playbill vip

Dr. Ashton Bell

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, and A Raisin in the Sun. 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. 

Timothy Dolan

Assistant 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.

Rachel A. Blackburn

Creative Consultant

Rachel A. Blackburn has served in Hempstead Public Schools for 23 years as the High School Choral Director. She was the Lead Teacher for Hempstead High School's Visual and Performing Arts Academy (VAPA), a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. As an accomplished Music Educator, her performance groups have earned International recognition including winning two International Choral Competitions! Rachel recently made her choral conducting debut at the Metropolitan Opera, conducting The Voices of the Underground Railroad choir for Kathleen Battle's Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey performance at the Metropolitan Opera and continues to serve as Project Manager for this program. 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 (EMBA) from Hult International Business School.