Together, we can bring out the best in one another through theater!
Mel O'Musical is a dynamic, inclusive and vibrant musical theater company dedicated to delivering exceptional performances and creating unforgettable experiences for our students & audiences. With a passion for the arts and a commitment to excellence, we bring together talented performers, creatives, and production staff to produce fabulous musical productions that inspire, entertain, and captivate audiences & students alike.
At Mel O’ Musical, we strive to foster a safe, supportive environment where our students feel comfortable taking creative risks, helping them grow into phenomenal actors and all round awesome humans! With the support of our amazing team members, including a board certified pediatric therapist we call our FairyGodmother, we pride ourselves on meeting our students where they’re at, taking them to new heights with each production they participate in, whether on stage or on crew. Here at Mel O’ Musical, we offer several mainstage musicals each year along with weekly classes, workshops and vacation programs. To learn more about our programs, follow the links below!
Who’s who in Mel O’ Musical?
Mel Gillespie (she/her)
Producer
Mel founded Mel O’ Drama in 2011 where she still teaches a variety of drama classes weekly. She branched into musical theater in 2016 and that devision is now called Mel O’ Musical. She produces 5 main-stage musicals and teaches several classes and vacation programs throughout the year. Her mission is to continue creating a safe & inclusive space for theater kids and to eventually find or build her own theater for her Mel O’ Musical Family.
Bri Clarke (she/they)
Production Manager/Director/Stage Manager
Bri Clarke is thrilled to come on board as Mel O' Musical's first ever Production Manager! She was born and raised in Utah, where she fell in love with theater while seeing a production of "Anything Goes" during middle school. She continued participating in theater throughout high school and eventually majored in Theater Education at Brigham Young University. Bri currently lives in Braintree with her wife and two tabby cats. You can usually find Bri watching Steven Universe, belting out Broadway tunes, or dreaming up their next tap dance.
Robyn Fatseas (she/her)
Therapist AKA ‘Fairy Godmother.’
Robyn is a pediatric therapist & is a guiding force for the social and emotional wellbeing of our actors. She brings a unique blend of warmth, wisdom, and whimsy to our program, creating an environment where our students flourish not only on the stage, but beyond it as well. Providing a comforting presence at rehearsals and backstage, she invests time and energy to ensure each individual feels seen and empowered.
Loren Sylvester (he/they)
Musical Director
Loren has an M.Me. in music education, choral conducting, and vocal performance from Castleton University in Vermont. He has been the primary music director at Mel O’Drama ever since their very first musical way back in 2016! The opportunity to foster a new and inclusive theater arts culture while not only honing the abilities of these intelligent, creative, and exuberant students, but to also provide a safe and nurturing setting for these truly remarkable humans to express themselves freely continues to be, for them, one of life’s greatest passions.
Amanda Mirabella (she/her)
Director/Choreographer
Amanda Mirabella has been choreographing for Mel O’Musical since 2018 (Shrek Jr.). When not at Mel O’ Musical, she can be found getting roasted by her students at Lowell High School, being dragged down the street by her dogs, forcing her very patient partner to watch SpongeBob with her, or failing saving throws in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. She is endlessly grateful for the collaborative, creative, and welcoming space Mel O’Drama provides!
Robin Mackey (she/her)
Director/Choreographer
Robin Mackey is a graduate of Dreyfoos School of Arts & FSU’s School of Theatre. Her superpower is seeing and connecting to each child’s authentic self and finding out how they learn best in order to guide them to reach their full potential. Throughout her productions, Robin’s teaching style has made a mark. Instilling discipline, dedication, and appreciation for hard work and professionalism; celebrating actors’ unique strengths and developing areas of growth; all while remembering not to take ourselves too seriously! It’s a balance y’all! Don’t forget to laugh!
Thomas Cappelli (he/him)
Resident Scenic Designer & Technical Director (and occasional stage manager)
Thomas has a B.A. in Theatre from UMass Boston, where he was a regional (R1) finalist for a Kennedy Center collegiate Stage Management Fellowship, and trained under AEA and IATSE standards and mentorship. He takes great pride in fostering an environment in which our kids grow into both tenacious and responsible go-getters!
Alexa Steele (she/her)
Costume Designer
Alexa began working as a freelance costume designer in the Greater Boston area in 2015. She joined Mel O' Musical in the spring of 2022 and has loved making everything from tap dancing rats to Knights who say Ni! Alexa also works at the Arts Education Assistant at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown. She considers her Mel O’ Musical family “some of the wackiest, kindest, and most talented people I've ever had the pleasure to work with!"
Juno Forgues-Gilbert (they/them)
Juno is a high school senior who works as an assistant stage manager (and occasional stage manager!) since they were 14 in 'Beauty in the Beast'. They've worked in all sorts of productions with the company, and are happy to do whatever task is thrown their way (even if it's making last minute props or badly reading lines for missing actors). When they're not at Melodrama, they spend their time writing crazy things, reading whatever books they can get their hands on, drowning in schoolwork, drawing on any possible surface, and spending time with friends! They have felt incredibly lucky that they get to work and learn with the amazing team here, and are excited to take on the world with the guidance of their mentors at the company!
Mel O’ Musical Board
Jennifer Fay (she/her)
President
Sara Garland (she/her)
Secretary
Lisa Berard (she/her)
Treasurer
Melanie Gillespie (she/her)
Executive Director
Jackie Zais (she/her)
Member at Large
Joanne Hall-Robertson (she/her)
Member at Large