Performing Arts departments restructure amid faculty departures

By Samantha Clark

Rider’s Department of Performing Arts is entering the 2026-27 academic year in a period of reconstruction, with changes in faculty and production structure, after musical theater professor Robin Lewis and arts & entertainment industries management professor Todd Dellinger announced their resignations in June. 

“This was an unexpected shift in both programs,” said Sean McCarther, professor and chair of the Department of Performing Arts.

Over the course of the summer, McCarther worked alongside the senior administration and remaining department faculty to cover the courses previously taught by Lewis and Dellinger.

“In these searches, our goal was to find actively working professionals at the highest levels of their fields: individuals who are not only accomplished performers, but who also have a teacher’s heart,” McCarther said.

In addition to finding new faculty, former adjunct professor Carol Bentley has agreed to a one-year, full-time visiting appointment, where she will oversee dance classes and the dance portion of the program’s recruitment. 

Due to her long-time position at the university, Bentley is well acquainted with Rider’s theater program and its students, providing a “tremendous help to both [McCarther] and the department,” McCarther said.

Lewis was also previously in charge of directing Rider’s annual senior showcase and mainstage productions, creating more open spots for new and returning faculty. 

In collaboration with his colleagues, McCarther has identified a new artistic team for the crucial capstone experience that is the senior showcase, while maintaining Rider’s relationship with the external agency responsible for planning and scheduling the live New York performance.

“We fully expect to offer the same experience we always do, just with a different artistic team in place,” McCarther said.

Rider’s 2026-27 musical season will consist of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Catch Me If You Can” and a newly-initiated collaboration with Westminster Opera Theatre in a co-production of “The Threepenny Opera.” 

Due to Lewis’ role in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the department, including McCarther, Musical Director Nathan Hurwitz and assistant professor T. Oliver Reid, worked over the summer to hire the fall musical’s new director, Dana Iannuzzi.

“A dear friend of mine, T. Oliver Reid, who is a professor in the department, reached out mid-July and asked if I was available this fall, and I said, ‘yes,’” Iannuzzi said.

Set to open on Oct. 23, “Jesus Christ Superstar” was cast prior to Lewis’ resignation, as the program held all auditions in April.

Consequently, musical directors were attached to the project, however, beyond that, Iannuzzi had full creative freedom. There were little-to-no design conversations or concept planning prior to her appointment, according to Iannuzzi.

While the department has undergone many changes, the student experience and overall community-like culture of the musical theater program has not faltered.  

Senior musical theater major Presley Muirhead said, “I’m really excited to get to work with someone new. …  A lot of the team is still the same. We still have the same music director, but it’ll be a new director and choreographer, which will be really cool to see their vision.”

Muirhead said that positive changes have been seen in the coursework, as well, with the dance courses now being led by three rotating professors throughout the semester, allowing students to learn from guest directors and multiple new teachers. 

New and returning students alike share this optimism. Freshman musical theater major Aaron Crowell said, “A lot of people in my class who were supposed to come here decided to leave. … For the people that stuck it out, they ended up taking a really good care of it. They got everything under control, so it seems like everything was handled in a professional way. It’s good to come here with that.”

Crowell spoke of the positive atmosphere that encapsulates the musical theater department at Rider, making it “hard for [him] to want to leave at this point,” something that has not changed with the difference in staff. 

“I have so much sympathy for the faculty. … They got a lot of this thrown into their laps with no heads up or anything, and they’ve been doing a really great job to find new people, and I know they have our best interests at heart,” Muirhead said. “I am so glad I chose Rider. I love the faculty, I love all of the community I’ve met. … I’ve loved my experience in this program.”