About

Meet the TPAPnj Team

All of our teachers work to help inspire in your child creativity and confidence through the Performing Arts

Missy Bonaguide

Missy Bonaguide is the owner and Artistic Director of The Performing Arts Project NJ, LLC. She has over 40 years experience in the Performing Arts including a degree in Theater and Dance from Skidmore College, training and performing in London and NYC theaters, and creating a successful Theater Company in Manhattan. Over the past 13 years, she has produced/directed the Lester C Noecker 4-6 grade musical, North Caldwell’s Gould School Musical, as well as directed classes, camps, enrichment programs, and numerous fully staged TPAPnj productions including "You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Mary Poppins Jr," "High School Musical Jr," "The Little Mermaid Jr," "Aladdin Jr,""The Lion King Jr," "Frozen Jr.,” “Into the Woods,” “Descendants,” “Matilda Jr,,” Alice By. Heart," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," "13," and more. She teaches music locally, as well as giving private lessons in voice, acting, and dance. Her vision is for the West Essex, NJ area to have a top-notch, nurturing, quality arts school that embraces beginners and advanced students alike, and provides our area with essential skills all kids need: confidence, the ability to speak in public, to think on their feet, to accept and include all others, to think critically, to question and examine, to be creative, and to feel safe doing so.

Ali Zanders

Verona native Ali Zanders is a theater kid turned singer-songwriter looking to pass down knowledge and fun to aspiring actors and singers. Since joining the staff in 2022, she has been assistant director for Petite Troupe and the Elite Vocal Competition Team, and most recently, the music director for Lester C Noecker School’s production of Finding Nemo Jr. She’s also excited to be teaching the Group Vocal Skills class starting in Fall 2025. Ali loves being in a space like TPAPNJ that encourages all kids of any background and skill level to do what they love and be who they want to be.

Nancy Santero

Nancy has been involved in the arts her entire life. Most recently, she has been the Costume designer, Props master, and Assistant Director for the Lester C. Noecker 4-6 grade Musical and North Caldwell’s Gould School Musical, as well as Lead Teacher/Assistant Director for classes, camps, and TPAPNJ’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She is passionate about the positive affects of the Arts on young minds, particularly how experiencing theater together bonds kids of all different ethnicities, backgrounds, and social status. Theater class contributes incredibly toward not just academic success, but also social and emotional maturity and success.

Chrystine Gaffney

Chrystine has extensive experience in theater production, performance, and management. She has performed in Hello Dolly, Lil' Abner, and Carousel, and Stage Managed Little Shop of Horrors and an Off-Broadway production of A Lion in Winter. She earned her BA in Dramatic Literature from SUNY Purchase, producing Waiting for Godot and The Fantastics, and has worked in House Management, Box Office Operations, Costumes, and Production Management in Regional and NYC theaters. Chrystine is excited to bring her passion and broad skill set to The Performing Arts Project NJ. She has been teaching Improv/Comedy/Playwriting classes with TPAPnj for three years, and loves helping with all of the performances! She especially loves working with the supportive community for adults and teachers, as well as the inspiring teachers.

Lara Schlachter

A summa cum laude graduate from USC's music business program, Lara began singing, and playing piano and violin from an early age. Favorite stage credits include Jasmine in “Aladdin the Musical” (Disney’s Hyperion Theatre/CA), Elphaba in “Wicked" (Japan), understudying the leads in "Rock of Ages" (NYC), “ Vices: A Love Story” (world premiere), and "Happy Embalmer" (NYMF). She has been in numerous national commercials and print campaigns including Applebees, Metro PCS, and MAM baby products. Her voiceover work has landed her roles in "Yu Gi Oh!” cartoons and singing commercials for Mattel, as well as the singing voice of the Princess Anneliese Barbie Doll and A Perfect Christmas Barbie Doll, and singing voice of Melody in the film "Barbie and the Diamond Castle". She spent a couple years jamming on the electric violin every Friday night in Les Poisson Rouge’s “GO 90s with The Fresh Kids of Bel-Air” show (NYC). She is also a "Victory Belle", having performed from Guam to the Ellis Island Medals of Honor Gala and regularly performs with "Song Division", unifying corporate culture with music and songwriting. She has released numerous albums, having worked with award winning songwriters and producers such as Dean Sams of the Grammy award winning group Lonestar. Her songs have been featured in countless films, tv, and compilations, including the 20th Century Fox movie "Diary of A Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days.” She has been a guest lecturer for USC’s Songwriting class, a Music Teacher for Kidville’s music program targeting 0-5 year olds, and also gives private piano and voice lessons. Proud mommy of two and wife of an amazing husband www.larajanine.com

Dan Burg

Dan Burg is thrilled to be a part of the TPAPNJ team! Theater, both onstage and off has been a very special creative outlet in her life for as long as she can remember. Dan currently works at Caldwell University as the Media Services Coordinator, and got their Bachelor of Arts in Theater (Stage Management Concentration) and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College in 2020. Over the last year, they co-founded a virtual a capella group, Garden State Sound, where they participate as a singer and vocal percussionist. Dan only hopes that she can make a difference in the world of theater and education, and cannot wait to bring their creative and technical attributes to TPAPNJ's productions in the future.

Isaac Rubin