Axelrod Arts fosters artistic excellence by showcasing varied and distinct cultural programs through the pursuit of the arts at both Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal, NJ and Bell Theater at Bell Works in Holmdel, NJ.

Nick Hrutkay is an award-winning director whose work has been seen on Off-Broadway, regional stages, and academic theatres across the country. He is thrilled to return to Axelrod having previously co-directed  A Night with Janis Joplin with Mary Bridget Davies, who also reprised her Tony Award nominated performance from the Broadway production. Nick is the Director of Education/Assistant Artistic Director of Stagedoor Manor where he directed the Music Theatre International (MTI) pilot production of Dear Evan Hansen, working with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul on developing the show for schools. With a special interest in the works of Stephen Sondheim, Nick has directed half of the Sondheim canon including Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Assassins, Company, A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along, Anyone Can Whistle, The Frogs, Saturday Night, and Sondheim On Sondheim. In the summer of 2026 his production of Company opened the Stephen Sondheim Theater at Stagedoor Manor, joining Broadway and the West End as the only three theaters in the world to be named in his honor thanks to the Stephen Sondheim Trust. Nick recently was a guest lecturer at Princeton University joining James Lapine, Judy Kuhn, and John Doyle for their Sondheim Symposium, and has taught at Point Park University, Stagedoor Manor, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater, where he was the Chair of the Acting Department for the PMT Conservatory. He has adapted and directed a series of readings of King Lear and Macbeth for Carnegie Mellon University Libraries where CMU's copy of Shakespeare's 1623 First Folio was displayed at the performances. Nick is the recipient of an ArtWorks Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival/Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Fellowship, and a BroadwayWorld Award for Best Director of a Musical. nickhrutkay.com @nickhrutkay

Gage Baker is a New York-based sound designer who is delighted to return to Axelrod after designing this summer’s Driving Miss Daisy at the Bell Theater. He is the recipient of the 2025 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Sound Design, and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. gagebaker.com HIRO KUPFERMAN (Props Designer) is thrilled to be Prop Designing another production with Axelrod. They can be spotted working at other theaters throughout the great state of NJ, such as Vanguard Theater Company and Papermill Playhouse. Recent credits include: Come From Away (Props), Driving Miss Daisy (Props), We’ll Meet Again (Props)Sexy Laundry (Props), Newsies (Stitching), and Cry Baby (Wardrobe). When not in rehearsals, you can find them making puppets, stitching costumes, or slinging a hot glue gun, amongst a slew of many other crafty hobbies and freelance gigs!

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GILLIAN RISPOLI (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be back at Bell Theater! She is a recent graduate from Coastal Carolina University, earning her BFA in Theater Arts: Design and Production and is now working towards her MFA in Theater Arts from the University of Idaho! Some of her recent Axelrod credits include: Cinderella (Assistant Stage Manager); A Night With Janis Joplin (Assistant Stage Manager); Rock of Ages (Assistant Stage Manager) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Assistant Stage Manager). Other recent credits include: Annie Get Your Gun (Assistant Stage Manager, Act II Playhouse); Cabaret (Stage Manager, CCU); and more! She would like to thank everyone at Axelrod for giving her the opportunity to share her art with everyone! She would especially like to thank Jackie, Charles, Andrew, her cast/crew, family, boyfriend and friends for all their support!

Maggie Savoie is a proud graduate of Otterbein University where she earned her BA in Directing & Choreography and a Dance minor. Originally from Richwood, Ohio Maggie currently resides in NYC where she works as a choreographer and teaching artist focusing on ballet, musical theatre and contemporary dance, often combining them into her own unique dance blend. She has performed with BalletMet, Megan Doyle Dance and Mitra Dance and at many theatres throughout NYC and spent six seasons as the resident choreographer and Director of Dance at Stagedoor Manor in Upstate NY. Favorite credits include choreographing Spring Awakening & Lizzie (Stagedoor Manor), The Addams Family (Priscilla Beach Theatre), choreography intern to Tony nominated choreographer Randy Skinner on Lady, Be Good starring Tommy Tune & Patti Murin (NY City Center Encores!) and dancing in An Evening with Maury Yeston (92Y).  Maggie currently serves as a company director and choreographer at the New Canaan Dance Academy. Enjoy the show! @Maggiesavoiedance

David Heguy is a New York-based Lighting Designer. He is a 2023 graduate of Penn State University, where he pursued his BFA in Theatre Design & Technology. For more than a decade, David has worked professionally with theater companies, national tours, and Off-Broadway productions across the United States, contributing to over 300 productions. When David is not designing, he can be seen assisting various designers in NYC and regionally. www.dhlighting.org

Cody Tellis Rutledge is originally from McMinnville, TN, and a recent graduate with his M.F.A. In Lighting/Scenic at UCONN. He also graduated from the University of Memphis with a B.F.A. in Theatre with a double emphasis in Musical Theatre and Technical Production. Cody’s recent works include Cumberland County Playhouse, Rocky Mountain Rep, San Fransisco Playhouse, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Charleston Stage Company. Feel free to follow him on Instagram @rutledgescenicdesign and @rutledgelightingdesign to see more of his work across the country or visit his website rutledgescenicdesign.com for more.

Charles Santoro is a multi-award-winning music director, conductor, pianist, arranger and orchestrator. He has worked on the music team of several shows over the past 15 years. Broadway: MJ the Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire, School of Rock, and Matilda the Musical. National Tour: Matilda the Musical Acrobat Tour (NY Rehearsal Pianist). Off-Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof - In Yiddish, Zapata! The Musical, Disenchanted! The Musical, and Silence! The Musical. Premiere: Clueless the Musical, East Carson Street, A Night with Janis Joplin, We'll Meet Again. Regional: Axelrod Performing Arts Center, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Paper Mill Playhouse. Charles has toured and performed with a variety of artists, including Kimberley Locke, The Duprees, Jay and the Americans, and Chris Ruggiero, and has arranged for and/or accompanied artists such as Laura Benanti, Kerry Butler, Rob McClure, Samantha Pauly, and Donna Vivino. @charlesvsantoro

Hiro Kupferman (Props Designer) is thrilled to be Prop Designing another production with Axelrod. They can be spotted working at other theaters throughout the great state of NJ, such as Vanguard Theater Company and Papermill Playhouse. Recent credits include: Come From Away (Props), Driving Miss Daisy (Props), We’ll Meet Again (Props)Sexy Laundry (Props), Newsies (Stitching), and Cry Baby (Wardrobe). When not in rehearsals, you can find them making puppets, stitching costumes, or slinging a hot glue gun, amongst a slew of many other crafty hobbies and freelance gigs!

JACKIE ROBINSON (Production Stage Manager) is excited to work with this incredible team! Previous Axelrod credits include Cinderella, Rock of Ages, Beautiful, Evita, and Fiddler on the Roof at Axelrod Performing Arts Center and, A Night with Janis Joplin, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and East Carson Street at Bell Theater. Select SM credits include Waistwatchers The Musical! (National Tour). Sweet Charity, South Pacific, School of Rock, The Prom, The Producers, Cabaret, Bonnie and Clyde, Sophisticated Ladies, Sunset Boulevard, A Chorus Line, Pippin, Reefer Madness, Hair, Noises Off, and Zombie Prom. Barrymore Award winner of: The Suzanne Roberts Theatre Alliance Scholarship Award. Jackie is a proud member of Actors Equity Association. Love to her family and fiancé Brad.