Pace University’s Sands College of Performing Arts has announced the addition of three new faculty members for the fall 2025 semester. Tony Award nominee L Morgan Lee will join as clinical assistant professor of musical theater, Broadway performer Shonica Gooden as clinical assistant professor of commercial dance, and stage manager Matthew Stern as clinical assistant professor and program head of stage management.
“These extraordinary educators bring unparalleled professional experience and a passion for nurturing emerging talent,” said Jennifer Holmes, dean of the Sands College of Performing Arts. “Their artistry, leadership, and commitment to students will further elevate the exceptional training we offer here at Sands.”
The appointments come as Sands College continues to receive national attention for its performing arts programs. The college was recognized by Playbill as one of the top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway during the 2023–2024 season, listed by Backstage.com among top acting colleges to know, and ranked in The Wrap’s top 20 schools for acting and theater.
Sands College is also preparing to open a new Performing Arts Center as part of renovations at One Pace Plaza East and ongoing campus transformation in lower Manhattan.
L Morgan Lee made history as the first openly trans actor nominated for a Tony Award for her role in A Strange Loop on Broadway. She also received an Obie Award, Drama League and Lucille Lortel nominations, and contributed to several studio recordings including the Grammy-nominated A Strange Loop Original Broadway Cast Recording. Her writing has appeared in multiple publications, with her short play The Learning Curve presented at The Public Theater’s Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival.
“We are shaping young artists who may one day become some of the brightest lights on Broadway and beyond,” said Lee. “I’m thrilled for a fuller opportunity to walk alongside them—to help nurture their individual voices, refine their craft, as well as share lessons I’ve gathered (and continue to learn) from over more than two decades in this industry. Pouring into their artistry is not simply a job; it’s a privilege that I carry with the deepest of respect and gratitude.”
Shonica Gooden currently performs in Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway. Her previous credits include CATS (Broadway revival), Bring It On: The Musical (Broadway/First National Tour), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Memphis (Cape Fear Regional Theatre), Matilda The Musical (national tour), Sister Act (Music Theatre Wichita), Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope (City Center Encores!), Fosse/Verdon, Manifest, Almost Family, Ted 2, The First Purge, and The Dutchman. Gooden is also Executive Artistic Director of Atlanta-based nonprofit The Black Artists Dance Collective (TBADC).
“When I attended the 2025 Senior Dance Showcase, I loved the fact that you could tell that there’s a major value placed on individuality and artists’ identity at Sands College,” said Gooden. “Not one dancer is the same. This isn’t a program for cookie cutter dancers, it’s a program for dancers that understand that versatility and sharing your true self through your artistry are the keys to your success in this industry. It excites me to be an educator in a program that champions those values!”
Matthew Stern has managed more than 20 Broadway productions such as Come From Away, Finding Neverland, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Death of a Salesman; worked with groups like Blue Man Group at Hollywood Bowl; managed tours including Les Misérables; collaborated with dance companies like Martha Graham Dance Company; and organized corporate events globally. He founded the Broadway Stage Management Symposium and serves on The Stage Managers’ Association board.
“I’m thrilled to work alongside the highly regarded faculty at Pace to help train future generations of artists,” said Stern. “Working with young adults is a great responsibility. As the head of the stage management program at Pace, I welcome the opportunity to educate and support stage managers in their journey to find their voice, develop their aptitude for leadership, and advocate for themselves and the artists they support. I look forward to continuing the great traditions and standards at Pace and instilling valuable leadership qualities for people and organizations to thrive.”
Pace University offers undergraduate through doctoral degree programs across campuses in New York City and Westchester County with approximately 13,600 students enrolled each year.
Sands College trains performers who have gone on to appear in major film productions or shows such as & Juliet; A Beautiful Noise; Hadestown; Hamilton; MJ The Musical; Moulin Rouge; Ohio State Murders; Wicked; Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
