playbill vip

Timothy Dolan

Director

Mr. Dolan has been the Theater teacher at the high school since 2017. He has directed numerous plays and musicals for the Drama Club Productions including In the Heights, 12 Angry Jurors, The Addams Family, A Raisin in the Sun, Fences, The Wiz etc. He absolutely enjoys working with the talented students in the district and the equally talented VAPA staff.

Dr. Ashton Bell

Assistant Director

Dr. Bell has been involved in all aspects of theater for the past 27 years, doing everything from acting to directing. He was an Assistant Director at 14, and he has since directed shows such as The Hypocrites, Fences, Woman’s Worth, A Raisin in the Sun, Lend me a Tenor, & Once on this Island. He has also been the Assistant Director & Stage Manager for other plays, concerts, fashion shows, television shows, and live recordings.

Outside of his work with the theater, he is an accomplished Special Education English teacher at Hempstead High School, where he has been happily welcomed into the VAPA family. He previously taught at his alma mater, Roosevelt High School where he also taught English in the Alternative Learning Academy.

He received his B.S in Special Education from Dowling College, and his M.A. in Education from Brooklyn College, and  his second Master's in Educational Administration from Concordia University. He also holds a Doctorate in Theology.

Rachel Blackburn

Creative Consultant/Vocal Director

Ms. Blackburn is a true force in the world of education and music. For 23 years, she has been the Choral Music Director at Hempstead High Schoo. In 2010, Rachel took her passion a step further by founding Voices of Virtue, Incorporated. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Central State University, a master’s in music in Higher Learning from New York University, and an executive master's in business from Hult International Business School.

Her leadership prowess is a cornerstone of her success. She has served as the Lead Teacher for Hempstead High School's Visual and Performing Arts Academy (VAPA), & she is a proud Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated as Chairwoman for the Arts in her chapter of Theta Iota Omega. She made an historic choral conducting debut at the Metropolitan Opera, leading The Voices of the Underground Railroad choir for Kathleen Battle's "Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey" performance.