Lorna j. brunelle
~Writer, Producer, Event Coordinator, Advocate offering Voice, Acting, On Camera Acting, College Essay, College Prep, Audition Prep, Pageant Prep, Public Speaking, and Community Outreach:
Born into a musical family, the arts have been center stage since she was a child. Her mother Wanda was a night club singer in Boston when Lorna was little. Her Uncle Wayne was the lead singer of rock band. Lorna received The Louisa Burt Wood Pratt Scholarship her senior year in high school. The gift paid for her entire education at The Boston Conservatory.
In 1995, she opened The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts. In 2010 she launched The Alley Theatre. In 2019 she introduced the community to The Patio an outdoor performance venue. All three serve as a cultural hub for live entertainment and arts training 48 weeks a year. She produces (and recently trademarked ™️) Sip & Stroll. A quarterly, high end shopping experience supporting area artists, crafters, and restaurants. Proceeds benefit scholarships for children to study the arts.
Lorna joined the team at Boston Casting Inc. in 1999 helping hundreds of actors to level up. Her clients have been seen on The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon, Showtime, HBO, Hulu, ABC, NBC, CBS, America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and The X Factor.
Lorna consults professors, doctors, politicians, CEO’s, corporate professionals preparing for press, radio interviews, and speaking events including Tedx. In 2024 Citizens Bank hired her to help their best and brightest perfect their pitch and communication skills.
She spent many years working on movie sets with A list celebrities, and was on the NBC/ Style Network show Wicked Fit season 1 in 8 episodes. Lorna has sung The Star Spangled Banner at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, Mohegun Sun, and the Massachusetts State House.
Since 2009 she has worked with children, teens, and adults on the spectrum through therapeutic boarding schools in southeastern, Massachusetts. For many years she collaborated with Bina Farm – an equine center for people on the spectrum. She designed and taught an ABA class at Boston Casting Inc. for many years. Lorna enjoys preparing neurodivergent teens
and adults at Middleborough High School for job interviews.
Early in her career she worked with at risk teens through Plymouth House of Correction, Taunton State Hospital, and Camp Squanto. Lorna loved her time bringing music to Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton, Massachusetts.
She is the author of the bestselling books The Buoy Projects, Dirty Bombshell, and Cooking on North. A day is named in her honor (October 22) in Boston. She has won awards for her advocacy work (breast and thyroid cancer) and recovery /outreach for those facing addiction. She resides in the historic Ebenezer Soule Home with her husband Roger.
Life outside of the stage or classroom:
She is the youngest female ever to be awarded the Person of the Year Vocational Excellence Award in her community through The Rotary. She was awarded The One Hundred at the Massachusetts General Hospital. A nation wide honor highlighting one hundred people a year who make a difference in the cancer community for treatment, research, and advocacy. She is the recipient of the Joyce Feeley Award for helping 100 children per year (for several years) visit Massachusetts from the Chernobyl region to receive free medical care through The Chernobyl Children Project USA. Lorna served as a community coordinator and member of the management team.
Following her recovery from thyroid cancer, she became a patient advocate. Upon invitation of her thryoid surgeon Dr. Gregory Randolph, she has spoken several times at The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, was featured in a national Nerve Monitoring PSA to educate thyroid cancer patients, was featured in several of the M.E.E.I. documentaries, can be seen in a testimonial in the M.E.E.I. website, has sung at M.E.E.I. benefits and has shared her story in several Massachusetts Eye and Ear CONTACT magazine articles. She has raised and donated money to the Dana Farber arts enrichment program to provide theatrical performances for the children undergoing treatments in the Boston hospital.
As a sponsor for The Miss America Organization, Lorna has volunteered to help raise thousands of dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Miss Brunelle has participated in the Making Strides Walk and co-produces the DESIGNER COUTURE FOR A CURE fashion show twice a year to raise money for TEAM CHUCKEL of the Pan Mass Challenge, The Make – A – Wish Foundation and The Gregory Randolph Thyroid Cancer Research Fund.
As a colorectal and thyroid cancer survivor,
Brunelle has mentored cancer patients all over the globe. Lorna speaks at colleges, hospitals, hospice groups, and women’s organizations on the topic of cancer and patient care. She was featured in South Shore Woman magazine, LIVING WITH CANCER magazine, and Physician’s Weekly which rated her book The Buoy Projects the top 10 books every physician must read.
Lorna has been seen on FOX, NBC, NECN, WBZ, WHDH, and heard on local radio shows, and podcasts all over the country.
She has raised thousands of dollars for addiction prevention and programs, and serves on taskforces to support the recovery community. She resides in the historic Ebenezer Soule Home in Middleboro with her husband Roger.
Maureen Whalen
Maureen Whalen: Officer Manager
Maureen Whalen started her time at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts as a Burt Wood mom. Her daughter Molly was enrolled in the first class of students in September of 1995. Maureen quickly realized the school was in need of office support. After years of working in medical offices, Maureen offered to share her time and talent behind Desk #1 at Burt Wood.
Ever since, she has been #1 on every project.
From office manager, to assistant producer, to house manager, to professional tooth puller, Maureen is the heartbeat of Burt Wood.
Her husband Bob built sets for many years at the school. Her daughter Molly spent her childhood and college years training at the school. Now, her granddaughter Ruby studies at Burt Wood.
Be sure to say Hello to Miss Maureen during your tour of our campus.
Katerina LaCroix
We welcome Burt Wood Alum Katerina LaCroix to the team at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts.
Katerina teaches Tiny Tunes ages 3-5, and Middle School Musical Theatre for grades 5-8. She recently graduated from Framingham State University were she received her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with a minor in Music. She is thrilled over the opportunity to combine her love of music and education at the very place she studied while growing up in Middleborough.
Her involvement with The Burt Wood School began when I she twelve years old, taking several classes throughout each week and performing year round in the shows.
“Both the staff and students during my time there were encouraging and supportive. I can’t wait to foster the same environment in my own classes, creating bonds that will last a lifetime. I loved my time there and cannot wait to work with the upcoming generation of performers.”
~ Katrina
Tiny Tunes is Mondays 4:30pm -5:00pm
$10.00 a week
Musical Theatre for pre teens/teens is Mondays from 5:00pm -6:00pm
Musical Theatre is $25.00 week
Email burtwoodschool@aol.com to register.
Nikos Koutsogiannis
The Burt Wood School family welcomes
Nikos Koutsogiannis to team! He offers acting, voice, makeup, pageant talent staging, and walking. He is on campus Monday and Tuesday weekly.
Nikos is a graduate from Salem State University with a degree in public relations and a minor in theatre arts. Some of his favorite credits include Hanschen in Spring Awakening, Underling in The Drowsy Chaperone, Emcee in Cabaret, and Edward Lyons in Blood Brothers. He was a finalist in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) where he also won Best Comedic Actor.
In addition to theatre he also is a freelance makeup artist with his sister, running Lindsey Rego Makeup Artistry together. They specialize in wedding, prom, photoshoots, and offer makeup classes one on one. Nikos won Performer of the Year in Boston 2024.
Email burtwoodschool@aol.com to register for classes with Nikos.
Richard Bois
Lifestyle Guru Richard Bois
Costume ans Set Design, Stylist, Acting Coach, Pageant Prep
With over three decades of experience in the field, Richard is a graduate of Empire Cosmetology Academy in Boston and was a makeup artist at Mac cosmetics. A model and actor with Model Club Inc. in Boston, Richard has appeared in regional commercials and national advertising campaigns. He had been a guest artist at Boston Casting Inc. for the past two years offering style and fashion advice. He worked for WKRON TV (Channel 4) on the shows Hyper-Tech and First Cut as a makeup artist in San Francisco. While in San Francisco, Richard was the makeup artist and hair stylist on independent films for Ragamuff Productions.
Richard has been the costume stylist, hair and makeup specialist and actor for over 40 theatrical productions. He has been a personal stylist for girls competing in the Miss America and Miss USA pageant systems and has been the in house personal stylist and costume designer for The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts since 2008. Richard is a freelance stylist for weddings, special occasions and professionals from every walk of life.
Bobby Margitich
We are SO excited to welcome Bobby Margitich to the Burt Wood family. Bobby offers beginner to advanced piano and synthesizer,
beginner bass, guitar, and ukulele. Bobby is currently taking students on Mondays on campus, in person at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts 🎭. Email burtwoodschool@aol.com for more information.
Lucy Nagle Record
Lucy Nagle Record: LA Choreographer / Summer Arts Festival
Los Angeles, California and Texas resident Lucy Nagle Record is the summer choreographer at The Burt Wood School. Ms. Record is a renowned West Coast Choreographer who has won numerous awards for her professional work. She has been named Best Choreographer by the Santa Monica Theatre Guild several years in a row, and also won first place in the celebrated Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Competition for middle schools for her work with “THE MUSIC MAN.” Ms. Record created, designed and is teaching the Musical Theatre class at the prestigious Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles. We love spending time at Burt Wood with Miss Lucy while she is on Cape Cod at her summer home.
Stacy Dawson
Stacy Dawson: Musical Director/ Director/ Costumes
Middleboro native Stacy Dawson joined the team at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts many years ago. A graduate of Middleboro High School, Stacy has a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Therapy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and a Masters in Neurologic Music Therapy from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
In 2006, Stacy became a certified music therapist and began working at Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital in West Virginia. From there, she became the music therapist for twenty schools throughout the Waco, Texas Independent School District.
Stacy and her husband moved to Middleboro in 2012 and she began working as a teacher at a preschool in Plymouth.
The following year, Stacy was hired as the music director at The Sacred Heart Church in Middleboro. Mrs. Dawson was also a music therapist for the Pilgrim Area Collaborative for two years. A former chamber singer who toured Europe and flutist in a symphonic band, Stacy teaches choir, voice and piano. She has been a cantor and accompanist for weddings and funerals for over two decades.
Stacy is currently an elementary school music teacher in Brockton.
She resides in Middleboro with her husband Scott (a music teacher), their daughters Emaline and Lucille and their Vizsla Coco. While raising her young daughters, Stacy remains a per diem music therapist and loves being a member of the community.
John Tolias
John Tolias: Guitar, Bass and Ukulele at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts.
John has been playing guitar for 40 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Massachusetts Boston, and has had extensive studies at Berklee College of Music. He has been teaching students of all levels, from beginner to advanced for over years previously at The Music Machine located in Easton, Mack’s Music in Middleboro, and now at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts.
Over the years, John has performed in a variety of bands: Blues, Rock, Top 40, Jazz, Ethnic, wedding, and has numerous musical influences such as: The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Chicago, Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, John Coltrane, among many more.
He feels that a world of knowledge can be opened up to the student through music involvement, and that the creative skills developed through this endeavor will carry the student towards new ideas, new experiences, and new challenges, not to mention the personal satisfaction.
His approach to teaching is to take the students needs and goals, and apply the appropriate lesson plans to attain those specific goals. With enough determination and practice, he feels all can succeed with a very positive outcome. Lastly, and maybe more importantly, John feels that music is a way to connect with yourself, but is also a bridge for connecting with others.
John is at The Burt Wood School on Tuesdays. To register for classes please email burtwoodschool@aol.com
Olivia Marques
The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts welcomes Olivia Marques to the team🎼🎵🎶💜
She offers musical theatre, voice, acting, and musical theater dance.
Olivia Marques is a 22 year old graduate from Bridgewater State University with Degrees in Theatre Education and Secondary Education with a minor in Musical Theatre Performance and has been training in voice/musical theatre for almost 10 years. She spent January through May of this year fulfilling her student teaching placement in the Middle School Theatre and Dance Program at Rising Tide Charter Public School in Plymouth, both in person and remotely upon the state mandated school closures. She was also a substitute teacher at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts during this time.
Olivia has been involved in the performing arts for as long as she can remember and decided to pursue Theatre Performance and Theatre Education when she was 17 after years of involvement in the craft. Olivia has most recently been seen on stage as Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical the Musical, Cinderella in Into the Woods, Electra in Gypsy, Hedy LaRue in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Hope Cladwell in Urinetown. She is an alumni of the Open Jar Institute’s Musical Theatre Intensive Program located in NYC and was named a finalist for the Richard Maltby Jr. Musical Theatre Excellence Scholarship through the Kennedy Center in January of 2020. Olivia hopes to one day teach theatre full time in a high diversity public middle school. After many years spent in and around the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, she is so excited to finally be a member of the Burt Wood family/faculty.
Jenna Kendall
Introducing Miss Jenna Kendall
Jenna is a member of our alumni, and offers saxophone, voice, piano, guitar, ukulele, trombone, flute, and clarinet at The Burt Wood School.
Jenna Kendall is a multi-instrumentalist and graduate of Rhode Island College and Colorado State University, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education, respectively. Her primary instruments are saxophone and voice, but she is also experienced in piano, guitar, ukulele, trombone, flute, and clarinet.
Jenna also works as a band and choir director and music teacher at Apponequet Regional High School, and she has a passion for directing and conducting music ensembles. Jenna has 20 years of performing arts experience in many different genres including instrumental and vocal performance, dance, and musical theater. She has been a part of various jazz and rock bands, wind ensembles, choral groups, and theater productions!
For lessons please email burtwoodschool@aol.com
Jenna is a proud Burt Wood Alumni. She joined the school when she was 3 years old as part of the Tiny Tunes program. She also studied both voice and piano at the Burt Wood School, and participated in the show chorus and dance choreography classes there. Jenna has also been a part of many of the summer festival shows, starting with Burt Woods production of Godspell in 2010 and continuing to perform in 42nd Street (as Anytime Annie), West Side Story (as Anybodys), and Back to the 80’s (as Eileen). Jenna is very excited to continue her time at the Burt Wood school as a member of the faculty!
Melissa Botelho
Melissa Botelho has been a voice, acting, and show director at the school since 1999. She has a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College, and she is also on staff at the Hanson Middle School, where she is a Special Education teacher. A Middleboro native, Melissa has an extensive background in music, both academically and professionally. After receiving her degree in vocal performance from Hofstra University where she made numerous stage appearances as a soloist, Melissa then went on to perform locally, regionally and nationally. She has continued to perform as a soloist, having appeared in several New England venues including Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and Mohegan Sun. She currently resides in Rochester, Ma, with her husband Gregg, her kids Mara and Balin, and her dog Lulu.
Donna DiCarlo
Donna DiCarlo
Stage crew, Costumes, and photographer
Donna started as a backstage parent helper when her daughter auditioned for her first play at Burt Wood. her roles have evolved over the years and she enjoys helping in any way that benefits the students and staff. She has a masters degree in early childhood education and has been teaching kindergarten in Mansfield since 1999. She loves being part of the team that helps the performers at Burt Wood learn in such a creative environment. She currently resides in Lakeville with her husband and two daughters.
Scotty Dawson
Scotty Dawson:
Stage Manager, Host, Sound, Set Design, House Manager
Scotty has been performing music starting with a band with his brothers for over 30 years. He has played with Jazz bands that toured Europe, Rock bands that toured the U.S. and a number of local Symphonic Orchestras.
Scotty got a degree in Music Education from Slippery Rock University before meeting his wife Stacy. He then began his career as a music educator teaching in Texas.
Scotty moved to Middleboro and taught in Randolph while performing with local symphonies and music groups and earned a Masters degree in Music Education from Bridgewater State University.
Scotty started teaching at Burkland Elementary in Middleboro where he currently helps young children explore the joys of music.
At Burt Wood , Scotty likes to help out in any way he can, espcially with his wonderful wife, Stacy Dawson’s shows.
Paul Chase
Paul Chase: Bass, Guitar, Composition
🎸A message from Paul:
With over 28 years of experience as a professional musician, I have developed a strong passion for music and a versatile skill set. Throughout my career, I have delved into a diverse range of musical styles, embracing everything from big band jazz and avant-garde to funk, reggae, and rock, as well as country. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with numerous bands and performers, both locally and internationally.
Having had the privilege of touring all over the United States and in various countries such as Egypt, Iraq, and Canada, I have had the opportunity to share my music with diverse audiences and immerse myself in different cultures. These experiences have enriched my musical perspective and allowed me to connect with people from all walks of life through the universal language of music.
I have also been fortunate to live in two of the most renowned music cities in the USA: Memphis and New Orleans. These vibrant and culturally rich cities have been a constant source of inspiration, fueling my creativity and influencing my artistic expression.
I firmly believe in the transformative power of music. It has a unique ability to evoke emotions, transcend boundaries, and bring people together. Through the universal language of music, I aim to create moments of connection and unity, allowing people from different backgrounds to share in the joy and beauty of music.
As a music teacher, I believe that the most important thing is to make the learning experience fun and enjoyable for the student. I work together with each student to help them progress and achieve their goals, using a variety of teaching techniques and approaches to inspire them to succeed. My deep appreciation for theory and technique informs my teaching approach, and I try to convey these concepts in ways that are engaging and accessible. I focus on the student’s preferred musical tastes, and use those as a jumping-off point to explore new sounds and theory. For example, if a student is interested in rock music, we might explore the use of power chords or alternate tunings to achieve a specific sound. Ultimately, my goal is to help students develop a strong foundation in music and find joy in the process of learning and creating.