Dr. Cydelle Berlin, Founder
Dr. Cydelle Berlin founded STAR Theatre in 1987 and is the Executive Director/Producer of The NiteStar Program, which is based at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in Upper Manhattan . NiteStar is a national multi-component theater based Health Promotion and Education program for young people, parents and providers which includes direct service, training, and technical assistance.
An internationally recognized expert in the field of Adolescent Sexuality, Dr. Berlin holds a Ph.D. from New York University in Health Education and Human Sexuality, with a specialty in Adolescent Development and Sexuality. She also holds a Master level degree in Communication Technology from New York University .
Dr. Berlin is also the co-founder of the Adolescent AIDS Prevention Program at Mount Sinai Hospital's Adolescent Health Center where she was the co-director of the program and the Executive Producer of STAR Theatre for 11 years. (1987-1998).
Dr. Berlin and the program have received numerous national and local awards for innovation in the field of peer education, educational theater and sexuality education for young people. In 1996, PBS produced an award winning film called "Sex and Other Matters of Life and Death" about Dr. Berlin and her program. She is also the winner of a national CableAce for best television programming for a cable series on adolescent sexuality topics that she wrote, produced and hosted called "On the Edge". Most recently Dr. Berlin produced NiteStar's Off-Broadway show "Sex and Other Matters: The Reality Show at Theatre 3 in Manhattan .
In addition to her work with NiteStar, Dr. Berlin consults with many organizations nationally and internationally, on adolescent sexuality, HIV and on the use of innovative methodology. Among her many consultations, she works with the United Nations (UNFPA) where she trains young professionals from the regions of North and Eastern Europe on adolescent sexuality and the use of theater as an educational tool. She and her colleague, Ken Hornbeck wrote a manual on developing educational theater, which is being used by the United Nations. She has also been a presenter or a keynote speaker at dozens of regional and national conferences and meetings.
Staff Bios
Cheryl Paley, Artistic Director
A native of Chicago, Ms. Paley began directing original issue-based theatre twenty two years ago. She is a founding director and acted as Stage Director for the NYC Board of Education SPARK Program’s Arts-in-Counseling Team. In that capacity she directed their youth theatre, SPARK Peer Players for eleven seasons. In addition, she created their adult ensemble, Family Arts Forum, for which she acted as Artistic Director for five seasons, creating and directing over 30 original short plays. This is her twelfth season as Artistic Director for The NiteStar Program. She has coordinated the writing process and directed their productions of Am I Normal, Everybody’s Doin’ It, Reality Show, The Rec, Reality Show IPV and Drama dot com for school-based audiences and The Living Quilt, Whatchalookinat and Pandemic for adult, community-based audiences. Special projects include New York University and Fordham University orientation shows, World AIDS Day at the United Nations and at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Rainbow Warriors Youth Theatre for the Ethical Culture Society of Teaneck, New Jersey and Under the Veil for both TE’A Project New York and Mind The Art Entertainment’s Anthologie at La Mama, as well as 3 productions of Vagina Monologues for The Center for Comprehensive Care. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree from the NYU Gallatin School. Cheryl is also a contributing writer and Editor for International Family Magazine (www.internationalfamilymag.com) and their New Global Family series.
Terrence Taylor, Company Manager
Terrence has been working with NiteStar since his years in high school. Terrence has worked as an Actor/Educator as well as a facilitator for numerous NiteStar interventions. A graduate of the "FAME" Performing Arts High School in New York City , he has appeared Off-Broadway, and in film and television. Terrence also works with Zinc as a Life Skills facilitator/actor for the NFL and NBA.
David Williams, Training Manager & Lo Program Coordinator
David began his NiteStar experience as an Actor in the Company. After three years of actor/education he then became the Training Production Manager for the company. Throughout his years with NiteStar he has performed in Out of the Box, Reality Show, Reality Show NYU, Waiting to Break Through, Everybody's Doin' It, Am I Normal and The Living Quilt. He is a 2004 Nuyorican Poet's Café Grand Slam Finalist and can be seen in the independent film, "Madness and Genius."
Christian De Gré, Media Designer
Christian began as an actor with the NiteStar Program in 2006 and has since served as facilitator, trainer, composer, writer, musical director, mentor actor, production stage manager and media designer. In 2009, Christian traveled to Bulgaria and Tunisia representing NiteStar to aid in the training and directing of performers from over thirty countries as the “Theater for Social Change” Partner of the United Nations’ “International Y-Peer Network.” Christian is currently President & Artistic Director of Mind The Art Entertainment where he works with over 500 diverse artists.
Danny Rockett, Musical Director
Danny has appeared on Broadway, bands and television, and has composed music for commercials and TV.
Dr. Cydelle Berlin
Terrence Taylor
Cheryl Paley
David Williams
Christian De Gré
Chuk Obasi
Danny Rockett
Sylvana Rochet-Belleri, Managing Director
Sylvana Rochet-Belleri is the Managing Director of NiteStar. She oversees the direction of the Program, overseeing operations and cultivating key relations with partner organizations and other stakeholders, to ensure that NiteStar provides a vital and impactful educational resource in NYC’s underserved communities. Most recently, she worked as international program manager at the American Cancer Society where she led public health campaigns in North Africa, Latin America and Europe, while guiding small non-profits in different countries. She holds a BA in international relations from Florida International University, and a MA from New York University Paris in French civilization with focus on foreign affairs. Having studied and worked in France and Colombia, she is fluent in French and Spanish.
Chuk Obasi, Choreographer
A New York native, Chuk began to pursue the performing arts as a freshman at St. Raymond high school for Boys in Bronx, NY. After graduating from SUNY Geneseo in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in communication (double minor in musical theatre and dance), he began his professional career with the Rochester Children's Theatre. Since then, he has performed in various regional, Off-off Broadway, touring, and film/television productions in Rochester, Syracuse, Washington DC, and New York City among other regions. His resume includes work in the arts of acting, dance, choreography, writing, slam poetry, music writing/performance, and so on. Chuk currently serves as lead writer, actor, and Project manager with TE’A (Theatre, Engagement and Action) and is a teaching artist with the National Dance Institute. Chuk’s most recent choreography credits include Summer Stage 2011, where he collaborated with Damian Woetzle and YoYo Ma, as well as new choreography for NiteStar’s 2011-12 season.
Ariana Paganetti, Production Manager
joined The NiteStar family back in 2005 as an intern. She later on became an actor for the company before she grew into the role of mentor actor and now Production Manager. Ariana received a degree from Marymount Manhattan College in Theatre Studies and Theatre Education, and has been in more than a dozen schools in New York City teaching theatre and using theatre as a teaching tool. Ariana is also currently Projects Manager for Mind the Art Entertainment, an arts production company here in New York City. Ariana has produced and performed in venues throughout the city including, New York Theatre Workshop 4th Street theatre, La MaMa E.T.C., The Cherry Pit, New York International Fringe Festival, Center Stage, NY and Carnegie Hall as well as for several school and community groups. Ariana can also be found as a billboard recording artist or published writer.
Ariana Paganetti
