Getting to Know You: Alum and Guest Artist Melissa Rapelje
LIHSA alum Melissa Rapelje is a gem! Kind, talented, generous, and extraordinary with our students, she has simply never stopped giving back to our LIHSA community! Here’s more about Melissa.
Growing up in Glen Cove, Melissa found LIHSA through our Summer Arts Academy in 6th and 7th grade. She knew she would like to attend LIHSA in High School, but because of a heavy AP class load, she had to wait until her senior year to enter and study musical theater. She loved her time as a student and considers each of her LIHSA teachers an inspiration for her career in the performing arts.
After graduating LIHSA, Melissa attended NYU and majored in Vocal Performance / Musical Theater. While at school, she booked her first equity job in the show The Awesome 80’s Prom. Fortunately, the show’s performances were all on Saturday nights so she was able to stay in school while covering three roles as a standby.
Even as a college student, Melissa already reconnected with LIHSA as an alum, by returning to teach in the Summer Arts Academy starting the summer after her freshman year. This was her first time teaching and creating choreography.
After graduating NYU, Melissa worked professionally across the country in regional productions for the next ten years. One of her favorite tours was with Warner Brothers, playing Daphne in a tour of Scooby Doo LIVE! She shares, “The first time I went on stage, there were little girls in the front row calling me Daphne. It was so sweet!”
Melissa is now a mom and is focusing on arts education, teaching and choreographing at local theaters like The John W. Engeman Theater in Northport. She’s in her second year as an artist-in-residence at LIHSA. She reflects, “It’s emotional every time I walk through to teach as an alum – I’ve almost cried. I’m brought back to the amazing memories of being a student here and think about my class…we all keep in touch! So I know the connections current students are making – they will be friends for life!”
Melissa served as the choreographer for First Year Cabaret, Family Album, and Senior Showcase. She comes three times over the course of learning a number: once to teach; once to refine; once to polish. Since she was a music student at NYU, her choreography is heavily influenced by the show’s score.
Once a student of Kimberly Larkin’s, Melissa now works alongside her for her residency and Kimberly says, “The students adore working with her and it’s incredible having a LIHSA grad here to train the next generation of artists.” Melissa is just as appreciative about working with Kimberly, sharing, “Kimberly and I both are NYU grads and we both approach the work with roots in music and storytelling. We’re on the same brainlength.”
Working and raising her young daughter takes up a lot of Melissa’s time, but she also loves reading books and seeing musical theater when she can.
Melissa shares some advice for current students, “Cherish the time you have with your fellow artists. Don’t ever stop learning and growing.”Thanks to you, Melissa, our students will continue to learn and be inspired! Thank you for continuing to stay connected and give back to LIHSA! https://www.melissarapelje.com/
