Epoch Arts is run by a small group of like-minded individuals. They have each spent the better part of their lives creating, experimenting, teaching and exploring different aspects of the arts.

Our People:

Elizabeth Namen - Artistic Director: Theater Department

elizabeth@epocharts.org

Elizabeth, the Artistic Director of Epoch Arts, heads up the theater department and all artsitc aspects of Epoch Arts. She is the founder of the Ague Spring Players and Epoch Arts. She currently teaches 1-2 classes per semester and is the administrator of all Epoch Arts Days, Senior and Junior student plays, and the Ague Spring Player performances. She also devotes much of her time volunteering for community events and fund raising for the organization. Elizabeth attended Trinity College majoring in Theater Arts. Her previous employment includes youth instruction at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown, CT and teaching artists at The Hartford Stage in Hartford CT.

Omar Namen - Musical Director and Technical Director

omar@epocharts.org
Omar provides Epoch Arts with all aspects of musical coordination and stage design for performances. He oversees the music department and all recording sessions as well as music classes and Brookside Nights. He has experience as a journeyman carpenter and makes necessary renovations and improvements to the Epoch Arts space and provides Epoch Arts with all aspects of technical coordination for all events and performances. Omar attended Drexel University studying sound engineering and has volunteered for the organization for the past 11 years composing music, teaching classes, and designing and building sets.

 

Janel Kochuk- Out Reach Development

Janel has volunteered her time to Epoch for over 3 years in a variety of areas. She is a life long resident of East Hampton and is happily married with 6 children, one who has recently been adopted. Janel opens her home to foster many children of all ages and ethnicity, as she is a licensed therapeutic home for children, including respite care. She continually goes through training in a variety of areas dealing with children and family issues. She has the knowledge and skills needed when dealing with tough issues like drug and alcohol abuse, peer pressure, sibling rivalry and low self esteem. Janel specializes in building confidence in each individual no matter where they come from or who they are. She not only has the proper training, but also the life experience as she has overcome many obstacles in her own life. Janel co teaches Breaking Silences and Freebirds and heads up all outreach opportunities and events.

 

Teresa Spooner- Administrative Assistant

Teresa has been with Epoch Arts for the past 6 years. She has helped design and create costumes for a variety of performances and continues to do so. With experience in office manager and administration, Teresa became Epoch’s office administrative assistant in the fall of 2007. She oversees all the administrative staff and various capacities of management for the organization.
 
 
 
Courtney Cunningham- Facility Manager/Teaching Artist
Courtney graduated from Haddam-Killingworth High School in 2007 and is a student at Middlesex Community College with a major in communications. She currently works at KOCO daycare teaching preschool. She has been a part of Epoch Arts for nine years and has assisted in classes, productions, events and fundraisers. This year Courtney will co teach a preschool class in theater arts.
 
 
Britta Gustafson-Technical Support
Britta has been with Epoch Arts since 2006. Graduating from East Hampton High School she attends Central University, works part time and volunteers at Epoch Arts. Britta helps with technical support of all events at Epoch Arts as well as assists in teaching classes.
 
Kayla Sanzo- Teaching Artist/Publicity
Kayla is a gratuate of East Hampton High School and has been a part of Epoch for over 4 years. Donating her time and talent to a variety of projects, Kayla has performed on stage, directed numerouse plays and assisted many events. This coming year, Kayla will be co-teaching a preschool class as well as working as a teaching assistant with the out reach group Breaking Silences.

 

Support Staff

Nathan Dudek -

Nate has been involved in Epoch Arts for the past 9 years as a musician and composer for The Ague Spring Players pit orchestra. Nate has written and conducted past musical scores for the Ague Spring Player productions. Along with writing, recording and performing as guitarist with the local indie rockers "The Rara Avis", he has previously acted as the President of the Clarkson University Pep Band in 2003 and the Business Manager in 2002. Nate currenty helps out at all Brookside Nights events.

 

Jon Schroth - Artistic Director: Film department

 

Jon has been involved with Epoch Arts for the past 9 years. He has served various roles in the Ague plays from pit-musician/set-painter to graphic designer/videographer. He now runs the film department, teaching classes and organizing film festivals and movie nights. Jon received his degree from Ringling School of Art and Design before beginning a career in animated feature films with Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation. He continues to create independent films, for which he has received numerous awards. He has taught at NYU's Center for Advanced Digital Application and enjoys working with the youth at Epoch Arts. Jon also created and maintains the Epoch Arts website.

Josh Shook-

Josh has been part of The Ague Spring Players since 2002 both in acting and set construction. He has volunteered as stage manager and assistant technical director as well as worked on various projects throughout the building.  He is employed at Whelen Engineering Company and is experienced in electronics and machine operation. He is also a state certified firefighter and has been an officer in the East Hampton Volunteer Fire Department.

VAL GRECO- Creative Design

Val volunteers her creative time and energy to Epoch by helping design our brochures and flyers. She has owned and operated Greco Design for over 25 years. She has many years of design and production experience, freelancing for agencies and companies throughout CT. Past responsibilities range from developing campaigns and targeting marketing plans to coordinating print projects to art directing photo shoots.

 

Visiting Artists

 

Brandt Sanderson- Theater and Music Department 

Brandt has been performing Improv for years. He was a member of an improv troupe called Guerilla Improv based out of Worcester, MA for four years. During that time the troupe performed all over the New England area and won first place in the annual Boston Improv Competition. He has also been teaching and working with the Ague Spring Players for the last eight years both in theater and music. Brandt now focuses his improv skills on teaching students the "fine art" of comedy and establishing an improv troupe with Epoch Arts.

 

Brian Schroth- Theater Department( Improv)

Brian is a late convert to the world of the arts. Three years ago, he had hardly acted before and never played an instrument in his life. However, in 2007, fellow EA teaching artist Brandt Sanderson convinced him to perform in an improv show while home on winter break from college. Brian was surprised to find that he absolutely loved it, and he has been performing improv ever since. Brian refocused his life on the arts and started piano lessons in 2008. Now he plays piano for ballet lessons and shows at the Christian Academy of Dance in Killingworth, and will be playing in the pit band for the 2011 Ague Spring Players show. Brian teaches improv at Epoch Arts and hopes to provide kids the same opportunity to pursue a passion in the arts that he found.

Rachel Martin-Theater Department

Rachel has been apart of Epoch Arts for over 7 years. Begining as an actress in the mainstage plays, Rachel then volunteered her skills as teaching assistant for many classes and events. Working with youth within the community, church and library programs she also has traveled to work with children around the world: China, Africa and Belize. She is a seasoned artists and has captured her love for children in her many paintings and drawings. This season, Rachel will be teaching the K-5th grade acting class.

 

Todd Sanderson- Teaching Artist: Film Department

Todd is currently offering introductory courses in non linear Avid video editing, and preparing classes focusing on film production and narrative editing.  Todd got into film and video production in high school.  He has been a professional film/video editor for 14 years and an Avid editor for 12 years.  Todd has worked on numerous feature films in a variety of capacities and has also produced 5 films of his own.  He is also an accomplished After Effects compositor and hopes to eventually introduce that aspect of post production to EPOCH as well.  Todd attended Ohio University majoring in both film and video.  He is currently the senior Avid editor and After Effects compositor at Motion Inc. in Hartford, CT.

 

Jennica Serra- Teaching Artist: Voice- Music Department

Jennica has been singing and performing all her life. This fall marks her official launch into the teaching world.  While she has been dabbling in giving voice lessons, and vocal coaching as needed, she is finally ready to commit.  She loves working with youth; especially when it involves encouraging them musically.  Performance is her passion.  She believes that the best performances are not the ones where she sang her best or commanded the stage as this leading role or that.  The best performances are the ones where she and the audience embark on a journey together--where everyone, including herself, walks away changed, moved, or nourished in some way.  Jennica's recent credits include: East Hampton Middle School Drama Club's Mirror Image as Music Director, Courthouse Center for the Arts' It's a Wonderful Life as Mary Bailey, Sweeney Todd as Johanna, Junie B. Jones as That Grace (touring production), Centerstage Productions' Sweeney Todd as Johanna, Gordon College Music Department's The Doctor In Spite of Himself as Martine. She went to Gordon College for Music Performance (voice). Upcoming: Lights Up Productions' The Lost Son (opens October).

Jennifer Harris- Teaching Artist -Art Department

Jennifer has been a part of Epoch for over 10 years. From acting to assisting in plays and events to teaching assistant, she has been a vital part of the organization. She graduated from Middlesex Community College with a degree in Fine Arts and plans on transferring to Central Connecticut State University for her Bachelor's Degree. She will then pursue her Masters to be certified to teach Junior High Art. This semester Jennifer joins us once again for teaching art to 1st-5th grade students.