Area Stage presents

Designed and Directed by

Giancarlo Rodaz

Musical Director

Katie Duerr

Performers

Our team

Administrative StaFF

Giancarlo Rodaz Artistic Director

John Rodaz Founder, Producing Director

Maria Banda-Rodaz Executive Director

Laz Hansen Technical Director

Xierra Itayem Conservatory Director

Irma Becker ITP Director

Anjuli G. Kaufman Business Manager

Jennifer Gomez Marketing Manager

Kaithlyn Villarreal Marketing Assistant

Kelly Wygant Office Administrator

Sajada Heard House Manager

Katelyn Reinoso Box Office

Gil Kaufman Video Production, Media

Adam Horowitz CFO

Lisa Rosenberg Development Consultant

Meet the Performers!

Nicole Becker (Lady Almira Miasma) is a 10th grader at MAS. Professional credits: Little Mermaid 2024 (ensemble). Educational: Little Mermaid (Ariel) /Arsht Center, RENT (Mimi Marquez), Beauty and The Beast (Babette)/Arsht Center, Aladdin Jr. (Jasmine), Lady Miasma (Almira Miasma). A winner of the Overall Grand Champion in the 23rd Young Talent Big Dreams competition, she thanks Area Stage for supporting her artistic growth, and her family for supporting her dreams!

Katie Duerr is an actor, Music Director, and Conservatory Manager at Area Stage. She graduated from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and holds a certification in Vocal Pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She was most recently seen in Area Stage's latest immersive production of The Little Mermaid as Alana/Scuttle. Notable credits include Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts), Shrek (Fiona), Matilda (Miss Honey), Annie (Grace), Be More Chill (Chloe), She Kills Monsters (Agnes), The Wizard of Oz (Wicked Witch), Cabaret (Frauline Kost), Peter x Wendy (Captain Hook).

Michelle Gordon is a New World School of the Arts Theater alumna, trained in acting under the technique of Uta Hagen. She has studied voice and dance extensively under the guidance of multiple accredited professors and mentors. She holds a Marketing degree from Florida International University and has been teaching the arts for 9 years (and counting), training students who have been accepted into performing arts institutions including selective educational conservatories and prestigious arts programs. Her performance credits with Area Stage include The Little Mermaid (Adella), Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Peter X Wendy (Wendy), and Shrek the Musical (Fiona).

Imran Hylton is very excited to be a part of this cast. Hylton is a BFA musical theater graduate and Summa Cum Laude award recipient from The University of Florida and New World School of the Arts. Credits include his Carbonell Award Winning Performance (Best Supporting Actor In a Musical) in Area Stage’s Beauty and The Beast (Maurice/ Madame), Annie (Miss Hannigan), In The Heights (Main Featured Dancer), Frankenstein (Gustav/Constable), the world premiere musical A Wonderful World (Banjo Ben) directed by Tony Nominee Christopher Renshaw. @Imranhylton

John Mazuelos is a local theatre actor and voice over artist. Credits include: Lord Farquaad (Shrek: The Musical), Rooster (Annie), Fagin (Oliver!), King Triton/Chef Louis (The Little Mermaid); and was nominated for a Carbonell award for his portrayal of Cogsworth and Lefou in the South Florida award winning production of Beauty and the Beast. Follow him @johnluismaz.

Grace Suárez is an Acting graduate from Interlochen Arts Academy. Recent credits: Rada (Rada), Sun In Ya Hands (Marisol), Beauty and the Beast (Ensemble), The Little Mermaid (Atina). Grace was also featured at Lincoln Center's premiere of MUKTI, where she performed a piece based on her experience as a Venezuelan refugee. She is thrilled to return to Area Stage and deeply grateful to her family for their unwavering support.

Team

Laz Hansen (Technical Director) In 2014 Laz transitioned from 27 years of working in the financial services sector to a career in theater & arts. He joined the New York Film Academy (NYFA) working on the expansion of their facilities in New York and Miami. This led to working with the respective Heads of Filmmaking, Photography and Musical Theater to lead the carpentry and scenic artistry for theater and film sets, and as Technical Director for musical and play productions. In 2019 he moved to Miami and joined Area Stage while continuing work on New York City productions several times a year.

Eliezer Migueles (Master Carpenter) was born in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, and worked as a farmer from a very young age. Upon arriving in Miami, he began his journey with Area Stage as an assistant carpenter. Over time, he mastered his craft and became the company's Master Carpenter in 2019. Eliezer is grateful for the career change opportunity that Area Stage has provided him and extends his heartfelt thanks to John and Maria Rodaz, and Laz Hanson for their mentorship and support.

Sofia Ortega (Wardrobe) is a Miami-based costume designer, theatre instructor and actor. She is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, with a BFA in Drama and minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. Recently, her passion in theatre and dance education, and her strong base in the visual arts led her to costume design. Design credits include the critically acclaimed productions of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! and Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Addams Family: Young@Part, and Frozen Jr. She hopes to one day open her own musical theater school where she can do all, guiding students to reach their full potential. She thanks Maria for her guidance and support. 

Giancarlo Rodaz (Director, Artistic Director) is a Miami native and grew up in the theatre, working in all areas of theatre production. Directing credits: Alice in Wonderland, Ride, She Kills Monsters, Shrek the Musical, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, Matilda the Musical, Annie, Be More Chill, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Lionel Bart's Oliver! Playwright/directing credits: Peter x Wendy, Rise of the Titans (Arsht Center), Janis Matthews & The Dodo Scouts (Area Stage), The Lone Wolf of Honeysuckle Valley, and Don’t Fear the Rain (MicroTheater). His musical The Ballad of Janis Matthews and the Dodo Scouts, performed at The Mile Square Theatre (NJ). In 2022, Giancarlo won the Silver Palm Award for Outstanding Direction for Be More Chill and Beauty and the Beast, followed by two Carbonell Awards for Best Director and Best Production of a Musical for Beauty and the Beast. In 2019, he won a Silver Palm Award for his Outstanding Direction and Highly Theatrical Vision of She Kills Monsters and The Wizard of Oz. Giancarlo was nominated for a Carbonell in Best Lighting Design for The Nether.

Board of directors

Sara Poses Chairperson

Oscar Caceres Treasurer

Huga Arza Vice Chairman

Helen Gomez Mopsick Secretary

Ed Acle, Maria Banda-Rodaz, Alan David Barson, Tere Batista, Harvey Burstein, Patricia Farrell,

Brian May, Giancarlo Rodaz, John Rodaz, Lee Rubin, Jon Secada, Mari Secada

Board of Advisors

Frank Alvarez, David Caserta, Oscar Isaac, Don Van Natta, Arthur Whitelaw

DONORS

AREA STAGE ENTHUSIASTICALLY THANKS ITS GENEROUS SPONSORS AND DONORS, WITHOUT WHOSE INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT PRODUCTIONS LIKE THIS ONE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE

Award Winning Sponsor ($400,000+)

The Children’s Trust

Critically Acclaimed Sponsors ($150,000+)

Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs | State of Florida Agency of Persons with Disabilities

Nominated Sponsor ($50,000+)

Dosal Foundation | The Jorge M. Perez Foundation and The Miami Foundation

Debut Sponsors ($20,000+)

Al and Jane Nahmad Foundation | Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Box Office Hit Sponsors ($10,000+)

Acle Law Firm | Bean Automotive Group Commissioner | Cawy Bottling Co | Gloria Estefan Foundation | Raquel Regalado | Jannette Milton | The National Endowment for the Arts | The Sullivan Family

Standing Ovation Sponsors ($5,000+)

Acle Family | Arza Family | Beatriz Bolton | Brian May | Lyrasis | Marcia Frazier | Philene Foundation | Sara and Todd Poses | TD Bank | The City of Coral Gables

Applause Sponsors ($1,000+)

Lorraine Bean | Harvey Burstein | Patricia Farrell | Ryan Holtzman | Gina Maser | Nathalie Manzano | James Mooney Helen Mopsick | Tami Palmeiro | Barbara and Constantino Peña | Al Rose | Carlos Segrera | David Segrera | Elaine Segrera Maritere Secada | Ernt Swietelsky | Shaefer Withers

Director Circle ($500+)

Fabian Basabe | Cesar Carvalho | Oscar Caceres | Erin Hager | Vanessa Hyden | Anjuli Kaufman | Bettina Arguelles Legorburu Dorothy Lusinski | Todd and Wendy Mangione | Lee Rubin and Daphne Mershon | Lora Miller | Thomas Mooney Ligia Del Pino | Martin Stier | Nikisha Williams | Jessie Wolfson | David Worland

Designer Circle ($250+)

Edward Acle | Michael de Armas | Tere Batista | Andrea Chavez | Clara Fleitas | Carolyn Harris | Jacqueline Kearns Giovanna Kearns-Maser | Catherina Largo | Juan Mayol | Gustavo Membiela | Philippa Milne | Suzanne Oatmeyer Francisco J. Oliva | Pablo Ortiz | Michelle Roth | Elaine Segrera | Sharingwear Inc. | Ashley Shear | Joanna Tomas Augusto Quintanilla

Actor Circle ($100+)

Maria Alcala | Frank Alvarez | Lizette Alvarez | Juan Amaya | Yaima Aviles | Elliot B.| Betty Bales | William B. Bales | Beth Bales | Sarah Bales | Charles Bales | Gilda Batlle | Irma Becker | Amy Bogardus | Ann Bogardus | Cathy Borlenghi | Carlos Borras | Jennify Papy Borrow | Elizabeth Boulenger | Ray Breslin | Diana Brooks | Cherly Dunn Bycheck | Chris Calvesbert Emily Cardenes | Sara Caso-Perez | Sabine Coates | Joanne Cohen | Joanna Cohen | Nancy Cohen | Karen Colbert Deborah Cowley | Linda/Tom Dann | Elizabeth Dartigue | Michael Davidson | Julie De Grandy | Yania De Jesus | Cameron Dezfulian | Marlene Espin | Edna Falla | Jimmy Farach | Javier Fernandez | Jaclyn Ferro | Claudia Fraga | Maria Eugenia Garces | Victoria Garcia | Martin Garcia | Beatriz & Ricardo Garcia | Gloria Garity | Margarita Gonzalez | Lisa Gory | Emily Green | Melanie Greenwald | Adriana Hernandez | Elena Herskowitz | Guillermo Horta | Maribel Hung | John Joffre | Jody Johnson | Allegra Kaufman | Richard Kaydas | Wendy Lacy | Caressa Lanier | Conrado Larrauri | Leslie Lauritano | Jonathan Lieberman | Sasha Lopez | Mona Markus | Renee Masucci | Michelle Aradnes Matthews | Sarah Santos McCluskey | Lisa Mianka | Jennifer Michon | Jim Mooney | Virginia Moskowitz | Libby Navarrete | Anamaria Nevares | Bari Newport | Francisco Oliva | Isabella Peña | Ines Pereda | Mercedes Perez | Karen Peterson | Rachel Poses | Daniel Prinzing | Gianfranco Puppio Martha & Darrin Quam | Enrique Quimper | Dominique Rao | Clemence Rasigni | Corinne Rhyner | Ivonne Ribbibs | Kristof Richmond | Richard de la Rosa | Jodie Rozencwaig | Lucy Rump | Eliana Sachar | Tayana Salgado | Chantal Salnave | Tyler Sanchez | Neel Shome | Jason Shultz | Ralph Solernou | Vanessa Steinberg | Christina Surretsky | Kimberly Thompson | Mark Trowbridge J Usatorres | Teri Valcarcel | Sofia Valdivia | Valeria Van Balen | Timothy van Hemert | Johana Velasco | Vivian Vieta Lily Vildal | James Weaver | Pamela Wolfson | Adam Wolman | Nicole Zimelman | Maria & Hugh Pineda

Friends of ASC ($25+)

Stephanie Aagaard | Claudia Aguilar | Virginia Akar | Al Alshuler | Marissa Altman | Sofia Amaya | Anaily Andreu | Adriana Arnal | Victoria Asorey | Eleftherios Atzanos | Carmen Aviles | Nelson Aviles | Ana Azpurua | Clint Bales | Janice Barefoot Ross Baron | Robyn Batelman | Maria Batista | Connie Batuhan | Gisela Begert | Kent Benedict | Adelyn Blanco | Daniel Bolek | Natashe Bravo | Tanya Bravo | Larry Brooks | Todd & Rhonda Buchman | Nathan Bull | Griselle Burgos | Lori Burnstine | Jennifer Buttrick | Patricia Cahen | Vivian Calienes | Jorge Campos | Roberto Carballo | Elsa Carreno | Michelle Castro | Anthony Cazanove | Jennifer Cepeda | Elissa Chamizo | Heather Chemtov | Katherine Chirdaris | Silvia Cobos Larry Cohen | Maria Consuegra | Rossana Corniel | Sylvia Crespo | Manny Crespo | Jonathan Dann | Mary Doyle De Ponce | Caroline De Posada | Javier Dealmagro | John Del Bello | Sam Dulcio | Jeanette Edwards | Jeannette Egozi | Evan Ellman | Yamileth Espinoza | Sandy Etiel | Frederic Fenton | Ninoska Fernandez | Brenda Fernandez | Jorge Fernandez Marta Filipponi | Robin Gale | Francisco Garcia | Alexander Garcia | Henry Garcia | Gabriela Garcia | Tony Garcia | Alina Garcia | Lisette Gasca | Wendi Gittler | Blue Barry Glassman | Ryan Goepel | Jacqueline Gonzalez | Jorge Gross | Heidi Gruber | Armando Gutierrez | Nada Hennaoui | Rebecca Hernandez-Carta | Greta Hicks | Clarita Huguet | Natalia Hunt Leath Hunt | Jesus Ibarra | Coral Kaminshy | John Gilbert Kaufman | Gil Kaufman | Julio Kessel | Mary King | Susan Kong Gino & Marta L. | Elaine Lanaris | Melissa Larrazabal | Sonia Laureni | Tamara Lave | Margaret Ledford | Adrienne Leff Marisabel Leon | Darra Levy | Ana Lima | Khia Lopez | Mari Lovo | Jose Luis Pere | Michelle Maloy | Andrea & Paola Malpica | Cathy Manzoni Borlenghi | Heidi Marcelo-Calera | Natalija Marjanovic | Joe Marquez | Lidia Martin | Gabriela Martinez-Fonts | Elizabeth Mateu | Brenda Rubin Mendez | Celine Mesnage | Sickner Milfort | Alexander Milne | Chris Monge | Colton Mopsick | Richard Moraille | Mariana Morales | Anelu Moreira | Dean Morell | Tracy Moret | Lisa Morgan Andrea Mortari | Lisa Murphy | Marta Neira | Sandra Neptune | Mai Oizumi | Frank Oliva | Martha Orozco | Sofia Ortega Lourdes Palmer | Jennifer Papy Barrow | Aldine Parisot | Jessica Paz | Jose Paz | Joseph Paz | Maria Paz | Alessandra Peña | Ana Perez | Maria Pernas | Roberto Ponceleon | Salange Ponceleon | Nicole Pujula | Darrin Quam | Meghana Rajadhyksha | Jacob Ratzan | Louis Redondo | Hilda Redondo | Jose Redondo | Nicholas Richberg | Jenifer Rinaldi Mirba Rivera | Ricardo Roberts | Monica Rodriguez | Cindy Rodriguez | Jorge Rodriguez-Walling | Monica Roelandse Victor Rosado | Magda Rosales | Jennifer Rossi | Josefina Saavedra | Elisa Saladrigas | Pablo Salazar | Patricia Salnave Carrie Salnave | Bertrand Salnave | Eliana Salzhauer | Paula Samper | Daniel Sanchez | Regina Santos | Susan Silanee Pedro Silva | John Edward Smith | Mariano Soria | Allen Sousa | Betty Sparks | Cristi Stone | Melissa Sullivan | Leslie Tobin Maribel Toledo | Jacqueline Trespalacios-Mier | Carla Trinidad | Alex Valdivia | Luis Vargas | Maggie Vicente-Rodriguez Fritza Victor | Lily Vidal | Carlos Vigil | Keith Walker | Kim Werner | Maria Carolina Zalles | Luly Zimmerman

ABOUT AREA STAGE

It was 1989 when John Rodaz founded Area Stage. Maria Rodaz joined the company that same year and together became pioneers of the Miami Beach arts community on Lincoln Road. Since its inception, the critically acclaimed nonprofit has presented a mix of contemporary and classic plays and musicals, world premieres, forever changing the standards of what South Florida’s theatres can be. Throughout its 35 year history, Area Stage productions have earned over 150+ awards, nominations, accolades, etc, including eighty Carbonell Award nominations and awards, numerous acknowledgments such as the Miami New Times’ “Best Of,” including 1992, 1993, 1997, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 for Best Theater Company; national recognition on Travel & Leisure Magazine, WLRN, CNN, CNN International, Univision, Telemundo, and on ABC’s Nightline with Ted Koppel as the only theatre company ever featured on the program.

In 2008, Area Stage moved into the beautiful Riviera Theatre in Coral Gables, a dream come true and an opportunity for the company to reinvent itself. With a reimagined mission and vision, the company established a professional-level conservatory program in addition to maintaining a full season of professional productions, concerts, and community events. In 2014, the Inclusion Theatre Project (ITP) was established, a life-changing program for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. In 2020, Area Stage moved to The Shops at Sunset Place. Its current headquarters, built from the ground up for its needs, hosts state-of-the-art dance and voice studios and a black box theatre.

Under the visionary leadership of newly appointed Artistic Director Giancarlo Rodaz, Area Stage has undergone a transformative phase, embracing immersive productions as a means to elevate storytelling, forcing multi-generational, multicultural audiences to rekindle new relationships with classic tales. A community partnership with the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami’s premier cultural institution was established in 2022, which has allowed the organization to produce at a much higher level reaching larger audience circles, with sold out performances. The company’s forward-thinking approach and innovative spirit have placed it at the forefront of immersive theater, garnering relationships with Disney Theatricals, GFour Productions, and the MacKintosh office.

With over 35 years of artistic excellence, Area Stage thanks you for your continued support. This remarkable legacy celebrates creativity, talent, innovation, and the priviledge to serving our beloved community.

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