ARIEL ARBISSER (Artistic Director) previously performed with the MTC in Little Women: The Musical (Marmee), Candide (Old Woman), and Songs For a New World (Woman #2). Recently, Ariel produced, co-wrote, and performed in Sex, Drugs, and A Cappella: An Original Web Series, co-produced an award-winning EP and album with co-ed collegiate group the Cornell Chordials, and was the featured soloist for two tracks on their "best of" a cappella compilation albums. Ariel was also featured in performance and recording with professional all-male a cappella group Overboard, and won Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards for Best Mixed Solo and Song of 2010. Ariel performs regularly with local bands, including The Jeff Love Band, and is completing her fourth semester with the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca.

ZOË GUZY-SPRAGUE (General Manager, President) is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, and is incredibly excited to be joining the MTC! At Cornell, she has had the pleasure to help build Big Love and Our Town on the main stage of the Schwartz, as well as run the lighting board for the Shakespeare Troup's The Tempest. In high school, Zoë had the opportunity to design sets for Pippin and Amadeus, and serve as Master Carpenter for productions of Elizabeth Rex and The Producers. She also had her directorial debut with the short, one-act adaption of Dorothy Parker's Here We Are. Zoë would like to thank the cast and crew of MTC for being so welcoming, and for providing such a wonderful experience.

SARAH BYRNE (Assistant General Manager, Stage Manager) is a freshman biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. She has played the piano for eleven years. Her high school chorale sang in Carnegie Hall frequently with composer John Rutter. Last year, she was involved with a production of Footloose. This is her first production with the MTC, and she is very excited to be working with such a great cast and crew on this amazing show.

MASA GIBSON (Music Director) graduated from Rutgers University with a double BA in Music and Linguistics. At Rutgers, he studied conducting under Dr. Patrick Gardner and served as an assistant conductor for the Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir and the Rutgers Glee Club. While based in New Jersey, he appeared in several operas with Opera at Rutgers and with Opera at Florham. After relocating to Ithaca, Masa graduated from the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca where he now teaches the Meisner technique as an assistant instructor. Recent stage roles include Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theatre Incognita), Tom in Fat Pig (Readers' Theatre of Ithaca), and Gordon in Rent (MTC).

LAUREL STINSON (Assistant Music Director) graduated from Ithaca College in 2010 with a degree in Music Education. Although she studied clarinet throughout her college years, she was also very active in the vocal community, performing with and conducting Premium Blend, Ithaca College's only all-female a cappella group and serving as a member of IC's Women's Chorale and Chorus. Laurel served as a pit performer for South Pacific and Camelot at Central Bucks East HS and Throughly Modern Millie with IC Triple Threat Theatre. Onstage appearances include small roles in Pinocchio, Pocahontas, Once Upon a Mattress, Honk!, A Christmas Carol, and Into the Woods. Laurel would like to thank the entire cast, as well as the rest of the members of the MTC for making her first experience as Musical Director a memorable one.

TYLER EHRLICH (Orchestra Director) is a sophomore at Cornell University in the College of Arts and Sciences. Rent marks his third production with the MTC, having previously served as Orchestra Director for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Women: The Musical. As a clarinetist, Tyler performs with the Cornell University Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He is in the studio of Lenora Schneller and studies conducting with Professor Cynthia Johnston Turner. In January, Tyler will accompany the Wind Ensemble to Costa Rica for their biennial service and performance tour. He would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support, and his past and present music teachers for all they have taught him.

SHAINA HIMELSTEIN (Director of Marketing, Director of Alumni Relations) is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University majoring in Applied Economics and Management. She hails from Long Island, New York and is thrilled to be able to help the company promote such a wonderful production by implementing the business skills learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. This is her first semester working with the amazing cast and crew of the MTC. Shaina would like to thank the members for being so friendly and welcoming and is excited to be working with everyone!

PRISCILLA YANG (Marketing Assistant) is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She comes from the little town of Chapin, South Carolina where the largest theatre production to be held each year was the school play (and where the weather rarely gets below 30 degrees). Most of her experience with theatre is through costume design (Guys and Dolls), and observing! However, she hopes to incorporate her past work and educational experiences in the marketing field to promote the MTC’s productions. She is excited to be learning more about how a theatre production comes together, and can’t wait to see the MTC’s production of Rent!

JULIAN MONTIJO (Assistant Stage Manager) is from San Diego, California and is excited to be working on the marketing team for the MTC's production of Rent! Julian has performed in various productions such as The Wiz, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown, and 42nd Street. He looks forward to working on more MTC productions in the future. Break a leg everyone!

ABBY SMITH (Scenic Designer) studied Architectural Design at Cornell University where she worked in the Theatre Department's costume shop creating costumes for many a production. After leaving Cornell, she designed and created costumes, props, and sets for Ithaca's Kitchen Theatre Company. A graduate of the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca, Abby is now an assistant instructor at the Workshop and a designer for the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca Theater Company (AWITC). Recent credits include costume and set design for Orange Flower Water (AWITC), set design for Poona the F***dog (and other plays for children) (AWITC), Art Director for Sex, Drugs, and A Cappella (An Original Web Series) and costume and set design for Rabbit Hole (AWITC).

WEILI SHI (Lighting Designer) is a junior in Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Information Science with minors in Theatre and Game Design. Rent marks her third production with the MTC; previous company credits include Lighting Designer for both Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Women: The Musical. Additional credits include Far Away and The 2011 Locally Grown Dance Festival at the Schwartz Center, a staged concert version of Aida, and Big Love and Our Town at the Schwartz. She has also served as Light Board Operator for American Buffalo and Passing Strange at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. Thanks to the entire company for a fantastic semester, but especially Max for being her partner in crime.

ERIK JAWORSKI (Photographer) is a freshman at Ithaca College majoring in Documentary Studies and Productions. Hailing from Chicago, Erik worked as photo manager for his school's yearbook and photographer for Stage Door Fine Arts. Besides taking photographs, he too has played different roles in Bye Bye Birdie (Mr. Macaffe), Diary of Anne Frank (Peter Van Daan), Oklahoma (Jud Fry), and many more. Erik is excited to be part of the MTC and cant wait for what's to come in the future.