Education and Engagement Staff

Erica is a senior member of the McCarter artistic staff and oversees all Education and Engagement programs at McCarter. She is a proud member of Any Give Child Trenton’s Community Arts Team; serves on the community advisory board for Trenton Central High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Campus; represents McCarter at TCG’s national Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Institute; and works closely with a cohort of professional theaters throughout our region to develop best practices for “relaxed performances” for individuals with sensory sensitivities. She also regularly teaches courses on community-based performance and performance as civic engagement in the program in theater at Princeton University. Prior to joining McCarter, Erica worked as a dramaturg, producer, teaching artist, and curriculum consultant at theaters, new play festivals, and social service organizations across the country. Her work has been published in journals including Theatre Topics, the LMDA review, and Howlround. In 2010, Erica was awarded a TCG New Generations Future Leaders Grant, which “seeks to identify exceptionally talented theater professionals who will impact the field in a positive way.” Erica received her BA from Washington University in St. Louis and her MFA in Performance as Public Practice (Theatre and Social Change) from the University of Texas-Austin.

Paula is a playwright, dramaturg, theater historian, and educator. As McCarter’s Artistic Engagement Manager, she oversees audience engagement initiatives including artist discussions, scholarly panels, Inside Story pre-show talks, McCarter’s Adult School class, and other events that offer opportunities for learners of all ages to deepen and enhance the experience of the work on McCarter’s stages. She also works with young adults in the community by facilitating post-show discussions, creating curricular content for McCarter’s online audience guides, and developing in-school residencies with and for high schools. Prior to joining McCarter she taught theater studies at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Paula received an MFA in Playwriting from Brandeis University and PhD in Drama from Tufts University. She is a contributing author to James Fisher's Tony Kushner: New Essays on the Art and Politics of the Plays (McFarland, 2006). Paula's short play The Breakthrough was presented at Passage Theatre's (Trenton, NJ) 10-Minute Play Festival in 2010. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Passage Theatre Playwrights’ Lab.

Lily Junker is a director, educator, and theater-maker with a fondness for ensemble and movement-based work. Lily supervises curriculum and instruction for McCarter’s After School programs, Summer Camp classes, and In-School residencies. Prior to joining McCarter in 2013, Lily spent two years at Asolo Repertory Theatre, where she worked as a teaching artist for the award-winning Kaleidoscope program for students and adults with disabilities, developed and directed original documentary theatre pieces with the Sarasota and Bradenton communities, and served as interim Education & Outreach Director. Lily is a proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Writing and Theater, while working as a teaching artist at the Center for Theater Arts, Dance Alloy, and the Pathfinder School. Lily has worked in a variety of capacities with theater companies throughout Pittsburgh and New York and is the producing artistic director of Bakerloo Theatre Project.

Mary is a theater educator, designer, manager, and technician with a particular interest in creating visual elements in unexpected ways. Mary joined McCarter in 2014 after seven years working in the production department of George Street Theatre as the Assistant Props Master. At George Street, Mary also worked as a teaching artist and production manager for their educational summer academy. Mary completed her MFA in puppetry at the University of Connecticut. She has worked as a professional puppet designer and puppeteer for the VEE Corporation, NBC Universal, and touring productions around the country, and spent 12 summers working at the O’Neill Theatre Center National Puppetry Conference.

As McCarter’s Education and Artistic Administrator and Intern Coordinator, Jennifer supports the Education and Artistic departments; works with McCarter After School, Summer Camps, and OnStage Seniors; as well as facilitates McCarter’s full-year, full-time post-graduate internship program. Jennifer holds a BA with distinction in Theater Performance from Richard Stockton College and has been involved with theater and the performing arts for more than 25 years as an actor, vocalist, dancer, and choreographer.

Alexandra La Torre is a theatre educator and stage manager with a passion for crafting programming that covers both the technical and performing sides of theatre. As Education Associate, Alex provides administrative support for our After School and Residency programs and assists both the Education Projects and Curriculum & Instructions Managers. Prior to joining McCarter in 2017, Alex worked as an educator and administrator for Magic Circle Theater, Boston Latin School, High C Consulting, and SpeakEasy Stage Company. Alex is a graduate of Boston College where she studied Secondary Education, English, and Theatre.