Emily Funicello
Founding Member/
Director of Dance
Master’s Degree (Ed.M.) Rutgers University - Dance Education Graduate School of Education; recipient of the 2014 Ed.M. Dance Education Excellence Award- Summa Cum Laude - Mason Gross School of the Arts
BFA Dance Rutgers University
Emily has performed with Zella Dance and Hysterika Jazz Dance Companies at venues that include the Dumbo Arts Festival, Dixon Place, Breaking Glass Project (Ailey Citigroup Theater), Boston Contemporary Dance Festival (Paramount Theater), Jersey New Moves (NJPAC), and the NY Jazz Choreography Project (Salvator Capezio Theater). Emily is a full time Dance Teacher for Trenton Public Schools. She was a recipient of the Disney Musicals in Schools programming through NJPAC, bringing musical theater to her students at Fred W. Martin Center for the Arts in Jersey City, NJ. Her students also partnered with the professional dance company, Nimbus Dance Works, to perform the Jersey City Nutcracker. In 2016 she joined the creative team of the nationally recognized Conwell Kidz Drama Program at P.S. 3 school as choreographer. The Conwell Kidz have received top awards at The National Performing Arts Festival in Walt Disney World and The Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA. They have piloted musical productions with iTheatrics, Musical Theatre International and Disney Musicals. Emily is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the American Ballet Theatre Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-primary through Level Three of the ABT National Training Curriculum.
Nicole Oliver
Founding Member/
Director of Music & Acting
BA Theatre Performance – Fordham University at Lincoln Center
NJ Certified Teacher of Theater and Speech, Vocational Teacher of Theater, Teacher of Elementary Education - St. Peter’s University
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Nicole is currently working in the dual credit college theatre program at the JC Arts High School Program in partnership with NJCU, while also pursuing her master’s degree in supervision. She began her career as a professional actor in regional theatre, educational touring companies, and Theatre for Young Audiences, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Her passion for teaching was sparked at the Kaleidoscope Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she led a workshop that inspired her to develop children’s programming with The Forum Theatre in Metuchen, NJ.
In 2004, Nicole joined JCPS as a drama teacher at PS#3, where she founded the nationally award-winning Conwell Kidz Drama Program. The program has been featured on ABC, CBS, News12 NJ, NJ.com, and the Jersey Journal, and has performed at major community events including Mayor Fulop’s Inauguration, the All About Downtown Festival, the Hoboken Arts Festival, and the NJSBA Conference in Atlantic City. The Conwell Kidz have earned top honors at The National Performing Arts Festival in Walt Disney World, FL, and The Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA. Students have piloted productions with iTheatrics, Disney Musicals, and Musical Theatre International, including the national release of Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Treehouse: Pirates Past Noon at the prestigious New Works Festival in Atlanta. Many alumni continue their craft at institutions such as Hudson County’s High Tech High School, Jersey City’s Performing Arts High School, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Kean University, NJCU, Montclair State University, Wagner College, and Pace and have worked with companies including iTheatrics, MTI, Disney Musicals, Wingspan Academy, TaDa!, and Kidz Theater of NYC.
Nicole Oliver founded the nonprofit City Kidz Playhouse Theatre Academy to address the need for affordable theatre training for students in Hudson County. Since its inception, CKP has provided countless young performers with opportunities to train, supported by scholarships funded through the JC Youth Foundation, the Jersey City Arts and Cultural Trust Fund, and other generous benefactors.
Broadway producer Ken Davenport, remarked in an article highlighting theatre educators that, “The future of the theater is in good hands, thanks to people like you.”
She was awarded the 217-2018 JCPS District Teacher of the year, the NJ Governor’s Award (2019), the Freddie G Teacher Fellowship (2019) through iTheatrics, MTI, Disney Musicals, and Freddie Gershon, where she trained under Broadway leaders such as Jeff Calhoun and Chris Gatelli. Her program also received a $5,000 grant from the Gershons. Nicole was named JCPS District Teacher of the Year in 2016–17, representing the second largest district in New Jersey. She continues to serve the arts community as a member of the Board of Directors for Pushcart Players, New Jersey’s premier Theatre for Young Audiences company.
Jenna is a certified arts educator and currently a dance teacher at Snyder High School Dance Program. She graduated High Tech High School as a dance major. Through the program, she was able to travel to Vienna, Italy and become Ballroom Certified. With such extensive training, she was one of 12 girls from all of New Jersey and New York to earn a spot in the Paul Taylor Professional Modern Dance Company. Year one of teaching, Ms. Van Sant wrote a grant to the Board of Education and created the first dance program in the Jersey City Elementary Schools. Year two, she was asked to become the choreographer of the Conwell Kidz Drama Program. She choreographed "The Little Mermaid in 2023" winning Outstanding Production in Sacramento, California for the JTF and “Finding Nemo”. She is honored to be a part of City Kidz!
Jenna Van Sant
Choreographer
Gianna Scalcione is an alumna of City Kidz Playhouse’s 2023–2024 season and is presently pursuing her degree in Theatre Studies with a focus on Theatre Education at Montclair State University. Recently, Gianna took on the role of director for the first-ever pilot production of Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. JR., helping bring this thrilling new adaptation to life on stage. She remains actively engaged in the theatre community as both a director and performer, having recently portrayed Regina George in SYAT’s rendition of Mean Girls. Through her involvement on stage, behind the scenes, and in educational settings, Gianna is dedicated to enhancing her abilities as a versatile theatre artist and educator. She is committed to fostering inclusive, motivating theatrical experiences that enable young performers to build confidence, unleash their creativity, and develop a lasting passion for the arts.
Gianna Scalcione
Teaching Artist/
Director
BA - Musical Theatre NJCU
Katrina Rada is a proud Filipina American theatre artist who specializes in dance and acrobatics. She has been dancing since the age of three and has followed that passion to this day. Her prior credits most recently include playing Connie Wong in NJCU’s production of A Chorus Line and while attending High Tech High School as a musical theatre major, she performed in Evita and The Drowsy Chaperone. For the past couple of years, she has served as The Artists Avenue’s main dance educator and continues to choreograph for their MainStage productions such as Shrek Jr and Moana Jr. She aspires to encourage younger generations of artists to follow their dreams and provide them with the necessary tools for success in anything they do.
Katrina Rada
Teaching Artist/
Dance & Musical Theatre
BFA Musical Theatre Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Emily has been involved in the Hudson County performing arts scene since the age of 3, honing talents that led her to Philadelphia where she received her BFA in Musical Theater. Spending that time learning from industry professionals while becoming one herself. Now that she is back in her hometown she is passionate about inspiring the next group of young professionals, giving them the same opportunities to reach their full potential!
Emily Maino
Teaching Artist/
Dance & Musical Theatre