Meet Our Faculty
Frank Root
Founder
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
Artistic 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.
Matt Deitchman
Music Director
Matt Deitchman, AKA Broadway Bootcamp’s ‘Kind Helpful Bald Man,’ is a NYC based music director, actor, composer, orchestrator/arranger, and multi-instrumentalist. Recent credits include work on Broadway (most recently, Associate Conductor / Guitar / Keyboard for THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL) and Off-Broadway (notably as Music Director/Conductor of TREVOR: The Musical, which is currently available to stream on Disney+ and all music streaming services). Before relocating to NYC, Matt was based in the Chicagoland area for several years, working with such organizations as: Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Writers Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Mercury Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, The Hypocrites, and many others. Outside of Chicago, Matt has also worked with Tony Award winning regional theatres including: Arena Stage (DC), Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Asolo Repertory Theatre (FL), South Coast Repertory (CA). He is currently the music supervisor for several in development properties for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Matt holds a degree in Theatre with a certificate in Musical Theatre from Northwestern University’s School of Communication.
Jane Best
Music Director
Jane Best is a NYC-based music director, pianist, writer, and educator originally from the Philadelphia area. Recent highlights include Broadway’s Suffs (music assistant/score coordinator), Norwegian Cruise Line’s SIX: The Musical, Burn the Floor
(music director/conductor), and Jersey Boys (keys); University of Montana’s Spring Awakening (music director/consictor) and Welcome to the Void (co-writer/music director); Summer Repertory Theatre’s Cinderella, Pippin, Bonnie and Clyde, and Mamma Mia (music director/pianist); and various composition and cabaret projects around the country. Jane received an MFA in Music Direction at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT and her undergrad degree in Music Education from Gettysburg College
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.
Trey Coates-Mitchell
Director & Choreographer
Trey Coates-Mitchell is a New York City-based writer, director/choreographer, clown, and teacher. A Virginia native, he graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts before receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah University. As an educator, he is on the faculty at Broadway Boot Camp and served for four years as Master Musical Theatre Instructor and Acting for Dancers Teacher at the Joffrey Ballet School's Summer South Dance Intensive. Additionally, Trey is a company member and teaching artist for Treehouse Shakers Dance and Theatre Company, and under their leadership teaches classes and residencies for pre-school to college age students all across the country. His performance career began on the road portraying Frank Lippencott in the National Tour of Wonderful Town and as The Cat in The Hat in Seussical. As a choreographer Trey’s credits include The Pirates of Penzance, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia! at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre; Wonderful Town at The Gallery Players; Harold Pinter's The Lover at Gamut Theatre; and Goodnight Moon and Nine at Hollins University. Currently, Trey is the voice of New York City Dance Alliance as host and emcee for its 2024 National Convention Tour. He continues to be a proud member of Actors Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and The Dramatists Guild of America.
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!