Passaic Valley Theatre Department

  • PROGRAM OF STUDIES

    • Course Offerings: Introduction to Theatre Arts, Stage Acting, Advanced Theatre Arts Honors
    • Advanced Theatre Internship
    • Coursework includes: Theatre history, stage managing and directing, acting techniques, improvisation, monologue work, scene study, fundamentals of lighting, sound, make-up, costumes, and set design, and more
    • Students completing all theatre coursework will graduate with a complete Career Portfolio
    • Four main stage productions per school year
    • Multiple performance opportunities
    • Marvel One Act Productions - Disney Pilot Programs
    • View Past Productions

    AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

    • Outstanding Theatre Teacher in NJ - Caren Atamian, PVHS, 2011 - 1st Annual JoAnne Fox Award

    STANJ - SPEECH AND THEATRE ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

    • 1st place - Best Play - La Gringa 2022
    • 1st place - Best Play - Lend Me A Tenor 2020
    • Top Six Finalists - Musical Pairs - 2020
    • 1st place - Communication Media - 2019
    • Top Five Finalists - Musical Pairs - 2019
    • Top Ten Finalists - Dramatic Pairs - 2018
    • 3rd place - Dramatic Pairs - 2017
    • 3rd place – Improvisational Pairs - 2017
    • 6th place - August: Osage County Scene - 2017
    • Top Ten Finalists, Dramatic Pairs – 2016

    BUCKS COUNTY DRAMA FESTIVAL

    • 2022 Best Dramatic Production: La Gringa
    • 2017 Best Ensemble: August Osage County
    • 2017 Best Actress: August Osage County
    • 2016 Best Actress: The Odd Couple
    • 2014 Best Actress: All My Sons
    • 2014 Best Actor: All My Sons

    DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS

    • Members of STANJ (The Speech and Theater Association of New Jersey), an organization which advocates for the study and teaching of communication and theater arts

Phone:

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Ms. Maria McMahon

BM Musical Theater, MA Dance Education

Maria is thrilled to be joining the performing arts team at PV! She was an Adjunct Dance Professor at  NYU Steinhardt and  Kean University, and has taught dance and acting for various performing arts schools in NJ and NYC. She currently choreographs and directs for Paper Mill Playhouse's Youth Theatre on Tour, where she worked on productions of Pinocchio, Frog and Toad, Frozen Jr, Honk Jr, Seussical the Musical, Into the Woods Jr. and SpongeBob the Musical.  She was also the associate choreographer for NYU’s productions of Brigadoon, Carousel, Grand Hotel, Kiss Me Kate, Drowsy Chaperone, and choreographed their production of Pins and Needles. Maria was also the associate choreographer for Atlantic Theater Company’s off-broadway production of 1001 Nights. Other choreographer credits include  Big Fish, Mary Poppins, Urinetown, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid, Anyone Can Whistle, Chicago, Once On This Island, and 13! The Musical. Education: MA Dance Ed, NYU Steinhardt.