Company

Sara Almeida is performer and choreographer from Fall River MA. She is a recent graduate of Rhode Island College, receiving a B.S. in Exercise Science and B.A. in Dance Performance. While a member of RIC Dance Company, Sara worked with numerous guest artists including Staycee Pearl, Geo Hubela, David Dorfman, Jenny Rocha, Adrienne Hawkins, and Jessica Pearson. She has attended Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston, Maine and has performed with Metamorphosis Dance Company in Pawtucket. In addition to dance, Sara explores a variety of performance opportunities including musical theater, with her most recent role as “Isle” in Spring Awakening. Sara is also a certified Level 1 Crossfit coach in Providence, is passionate about fitness, and enjoys working out in her free time.

Sara Brownell is a Rhode Island based dancer and educator. She received her early training at Connecticut Concert Ballet and later earned her B.F.A. in Dance from Mercyhurst University. Sara has danced professionally with Ballet RI (formerly Festival Ballet Providence), FioDanz, Freedom Dances, Lake Erie Ballet, and dancEnlight. Career highlights include: George Balanchine’s Serenade, Hungarian Dancer in Swan Lake staged by Milica Bijelic, and the titular character in Chère Mémère by Nicole Laliberté. Sara is very excited for her first season with Providence Ballet Theatre!

Michael Bolger received a BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase and a MFA in Interdisciplinary Art from Goddard College. His creative life has traveled through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, France and Maine. He carries on as a teacher, choreographer and performer working with many creative thinkers and movers at the Providence Ballet Studio, The Complex Performing Arts Centre in Putnam, Connecticut and is on faculty for the Dance Performance Studies Program at Roger Williams University. He believes the everyday gestures and creative conversations, collaborations and exchanges with students, peers and colleagues has informed his own work as a movement artist. Most recently Michael created a contemporary adaptation of the Nutcracker based on being one of twelve children. He dedicates his performances to the loving memory of his sister Mary.

Alicia Colantonio, a native Rhode Islander, graduated from Rhode Island College in May 2010 with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Dance. She has recently earned her masters at RIC in Dance and Technical Theater, concentrating in Lighting Design. Alicia has been dancing since the age of 4 with Angelica Vessella at Neon Dance Theatre. She continued her dance education by being a member of the Rhode Island College Dance Company performing in numerous concerts. At RIC she performed works by Gus Solomons Jr., Art Bridgman, Myrna Packer, Jennifer Nugent, Paul Matteson, Keith Terry, Jane Comfort, Heidi Henderson, Lisa Race, Shannon Hummel, Michael Bolger, Olase Freeman, to name a few, along with the RIC faculty dance teachers. While at RIC she performed in four musicals: Pippin, Fame, Hair, and No No Nanette. This is Alicia’s sixth season with Providence Ballet Theatre.

Angela Cole is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher based in the Providence and Boston areas. After training in classical ballet as a student, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Roger Williams University, where she was the recipient of the Kelli Wicke Davis Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award. Upon graduating, Angela was a 2017 Young Artist in Residence at Bearnstow, Maine, and then performed as a freelance artist and taught dance and fitness classes across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She has danced for Natalie Johnson Dance in Cambridge, MA and is co-founder of ProviDANCE Project, a contemporary dance collaborative with her artistic partner, Ellen Oliver. Angela currently teaches dance full time throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and she is thrilled to join Providence Ballet Theatre this season.

Holly Wray Corbett, grew up in a ballet studio, Maine State Ballet, under the director of Linda MacArthur Miele. From there she attended Dean College’s Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance where she received her BA in dance after training with teachers Laura Young and Jill Silverman. While attending she was fortunate enough to perform in their Dance Company, dancing the White Swan variation from Swan Lake and the Teresina variation from Napoli. After graduating she performed for one season with the Spindle City Ballet’s in their production of The Nutcracker. Rolls there included lead Arabian and Ballerina Doll. She is now teaching ballet and pointe at MDC Next Step in Mendon, MA. This is her second season with PBT.

Stephanie DeQuattro, began her formal dance training at the age of five and continued on to receive her BA in Dance Performance from Rhode Island College. In 2001 as a Freshman at RIC, she was the first recipient of the Helen Forman Scholarship for dance. She has had the opportunity to work with various choreographers throughout the U.S. including: Heidi Henderson, Sean Curran, Alexandra Beller, Myles Marsden, Angelica Vessella, Michael Bolger, Colleen Cavanaugh, and Deb Meunier. Stephanie is very thankful for the love and support over the years from friends and family. This is her sixth season with PBT.

Elizabeth Gharavi, currently resides in Douglas, MA with her husband and pretty, grey cat. Elizabeth studied with Wayne Stewarte at the Dancing Arts Center and Herci Marsden at the Brae Crest School of Ballet, the official school of The State Ballet of Rhode Island. With SBRI, Elizabeth danced leading roles in Coppelia and Giselle. She has also danced in The Nutcracker with José Mateo’s Ballet Theatre, Swan Lake with The Royal Ballet, and was a guest artist in Spindle City Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Elizabeth joined Providence Ballet Theatre in 2010 dancing roles Sugar Plum Fairy in Twas the Night Before Christmas and Mother in Hansel and Gretel. Currently, Elizabeth teaches ballet at Providence Ballet and is happy to call PBT home. She would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support, and “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” who keep her on her toes.

Charis Hall grew up in Westport, MA, training with En L'air School for Dance, Spindle City Ballet and Ballet RI. She was a member of Fusionworks II before attending Muhlenberg College, where graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and dance in 2022. While at Muhlenberg she had the opportunity to perform in works by Fredrick Earl Mosley, Heidi Cruz-Austin, and Monica Bill Barnes. She has choreographed several original works for the Muhlenberg stage and created a short film that was screened at the American College Dance Association's regional screendance festival. Since graduating, Charis has returned to the local area as a dance teacher. This is her first season performing with Providence Ballet Theatre.

Sara Barney Lustig, was born in Providence, Rhode Island and began her studies at Providence Ballet. In 2011 she graduated with a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After graduation she was awarded the Kenan Fellowship with Lincoln Center Institute which enabled further experience in the field of arts and education alongside LCE Teaching Artists in New York City with grades Pre-K through collegiate level including Special Education and ESL classes. In 2015 she graduated with a M.A. from the London Contemporary Dance School where she had the honor of performing on tour with the University’s collegiate company, EDge, performing works by Ben Wright, Joe Moran, Yael Flexer and Trisha Brown. She is thrilled to be on faculty at Providence Ballet and performing with Providence Ballet Theatre.

Heather McCusker received her BA in Dance from Slippery Rock University. While attending college she both performed and choreographed for SRUDT, the Jazz/Tap concert, and the Senior Synthesis concert to name a few. Having returned to Rhode Island Heather teaches at various dance studios in South County. She would like to thank her family and fiancé for the love and support through the years. This is her first year dancing for Providence Ballet Theatre, and is excited to join the PBT family.

Tony Lustig, Resident Composer, is a dynamic saxophonist hailing from Detroit, Michigan – arguably the most soulful city in the world. As a young child, Tony was introduced to the world of music through the violin. Every week he would travel to his teacher’s home eager to learn; he was completely captivated by the sounds. He was taught very early on to learn music mostly by ear. It was stressed as an important skill that would benefit for years to come. These experiences lit a fire in Tony’s heart so massive and inextinguishable he knew he had to devote his life to learning and sharing as much music as possible. As for the saxophone – learning that was almost by accident.
Being as there wasn’t a strings program in his school Tony needed to find an alternate means of expression. His parents offered an alto saxophone left in a dusty corner, abandoned by his older sister. As soon as the horn met his lips he felt that was it - that is what he had been looking for. Tony quickly became attached to the saxophone and went on a search for every saxophone record he could find. In that search he found Gerry Mulligan. His sweet, lush sound lured him in instantly. After spending countless hours listening to Mulligan’s records Tony made the transition from alto saxophone to baritone saxophone. He spent his childhood years playing around Detroit where he had the chance to meet and play with such Detroit greats as Marcus Belgrave and Rodney Whitaker. These experiences would lead Tony to further his quest for musical knowledge at both Michigan State University for his undergraduate degree and the prestigious Juilliard School for his masters degree.
Tony has performed with some of the biggest names in the country. He has appeared with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Gloria Gaynor, Birdland Big Band, Christian McBride Big Band, Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Patti Austin Big Band, Count Basie Orchestra, George Gee Swing Orchestra, Cab Calloway Orchestra, and the Jon Hendricks Octet, amongst others. Tony is a fiery character who attacks his music fiercely and passionately. He plays music with one ideal, above all else, in mind – improve peoples’ lives through music. Tony writes with the intention of stirring the soul. His melodies are memorable and his sound is moving. He strives to inspire all who listen and bring a smile to everyone he meets.
www.TonyLusitg.com

Rob Ferland, Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Rob is thrilled to be working with Eva Marie Pacheco and Providence Ballet Theatre for their fourth season! He has provided lighting designs for drama, musical theatre, and dance productions throughout Rhode Island and Southern New England. For Providence Ballet Theatre, he serves as resident lighting designer and technical director, as well as a member of the Board of Directors. Other works include Animating the Closet and The Link to the Missing Link for Gary Shore. For Deb Meunier and Fusionworks his design credits include the premiers of The Fault in Our Stars, No.61, Three Sisters, and Caught by the Shadows. For the Rhode Island College Dance Company works include In the Limelight, Four Square, Love a la Mode, Clarity, Time Skeleton, and At sea. He designed both the set and lighting for So You Wanna Be a Dance Major, featuring guest judge Mandy Moore. For Festival Ballet Providence he has lit the main company’s versions of Swan Lake and Cinderella. For the State Ballet of Rhode Island his design credits include the premiers of Petra and the Vok, Impressions of the Sky, as well as the company’s versions of Giselle and Coppelia. Rob is an Associate Designer and Consultant with Advanced Production and Design, and currently serves as Technical Director for the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts at Rhode Island College.

Nicole Frechette, Stage Manager, received her BA in Theatre and in History from Rhode Island College in 2006 and has her masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Rhode Island. While at RIC, she worked as a “RAT” (Roberts Auditorium Technical Assistant) for two years and worked on a variety of Growing Stage and Main Stage productions as a stage manager, including: Greater Tuna, Equus, The Misanthrope, The Pirates of Penzance, and All My Sons. Nicole was the Administrative Director/Resident Stage Manager for Kaleidoscope Theatre in Cranston, RI for 6 years and worked as the Production Stage Manager for the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, a professional summer stock company in Iowa, for 4 years. Nicole is currently on the Adjunct Faculty for the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at RIC and also works as a freelance stage manager in the RI community.