MICHAEL PERRECA

Michael Perreca has served as Producing Director of Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Mass.; Managing Director of Making Books Sing in NYC; and Artistic Director of Bristol Valley Theater in Naples, N.Y. He was Director of Advancement for LEAP, Director of External Relations for the York Theatre Co. and Development Director of TADA! Youth Theater. He has directed productions throughout the U.S. and NYC.

At Brooklyn College, he teaches “Performing Arts Techniques for the Classroom Teacher."

ANGELO DECESARE

Angelo DeCesare is an author and illustrator of children’s books. He began his career as a comic book artist and writer. His first children’s book, "Anthony the Perfect Monster," is a Dr. Seuss Beginner Book. After joining PiP, Angelo created the Flip’s Fantastic Journal series, published by PiP. His current programs focus on exploring New York through paper engineering and toy theater.

NADINE GRISAR

Nadine Grisar previously taught pre-K, and she directed and choreographed musicals at PS 217 in Ditmas Park. A member of the Jalopy Chorus, she has performed at museums, libraries, schools and community centers. As an interactive storyteller for children and family audiences, her stories include music, song and puppetry. She is a faculty member of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, where she teaches in the Music Partners Program. At PiP, she specializes in storytelling, music and movement.

Early Childhood Specialist

Nadine Grisar

ANDREW MURDOCK

Andrew Murdock is an interdisciplinary theater artist and educator. His work often integrates puppetry and video projection in a highly collaborative process. He designs, directs and performs. In schools he teaches puppetry, animation, video and anything in between.

Puppetry & New Media Specialist

Andrew Murdock

GEORGA ACCOLA

Georga Accola served for many years as a New York City DOE pre-K and kindergarten teacher and received a Master's in Early Childhood Education from NYU and a Bachelor's in Speech and Theater Education from Iowa State University. She has a diverse performance background, including being a trained mime in the Lecoq method and clowning in the Ringling tradition. She has a certification in Drama Therapy from the New School and has worked in educational, theatrical and cultural institutions throughout New York City.

Early Childhood Specialist

Georga Accola

Puppetry Specialist

Liz Oakley

Liz Oakley is a puppetry specialist working in a variety of media. She is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in Spatial Studies. In 2018 she received a UNIMA-USA Scholarship to study puppetry at the Théâtre Aux Mains Nues in Paris. She also works as a teaching artist at the Children's Museum of the Arts and Wingspan Arts, and as a puppeteer at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park.

LIZ OAKLEY

MIRIAM STRASBERG

Miriam Strasberg has been a longtime classroom teacher throughout the NYC school system and a working artist. She has explored traditional folktales and original stories in English and French in schools, libraries and museums, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Staten Island Zoo and Bank Street College of Education. An accomplished quilt maker, she even turns quilt making into an integrated arts activity for children. She's a highly diversified educator who also has been an adjunct at Brooklyn College as well as a school librarian.

Early Childhood Specialist

Miriam Strasberg

Performance Specialist

Gabrielle Schutz

Gabrielle Schutz is a New York City-based theatre-maker and teaching artist. Their teaching and creative practice often engages multiple disciplines of performance, including dance, puppetry and new media exploration. They hold an MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College. 

GABRIELLE SCHUTZ

Puppetry Specialist

Joe Therrien

Joe Therrien is a professional puppeteer and theater artist who received his MFA in puppetry from The University of Connecticut.  He has worked extensively in schools in New York City with students of all ages.  When not teaching, Joe is usually performing with The Bread and Puppet Theater or his own theater: The Boxcutter Collective.

JOE THERRIEN

Music Specialist

Michael Morales

Michael Morales is a native New Yorker, drummer and music teaching artist, with a focus on rhythm and songs. His creative work with students helps enhance skills and comprehension in Social Studies and English Language Arts.

MICHAEL MORALES

Tech Specialist / Web Designer

Isaac Simchon

Isaac Simchon is an IT professional with experience in hardware design, networking, web development and support. For PiP, Isaac serves as a web designer and IT specialist; maintaining all of PiP's social media and web content. Isaac has been a part of PiP since 2009. He has provided computer and video editing training, as well as animation and puppetry workshops for preschoolers, elementary and high school students throughout NYC public schools.

ISAAC SIMCHON

JUDY SCHWARTZ

Judy Schwartz has always been an artist. After retiring from teaching, she became involved as a volunteer at PiP and started to create puppets from plastic bottles, empty toilet paper rolls and other recycled materials. In addition to making many of the "actors" used in PiP puppet shows, she has written and illustrated two children's books, "Zoo Hullabaloo" and "Alphabet Zoop." Judy creates puppets for PiP’s pre-K performances.

Puppet Creator

Judy Schwartz