Meet the Team

Singer/songwriter/performer Elisa Brown is dedicated to helping the disenfranchised through the Arts. Originally trained as a classical singer, Elisa has been a featured performer around the world, singing a wide range of vocal styles. From her Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Women’s Philharmonic, to her lead role in the Off-Broadway show, “Spirito e Core”, to hosting The Heart of Art with Elisa Brown on PBS, to her country cabaret, “Hoodwinked from Heaven”, Elisa’s remarkable ability to change from operatic to pop vocal patterns creates one-of-a-kind performances that are both versatile and inspiring. Elisa received a Bachelor of Music Degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music and studied voice with internationally distinguished voice teachers Maria Farnworth, Josephine Mongiardo, Maria Powell, and Siri Rico.

NY Blues Hall of Famer and Fodera Guitar artist Dave Field’s 6th album, Force of Will, is a dynamic excursion of love, fun, joy and life – all of which stand testament to his spectacular musical gifts as a recording artist, performer, and composer. Dave Fields started Fields Music in 1996 while on staff at the renowned NYC jingle company, Look Music. Dave, being the son of noted composer/arranger/composer Sammy “Forever” Fields, has followed in the footsteps of his famous dad. Dave’s list of recording sessions, record dates, jingles and TV commercials include works with Ahmet Ertegun, Aretha Franklin and U2. He has written music for IBM, Publishers Clearance House, Sears, VH-1, Jack Morton and most recently the Pod Save America theme song on HBO.

Jana’s career started at the age of two in THE CHILDREN’S HOUR on CBS Television. At five, she began studying classical piano and, by age nine, was considered a prodigy by her teacher who encouraged her parents to send her to Juilliard. At 16, she became the youngest musical director to conduct, YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at a local theater. Twelve years of dance and acting rounded out those formidable years.

After attending a year at Ithaca College, majoring in both Music and Theatre, Jana landed the job of a lifetime singing with the mega-rock band, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD on their last World Tour and three of their albums produced by Frank Zappa and Todd Rundgren. She also appeared with BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House. At nineteen, Jana was part of the three-girl group called, White Lightning, who recorded an album. Shortly thereafter, she had her first single release, “Your Boyfriend’s Got His Eye On Me” on POLYDOR RECORDS, which made it onto BILLBOARD’S Top 100 Pop Chart. As a singer/songwriter, several artists have recorded her songs including cabaret great, Julie Budd.

More recently, Jana played keyboards for twelve years+ for the Broadway, Off-Broadway and the two National Tours of the Tony Award winning musical, Jersey Boys. She also wrote and musical directed a holiday song for the company to perform for the Carols For A Cure CD entitled, “This Time of Year.” The following year, her own single entitled, “Christmas In New York” (available on iTunes) was featured on Carols… as well as being heard all over the USA on internet radio and CBS’ Tournament of Roses Parade.

As a member of SAG/AFTRA, Actor’s Equity and The American Federation of Musicians, Jana has appeared in such films as MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON which starred Robin Williams, DEAD RINGER with MEATLOAF and as Dolly Parton’s stand-in in RHINESTONE, co-starring Sly Stallone. On TV, she appeared in THE SOPRANOS. Her lead roles on stage include GREASE, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR & TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

And presently, as a composer, Jana is putting finishing touches on her musical drama about Anne Frank entitled, THE DIARY, which will go into production sometime next year

Burkett is a New York City-based production manager, stage manager and lighting designer. She is currently on Broadway as a Production Assistant (PA) with Juniper Street Productions, assisting on Shucked and Some Like it Hot. She has stage managed a wide range of projects, some of which include concert, The Eyes of the World at the Kennedy Center, Opera House; Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s 2021 season – Henry VI, Romeo & Juliet, and Ada and the Engine; Assistant Stage Manager for Off Peak at 59E59; PA for Mr. Holland’s Opus at Ogunquit Playhouse. As an associate lighting designer, Burkett designed J2 Spotlight’s A Class Act, A Day in Hollywood… and The Bakers Wife at Theater Row. She frequently works on events with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Theatre Development Fund. Burkett holds a BFA in Theatre from Montclair State University.

Olivia is an New York City-based Stage Manager (SM) and Production Assistant (PA). Her current projects include Off-Broadway play development readings as well as live events in Fashion and Marketing. Past projects have included being PA for Ogunquit Playhouse’s 89th, 90th, and soon-to-be 91st season where she has helped build such wonderful musicals like the world premiere of Mystic Pizza, The Nutty Professor, and Mr. Holland’s Opus. Olivia made her Off-Broadway debut with Primary Stages as an Assistant SM for the New York premier of Leah Nanako Winkler’s God Said This at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre. Last year, she rejoined Primary Stages as Assistant SM for their new play, New Golden Age, as part of their Karen Hartman Repertory at 59E59. Olivia is a proud graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Jessica began studying dance at age seven. Years later, she moved with her family from Fargo, ND to NYC to further her dance career. While studying at Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts, Jessica trained at renowned dance schools, including American Ballet Theater, Ballet Academy East, Alvin Ailey, Luigi’s Jazz Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and the Joffrey Ballet school. Jessica has performed with several NYC dance companies such as Michael Mao Dance, Ballets with a Twist, 26Stars, TranscenDanceGroup, Jazz Choreography Enterprises, DeMa Dance, Lotería Performing Arts, the Painted Ladies, Edgar Cortes Dance Theater, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Eglevsky Ballet. Jessica expanded her career performing on the seas with Royal Caribbean’s “Cats” and most recently with Celebrity Cruise Lines. Jessica is currently performing with several Aerial entertainment companies throughout NY and NJ.

Once only a passion for David, dance has turned into a long-standing career. Getting his start from theater and being one of only a few boys involved, he was always in demand for any dance numbers that came around. David also has a gift for music and plays both the flute and the saxophone. Allowing for these skills to combine, his movement and music started to evolve his craft of dance, and he began performing often in his high school years. David found the ballroom dance club when in college and was quick to join. On the first day of the second semester at the University of Connecticut, the dance coach personally recruited David to join the competitive team. For the next six years, David traveled with the UCONN team throughout the northeast, competing on the USABDA circuit in all four styles (American Smooth/ Rhythm and International Ballroom/ Latin). During the final two years at UCONN, the team was left without a coach; David, along with a few others, successfully stepped up to take on the responsibility of training and organizing the team. This was the beginning of teaching for David; he began to teach at a local studio in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. After moving to New York and becoming involved in Dance New York, he began teaching with multiple well-known dance franchises. David also found himself continuing his own professional competitive career in the American Smooth and International Ballroom style. Striving for more opportunities, David joined the Dance With Me (DWM) family in 2013. At DWM, David has had the opportunity to grow as a teacher, developing world champion competitive students and social students alike. After receiving extensive training in wheelchair dancing, David created a program for disabled students looking to dance. He has traveled to many of the DWM studios to train instructors in this program, allowing the other studios to offer the same opportunities in their area.

Dana is a lifelong storyteller. Her plays include The Importance of Marrying Wells (“Best Play” in NYC Fringe Festival) and Scott & Zelda Get a Pet. She’s performed on Broadway (Understudy: Tony-Award-Winning The Little Dog Laughed); Off’-Broadway (The Acting Company’s Tartuffe and Twelfth Night, The Little Dog Laughed at Second Stage); and regionally in World Premiers (A Sleeping Country at Cincinnati Stage), West Coast Premiers (Arthur Miller’s Resurrection Blues at The Old Globe); and in 16 Shakespearean productions – including Much Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare Theater. As a Yoga Therapist, Dana founded the accredited Prema Yoga Institute and is a frequent contributor to Yoga Journal.

Tony has had quite a long career in the music industry. At 10 years of age, he started as a featured vocalist performing at the World’s Fair in 1965. At 15, he became lead singer in his first rock band, STEM, that made a name for themselves as one of the top bands in NYC. Eventually, he was snatched up by FANTASY, an even bigger band and began recording an album for Polygram Records at Electric Lady Studios (of Jimi Hendrix fame.) They opened for such acts as JOURNEY and Rick Derringer. During that time, he taught himself to play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. As a guitarist, Tony worked with Dino Dinelli and Gene Cornish of the YOUNG RASCALS as well as for Latin recording sensation, Luis Fonsi at Radio City Music Hall, in front of a sold-out audience that also was aired on Telemundo. As a songwriter and lyricist, he’s penned several songs recorded by other artists. His ballad, “Let’s Say Goodbye”, was SPYRO GYRA’s first vocal song released off their “Love & Other Obsessions” cd. Most recently, Tony appeared as a musician in the 2011 release of the film, THE SITTER, starring Jonah Hill. Tony has performed for President George H.W. Bush and has shared the stage with such stars as GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS and NATALIE COLE for CBS’ “Happy New Year America”. He can be seen most nights performing on Broadway in the 2006 Tony Award winning musical, JERSEY BOYS as well as its National Tours. At present, he’s been hired for various studio sessions as a guitarist and/or vocalist. He also teaches privately as well as at The Frisch School.

Since coming to NYC over 30 years ago, Leo Huppert’s musical career has been a wide-ranging and interesting journey. After graduating from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Leo entered the music scene in New York, finding his way into the Broadway pits, where he has performed in hits going back to Crazy For You in 1994 and, more recently, JERSEY BOYS, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, FROZEN and BOOK OF MORMON. Leo was also bassist for the 2021 revival of THE MUSIC MAN, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. In addition to Broadway, Leo has been active in jazz, rock and cabaret, performing everywhere from The Bitter End to Lincoln Center, the 92nd St. Y, Café Carlyle and Radio City Music Hall, backing artists such as David Clayton-Thomas and Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bobby Caldwell, Stephanie J. Block, Mandy Gonzalez, and many others. Leo also appears on soundtracks for film and TV, including PBS, ESPN and HBO.

Jonathon Peretz, originally from Ann Arbor MI, is a NYC based drummer/ percussionist. He has toured/recorded with a wide variety of artists, including Trumpeters Maynard Ferguson and Freddie Hubbard, Vocalist Jeanne Carne, as well as BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS, Ricky Martin and Sony Latin artist Emanuel. He was part the band for Robert Wuhl’s HBO special, as well as an episode of Showtime’s “Billions”. He continues to freelance in the area working with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and others.

Currently residing in Closter, NJ, with his wife and six cats, Marty’s resume spans live performances ranging from bluegrass with Hazel Dickens and Peter Rowan, to Twyla Tharp; Broadway theater; Saturday Night Live; numerous jingles, along with stints as a teacher of MIDI and Sound-Design at several colleges; Since 2000, Marty worked on staff as an editor, and later, a contributor at Electronic Musician, Guitar Player, and Keyboard. Marty co-authored MIDI for Guitarists and created sounds for the first commercial software synthesizer and Korg, and MOTU’s Bob Moog Foundation Encore Soundbank. The New Electronic Guitarist is his most recent book.

David Rimelis is a freelance violinist/fiddler/guitarist in the New York area, He has performed in the bands of such artists as John Corbett, Norbert Leo Butts, Michael Bolton, Jonny Pacheco, Roberto Torres, and Ruben Blades, among others. David Rimelis is also a composer whose music has been performed by orchestras internationally, including the Boston Pops, National Symphony, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been a featured artist with symphony orchestras and music festivals across the country and internationally. The son of country western singer “Idaho Ed,” Rimelis was raised on American folk and popular music and has won various regional fiddle contests.