About SkyRise
How we got started
SkyRise Theater, a family owned company, continues to bring the performing arts to thousands of children all over the MetroWest area for 14 years now! We have more than 21 years of experience in theatrical education, and personal performance. We love working with children of all ages, and we encourage the growth in ones ability to perform onstage and be comfortable off stage! With our passion for working with children and helping them develop their talents and attributes, we are your children's theater of choice for a wide range of unique acting services. We are dedicated to presenting fun and creative ways for children to express themselves. Through productions, theater camps, private lessons, and theatrical parties, children are motivated to be involved in all aspects of the performing arts.
Everyone asks how we got started: Zac and Tania met in Missoula Montana back in January 2010, touring for a national and international children's theater touring company. After doing a few tours, they decided to move back to the east coast to create a company of their own. "With their powers combined" they created SkyRise as a place for children of all ages to learn and grow as performers, an as individuals on and off the stage.
Meet The SkyRise Team!!!
Tania Taylor
Owner/Executive Director/Producer
Tania’s journey began here in Southborough, MA. She says, "It only felt right to bring my passion for educating children through theater back home.” With a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theater Performance and Directing from Plymouth State University, she has developed her knowledge in performance theater direction and production management. As an accomplished vocal performer, Tania inspires all of her vocal students to love and respect the performing arts. She has performed in and directed 2 tours for Missoula Children's Theater. As the Executive Director of SkyRise, she is dedicated to the development of a quality educational program. Tania is excited about the incredible journey that her and Zac took when starting SkyRise 13 years ago, and is thrilled to see it grow. Thanks for all the constant support!
Zac Taylor
Owner/Executive Director/Technical Director
Zac completed his two undergraduate degrees in Dramatic Arts and Business Marketing at the University of Montana and Georgia South Western. After college he spent two years working for Missoula Children's Theater as a Tour Actor Director. As the artistic and technical Director at SkyRise his training in creative movement, and art design, inspire his creations. Zac is a master carpenter along with many credits in arts such as circus, mime, gymnastics, and many types of dance. While expanding his talents and knowledge for dramatic interpretation in college, he spent the other time coaching gymnastics and appearing in on-screen productions and print modeling ads. Zac is excited to bring the arts to the MetroWest area. The families of the area have embraced SkyRise and he is proud to call it home.
Keri McCarthy
Program Administrator and Virtual Vocal Coach
Keri has been working as a director, music director, and vocal coach with SkyRise for more than 8 years. She grew up in nearby Milford, MA, and earned her degree in Music at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. She believes that musical and theatrical performance provides incredibly impactful experiences for children and young adults. Keri loves to work with families to help find, create, and/or develop programs within the creative arts that delight and showcase their students.
Keiralee Ard
Class Manager
Keiralee is an educator who is returning to theater after a several years in the classroom. She graduated with a degree in elementary education, and has always been a lover of the performing arts, continuing to direct the middle school musicals where she taught. Combining these two disciplines, Keiralee hopes to provide a theatrical experience at SkyRise that targets performers where they’re at, and helps them develop their skills in an organic and exciting way. Her educational passion lies in curriculum development and execution, and she strives to help build sensational, engaging programming for the students of SkyRise. She is delighted to be a member of the SkyRise team, and looks forward to all the fun to come!
Brenna Hernandez
Marketing and Event Coordinator
Brenna graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and spent many years working in the field of Special Education before starting her family. She has also worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty years. While she is not much of a performer, she is an avid lover of the performing arts, especially broadway musicals, which she has enjoyed since a young age. Brenna began her SkyRise journey helping with Social Media Marketing and has expanded her role in many other ways since joining the team. She loves the SkyRise environment and enjoys working for a company that brings joy to so many and truly makes a difference in the lives of the children in our community. In her spare time, Brenna enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and dogs. She loves reading, a good netflix binge and spending time with her friends as often as she can.
Kim Bourassa
Choreographer/Director
Kim has been dancing all of her life and teaching for 12 years. Kim has taught at dance studios as a permanent instructor for studios in Central MA as well as guest teaching at various studios in New England. She has choreographed for ECHO Dance Collaborative (an adult dance company based out of Sudbury), Studio Theatre Worcester, and for local pop stars at various Pride events in Boston and Worcester. She is versatile in her dancing and teaching working with Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary, and Acro. Tap, Jazz, and Contemporary being the ones closest to her heart. She firmly believes that comfort zones are a great place, but nothing ever grows there. She applies this to her everyday life and instills this in her students who are capable of anything they put their mind to. She is elated to be joining SkyRise and can't wait to watch these talented students soar!
Alexis Nodiff
Voice Coach/Music Director
Alexis is so excited to be a vocal coach and musical director at Skyrise Theater. She has always had a passion for theater and music and started performing in musicals at a young age. She spent many years working at KidSpot, a children’s theater on the South Shore of Boston and later went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Vocal Performance at Muhlenberg College. In addition to working at Skyrise, she teaches music to kids ages 0-5 and their grownups with Apple Country Music Together. She has also started (with the assistance and support of Skyrise) a new adult community theater called Curtain Up Theater and can’t wait to get all those Skyrise parents out there in on the fun! She lives in Southborough, MA with her husband, two amazing little girls and a doggie.
Christiana Goslin
Voice Coach
Christiana Goslin is a passionate teacher and performer. She loves giving students space and courage to try new things. Most recently, Christiana co-taught Intro to Music classes at the Kids In Community program in Lynn (ages 5-12) and over the past 5 years she has taught folks from 8 to 70 years old. Like many kids, she started singing in choir during elementary school, which led her into musical theater and onto the professional stage. Maybe you know tunes from some of the shows she was in...The Music Man, Little Women, CATS, The Sound of Music. In the Boston area, you may have seen Christiana as Barbarina (Susanna Cover) in NEMPAC’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro, the Boston Opera Collaborative’s critically acclaimed annual festival of ten-minute operas: Opera Bites, or in excerpts from The Rake’s Progress and Der Freischütz under the baton of Ryan Turner. She was a 2023 semifinalist in the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Competition (NYC). In 2022, she won the MassOpera Competition Audience Favorite and Encouragement Awards and played the title role in Libby Larsen’s The Silver Fox (Longy School of Music). Other credits: The Turn of the Screw (Miles), Alcina (Oberto), La Rondine (Chorus), etc. Christiana earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music and she is completing her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the Longy School of Music. When she's not singing at the top of her lungs, Christiana enjoys dancing, being outdoors, and learning languages.
Lisa Mahoney
Choreographer/Director
Lisa was born into a musical theatre family and first joined them on stage at the age of 2. Her parents were founding members of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston. She was lucky to grow up on stage performing with the company as it expanded from a local community group to a regional professional theatre providing opportunities to dance with and for Broadway choreographers and dancers. Additionally, she has been a member of the production staff of their yearly ChristmasTime show since 2006 (Associate Choreographer 2006-2023, Associate Director 2023). She is also the choreographer for Curtain Up Theatre’s inaugural production of Legally Blonde. She is thrilled to join the SkyRise team and share her favorite hobby with the next generation. She lives in Westborough with her husband and two kids.
April Cleveland
Birthday Party Host/Event Staff/Fairy Godmother
Mom to 3 amazing girls. I Love all things Disney and fantasy. Singing Disney tunes in the car with my girls or dancing to them in the living room are favorite past times! When Im not taking the kids on bike rides or playing in the pool I love to make things. Sewing, beading, painting or coming up with fun crafts for the kids
Megan German
Director/Character
Megan has been a part of SkyRise, both as a student and a director. Growing up nearby, she has been grateful to work at such a wonderful company that helps her teach her passion for the arts. She is currently studying to get her Liberal Arts degree at Quinsigamond Community College and hopes to continue a lifelong career in theater. Megan is so excited to be working with SkyRise, and hopes she can inspire students just like Skyrise has inspired her. She is so glad to surround herself in a talented, hardworking, artistic community every day.
Natasha Ellis
Director/Character/Facepainter
Natasha has been performing onstage and working behind the scenes for as long as she can remember. Ever since she began taking dance classes and did her first show at a young age, she has been in love with the arts. As a recent graduate, Natasha has spent most of her time working with Skyrise and performing with several community theater companies in the Central Mass and Rhode Island area. She has been so grateful for the past several of years she has worked at Skyrise with her amazing coworkers and the wonderful students. Natasha is so excited to see what the future has in store!