Acting-A-Part Bios

Erika Lupo     

Erika Lupo is the creator and owner of Acting-A-Part® Theater Company and movie studio!  Erika Lupo is the originator and creator of the Ramsey NJ  and Maplewood NJ Middle Schools Theater Programs. She was an English teacher for both school districts and began the theater programs for both that are still in existence today! She is a New Jersey Certified teacher with over 15 years teaching experience. Nominated for Best Practice in Teaching, Erika has always been praised for her innovative and unique programs. She has directed and produced over 200 professional productions. These include Bye Bye Birdie, Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, The Wizard of Oz, Our Town and Annie, High School Musical, Grease, and Beauty and the Beast to name a few. Erika is an innovator - she has created several unique and creative programs for her theater company and various school districts. She has created a movie studio designed exclusively for her students at Acting-A-Part.  Now students can be in movies without flying to Hollywood! In additon, Erika has opened up Angels-A-Part an acting school for children and adults with disabilities. Erika created the theater program at Park Lake School in  Rockaway NJ - A school for children with disabilities,  In addition, several schools in Bergen and Sussex County have incorporated AAP into their school programs. AAP is also the creator of Acting Birthday or event  Parties. A unique and fun idea for any birthday child or teen or adult! 

 Erika has brought her unique style and teaching to the school. Our Film Extreme Movie "Very Different Times" has been selected for 2011 Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, NJ.  In addition, the movie is currently listed on the IMDB Our students careers and self esteem and confidence begins at AAP  Erika's professional career spans over 20 years and her innovative and exciting programs are expanding daily! In addition, she is chairing the Sparta New Jersey Film Commission.  The first of its kind.  Establishing Sussex County as a premier film location for Movies and Television.  Erika Lupo can be found on the International Movie Data Base (IMDB), check it out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3118408/

Erika wrote, produced and directed a documentary film on an amazing autistic boy.  The movie is slated for release in 2012. Erika is presently working on several television projects, in addition she is writing a screenplay based on a very exciting book series.  

Erika is proud to announce her newest location in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and her talent management division opening in 2012 in both NJ and Pennsylvania.



Kristin Jackson is excited to be part of Acting a Part.  After years of teaching Pre-Kindergarten, she's returning to the world of children's theater.  Kristin has studied theater for years and has worked with improvisation, scene study, movement, mime, directing, neutral masks and commedia del arte.  She holds a BA in Theater and a CE in Early Education.  Favorite stage credits include Harpagon in THE MISER, Edith in 'DENTITY CRISIS, Alice in THE MATING OF ALICE MAY, Helen in BABY WITH THE BATHWATER and Puck in A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM.  Directing credits include THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, THE MIDLIFE CRISIS OF DIONYSUS, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF JR., ONCE ON THIS ISLAND JR., THE HOBBIT and ALICE IN WONDERLAND.  She has directed numerous improvisation pieces and has performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.  She taught various children's theater courses and supervised summer camps at Brundage Park Playhouse.  She also worked with Centenary Performing Arts Guild as a Resident Teaching Artist, and stepped in as an adjunct in the theater department of the college.  Kristin currently resides in Sparta with her husband, daughter and two dogs. 

Robyn Bryce

Robyn Bryce received a BA degree in Communications from Rider University.  While attending college  Robyn was introduced to the world of professional theatre.  Her career began stage managing and running lights for a professional Princeton based theatre company called Stage One Productions.   From there she went on to stage manage in NYC for such places as The Ensemble Studio Theatre and Playwrights Preview Productions.   She then transitioned her career and began working for Actors Equity Association.  From there she went to work for Abrams Artists Agency working in the Kids and Young Adults Department.  Switching from the Talent Agent field and into the Talent Management field she briefly went to work for Sue Schachter and Suzelle Enterprises an industry leader in talent management for over thirty years.  She went to work for New Jersey Network Public Television and has owned several businesses such as 4 Stardom where people would pay to have their custom designed day of stardom.  Banyan Productions who produce such reality shows as A Dating Story.  It is a show that brings two singles together on a blind date as you watch. We were approached to have one couple get the Stardom treatment.   She then opened RLB Talent Management. I couldnt be more thrilled to not only be the Acting Director of the Doylestown school but to also help Erika head up the new Talent Management Division, AAP Talent Management opening early 2012.  2012 is going to be a very exciting year.

Mike Yanuzzi - Music and Piano Director

Kelly Dacus-Smith

John Lupo

Cari Chrisostomou is a professional musical theater performer. After starting her career at Immaculate Heart Academy, she graduated from Susquehanna University with her degree in Musical Theatre. Cari just completed a successful run as Sarraghina in the hit musical NINE starring Robert Cuccioli at the Westchester Broadway Theatre and is now a proud member of Actor's Equity. She has performed in many NYC readings and workshops but is most proud of her time performing on the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship, portraying and performing with Disney's most loveable characters. Other performance venues: Surflight Theatre, Forum Theatre, Broward Stage Door Theatre, Carousel Dinner Theatre, The Lost Colony, among others. Cari has also vocal coached throughout Northern NJ since 2005, mostly with Summertime Players in Park Ridge, NJ. Many of her students have gone on to study musical theatre at the collegiate level, audition in NYC, play lead roles in their high school and college musicals, and even audition for the hit TV series, GLEE! Cari is thrilled to be a new member of the Acting-A-Part family!

Tim Sorbanelli is thrilled to be joining Acting-A-Part as an accompanist. Tim is accomplished in many instruments including drums, marimba, piano, guitar, and - some day soon - trumpet. He has studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is currently studying Jazz at the Thurnauer School of Music.  In addition to playing drums for Acting-A-Part productions of  Grease and Sound of Music. Tim has performed in the orchestras of various high school musical productions throughout Bergen County. He is Drum Captain of Oaklands  Indian Hills High School Marching Band and section leader for the Indian Hills Concert Band.  He has performed and recorded with many award winning local bands and can currently be seen performing at 96West in Allendale with his group EtherQi

Dan Salamon is a self-taught musician who has played in various bands throughout his musical career.  He began drumming at the age of 13 and branched out to guitar at 17.  Being family, he has been with Acting-A-Part since its inception. However, he became an official member of the musical ensemble in 2005's production of West Side Story.