Performing Arts Hall of Fame
The Central York Performing Arts Hall of Fame was established in 2023 to recognize and honor Central York High School alumni, teachers, directors, and supporters who have achieved a high level of excellence and accomplishment in music, theater, and/or film, during their high school career and/or after graduating from Central York. Hall of Fame recognition helps maintain spirit, pride, and sense of community as well as provides an historical account of outstanding traditions of excellence in our music and theater programs.
2024 Class
Matt Belanger
Matt Belanger is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and television news anchor. He graduated at the top of his class from Central York High School in 2002. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a minor in Political Science from Elon University in North Carolina, graduating summa cum laude in 2005.
While at Central, Matt participated in the theater department’s plays and musicals all four years holding many leading roles. His favorite role was playing Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors his junior year. The high school presented that musical in the fall of 2000 as a special production because Central was hosting the State Thespian Conference that year. Matt also had roles in Arsenic and Old Lace, The Pajama Game, Noises Off, The Wind and the Willows and Children of Eden, among others. Matt was a member of the International Thespian Society and earned a varsity letter and honor bars for theater. He also received several performing arts department individual excellence awards for his performances. He was a member of Celebration show choir, the National Honor Society and he wrote for The Prowler newspaper. Matt was in chorus and was chosen to sing with the York County Honors Choirs while in high school and later in life returned to serve on the board of that organization for several years.
Matt also returned to Central several times after graduation to perform and host community events while he was also working at WGAL-TV. He emceed the Encore awards program recognizing high school musical performances from across York County for several years including when it was formerly known as The Rosies. He also hosted the Distinguished Young Women of York County event several times. And, he returned to the Central stage to perform playing the role of John Utterson in a community production of Jekyll and Hyde in 2009.
Matt’s career in broadcasting has taken him across the country. He’s lived everywhere from rural South Dakota to downtown Atlanta and has reported on everything from natural disasters to politics.
He currently resides in Minneapolis where he anchors the Twin Cities’ most-watched morning newscast. In 2020, Matt was awarded the Emmy Award for best news anchor in the Twin Cities. In his 20 years working on television, Matt has made appearances on national broadcasts including Good Morning America. His investigative reporting exposed a problem with how the state of Georgia was handling funding for services for people living with disabilities and resulted in a change in state law.
Most recently, Matt has served on the board of Skylark Opera Theatre in the Twin Cities. He was selected as a "celebrity contestant" for a production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Matt is regularly asked to emcee community events and fundraisers throughout the year and is always eager to use his talents to help those causes — even occasionally singing for the crowd at those events. Matt is deeply grateful for this honor and is proud to be a lifelong champion of the arts.
David Gibble
David Gibble is a 1977 graduate of Central York High School, where he participated in Wind Ensemble, Jazz Lab, Pit Band, and numerous small ensembles. David also sang on stage in the production of Oliver, participated in PMEA District 7 Band, and received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. He recently retired from Palm Beach State College where he taught from1995-2024. During his tenure as Professor of Music at PBSC, he directed the Concert Band, Tuesday Nite Big Band, 12 O’Clock Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, Brass Ensemble, and Trumpet Ensemble. During his time at Palm BeachState, he was and continues to be an in-demand clinician for both middle and high school bands and jazz ensembles throughout the tri-county area. As a trumpet player, David freelances throughout South Florida in classical, contemporary, and jazz styles appearing with groups ranging from the Charlie Callelo Big Band to the Orchid City Brass Band and Palm Beach Opera Orchestra.
He was an original member of the Jazz Rats Big Band and Rattette (10-piece group), the resident bands at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, for 20 years.
Additional performing credits include the Woody Herman Orchestra, Duffy Jackson’s Swingin’ New Band, the Jaco Pastorius Big Band, the Capitol Bones Big Band, the Florida Wind Symphony Big Band, Urban Gypsy, as well as his own small groups, including the Palm Beach State College Faculty Jazztet.
Over the years, David has played regularly with the Brass Renaissance quintet and South Florida Wind Symphony as the principal trumpet, and has also appeared with the Palm Beach Pops. In addition, he has served as the co-founder, conductor and personnel manager for the Orchid City Brass Band, South Florida’s only British-style brass band, from its inception in 2012 through 2018.
Prior to his arrival in Florida, David graduated Magna Cum Laude from West Chester University (PA) with a B.S. in Music Education. After graduation, he taught instrumental music at a variety of grade levels in the Eastern York School District in Pennsylvania for eight years. After teaching, David earned a Master of Music. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas where he played with the world-renowned One O’clock Lab Band and Downbeat Award winning Two O’clock Lab Band.
Gibble has composed or arranged over 45 pieces for Brass Quintet, Brass Band, and Jazz Ensemble. His original work, entitled “Duncan Celebration,” was selected and performed by the Boston Brass in 2012 at the Duncan Theatre on the Palm Beach State College campus to commemorate their 25th anniversary. His Jazz Ensemble compositions and arrangements have been performed and/or recorded by such notable artists as Ira Sullivan, Carl Saunders, Stephen Scott, and Mike Brignola, along with ensembles like Duffy Jackson’s Swingin’ New Band (Miami and Nashville editions), the Jazz Rats Big Band, the Jazz Rattette, the Palm Beach State College Tuesday Nite Big Band, the Boise State University Jazz Ensemble, Russ Freeland’s Jazz Trombone Ensemble, and the Duke Ellington Award-winning New World School of the Arts in Miami. Several of his arrangements for Jazz Ensemble have been available through the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press since 2003.
Erin Owens
Erin Owens runs Long Shot Factory (www.longshotfactory.com), a boutique distributor, consultant, producer, and awards strategist specializing in documentaries. Most recently she ran the Awards and release campaign for Mstyslav Chernov's 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL (Academy Award® Winner - Best Feature Documentary), on behalf of PBS Frontline and AP.
She has worked at various independent studios, including Palm Pictures, THINKFilm, Arthouse Films, and PBS Distribution as Head of Theatrical Distribution. At Long Shot she works for filmmakers directly and for larger clients like Netflix, Disney+, A24, and PBS (POV, Independent Lens, American Experience, PBS Distribution, and Frontline). Some of her Awards and release campaigns over the years include: Academy Award® Nominee Abacus: Small Enough To Jail directed by Steve James; Dolores directed by Peter Bratt; Dark Money directed by Kimberly Reed; Charm City directed by Marilyn Ness; Oklahoma City directed by Barak Goodman; The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution directed by Stanley Nelson; Academy Award® Nominee Hell And Back Again directed by Danfung Dennis; Academy Award® Nominee Waste Land directed by Lucy Walker; Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child directed by Tamra Davis and A Still Small Voice directed by Luke Lorentzen.
Erin also produces documentaries, her credits include: The Punk Singer, about Riot Grrl icon Kathleen Hanna (IFC Films, 2013); Academy Award® Nominee Cartel Land, directed by Matthew Heineman (The Orchard, 2015); and Skate Dreams, about female skateboarders, directed by Jessica Edwards (2021).
She has served on juries for multiple film festivals and was named one of Billboard Magazine's "30 under 30" in 2006. She is the lead programmer for the Jupiter Island Film Festival.
She currently resides in Singapore with her husband and two children.
Jon Timmons
Jon Timmons is a 2003 graduate of Central York High School. Jon is currently the Upper and Middle School Director of Choral Music at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, PA. At GA, Jon conducts five choirs and is the music director for the Belfry Theatre program. He is an active advocate and clinician for LGBTQ singers in addition to specializing in vocal pedagogy for choirs.
For 18 years, Jon has performed and taught in the Philadelphia metro area including appointments at Souderton Area High School and Hatboro-Horsham High School. Prior to public school teaching, Jon taught voice and choir through Music Training Center in New Jersey, maintaining a voice studio of over 40 students. In addition to his work at GA, Jon is the Artistic Director for the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware based in Wilmington, DE - Delaware’s first and only LGBTQ community chorus.
For three seasons, Jon sang with the Philadelphia Singers - former resident chorus for the Philadelphia Orchestra. During that time, he sang under accomplished conductors Charles Dutoit, David Hayes, and Jane Glover. He has maintained an active professional singing career as the baritone section leader in the Lansdale, PA based choir,‘The Choristers’. He has been a featured soloist in Faure’s Requiem , Handel’s Messiah, Herbert Howells Requiem, Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, and Mozart’s Requiem. His singing has brought him around the world to destinations including Beijing China, Salt Lake City Utah, and The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.
Jon’s choirs have performed at numerous festivals in the region and are praised for their balance, blend, and tone. He has presented at numerous Pennsylvania Conferences; the most recent at both the PMEA State Conference and Summer Conference in 2024. In 2020, his choir was chosen to perform at the PMEA Annual Conference - unfortunately canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Jon has led many seminars at several professional development events advocating for LGBTQ youth and faculty. He is a sought-out and active guest conductor in the region.
Jon holds a Master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Delaware in addition to degrees and certification from Temple University and York College of Pennsylvania. An avid runner, Jon enjoys time with friends and family outside of teaching and singing. He resides just outside of Philadelphia with his two cats, Ollie and George.
Mark Zortman
Mark Zortman was an involved musician in his high school years where he earned the National School Choral Award, the National School Orchestra Award and the John Phillip Sousa Award along with making District Chorus on Voice, District Band on Timpani and District Orchestra on Violin. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Science in Music Education in 1982 and a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance in 1987 - both from West Chester University. He went on to earn 60+ credits beyond his Masters Degree. Mark studied voice with Ralph Woolley and Jane Shepherd and has been a soloist with numerous organizations including the Delaware Symphony, the PA Opera Company the Harrisburg Singers and the York Symphony Chorus.
Mark began working at Central York in 1982 teaching district wide strings and middle school general music. He was also the Assistant HS Band Director and Musical Director his first year. The following year he became the High School Choral director and remained in that position until his retirement.
Over the years Mark taught beginning strings, 4th and 5th grade general music, middle school general music, high school general music, directed the Elementary Orchestra, Middle School Orchestra, High School Orchestra, Middle School Chorus and High School Chorus programs. He has hosted numerous District Chorus and Regional Chorus PMEA festivals and Show Choir Festivals.
Outside of Central, Mark has been the music director for several church choirs. He was a member of ACDA, MENC and Phi Mu Alpha.
Mark has been involved in over 260 theatrical productions as a performer, director, musical director, stage manager, pit musician, technician and consultant in plays, musicals and operas at the College, Middle School, High School, Community Theatre and Professional levels. He was involved with York Little Theatre in many roles. He worked onstage, backstage and served as Vice President of Artistic support on the board. Probably his favorite onstage roles were the title role in SWEENEY TODD and Salieri in AMADEUS. Mark also filled in as interim Artistic Director for several shows.
Mark began directing shows at Central York in 1982 and established the Performing Arts Department which over the years grew to a respected and recognized program in the community, state and even nationally. The Performing Arts Department took One Acts and Main Stage shows to the PA Thespian Conference receiving multiple honors at that level. Several One Act shows were adjudicated and selected to perform at the International Thespian Festival. In 2006 the production of THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED was adjudicated and selected to perform on the main stage at the International Thespian Festival as was the 2010 production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.
Mark has been very involved with the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) - home of the International Thespian Society - and has served as the PA Chapter Director for over a decade. He has hosted and continues to run PA State Thespian Conferences. He has been involved at the national level including helping run backstage at the International Festival and chairing the Festival Main Stage Adjudication committee.
In the mid 90’s the Distinguished Young Women program moved to Central York and Mark has stage managed that program ever since. He has also stage managed the Miss Pennsylvania and Miss Pennsylvania Teen programs, the York County Encore program and several other events.
After 35 years at Central York, Mark retired in 2017. In retirement, he has worked as an Adjunct Professor at York College and a Front of House staff member for the Appell Center. Mark served as the Assistant Director with the York Symphony Chorus, accompanies the Central York Middle School chorus concerts and is the stadium announcer with the York Revolution. He also gets to travel a good bit as a Tour Director with Notable Student Travel.
Mark is married to Nancy-Ann who also worked with the CYHS PAD for many years. They have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
2023 Class
The following individuals were inducted to the 2023 Hall of Fame Class at at the Fall Pops Concert on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at Central York High School.
Neal Dodson
Paul D. Grill
Kenneth H. Matthews
Robert J. Spencer
John Villella
Alumni Performer/Educator Nomination Criteria
- Graduate of CYHS, or have left the district for a reason that is honorable and not detrimental to CYSD.
- Graduated or left CYSD in the last ten years prior to nomination, unless deceased prior to ten years.
- May have demonstrated distinguished achievement in CYSD's music and/or theater programs and/or further distinguished themselves in the field of music of theater after graduating or leaving CYSD.
- Graduate of CYHS who has gone on to demonstrate excellence in arts education.
CYSD Faculty/Staff Nomination Criteria
- Served as a teacher, conductor, director, or staff member for a music of theater program in CYSD for at least seven full school years/sessions and did not leave the program or the district for reasons that are dishonorable or detrimental to the image of the district.
- Left CYSD at least seven years prior to nomination unless deceased prior to seven years.
- Has demonstrated an unusually high degree of success relative to the music and/or theater program(s) for which they were a conductor, director, or staff member. Success in the programs is not measured by related awards/recognitions, but may be determined by the degree of respectability given the nominee or the program by others, evidence of significant growth in the program(s), and/or demonstrated high levels of excellence.
- Has demonstrated a high level of service to the music and/or theater programs of CYSD, helping to advance and maintain the integrity, reputation, and excellence of the district's music and/or theater programs.