Jennifer Wittmayer has been teaching children’s musical theatre in the Sacramento region and Bay Area since 1998, and is thrilled to once again work with the talented young people of EDMT! She holds a BA in Music from Santa Clara University and a Masters in Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Jennifer has served as Vocal Director for Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose and has directed musical theatre programs for Fair Oaks and Elk Grove Park Districts.

Jennifer has been with EDMT since 2008 and has served as Vocal Director for over 30 Main Stage shows, including; Les Miserables, Crazy For You, The Addams Family, Shrek The Musical, A Christmas Carol, Cats, Legally Blonde, and Singing in the Rain. Jennifer is the Vocal Director for EDMT’s touring company, High Voltage, and conducts private vocal instruction.

Rachelle Johnston has been singing and dancing since she was 4 years old and living in the competitive dancing world for a good part of her life. She caught the musical theatre bug as a freshman in high school and has never looked back.

She is a choreographer in the Sacramento, Davis, and Roseville area and before that she was a performer at theme parks in Southern California. She has taught competitive dance troupes for numerous years and, thanks to her amazing students in the past, has been able to sneak theatre vibes into most of her dances.

She is the Associate Creative Director for Sacramento Kickline and the Founder/Director of the ‘3000 Miles Off Broadway’ Sacramento Performing Troupe.  By day she is a Corporate Event Planner and by night she is either choreographing or belting songs in her kitchen with her 2 kids. Rachelle is thrilled to be working with EDMT as one of their Dance Instructors and Choreographers.

Dana Tescher is an accomplished choreographer and teacher with over 14 years of experience. She earned her black belt at the young age of 11, showcasing her dedication and passion for movement. Transitioning from martial arts to dance, Miss Dana has honed her skills through training in various disciplines including gymnastics. She has showcased her talents as a featured dancer in productions such as “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” “Anything Goes,” and “Les Miserables.”

Miss Dana pursued her dance education at Folsom Lake College and American River College, specializing in Composition and Production. During her time at Folsom Lake College, she served as the treasurer and Vice President of the Mosaic Dance Company from 2009-2012. She organized multiple successful dance tours that provided performance and workshop opportunities with industry professionals.

Drawing from her extensive experience, Dana has excelled as an artistic director for teen and senior dance troupes, focusing on touring performances and competitive dance. Her choreography has been recognized with awards such as Best Choreography in 2021, along with accolades for “Creative Concept” and “Storyteller” from 2019-2023. Her competition troupes consistently rank in the top ten and have earned highest technical placement awards.

Miss Dana firmly believes that dance is a universal language that allows people to express themselves in ways words cannot. She is passionate about sharing her journey with others and inspiring them to embrace their true selves with confidence.

Maddie Jantzen is an EDMT alumna who has over 10 years of ballet, jazz, tap, acting, and vocal training under her belt. Having performed in 25 shows with the company, she possesses a unique understanding of a young performer’s path to success. Her experience also includes two years on EDMT’s premiere performing ensemble, High Voltage, and four years on EDMT’s Tap Company. She has studied under true professionals in masterclasses with both EDMT and Broadway at Music Circus. She is thrilled to share her knowledge and expertise with her students, and feels blessed to be able to play a part in their theatre journey.

Alayna Fredianelli, also known as Layni, has been on stage since she was 6 years old, and has performed in over 25 EDMT productions. Some notable roles include Dorothy Gale- The Wizard of Oz, Morticia Addams- The Addams Family, Gabriella Montez- High School Musical, Mrs. Paroo- The Music Man, Charlotte– Cinderella, and Madame de la Grande Bouche- Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Layni’s professional training includes 9 years of acting, jazz, & vocal lessons, 6 years of ballet for musical theatre, & 8 years of tap technique classes. Layni is proud to be part of SpecTAPular Elite in her 6th season with EDMT’s Tap Company and she is a 3rd year member of High Voltage. She has taken several Master Classes and intensives in New York City and has been fortunate to perform with Disney’s Dance the Magic on Broadway and in Disneyland.

Through Layni’s years of musical theatre experience she has made many discoveries, and she is thrilled to share them with her PAI Classes! Her passion lies with character development and she will demonstrate the importance of it to her students. She will have them explore the many different ways of creating characters, as well as giving them many tools and exercises to help them better prepare for possible auditions and callbacks. She hopes to inspire them to find their voice, develop their own individual acting style, and to help them find their self confidence.

Jack Gregory has been performing with El Dorado Musical Theater for 4 years. He has been in 10 shows and a part of High Voltage for 4 years. Some notable roles include, Gomez Addams/Addams Family, Troy Bolton/High School Musical, Gaston/Beauty and the Beast, Mayor Shinn/Music Man, and Jacob Marley/Christmas Carol.

Jack’s training includes 4 years of Jazz, 5 years of vocal lessons, and 4 years of acting. He has also participated in many master classes and workshops with EDMT and Voicewire.

Jack is looking forward to sharing his acting experience with the Intro to Musical Theatre and Acting students. He enjoys the process of breaking down characters, learning new ways to play each character, and how to bring ones personal light to a role. He strives to teach young performers the basis of acting, so they can feel more confident when performing.

During Jack’s free time when he is not teaching Acting or Intro to Musical Theatre, he loves to hang out with friends, play the guitar, and continue improving his craft. He enjoys going on hikes, going to the beach, and watching the sunset. Jack is hoping that his students walk away, eager to learn more about Musical Theatre so they can develop the passion and love for it as much as he does.

Abigail Waymire has been preforming with El Dorado Musical Theater for 7 years, participating in 17 productions. Most recent roles include, Alice Beineke/The Addams Family, Taylor McKessie/High School Musical, and Glinda/The Wizard of Oz.

Abigail’s training includes eight years of vocal instruction, jazz and tap as well as three years of ballet. She has also been a member of High Voltage and Tap Company for three years and has assisted with PAI instruction for group vocals, jazz and ballet. Most recently, she was the vocal assistant for The Addams Family.

Abigail is looking forward to sharing her knowledge of the voice and how it works when singing. Much of her love for musical theater vocals stems from finding songs that are loved and helping to connect emotion and understanding to the lyrics and tune to create an inspiring performance.

Reese Throckmorton has been performing with EDMT for the past nine years. In addition to acting, she has been dancing since she was three years old. Reese started with two years of ballet and then moved onto to jazz for seven years and tap for five years. Reese has also been a teacher/counselor for EDMT summer camps and a helper for multiple training shows. She is currently a second year member of High Voltage.

Reese looks forward to utilizing her years of experience to help teach and inspire the young students and help them bring out their inner shine.

Elliana Ray has been dancing since the age of 4. Her dance experience includes, ballet, jazz, and tap. She has performed in 8 EDMT shows including all training shows, Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, Decendents, High School Musical and Addams Family. She is also a member of EDMT Spec Tap Company. Elliana has worked as a princess for many birthday parties, and has loved being an EDMT Summer Camp Counselor. Her love of working with children has come from when she was young and all the dancers/actors were so helpful and kind. She aspires to be just like them! Her passion for dance and theatre will bring a fun energetic environment where our Mini Me kiddos will learn their first basics of singing, dancing, and acting.