Conceived, directed and choreographed by Darlene Zoller
Ever wish you could see all of your favorite DIVAS on one stage? Well, thanks to award-winning choreographer/director, Darlene Zoller, West Hartford is getting the DIVA treatment! Our resident dance company, stop/time dance theater, now in its 17th year, is bringing the heat and paying homage to all of your favorites: Cher, Tina, Gloria, Shania, Dolly, Whitney...and more! DIVAS is an original show featuring 18 outstanding company members who will sing and dance their way into your heart with a mix of tap, jazz, swing and funk. This will be a non-stop, high-energy extravaganza with high kicks and even higher notes, so grab some friends and get your tickets today! And remember...what happens at Playhouse on Park stays at Playhouse on Park (but you’re going to want to tell everyone you know)!
COVID-19 Policy: All patrons must be fully vaccinated. Vaccination card, government issued ID, and masks are required for all patrons.
Previews (March 16 & 17)
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Thursday 7:30pm
Regular Performances (March 18 - 27)
Friday at 8:00pm
Saturday at 2:00pm (March 26) and 8:00pm (March 19 & 26)
Sunday at 2:00pm
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Thursday at 7:30pm
When you attend DIVAS, be sure to take advantage of these audience perks:
1. Arrive early and join us 15 minutes before each performance for casual conversation with stop/time dance theater Founder and PTG Co-Artistic Director, Darlene Zoller!
2. 50/50 Drawing: With Divas set in Las Vegas, we think this is the perfect opportunity to have a drawing! Purchase 1 ticket for $1, 6 tickets for $5, and a generous arm's length for $20. A winning ticket will be drawn at intermission. The winner will take home half of the proceeds, and the other half will benefit the Angie Ponist Fund in support of stop/time dance theatre.
3. Talk Back with the cast after the Sunday matinee performances.
Learn more about Playhouse on Park's dance company-in-residence. Visit the stop/time dance theater website (stoptimedance.org)
Photo credit: Rich Wagner
Cast of DIVAS: Double or Nothing
LISA CAFFYN has been dancing ever since she can remember! An original member of stop/time, this is her 19th season. By day, Lisa is a local middle school teacher and mother to three energetic children. She would like to thank her husband of 19 years, Sean, who is extremely supportive of her and her pursuit of dance. Hugs, kisses and thanks are also sent out to Lisa's mother and in-laws who allow her to be involved with this supportive company! Also, many thanks to Darlene for the opportunity to perform on stage!!
JENNIFER CHECOVETES is grateful to perform with such a talented group of people. She began dancing at the age of three and hasn’t stopped! A special education preschool teacher by day, Jennifer also teaches dance at Mid Connecticut Dance Company where she co-directs the competitive dance team with her sister, Erica. In addition, Jen has been involved in a number of community theatre productions through-out Connecticut, both as a featured dancer as well as a choreographer. She would like to thank Darlene for the opportunity to be a part of the stop/time family and Dan for all of his support!
BECKIE CORREALE is so excited to get back on stage with her stop/time family. A math teacher at South Windsor HS by day, she also teaches Musical Theater and tap at Toriography Dance Center. She is blessed to have the love and support of her husband, Derek, beautiful daughters Kylie and Claire, and her parents Jan and Greg. And thank you to Darlene for helping us each find our inner diva! Enjoy the show!
AMELIA FLATER is thrilled to be performing with her stop/time family once again! She has been dancing for 26 years and made her stop/time debut in 2007. You can also find her onstage during MAMA D’s. When she’s not dancing, Amelia spends her time working as a Physician Assistant, specializing in OB/GYN and primary care. She is also busy planning her wedding and is getting married this fall! Amelia would like to thank Darlene and her fellow stop/time dancers for another amazing opportunity to do what she loves most. Forever grateful for Niko and his constant love and support. To my Hotsy Totsy crew -- thank you for being my rock!
AMANDA FORKER is thrilled to perform with these amazing stop/time DIVAS (and DIVO) again after two long years! Favorite POP credits include: Mother Superior (NUNSENSE), SAY THINGS FUNNY: A Loving Tribute to Carol Burnett, Host (MAMA D'S OUT-RAGEOUS ROMPs), Heidi [TITLE OF SHOW], Mrs. Pinkerton (PINK-ALICIOUS) and Miss Nelson/Viola Swamp (MISS NELSON IS MISSING). Amanda works in insurance by day and got her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from WCSU. Thanks for keeping the show alive while time was stopped, Darlene!
ALI FORMAN is thrilled to be back performing for a 7th season with her stop/time family! When she’s not dancing, you can find her working at Intensive Education Academy in West Hartford as a speech-language path-ologist, and being a mom to her two fur babies, Hardy and Millie! She is thankful for her family and friends for their constant love and support. A special thanks goes to Darlene for her many years of guidance and for the incredible opportunity to live her passion for dance year after year. Enjoy the show!
RICK FOUNTAIN is an original member of stop/time dance theater and grateful for his 30 year association with Darlene Zoller. He has performed on this stage in 22 productions, including Playhouse on Park’s award-winning CHICAGO as Amos Hart as well as SAY THINGS FUNNY: A LOVING TRIBUTE TO CAROL BURNETT, MAMA D’s OUTRAGEOUS ROMP, and IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE. Some favorite roles: Bert in DISNEY’S MARY POPPINS, Bobby in A CHORUS LINE, Jimmy Winter in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, Cosmo Brown in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Billy Lawlor in 42ND STREET, Stine in CITY OF ANGELS, Paul/Hortensio in KISS ME, KATE. A member of the “We’re Better When We’re Dancing” crew (ball change!), he is grateful to have been blessed with Darlene’s energy and creativity these last two years. Love always to CC and Julia. #keepdancing #wbwwd
SHANNON L'HEUREUX is thrilled to be performing in her 11th stop/time show and is so happy to have been a member of this amazing company for 15 years. Shannon is so thankful that her family introduced her to dance at the age of 3, which began her passion for dance leading to becoming a part of the stop/time family. Shannon works as a full time medical assistant in a primary care facility in Enfield. She lives in Broad Brook with her husband Nick and is so thankful for his unwavering love and support. She also appreciates her friends and all of her family for never missing a show and supporting her performances with their smiling faces in the audience. And last but not least, a huge thank you to Darlene for believing in her year after year.
HILLARY KATHERINE is excited to be back dancing with stop/time after a five year hiatus! She has performed around the country including in over 20 productions at Playhouse on Park. Favorites include: Broadway National Tour: CABARET, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, Regional: SPELLING BEE, WEST SIDE STORY, CHARLIE BROWN. Hillary is also an accomplished cellist, gymnastics coach, and educator. Endless gratitude to Darlene and the stop/time family for welcoming her back with open arms, Nellie for the PT, and her friends and family for their constant support and encouragement. This performance is dedicated to her Mom and Kayleigh; organ donation saves lives!
MEREDITH LONGO began her dance training when she was 4 years old at the Burton Dance Studio in Manchester, Connecticut. This is Meredith's 5th year performing with stop/time. Meredith has been seen on the Playhouse stage in MAMA D's Outrageous Romp. She is also a company member of the Connecticut Tap Collaborative. Meredith would like to thank her family, friends, and Darlene for their support. Her photography portfolio can be found at https://meredithlongo.wixsite.com/mereinanutshell.
ERICA MISENTI is ecstatic to be back on stage again with their stop/time family! She is the proud owner of the Fitness and Dancer Center, Higher Ground Core for kids and adults in Evergreen Walk, South Windsor. She is grateful to work alongside her mother Laurie at HGC, and to also be sharing the stage again at POP! Stage credits include, but are not limited to: Chicago (LIZ), Carnival Cruise Lines, MTV 2, Good Morning America, The Purge Election Year, Hallmark Channel, Connecticut Lottery Comm-ercial and The Peabody Awards. Erica also has a love for her family, pets, traveling, Italian food, and jet skiing!
LAURIE MISENTI is beyond thrilled and incredibly grateful to be back on this stage, along with this wonderful group of people, including her daughter Erica. As an original member of the stop/time family it felt tortuous for her to be away for so long, especially since she has never missed a single show! Laurie has taught jazz, tap and musical theater for various studios in her past, as well as choreographed for high school mus-icals. Over the past two years Laurie has started teaching dance again! She is so excited to be teaching tap classes at Higher Ground Core, cardio/fitness/dance company, a family business that began in 2017 proudly run by her daughter Erica (highergroundcore.com) where “Your Best Body Awaits”. Along with her stop/time and Higher Ground family, Laurie feels forever blessed for the special relationship she shares with her children Erica & Phillip as well as her amazing family and friends. I love you all! Enjoy the show!
VICTORIA MOONEY was born and raised on Hilton Head, SC! After Tori moved to CT in 2009, she’s performed at theaters across the state. Tori is a teaching artist at Hartford Stage Education. During the holiday season Tori can be seen entertaining on the North Pole Express as Pixie Poinsettia. She also babysits and dog sits for wonderful families! Otherwise, you'll probably find her at the Playhouse... House managing, or performing in MAMA D’s & stop/time! This marks her 7th stop/time show; she feels incredibly blessed to be part of this family!
ERICA O’KEEFE has been dancing and performing since the age of three, and is happy to be sharing the stage with such a talented group of dancers. Erica is a mom to her sweet 5-year-old son, Stephen; and would like to welcome her beautiful 2-year-old daughter, Evianna, to the stop/time family! Erica is a physical therapist at Advanced Physical Therapy in Wolcott; as well as a dance teacher at Mid-Connecticut Dance Company in Southington where she co-directs the competitive dance team with her sister, Jennifer. She thanks her husband, Mike, for his constant love and support, as well as Darlene for the opportunity to perform!
SHERI RIGHI loves to dance - plain and simple. She is extremely thankful for fortuitously meeting Darlene at Hartt School dance classes, and being invited to join the stop/time family 18 years ago! Sheri is a director at a healthcare IT consulting company, SMC Partners in Hartford, where she often can be found tap dancing in the break room. She has also choreographed high school renditions of THE WIZ and FOOT-LOOSE. She is extremely grateful for the countless blessings in her life, and her loving extended family and friends are at the top of this list. She extends a special thanks for all the love and support she receives in order to perform with stop/time - especially from her mom, husband Tom and their two amazing children, Madison (19) and Camden (15).
MELISSA B. SHANNON lives in Ellington, CT. She started taking dance lessons at the age of three and is one of the original members of stop/time Dance Theater. She has been dancing with Darlene for about 35 years. Melissa is a fourth grade teacher and has worked at Somers Elementary School for 20 years. She and her husband have four children Manon 15, Nolan 13, Shealyn 11 and Bryson 7. She appreciates her family’s support in allowing her to make time for dance rehearsals every week. Melissa is very grateful to be back on stage after these long two years and to have the opportunity to perform with such an amazing group of people.
ALICIA VOUKIDES has been dancing since the age of 3. Outside of the dance studio, Alicia is a general dentist. She is most grateful for the never ending support of her husband, Steve, and to Darlene for the opportunity to share the stage with the incredible men and women of stop/time.
COURTNEY WOODS is very excited to be on stage with her dance family again! She began dancing at the age of 3 and is an original member of stop/time. By day, Courtney is a teacher in Enfield and mom to 7-year-old Carter and 5-year-old Chloe. She would like to thank her husband Brian for all his support and Darlene for giving her the opportunity to continue doing what she loves.
DARLENE ZOLLER (Director/Choreographer) is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Playhouse on Park where she has directed NUNSENSE, CHICAGO (Best Director of Musical, BroadwayWorld.com), PINKALICIOUS, ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE, SWINGING ON A STAR, THAT HOLIDAY FEELING, SAY THINGS FUNNY, and choreographed; INTO THE WOODS, THE SCOTTS-BORO BOYS, IN THE HEIGHTS, A CHORUS LINE, HAIR, CABARET, PASSING STRANGE among others. She is the founder, director and choreographer of stop/time dance theater, the resident dance company of Playhouse on Park. She was voted Best Director of a Musical/Broadway World for I’D RATHER BE DANCING. CT Critics Circle nominee for Best Choreographer for HAIR, ROCKIN’ THE FOREST and IN THE HEIGHTS. She IS Mama D of MAMA D’s OUTRAGEOUS ROMP; a grown ups only music, dance and comedy event-exclusive to the Playhouse. Darlene is former adjunct professor at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School where she directed and choreo-graphed CHICAGO and choreographed ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, SMILE, CURTAINS and NUN-SENSE. She also teaches dance classes for adults at The 224 ECOSpace and is an instructor at Big Sky Fitness in Vernon. "Thank you to hubby of 34 years, Tibor, for supporting my need to always be creating something and for having dinner on the table for me every night!"
