Mary Rotella
Mary Rotella received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Stephens College; where she also studied voice and acting. Right after college, she moved to New York to continue her studies while pursuing a career in Concert Dance and Musical Theatre. Mary immediately secured work in a musical and the rest is history. Her National Tour and Broadway credits include 42nd Street, Cabaret with Joel Gray and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. She performed in an international tour of My Fair Lady and in several regional productions including, Damn Yankees directed by George Abbott, Brigadoon, Guys and Dolls, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mary has also appeared in industrial shows, in commercials and on film. When not performing, she was directing and choreographing productions here in the United States and abroad. Mary also taught professional level classes at STEPS, and Peri Dance and was on the faculty of NYU’s Cap 21 and University of Michigan’s musical theater programs. She was a guest teacher and director/choreographer at many colleges and private studios across the United States and in Finland and Japan. After a long and very successful career as a freelance artist Mary transitioned to academia. She served as Chair of Dance at Stephens College for five years, was Director of Dance at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry for seven years as well as Artistic Director for the Steffi Nossen School of Dance for two years. She most recently served as Chair of Performing Arts for the John Cooper School a Pre-K through 12 school in the Woodlands, Texas until the spring of 2019. As the saying goes, “Home is where the heart is,” and Mary is thrilled to be back in New York working as a freelance actor, director and choreographer, and teacher.