production. What began as a creative partnership soon grew into a shared vision for a theatre program that combined high-quality productions with a positive, encouraging environment for young performers. That vision became Curtain Up Studios, officially founded in 2017.
At Curtain Up, Paula is known for her belief in the power of the ensemble. She encourages every cast to look beyond a single role and understand how every performer contributes to making a production shine. Her favorite moments are not just opening nights, but watching shy students grow in confidence, find their voice, and discover what they are capable of both on and off the stage.
Her philosophy is simple: “Everyone has a piece that makes the whole thing shine.”
“What job gives you a payoff like this? They’ve worked so hard, and now they get to show everyone — and feel proud of themselves. That’s everything.”
Diana Roth-Fili
CO-FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Diana's musical life started at age eight when her parents threatened to cancel her piano lessons. She didn't practice — they sold the piano — and she watched it disappear into the back of a truck. That moment broke her heart and told her everything she needed to know. Her father bought her a new one when they moved to Florida, and she never stopped playing.
She went on to study classical voice with an opera star from Lincoln Center, earn a jazz scholarship, and study piano under the director of Carnegie Hall. She taught private voice and piano for over 30 years, coached students to Broadway roles in Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Kinky Boots, and West Side Story, and directed full-scale community productions — including a Wizard of Oz complete with a live Toto, a hydraulic-lift witch, and the entire family onstage.
Diana met Paula at Glen Rock’s Central Elementary School in 2009. What began as a collaboration on a single school production soon grew into a shared vision: creating meaningful, high-quality theatre experiences for young performers. A one-week summer camp centered around Annie eventually evolved into Curtain Up Studios, officially founded in 2017.
At Curtain Up, Diana is known for balancing high standards with unwavering encouragement. She believes every child is capable of more than they realize and loves helping young performers discover their confidence, creativity, and voice. Her favorite thing to tell a student?
“You already do.”
“I always wanted to be like my teacher was to me — important in their lives, someone they’ll remember. And I’m still learning. Always.”
Programs for Every Stage
From first-time performers to seasoned young actors, we have an experience designed for your child.
-
Workshops & Classes
Beginner-friendly sessions exploring musical theatre through songs, scenes, movement, and acting exercises. Each workshop culminates in a casual performance for family and friends.
-
Summer Camps
High-energy camps where young performers learn songs, scenes, and choreography from beloved Broadway musicals — while building confidence and making lifelong friends.
-
Mainstage Productions
Full-scale productions with costumes, lights, sound, staging, and a live audience. Students build teamwork, responsibility, and stage skills as part of a true ensemble.
-
School Partnerships
Customized theatre programming brought directly to public and private schools through after-school productions, workshops, and arts enrichment opportunities.
Meet the Team
-
![Close-up of a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white top, with a green background.]()
Alondra Uriarte
DIRECTOR/ASSISTANT
Alondra Uriarte is a Director and Assistant at Curtain Up Studios, where she is passionate about fostering creativity, confidence, and a love for performance in young artists.
Outside of Curtain Up, she serves as the Assistant Artistic Director of Galen Mae Productions, an independent theatre company based in NYC. She is an active director, actress, and acting coach who holds a BFA in Acting from Montclair State University (‘24). Having performed throughout the New York and New Jersey area, she has been involved in theatre since the age of 10 and absolutely loves the magic of storytelling.
She finds her greatest fulfillment in helping young performers build confidence, strengthen their craft, and discover their unique artistic voices. She believes theatre is not just about performance — it’s about community, courage, and joy!
-
![Woman with glasses smiling in a restaurant, wearing an orange beaded necklace and a pumpkin-patterned top]()
Sarah Barbi
DIRECTOR
With over 25 years of experience in education and school administration, Sarah brings her love of the theater and her expertise in directing musicals, stage plays and junior productions to our studio. Having worked with students from ages 4 to ages 18 in over 20 different productions, Sarah has a BA in English Literature with a concentration in Dramatic Literature and MA in Education/Supervision, and holds teaching certification on the K-5 and 9-12 levels as well as NJ Principal’s certification.A lover of theater and musical theater, Sarah has worked as a theatrical fundraiser, Assistant Director and Director of varied productions, including Moana, Chicago, School of Rock, The King and I, Arsenic and Old Lace, Rumors, and most recently, Into the Woods and West Side Story both named Rising Star Productions by the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Students who have performed on her stage have been awarded over 70k in scholarships to performing arts schools and programs and she currently directs two mainstage productions each year at Hudson Catholic Regional High School as well as a summer production for students across all grade levels. In addition Sarah serves as Assistant Principal of Hudson Catholic, teaches an upper level Acting elective and oversees the Fine and Performing Arts Department. She is excited to work with Curtains Up and inspire more and more children to find their theatrical talents!
-
![Close-up of a young woman with shoulder-length curly brown hair, fair skin, green eyes, wearing a maroon sweater and gold hoop earrings, smiling against a dark background.]()
Mackenzie Cavagnaro
DIRECTOR / ACTING COACH/ COSTUME MANAGER
Mackenzie is a recent graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she earned her BFA in Drama at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Experimental Theatre Wing. She spent this past Summer teaching Improv and serving as the Assistant Director for the Comedy Ensemble at Traveling Players Ensemble in Tysons, Virginia. With a passion for bringing theatre education to kids of all ages and backgrounds, she has also worked as an assistant drama teacher at the High School of Economics and Finance in New York City, as well as a Music Theatre Teacher at the Summer Onstage Camp at Ady Art Center in Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to teaching she is a stage and screen performer whose recent credits include Gina in The Duck at Tisch Drama Stage, Tara in Siblings at the Gene Frankel Theatre, and Annie in Silent Sky at the Stella Adler Studio. She loves all things comedy and improv and is very excited to be working with Curtain Up Studios to share her love of theatre with all of you! -
![A young woman with curly brown hair sitting outdoors on a blue bench, smiling, with a butterfly perched on her head. She is wearing a blue patterned shirt and suspenders, with greenery and flowers in the background.]()
Gabriella “Gabby" A. Crocco
DIRECTOR/ASSISTANT
Gabby has been performing in community and professional theatre throughout New Jersey and New York for over 20 years. While she loves being on stage, her true passion also lies behind the scenes through directing, choreographing, costume design, lighting, sound, and helping bring productions to life, especially alongside young performers.At Curtain Up Studios, Gabby is passionate about creating a supportive, encouraging environment where every student feels seen, confident, and excited to grow. Whether in rehearsals, backstage, or preparing for opening night, she strives to be a positive mentor and biggest cheerleader for the performers she works with.
Outside of theatre, Gabby is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, working with children, teens, and young adults to support their everyday life skills, interests, and personal goals. Her dedication to helping young people thrive extends into every space she enters.
Gabby also serves as Secretary of the West Milford Players, a northern New Jersey nonprofit theatre organization, and performs with The Mysterical Players, a professional murder mystery dinner theatre company. With experience directing, choreographing, and supporting countless school and theatre productions, Gabby brings both creativity and heart to every show. She is proud to be part of the Curtain Up family and looks forward to inspiring the next generation of performers, one production at a time.
-
![Young woman with blonde hair and glasses smiling at a marina during evening]()
Ashley Waldron
DANCE TEACHER/STAGE MANAGER/ ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Ashley has been a dancer for as long as she could walk, she specializes in hip hop but teaches all forms of dance. She has been a dance teacher for over 10 years, and you may have seen her at the Central School Dance program located in Glen Rock NJ. When Ashley isn't working as a dance teacher, she is working in the technical theatre world as a New Jersey based Stage Manager. Having always been involved in the arts, she takes pride in being able to not only work while doing what she loves, but to watch each performer reach their full potential!
-
![A young man with curly hair smiling and sitting near a black fence on an outdoor staircase.]()
Justin Del Valle
STAGE MANAGER
Justin Del Valle is a senior at Seton Hall University studying Theatre. During his time there, he has acted in multiple children’s productions, including Hansel and Gretel, performed in family weekend improv shows, and produced a puppet show for the university’s speech and pathology department to be performed in local classrooms.
At Curtain Up Studios, Justin has stage managed six productions and quickly became an invaluable part of the team. Whether backstage helping bring a production to life or supporting young performers throughout the rehearsal process, Justin is passionate about creating a positive, collaborative theater experience for every student.
Between student films, community productions, work, and college life, Justin says one of his greatest joys is making theater with Curtain Up Studios and the incredible students who make each production so special.
Why Musical Theatre?
The Real Magic Happens Off Stage
Every performer has the space to be who they want to be. These skills they learn with us will transfer far beyond school and shape the rest of their lives.
01
Confidence
We have seen shy children find their voice and step into their spotlight. Theatre builds the courage to take risks and believe in oneself.
02
Community
We have watched friendships form between students who never would have crossed paths. The ensemble creates bonds that last far beyond closing night.
03
Discovery
We have witnessed performers discover talents they never knew they had. Curtain Up is a place to grow, belong, and surprise yourself.
Ready to Join the
Curtain Up Family but still have questions?
