take 5

Ilyse Robbins is an Elliot Norton Award-winning Director and Choreographer who will be returning to The Umbrella this month with our new musical production, The Spitfire Grill. Robbins also directed and choreographed last season's rock musical, LIZZIE. 

Ilyse “took 5” with us during a busy holiday and rehearsal weekend to share her enthusiasm about the new show, which opens in previews April 25 and runs through May 18.

Kat O’Connor is a full-time artist working in watercolor, acrylic, oil, and drawing media, and a popular art instructor at The Umbrella and elsewhere. Her work has been included in numerous exhibitions nationwide, and is currently featured in a solo show, Twice the Speed of Bliss, on view in The Umbrella's Allie Kussin Gallery January 13 - March 23, 2025.

A regular member of The Umbrella Stage Company design team, SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal began this season as Lighting & Projections Designer on Network, and later on Now. Here. This. which runs in rotation in the Black Box. We caught up with him to ask him about the especially dzzling use of multimedia and projection on Network, under the direction of Ashley Kelly Tata.

Once again, we are pleased to continue our "Take 5" series with some of the amazing siblings who are exploring creativity, friendships and fun at camp this year.

Jasper is attending our Summer Arts Under The Umbrella camp this year, while Abby is a part of our Summer Classroom Volunteer program, in which high school aged students volunteer their time for community service hours.

Last week, we were able to sit down with Beckett and Myles, two teens helping out with Summer Arts Under The Umbrella 2024. Beckett is a part of our Summer Classroom Volunteer program, in which high school aged students volunteer their time for community service hours. Myles is from our teen program, where teens aged 13 to 14 spend part of their camp day gaining leadership experience and the other part of the day taking art classes. 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?

Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney is a systems educator, author and advocate for healthier human systems. She is internationally recognized for her efforts to make systems thinking accessible to diverse audiences, including students, educators, policymakers, and business leaders. She has made significant contributions to promoting the use of metaphors like the bathtub model to enhance public comprehension of critical issues such as climate change.

As part of our "Month of Thanks" series, The Umbrella was pleased to “Take 5” with Jenna Lozano, a college intern working with our Marketing Team while wrapping up her degree at the School of the MFA at Tufts University. Jenna is contributing her design, social media and accessibility skills to The Umbrella this semester.

Tell us about your background and interests for your studies and thesis at Tufts.

As part of our "Month of Thanks" series, The Umbrella was glad to interview frequent volunteer and program collaborator Joe Palumbo, a Concord resident who has made a huge impact volunteering for several town committees and organizations.

Can you tell us about your background in and return to Concord?