In addition to serving as Treasurer and Reviewer Compliance Manager for NJACT, Rita is also a member of the Mystic Vision Players Board of Directors. There she acts as Producer for most of their productions. She has received nominations for Perry Awards six times for musicals and original productions. In 2002 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from NJACT for her volunteer work in theatre, dance, and community service. As a high school teacher, she moderated the Performing Arts Club and produced at least 40 shows, choreographing at least a dozen of them. Rita has appeared in American Rapture, singing duets with her husband and with Patrick Starega, but she is mostly known for 40 years of her Christmas Eve Open House where she cooks all the food for at least 150 people. Her cooking expertise has led her to appear on Cooking Live and Sarah’s Secrets on the Food Network, where she was named the “Sauce Queen” of New Jersey, the Food Network’s Choice for Spaghetti Sauce. Her cookbooks La Dolce Vita and Next Door to the Chicken Market contain recipes of all the food she makes on Christmas Eve and much more! Rita is proud to be a member of NJACT.

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