Meet Our Faculty
Frank Root
Founder and Artistic Director
Also known as "The Big Cheese" at Broadway Bootcamp, Frank (Artistic Supervisor, Managing Partner) has been a member of the professional acting community for 45 years as a proud member of Actors Equity. He has performed in every aspect of professional theatre, playing in theatres across the country including the Broadway stage. The revival of 42ND STREET was his last show on Broadway, in which he played the role of Bert Barry with the legendary Shirley Jones. He also appeared in three episodes of the HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE and an episode of the HBO series VEEP. Most recently Frank was featured in the World Premier of HELLO, MY BABY at the Goodspeed Opera house.
Performing is not Frank’s only passion. Directing, choreographing, and teaching are his others. In 2001, Frank began Broadway Bootcamp with his late wife, Marianne Challis, before leaving town on tour with 42ND STREET. Now in it’s 21st year, Broadway Bootcamp is thriving like never before. He has also directed and choreographed several shows including 42nd STREET, INTO THE WOODS, SHE LOVES ME, and FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. Locally he has choreographed shows at Trumbull High School and Fairfield Follies. Recently, Frank won the State of Connecticut High School Music Theatre Award for best choreographer for THE WIZ at Trumbull High. As a teacher, he taught for the BFA Music Theatre programs at the Hartt School and at NYU. He has also staged production numbers for the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade seen nationally on NBC.
Phillip Bettencourt
Managing Director and Musical Director
Phillip Bettencourt (Music Supervisor, Managing Partner) is a director, music director, choreographer, teacher and actor based in New York City. Phillip has performed off-Broadway and at Boston Symphony Hall, and worked in regional theaters across the Northeast. A seasoned theater educator, Phillip builds successful programs that provide young actors with an authentic theatrical experience in a supportive environment. Students of Phillip work on Broadway, off-Broadway, television, major motion pictures, New York City Ballet, and the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus; many of them attend top college theater programs across the country. Phillip joined Broadway Bootcamp in 2003, collaborated on the company's past 31 productions, and managed its successful expansion to three sessions in 2015 alongside his business partner, Frank Root.
Currently, Phillip serves as the music and theater teacher at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School (New York, NY), the Youth Choir Director at Southport Congregational Church (Southport, CT) and on the Board of Directors for New Camerata Opera (New York, NY). Previously, he served as the Theatre Arts Director at Metropolitan Montessori School (New York, NY), and commissioned two original works for the students. Other educational credits include the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (New York, NY) and the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (New York, NY) where he directed, music-directed and choreographed the company's Youth Theatre Program and music directed its Teen Theatre Program.Phillip owns his private voice studio, teaching both in New York City and Southport, CT.
Abby Root
Assistant Artistic Director & Choreographer
Abigail has a BFA in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University, graduating with honors, and an MA in Arts Management from Northwestern University. A Broadway Bootcamp veteran, she attended camp until 2004, and has since been a counselor, choreographer, and assistant director. Abigail has recently appeared in Illinois Wesleyan's productions of PROMENADE, A CHILDREN’S HOUR, and THE COUNTRY CLUB. She has choreographed Illinois Wesleyan’s HELLO AGAIN, Trumbull High School’s CRAZY FOR YOU, as well as many student dance concerts. She has studied with many of the top voice, acting, and dance teachers in New York City.
Julia Lennon
Senior Acting Teacher
Julia is an actor, educator, and recent graduate from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she received a BFA in Drama and English. Julia studied predominantly in the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, where she worked intensively on classical texts like Shakespeare and Moliere just as much as she did on contemporary plays -however, her love of the stage was born in musical theatre. Having trained for almost a ten years with BBC's own Phillip Bettencourt, Julia is a skilled singer, musician, and instructor. Some of her favorite credits include Shakespeare on the Sound's TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, Stella Adler Studio's THE WOMEN, and Smith Street Stage's ENEMY. A long time lover of all things Broadway Bootcamp, Julia has spent over a decade as a camper, counselor, and senior acting teacher.
Ashley Mathias Root
Social Media Manager
Ashley has been a high school teacher of English, Journalism, and Yearbook for over a decade. She obtained a BA in English from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and an MA in Communication from The College of Charleston in South Carolina. When Ashley relocated to the northeast to raise her family, she joined the BBC team as the Social Media Manager where she keeps the community connected with the magic of our theatre camp via Instagram and Facebook. You can find us @BroadwayBootcamp to stay tuned!