The Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre prides itself on the high quality of our performers. Our company is comprised of skilled performers who can educate as well as act. Great effort is placed on finding the best of the best; for us, there is no better investment. Drawn from across the United States, our actors are discovered at regional auditions, such as the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions, the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the New England Theatre Conference, where they must endure a rigorous screening and audition.
 
Lisa Myers, Youth Tour Manager

Lisa hails from Minneapolis MN, where she acted in, as well as wrote and directed, numerous original shows for kids in and around the Twin cities. After graduating from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with BA in theatre, she started her career at MGR as an actor on the Youth Tour. Now she is enjoying the excitement and challenges of life behind the scenes as the Youth Tour Director. She has a passion for revealing the power of the arts to young people, and is very grateful for all of the friends she has made here that have become her "upstate" family.
 
Michael Amoroso

Michael is delighted to make his debut with the Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre. Past credits include Captain Tempest in Return to the Forbidden Planet, Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night, Demetrius in Titus Andronicus, Jim in All Shook Up, and Detective Trotter in The Mousetrap. Michael would like to thank his Family, Hilary, and Tara for their continued love and support.

 
Mike Brennan

Mike is a New Jersey native and holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Rutgers University. He recently spent the summer at the Arundel Barn Playhouse in Maine performing in Thoroughly Modern Millie and playing The Beast in Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Some of Mike’s favorite credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (The Big Bopper), Working (Mike Dillard), South Pacific (Luther Billis), Schoolhouse Rock Live! (George) and Barefoot in the Park (Paul Bratter).
James Caito

James, originally from Geneva, graduated with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from SUNY New Paltz in 2004. For the last three years, James has resided in Rochester where he has worked extensively with Rochester Children’s Theatre, TYKEs (Theatre Young Kids Enjoy), Blackfriars Theatre and the Downstairs Cabaret. James is very excited to be joining Merry-Go-Round for their 2007-2008 season and would like to thank his family and friends for their love and support.
 
Rachel Carrozziere

is thrilled to be back in the States after working with the Karl May Festival in Elspe, Germany. Other theater credits include: Sarah Goldman in Beau Jest, Gabriella in High School Musical, Alice in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Laurie in Oklahoma, Sophie in The Big Friendly Giant, Agnes in Agnes of God, and Mercedes, a role for which she received an Irene Ryan Nomination, in The Laramie Project. Also a familiar face in the film and music scene of Nashville, Tennessee, Rachel's debut CD was produced by Eric Reason Productions. Rachel would like to thank her friends and family for their continued prayer and support.
 
Chandra Diesel

 Chandra is a recent graduate of Shenandoah University Conservatory and has just completed her fifth season at The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre located in Ferrum, Virginia. There her recent credits include: June in Smoke on the Mountain and Smoke on the Mountain : Homecoming, Lenya in Fools, and Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense. After all those years in Virginia, Chandra is looking forward to New York winters and her upcoming year with The Merry Go Round Playhouse.
 
Carl D. Krickmire

Carl is a native of Rochester, New York, and a 2004 graduate of Niagara University with a BFA in Acting. While at Niagara, he performed in everything from Sondheim to Shakespeare. For the last three years, Carl has been very active in the Rochester theatre scene, playing various roles, including Linus in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and most recently, Tom Joad in The Grapes Of Wrath. He has also performed off Broadway in the original comedy Last Laugh.
 
Tara Lawton

Tara was born and raised in Syracuse, NY and is proud to return to CNY to be a part of the MGR Youth Tour. Favorite roles include Miranda in Return to the Forbidden Planet (St Louis, MO), Lin in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Memphis, TN), and Maria in Complete Female Stage Beauty for which she was nominated for best supporting actress in a drama at the Memphis Theatre Awards. Tara graduated from Niagara University with a BFA in Theatre Performance..
 
Morgan Price

 Morgan is a native Floridian. She is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, where she received her BFA in Theatre for Youth. She just finished her third season at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre, where she worked as an actor and scenic designer. Some of her recent credits include Jack in The Jack Tales, Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense II: The Second Coming, Mrs. San Francisco in Mrs. California and Denise in The Sanders Family Christmas. When Morgan isn't on stage, she enjoys reading, shopping, and spending quality time with her dog, Darlin'.
Ben Regan

Ben is delighted to be working with Merry-Go-Round's Youth Tour. After spending the last several years doing community and college theater in New Jersey, Ben welcomes a change of pace and an opportunity to combine his passion for acting with his love for teaching. Among his favorite past roles are Lancelot in Camelot, Lockstock in Urinetown, Claude in Hair, Mike Connor in The Philadelphia Story and Larry in Closer.
 
Lauren Rieger

Lauren is originally from Norman, Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a BM in Musical Theatre. She loves to perform and teach kids so this is a perfect combination of the two! Favorite shows include Sally Brown in YAGMCB, Gilmer in Godspell, Anabel Glick in Lucky Stiff, Bet in Oliver, and Urleen in Footloose. Smiles, laughs and love to her friends and family
 
Bob Skosky

Bob comes to Merry-Go-Round Playhouse from St. Louis, Missouri. No stranger to children's theatre, he spent two summers touring the upper Midwest with Prairie Fire Children's Theatre, where he performed as The Beast/Father in Beauty and the Beast as well as Poppa in Cinderella. Other favorite roles include Flan in Six Degrees of Separation, Reverend Parris in The Crucible, Jesus in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Zeke in High School Musical. Bob holds a BA in Theatre from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Thanks to Mom, Dad, and "The Group."
 
Eileen Earnest

Eileen received her BFA in Musical Theatre from Ohio Northern University. Originally from Enon, Ohio, she now keeps 1/3 of her stuff in Ohio, 1/3 in Washington D.C., and the final 1/3 followed her here to Auburn. Memorable roles include: Sally-You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Lady De Winter- Three Musketeers, Sally Simpson-The Who’s Tommy, Ophelia-Hamlet, Paquette-Candide,Daisy­-The Great Gatsby, Della- Gift of the Magi, and Kaa the Python-The Jungle Book. Eileen thanks the Merry Go Round for this opportunity and her family for their endless encouragement and love. This much and more!