RAPA's Staff

Teryle Watson is the Program and the Musical Director at RAPA. She studied for fourteen years in the preparatory department of the Juilliard School of Music. Her graduate studies were completed at the Royal College of Music, Great Britain. Teryle has performed with the Opera Theater of Rochester, Eastman Opera Theater, The William Watson Singers and in various community theater productions. Her musical journeys include teaching for the Rochester City School District, the Gateway Music Festivals, and many wonderful performances at RAPA, SOTA and other community groups. Teryle has been honored by the Rochester Broadway Theater League with “Best Musical” awards for her productions of “Big River” and “Ragtime”. She teaches voice and piano at RAPA, and she has been Musical Director for numerous RAPA productions. Teryle is thrilled that her sons, Christopher and Lawrence, are a part of this production of Pippin.

Gale Werner, Choreographer has been involved in Rochester theater in the capacity of performer and choreographer for over 25 years.  Her association with RAPA goes back to its Webster beginning, and further with Judi Andreano's Eldorado and Sarson years! She has choreographed over twenty musicals for local theaters and high schools, most recently directing the Children's Theater production of Really Rosie and last season's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  She is currently a Special Education Teacher at the Business School @ Edison Tech, with a BA in Music and Masters Degree from Nazareth College.

Louisa Ong received her drama and communications teaching diplomas from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, UK and another drama teaching diploma from The London School of Music, UK. In the US, she graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Theatre Arts from Nazareth College and received her MA in Communication from SUNY (Brockport). She is involved in curriculum development as well as hands-on training of students from 4 years upwards to adults. She selects the most appropriate drama and public speaking techniques from UK and US to customize her teaching techniques in order to address the needs of each individual student. She has taught speech, drama and public speaking for over 20 years. Under her guidance, her students have achieved higher skills for drama and communication as well as built up greater confidence in their drama skills and talents. She has trained many students for speech, drama and public speaking examinations with London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, UK (LAMDA) and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, UK. She is a well-known as a public speaker and has lectured and presented at Citibank, Gilda’s Club, International Center for Cultural Studies (USA), Kodak, Memorial Art Gallery, MS Society, REMAX, Rochester Women’s Network, The Women’s Alliance (TWA), University of Rochester (Strong Hospital), WXXI’s Speaking on Women’s Health (2008) and Xerox.

Marcy Gamzon (Artistic Director) has directed several productions for RAPA, as well as productions at JCC, Blackfriars, Shipping Dock Theatre, Rochester Shakespeare Players, Rochester Children's Theatre, and the University of Rochester Summer Theatre. A former Equity stage manager, she has worked for GeVa Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, and the Carolina Regional Theatre. She has a BFA in Directing from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MA in English Literature from the University of Rochester. She currently teaches creative writing and English at School of the Arts where she also coaches the Masterminds and Speech and Debate teams. She is thrilled to be working with such talented young performers.

Barbara K. Biddy (Acting Instructor) currently serves as  an acting instructor at Finger Lakes Community College.   Founder and Artistic Director of the Shipping Dock Theatre, Inc., a non-union professional theatre, alternative theatre in Rochester, NY Duties included: Selecting and directing a season of five major productions each year, in addition to special projects including playwrights’ workshops concerts, student showcases, and an annual international festival of new plays.  She has directed more than125 productions, including comedies, dramas, and musicals, with an emphasis on provocative, social, and political themes.  Taught continuing education courses through the Shipping Dock Theatre, five years at the School of Science and Man, and at St. John Fisher’s  College courses including Beginning through Advanced Acting, Improvisation, Monologues, Oral Interpretation, Character Development, Stage Movement, and Voice and Diction.

Robert Meadows (Piano Teacher) A proud recipient of the Jefferson Award in 2007 and recently retired from the Rochester City School District after 32 years of service, primarily at School of the Arts. Bob has been Music Director for a wide assortment of local theatre groups (STAGES, TYKES, Bristol Valley Playhouse, Penfield Theater Group and RAPA) and continues to be active as a church organist and private piano teacher. A graduate (M.M. in Piano) of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Bob served as a college professor for several years before moving to Rochester to work toward a Ph. D. at Eastman, where he was on full scholarship as a Teaching Assistant. At the Hochstein Music School, Bob was on the piano faculty and was the head of the Theory Department there for many years. Simultaneously with all of the above, Bob maintained a private studio at Carnegie Hall in NYC, where he taught on weekends. Locally, his performing career includes having played cocktail piano at various establishments, including a twenty-year stint at Edwards Restaurant . Bob is a published composer and member of ASCAP. He has created several original Music Reviews and an original version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. Bob is proud to have worked with nationally-known performers such as Carol Lawrence, Terri White and Taye Diggs.