Meet the Teachers
ANGELYN RHODE
Youth Academy Director/Voice/Improvisation
Angelyn Rhode began her teaching career in 2001 at First Stage Theatre Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She moved to Orlando in 2003 and spent ten years creating magic with Walt Disney World Entertainment, as well as serving as a facilitator and trainer for Disney’s Youth Education Series. It was during this time that she rediscovered her love of teaching.
After “hanging up her crown,” Ms. Rhode taught at Lochwood Academy for the Performing Arts, where she led classes in voice, musical theatre, drama, and choir for elementary, middle, and high school students. She has also served as a Music Director, Choreographer, and Teaching Artist for many local theaters, including Orlando Shakes, Hagerty High School, Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park, and Wekiva River Players. In addition, from 2013 to 2021 she worked as a licensed Kindermusik Instructor with Grow and Sing Studios, teaching music and movement classes to babies and toddlers.
Ms. Rhode has been a Teaching Artist for summer camp since 2017 and, in 2019, launched the After School Program for the Athens Theatre Youth Academy. Her mainstage music director credits include Annie, The Lion King Jr., and Aladdin Jr. As a performer, audiences may have seen her in Ragtime, Elf, Shrek TYA, Singin’ in the Rain, and Into the Woods.
Through all of these experiences, Angelyn treasures the opportunity to share her love of music and the arts with students of all ages.
SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ
Voice/Acting/Music & Drama/Kids Music Time
Samantha Rodriguez is a mezzo-soprano vocalist and a devoted vocal coach with a passion for music. She holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal music from Oakland University in MI. With years of experience as an elementary music educator and private vocal coach, she is devoted to empowering students of all ages to learn music! Music is a universal language that Samantha believes can be fun and enjoyable to learn for anyone regardless of their background or experience level. Whether it be to further pursue a musical endeavor, or for personal enjoyment, she will help any student reach their fullest vocal potential.
As a vocal coach, Samantha will teach her students healthy vocal technique and performance skills for the stage or studio. Samantha crafts each lesson according to her student’s individual needs, passing her love of music to her students in an engaging and inspiring manner.
Samantha herself has experience in theatre and chorus performances, where she has starred in numerous roles including Cinderella in “Into the Woods”, Katrina in “Sleepy Hollow”, “Rogers and Hammerstein” musical revue, as well as performing in the Disney Candlelight processional and other various chorus and vocal performances.
CHRISTIE YOUNG
Musical Theatre/Voice/Acting
Christie is a musical theatre performer, puppeteer, director, and teaching artist from Lexington, KY. She holds an MFA in Musical Theatre Performance from the University of Central Florida and can be found most days performing as an actor and puppeteer at Universal Orlando Resort.
In addition to performing, Christie teaches private voice at Daytona State College and is a licensed Estill Certified Voice Instructor. At the Athens, she directs the MainStage youth productions, and audiences have enjoyed her performances in Young Frankenstein, Beauty and the Beast, Rock of Ages, and many more.
In Central Florida, Christie has performed for Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World, Odd-O-T’s Entertainment, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, and the former Capone’s Dinner and Show. She believes art is an act of service and that training the next generation is the best way to give back.
SarahRae Jackson
Acting & Public Speaking / Creative Drama / Improvisation / Acting
SarahRae is a professional actor and performer originally from Southern California. She holds degrees in both Child Development and Theatre Arts from the University of La Verne. In addition, she has a background in classical music as a decorated mezzo-soprano. Her performance credits include productions such as Into the Woods, Annie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and many more. She also serves on the board of directors for the New York Chamber Choirs.
SarahRae has a passion for working with young minds and teaching them empathy and self-confidence through the arts. She has experience teaching both music and acting classes to all ages, as well as directing youth productions in California and New York.
Since moving to Florida, she has shared her talents on the Athens Theatre stage in Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, Grease, and Sweeney Todd.
D’Montrae Harris
Musical Theatre / Kids Dance / Voice / Dance
D’Montrae Harris is proud to return to the Athens Theatre Youth Academy, where his own journey as a performer began. A former Youth Academy student and mainstage performer since 2018, D’Montrae now serves as the Athens’ Talent Outreach Coordinator, working to foster diverse representation and empower artists in the community.
Beyond the Athens, D’Montrae is Theatre Head of Creative U with Orlando Family Stage and works as a choreographer across Central Florida, with credits at the Athens Theatre, Orlando Family Stage, Orlando Shakes, and many other performance venues. As both a performer and educator, he is passionate about cultivating spaces where students can explore identity, artistry, and collaboration through theatre.
Trained as a dancer under the Alvin Ailey Dance Conservatory in Jacksonville, D’Montrae specializes in Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Tap, Musical Theatre, Acro, and Lyrical/Modern. As a vocalist, he is trained in Classical, Jazz, Commercial/Pop, and Musical Theatre styles.
Onstage, his performance credits include being a dance swing for the national tour of The Thorn, Grandmaster Chad/Nikos Argitakos in Legally Blonde, Angel in RENT, Grover Underwood in The Lightning Thief, and one of seven original narrators for the world premiere of Seventeen with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.
As both a performer and teacher, D’Montrae is committed to inspiring the next generation of artists with the same passion, creativity, and dedication that shaped his own path.
Julia DeMore
Dance
Julia DeMore is a dancer, dance/acro instructor, choreographer, and photographer who has been involved in the arts since she was young. She graduated from Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in 2022 as a Production Arts Major where she studied stage management, costume design, cosmetology, prop making, video/audio production, and more. In 2025, she graduated from Theater Arts Preparatory School in Las Vegas, a rigorous six-month pre-professional dance program under the direction of Don Mirault.
Julia has performed at Cedar Fair parks (now called Six Flags Entertainment Corporation), choreographed character shows for Dorney Park, and choreographed Kiss Me, Kate at The Pennsylvania Playhouse. She has also worked for KAR Productions as a Touring Dance Photographer as well as Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom as a Photographer/Social Media Coordinator.
Julia strives to create a safe, welcoming atmosphere for all of her students. After a summer of moving from Las Vegas to Orlando, she is thrilled to be back on the East Coast and work with growing artists at Athens Theatre Youth Academy.
Marisol LaBoy
Music & Drama
Marisol is originally from Brooklyn, NY and has a background in Elementary Education. She taught Kindergarten and 1st Grade ELL in Nashville for 5 years. She then took a hiatus from teaching in 2012, moved to Florida and became an Equity performer at Disney where she worked for eight years. In 2016, she became a Kindermusik Educator and worked with Grow & Sing Studios for six years. In 2017, she became the Children’s Worship Producer at Northland Church in Longwood, FL and fulfilled that role for six years, as well. She went back to teaching in the Public Schools in 2021 and is currently an Elementary Music Teacher for OCPS.
Marisol has been a teaching artist for summer camp at ATYA since 2022, and has worked with students in grades K – 12. During the school year, she teaches the weekend Music and Drama classes and assists as Stage Manager during Showcases and special events. She enjoys working with all of the staff at the Athens Theatre and building relationships with students and their families.