Meet Our CenterStage Instructors

meet our centerstage winter/ spring 2022 faculty

Bridget Burke, Music Director, Seussical Jr. & Stage Manager, Grease
Since childhood, Bridget has been immersed in the local theatre scene as a performer, director, producer, musical director, and stage manager. In New York, she attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in their conservatory program, studying dance, musical theatre, acting, and voice, and working with Broadway actors like Kyle Gonyea (Phantom), Ray Virta (The Thomas Crown Affair), and Stacy Lee Tilton (Brigadoon) among others. In NYC she regularly performed in an Off-Broadway cabaret and at The Peoples Improv Theatre. While working alongside prominent directors in New York, Bridget was inspired to continue her education at The New School, focusing on the other side of the table for her BFA. There she worked with prominent writers and directors like Loren Paul Caplin and Greg Takoudes. Since graduating with honors in December, 2020 she is back in Colorado and excited to return to CenterStage where she was first inspired to make her way in the arts and most recently was Stage Manager for "The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee".

Claire Leon, Choreographer, Seussical Jr.
Claire began her dance studies early in her life, starting at The Academy Program at Spectrum Dance Theatre in Seattle under the direction of Donald Byrd. Studying multiple techniques, from Contemporary to African Dance, her training has been extremely diverse. She was accepted to Hubbard Street’s intensive, studying under the influence of artistic director Glenn Edgerton, learning company repertoire.

Ever since the beginning of her journey with dance, emotion and storytelling have been incredibly influential. She took her passion to the theatrical stage, performing in multiple shows at Studio East such as Into the Woods, Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz and many more. Under the mentorship of Artistic Director Lani Brockman, she was selected as dance captain for multiple shows and traveled to New York with the studio for professional workshops at Circle in the Square.

After being admitted to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), she studied under multiple professors such as, Ray Virta, Stacy Lee Tilton and Eugenio Contenti. Graduating in 2019, Claire entered the professional world of New York City, starting as an assistant choreographer for Eugenio Contenti at the Argyle Theatre. After working with both Contenti and the cast for several months throughout the rehearsal process, she was hired as the swing for their production of The Full Monty.
Claire has always been drawn to theatre and the performing arts, committing herself to a career in the industry at an early age. The performing arts brings people together creating a beautiful community, something she believes everyone needs a little bit more of right now. She’s looking forward to sharing her knowledge and contributing to others’ training. Returning to Colorado, she is honored and thrilled to continue her work.

Billie McBride, Director, Grease, spent 20 years in NYC prior to moving to Colorado doing theatre and Television. Her NY stage credits include Torch Song Trilogy (Helen Hayes), Safe Sex (Lyceum) and The Kurt Weill Cabaret (Bijou Theatre). Since moving to Colorado she has worked in many of the theatres in Colorado as a director and actress. As a Director: The Denver Children’s Theatre, The Wolf Academy, The Arvada Centers Main Stage and Children’s Theatre, Cherry Creek Theatre, Miners Alley Playhouse, DCPA Academy, Vintage Theatre for which she won the Henry Award for Outstanding Direction for Night Mother. As an actress: The Denver Center (Benediction, The Giver), The Arvada Center (Sunday In the Park , Cabaret, The Importance of Being Earnest). Other theaters include And Toto Too (Lost Creatures, Pardon My Dust), Lake Dillon Theatre (Velocity of Autumn), The Pluss at the JCC (Poignant Irritations), Lake Dillon Theatre (Velocity of Autumn), Curious Theatre (Nickel and Dimed, Becky Shaw), TheatreWorks (The Lying Kind), The Barth Hotel (Driving Miss Daisy, On Golden Pond), The Cherry Creek Theatre (4000 Miles), CSFAC (Enchanted April), Miners Alley Playhouse (The Treasurer, Before You Go and Grace and Glorie) for which she won a Henry Award for Most Outstanding Actress, and BETC for Ripcord and Outside Mullingar. She also has done All My Children, Secret Storm, The Return of Ironside, Perry Mason, The Shining and The Laramie Project. Billie has won 3 Henry Awards for acting and directing, The True West Award forTheatre Person of the year (2016), the Theatre Lifetime Achievement Award in (2014) and the True West Award (2021).

Nick Sugar, Director, is a producer, director, choreographer, instructor and performer in and around the Denver area. His professional career spans over 20 years and nearly 200 productions. Nick served as the Artistic Director for The Theater Group / Theater on Broadway for 7 years. He has also served on the board of directors for the Colorado Theater Guild and Town Hall Arts Center where he is also a resident director and choreographer.

This year Nick is a guest artist at Denver School of the Arts. He has also taught at The Denver Center for the Arts, University of Northern Colorado, Denver University / Lamont School of Music, and Stage Eleven.

In 2020 Nick became the most-honored individual in Colorado Theater Guild history, with 23 individual Henry Award nominations, after receiving three additional nominations for Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Choreography for his most recent production of Cabaret. Some of his other favorite award winning productions over the years include RENT, Hair, Chicago, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Rocky Horror, Tommy, Young Frankenstein and Dog Sees God.

Stefanie Raccuglia, Choreographer, Grease
Stefanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Registered Dance/Movement Psychotherapist, and owns a private practice in Denver, CO.
Stefanie’s first passion has always been dance and musical theatre, which not only played a hugely healing role in her own life, but fuels her desire to support others in defying limiting expectations and beliefs through creativity, self-expression, and empowerment. Through her expansive world travels, Stefanie has experienced the healing power of movement, ritual, and community with other cultures.

Informed by all of her experiences, Stefanie’s private practice specializes in somatic (body-based) psychotherapy for complex trauma, relationships, body-image, self-esteem, and personal empowerment. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Stefanie also works as a coach supporting women in career development, life purpose, and feeling empowered to effect the change they wish to see in themselves and their communities.

Stefanie continues to work as choreographer for various theatre companies around the Front Range, teaches private and small group creative dance and movement classes, and continues to perform now and again. Stefanie also enjoys spending time in the mountains with her fiance and back in NYC with her family whenever she gets the chance!

Lee Ann Scherlong, Musical Director, Grease
A native of Colorado, Lee Ann has worked professionally as a director, music director, theatre educator, actor, teaching artist and arts administrator for over 30 years.
Lee Ann has worked extensively within the world of Theatre for Young Audiences and has a passion for providing opportunities for young people to learn the craft of acting and to participate in the performing arts. Companies Lee Ann has worked for include Fort Collins Children’s Theatre, Factory Five Five, Northglenn Youth Theatre, Cherry Creek Theatre, Neighborhood Music School, Aurora Fox and Vintage Theatre Productions. Youth productions directed include Seussical, Alice in Wonderland (play), and Wizard of Oz. Youth theatre productions music directed include James and the Giant Peach, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Honk!, the Musical, Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Freaky Friday, and Frozen Jr.

Steve Wilson, Director, Seussical Jr. (also CSTC Executive Artistic Director)
Steve has been administrating, directing, teaching and performing in Colorado for over 30 years. Deeply dedicated to arts education, he joined the CenterStage/ Tapestry team as Executive Artistic Director in August 2021. He holds an MFA degree in acting from the National Theatre Conservatory (part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts) and a BFA degree in drama from the University of Southern California.

As theatre director recent credits include: The Sound of Music (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse), Fiddler on the Roof (Ovation West) and An Ideal Husband (The Naples Players). He garnered awards for “Best Director” from both the Denver Post and Boulder Daily Camera as well as four Henry Awards (Colorado’s Tony Award) for “Best Direction of a Musical” for his productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Urinetown, Man of LaMancha and Beauty & the Beast for PHAMALY Theatre Company. Steve also received a Denver Post Ovation award as “Best Director of a Musical” for PHAMALY’s Joseph... and Side Show as well as a “Best of Westword” award for “Best Direction of a Musical” for PHAMALY’s Beauty and the Beast. In addition, he was the recipient of the 2014 “True West Theatre Person of the Year” award. For 14 years he served as the Artistic Director of PHAMALY where directing credits included Grand Hotel, Damn Yankees, Once Upon a Mattress, The Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Our Town, How to Succeed, Little Shop of Horrors, The Elephant Man, Fiddler on the Roof, It’s A Wonderful Life and Annie. Additionally Steve has directed: Poignant Irritations (world premiere and winner of “Best New Play”), The Sisters Rosensweig and The Cradle Will Rock (Mizel Center); over 30 major productions for the Wolf Theatre Academy; Chinglish (Aurora Fox Arts Center); Cyrano de Bergerac (Compass Theatre Company); Androcles and the Lion, The Prince and the Pauper, The Last Paving Stone, Tomato Plant Girl, The Snow Queen, Art Dog, The Jungle Book and Sleeping Beauty (Denver Children’s Theatre); Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Comedy of Errors (Bug Theatre); Oliver! (Town Hall Arts Center) and Twelfth Night (The Theatre Group).

As administrator/ educator/ artistic director, Steve has overseen the development of four companies, including the Living Edge Theatre Company in Los Angeles, Compass Theatre Company in Denver, the theatre department of the Mizel Arts and Culture Center and PHAMALY Theatre Company. He has served as adjunct professor for the Arts and Culture Management program at DU’s University College. He has been a faculty member at the Wolf Theatre Academy, Stage Eleven and St. Mary’s Academy (10 years), as well as an artist-in-residence throughout the Cherry Creek and Denver Public School Districts.