Robbie Soto started his acting career in 2005 with the role of 'Stewpot' in North Hagerstown High School's production of 'South Pacific'. He continued acting, branching off to the Washington County Playhouse where he made his debut in 'Its A Wonderful Life'. Since then Soto has taken part in 31 shows including Pippin, Grease, Lil' Abner, Oklahoma, West Side Story and more. He has also directed 4 shows and plans to continue far into the future!
Sharayah Nason is 17 years old that has been singing since she knew she had vocal chords. She started performing when she was very little in her church. Then she started acting in church plays and musicals but didnt really get into it until high school. She has only been dancing for a few years when she started doing show choir and found out how much she enjoyed it. She will be taking two dance classes at HCC next semester. Nason has taken chorus all four years of high school and show choir for three of them. Sharayah was in drama club the last two years but musicals are more her thing. "The sumemr of 08 was pretty crazy in that there was very good memories and some bad ones. In any group setting there will be drama, Ive learned to accept that. But along with it, that summer changed my life completely. I made so many new friends, made one of the biggest decisions of my life, and had a wonderful experience in performing that ultimately made me decide that that was what i wanted to do with my life. Summer of 09 was amazing and so much fun. And again, i made so many good friends and learned alot about performance and grew with my talents on stage." Nason said  Britney Ellifritt joined Performers of H.O.P.E in 2009 for the Rock and Roll show at Hagerstown Community College. Although she started with hair and make-up for the group, Britney has grown to Business Manager in a short time. In 2010 she was part of the cast of Reminisce which showed at the Maryland Theatre. "I think its amazing to know that people our age can get as far as we have with Performers of H.O.P.E" Britney said, "Its always fun to hang out with everyone in the group and amazing to see how everything progresses through practices to the final product the night of the show."  Brittney Forero is a 20 year old cosmetology student who loves Jesus with every fiber in her being and can beautify you while singing, dancing and acting at the same time. multi-tasking "like woah." Latina-American she can also throw some Spanish in the mix...Her future goals include getting her drivers and cosmetology license, go back to school at Liberty University to major in whatever the Lord leads her to do, and to become a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Brittney has been in theater since she could walk, her love of acting and the stage started with her first role in kindergarten as narrator #12 in the children's classic "Peter Cottontail". Two sentences since, its been a dramatic ride between talent shows in elementary school, then in middle school with roles like the Queen in "The Truth About Cinderella" (7th grade), the Mad Hatter in "Molly and the Last Bookworm", Feste in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" (9th grade), Sophia in "Fools" (10th grade), Lady Capulet in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" (11th grade), backup singer and dancer in musicals like "South Pacific" (9th), "Anything Goes"(10th) "Oklahoma" (11th), and "Lil Abner" (12th), and one of the originals in the groups "Rockin' At the High School Hop"...to name a few. As long as she is living she will never stop performing. She is totally thankful to God for blessing her with the talents and abilities she posesses, she also thanks her family for continuous support, and to Robbie Soto for being an awesome friend and believing in her talent.  Alexa Christine Dumpé is a 14 year old Vocal Major at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. She joined Performers of H.O.P.E in 2008 in 'Rockin' at the High School Hop'. Alexa was the youngest performer that year, it was her first out-of-school performance. She performed in BISFA's production of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' in 2010. Although singing is her passion, she also enjoys dancing and acting. "Performers of H.O.P.E is so fun to be a part of. It's a great way to meet new and interesting people." Alexa says. "Being in 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' really made me want to perform more and more. I can't wait for the next show!"
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Zach Lynn started acting in 2001 in North Hagerstown High School's production of 'The Music Man'. He continued acting in North High's 'Bye Bye Birdie', 'South Pacific', and 'Anything Goes'. Zach was "dragged" into the D&R Theatre Groups show (now known as The Performers of H.O.P.E) "Rockin' at the High School Hop 2" as an extra. He continued with the group in 2009 in 'A Night to Remember' as Co-Director. Zach is currently in a local band: "Matinee at Midnight" and wants to continue his carrer in music, aiming to some day become famous. His favorite past memory of the group is Logan Bairs famous "Sailor". 
Dustin Perrot started to perform in the 8th grade with the choir. he continued to sing through high school and performed in all the groups their. He also was apart of All-County Chorus, and the Mason-Dixon Barbershop Society. He started performing in musicals in 2004 and since then have been in countless shows at North High, Alderson-Broaddus College, and the Washington County Playhouse. His show expierence includes Oklahoma, Lil' Abner, Once Upon A Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Pippin, Grease, Pirates of Penzance, Shake Rattle and Roll, Footloose, The Fantastics and many more. He also took place in the 3rd annual Washington County Teen Idol and where he placed in the top 5. Perrott continues to take voice lessons and classical Guitar at Hagerstown Commuinity College and is apart of the band Matinee at Midnight. Dustin has been apart of everything with the Performers of H.O.P.E since it was just an idea in high school. Now it's something bigger. "It gives young people the chance to get to know some of the local talent that they aren't familiar with. It also gives them real show expierenc as well as a setting where young people are coming up with all the ideas and doing nearly all the work. Its nice for young people to see that they can be a part of something bigger then themselves and truly make a difference in a person's life, all through the art of performance." Perrott's favorite memory from the group are from the times we get to hang out and go places with each other, away from the stress of doing a show. "Being in the group, you get to know a lot of local performers who end up becoming some of your best friends. It's an awesome expierence and i would encourage any young performer to be a part of it." His future goal consist of being an aspiring singer/songwirter, be it as a solo act or with his band. He intend on going to school at The Sheffield Institute For The Recording Arts in order to recive certification as an audio engineer. Then, if his dreams of being a musician aren't attainable, he can continue in another area of music that really facinates him, Studio Recording.  Kiersten Caudo joined the Performers of H.O.P.E in 2008 in "Rockin at the High School Hop." This was her first time on stage and since then has been in two other shows, "Annie Get Your Gun" at North High, and "A Night To Remeber" with H.O.P.E. "My times being involved with H.O.P.E was a blast and i cant wait to do it again" Caudo said. She attends North High and all she wants from life is to be a success. "The cast get togethers were the best part." Kiersten commented. "Everyone gets along for the most part and we are one giant family." 
Ralph Mauriello has been called "The Voice of a Generation". His work
with 96.7 WQCM as a DJ, during the 80's and 90's, is well known and
remembered, though those who remember, will know him as Randy
Mitchell "The Round Mound of Sound". A transplanted Brooklynite,
Ralph has called Hagerstown home since 1987. He continues to be
heard on NBC25 television on many of their commercial voiceovers. He
is currently employed full time at First Data and serves as Board
President for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County Maryland.
Ralph fell in love with acting when he was very young and performed in
numerous high school and church productions. After high school, the
acting bug remained dormant for many years, though radio was a pretty
wonderful alternative. And then one evening he saw a production at
the Washington County Playhouse, one in which his nephew Robbie
Soto, the groups founder was involved in. At that point, Ralph decided
to give it a shot and auditioned for his first part as an adult. That play
was "1776" at the Playhouse. The acting bug bit him and there has no
stopping him. He has taken on such parts as The Wizard in "The Wizard
of Oz", Vinnie in "The Odd Couple", with The Blue Ridge Theatre
Guild, and in 5 productions with the Potomac Playmakers, most recently
in his favorite part to date, that of Juror #10 in "12 Angry Jurors". Ralph
has even tried his hand at directing, having co-directed "Catch Me If
You Can" at the Apollo Theatre in Martinsburg, WVa. "Reminisce" was
written by Robbie Soto for his mother, Maria Mauriello - my sister - who
passed away November 6, 2009 of Small Cell Lung Cancer. I can think
of no better way to pay tribute to her, than by being a part of this show.
She was so proud of her son and what he was doing with Performers of
H.O.P.E. This can only be a good thing. I am happy and excited to
have this opportunity". Mauriello says.
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