The Wizard of Oz (Youth Edition) - May 01 - May 03, 2026
Franklin Academy - Palm Beach Gardens
Drama Team
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Mary Caperna
Mary Caperna is the founder of the Franklin Academy Drama Program. She is a graduate of the State University of New York and Brooklyn Law School and is a licensed attorney in both New York and Florida. Mrs. Caperna practiced law for many years, both in New York and Florida, but eventually decided to pursue her life passion, which is teaching. She has spent over twenty years teaching in both private and public schools; however, she considers Franklin Academy PBG her school home and the drama program a work of love she shares with her daughter, Neena Caperna, the program's artistic director.
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Cristina "Neena" Caperna
Cristina “Neena” Caperna is a graduate of the University of Florida's Theatre Performance program and the MYP Drama teacher at Franklin Academy PBG. She is a 2012 Carbonell Theatre Scholarship recipient, an alumna of the Broadway Theatre Alliance and Broadway Artist Project, and former head of musical theatre at Bak MSOA. She is a classically trained vocalist and experienced actor with a passion for theater and our students. Neena has directed and choreographed all of Franklin’s previous Kravis Center and Eissey Campus Theatre musicals and is devoted to ensuring that the school’s drama program provides students with a rigorous and professional musical theater experience. Neena’s motto is “You don’t practice until you get it right, you practice until you can’t get it wrong.” She firmly believes that a strong work ethic, with lots of encouragement and love, is the best way to teach students that hard work brings excellence and success.
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Spencer Landis
Spencer Landis is a talented South Florida actor, stage manager, and assistant director of this production. Some of his previous credits include Usnavi in the musical, In the Heights and Asher Lev in Admissions. He was very excited to be back working with Franklin students after stage managing three previous Franklin Academy productions, Addams Family, Shrek Jr., and Beetlejuice, Jr. He is incredibly proud of all the hard work students have put in and is excited for you to see the show. Break a leg, everyone!
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