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Kati Nickerson (Director of Youth Education) is the
Director of Youth Education for Village Theatre, the Founder of SKY Theatre
and mother of two school age children. Ms. Nickerson grew up in Bellevue,
started performing at 5 years old and directed her first production at 12.
She created the theatre programs at her middle school and at a resident
summer camp while attending Western Washington University and the Actors
Intensive program. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and minors in Theatre and
Education. Ms. Nickerson set aside theatre after college for a career in
business and marketing. But her life's passion for youth theatre kept
calling. For the last 10 years, Ms. Nickerson has had the honor to work with
thousands of young people throughout the region teaching KIDSTAGE classes and
Pied Piper workshops in the schools and directing plays and musicals (The
Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Youth Touring Program: Shake-it
Up-With-Shakespeare!, Alice in Wonderland, Oliver, Peter Pan, The Wizard of
Oz and Disney's Cinderella Kids).
Suzie Cameron Bixler (Issaquah KIDSTAGE Programs Manager) enthusiastically joined Village Theatre in 2003, days after leaving high tech corporate life to follow her lifetime passion of working in a theatre. Ms. Bixler most recently directed Les Misérables and Last Exit for KIDSTAGE and produced productions of A Perfect Fall, Jungle Book KIDS!, Seussical, trust me., Honk! Jr., Joseph..., The Velveteen Rabbit, Anything Goes, High Tide at Three Forks, and We're Having a Ball. Ms. Bixler has a BA in theatre arts from Western Washington University and has performed at Intiman, Seattle Children's Theatre, Renton Civic, and the late Pioneer Square Theatre. Her directing credits include Crimes of the Heart, Steel Magnolias, A Shayna Maidel, Royal Gambit, The Death of Bessie Smith, and The Firebugs. Ms. Bixler also was in the 1985 Village Theatre KIDSTAGE production of Bye, Bye, Birdie.
Janet Cole Hamilton (Everett KIDSTAGE Programs Manager) rejoined educational theatre after a nine year sidetrack in corporate America. Armed with a BA in theatre arts from Western Washington University and a Washington State Initial Teaching Certificate in Drama through the University of Washington, Ms. Cole Hamilton is ready to tackle the challenges of managing the Everett productions, classes, and camps year round. Ms. Cole Hamilton has worked as a theatre artist throughout the Puget Sound region with Arts West, Civic Light Opera, Renton Civic, Driftwood Players, and many others. Directing credits include Romeo & Juliet, Penguin's South Pole Christmas, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Sylvia, The Foreigner and, most recently, A Midsummer Night's Dream this winter for KIDSTAGE. Personal motto: Duck for Luck.
Erica Weir (Pied Piper Manager, Instructor) is in her eighth year as an instructor with KIDSTAGE. She has also worked as an Administrative Assistant, Production Assistant, and Production Coordinator for KIDSTAGE productions, has taught preschool for eight years, and is the mother of three kids ages three, eight, and eleven. She is excited to have the opportunity to use her background in music and the arts, and her education and experience in early childhood to act as a positive role model in children's lives while teaching kids about theatre arts.
Nancy Dolliver (Issaquah KIDSTAGE Coordinator) has a Speech/Drama degree from the UW and taught 25 years in Bellevue. She worked with Bellevue Youth Theatre and directed productions for Tyee Middle School. Past Issaquah KIDSTAGE shows include Les Misérables, The Velveteen Rabbit, Anything Goes, Singin' in the Rain, and Footloose. She is excited to be a part of the Village Theatre staff.
Heather Carlyle (Everett Youth Education Coordinator) has been performing with local groups since she was very young, including time spent touring internationally with Columbia Choirs. She holds a Bachelors in Theatre with emphasis in acting and dance, and a Masters in Theatre with emphasis on acting, directing, and Shakespeare. She has worked in Virginia with the American Shakespeare Center and the Oakgrove Theatre. Additionally, Heather has written two shows that were produced at the Evansville Civic Theatre during her time with them. Her favorite roles include Iris in The Tempest, Mrs. Beaver in CS Lewis's The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and the Mother in Peer Gynt. She is thrilled to be working with KIDSTAGE.
Loni Kappus (Issaquah KIDSTAGE Production Assistant) is happy to continue her journey with KIDSTAGE! She is in her third year of teaching with KIDSTAGE after touring with Open Door Theatre or Taproot Theatre's touring companies in the Pacific Northwest. Ms. Kappus has enjoyed teaching, instructing, and leading clinics in theatre, voice, choir, music, and band around Washington State. She is also a local theatre performer and graduate of Eastern Washington University with degrees in both Theatre and Music.
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Megan Adams has been performing for over 25 years and has trained in theatre and dance at the University of Washington, Cornish, Spectrum Dance Studio, and Westlake Dance Studio. Her experience ranges from director, to choreographer, to singer, to dancer, to teacher. Ms. Adams has also performed with Seattle Hip Hop Groups In-Effect, Breed, and Cruz Control. Ms. Adams currently teaches at Westlake Dance center in Seattle and is a KIDSTAGE teacher of all ages.
Natalie Backman holds a BFA in Acting from Pacific Lutheran University. Since graduation, Ms. Backman has managed to make a living solely through performing and teaching. She has been teaching Musical Theatre and Dance for nearly ten years and has performed with theatres such as The Village Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Seattle Shakespeare Company, Harlequin Productions, The Civic Light Opera, and Showtunes! Village Theatre credits include Evita, How To Succeed..., South Pacific, CATS, Cold Turkey and Hello, Dolly! Ms. Backman just returned from the National Tour of Annie.
Charissa Bertels has enjoyed her work for KIDSTAGE for as an instructor, stage manager, and director. She loves sharing her passion for performing with her students. Favorite credits include Pippin, A Chorus Line, Love is Love, Mata Hari, Flora the Red Menace, Sweet Charity, On The Town, and Annie Get Your Gun. Ms. Bertels was recently seen in EVITA and Once Upon A Time In New Jersey on the Village Theatre Mainstage.
Mo Brady is grateful to rejoin KIDSTAGE, after working as Programs Coordinator and Manager for over two years. He also teaches for the 5th Avenue Theatre and his own studio. This year, he directed two productions of High School Musical, and performed in the Seattle Children's Theatre production of the show.
Karissa Bryant received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Pacific Lutheran University and has been singing and teaching music for over 10 years. This is her second season working with KIDSTAGE. Ms. Bryant has also taught and music directed locally with the Hi-Liners, Studio East, and Seattle Civic Light Opera, as well as privately teaching and coaching voice.
Ryan Childers returns as an instructor for KIDSTAGE and is thrilled to again be a part of such a wonderful organization. Mr. Childers has dedicated his life to theatre, has a Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance and has taught at professional theatres as well as at the university level. You may also have seen him in Village Theatre's Hello Dolly. Mr. Childers believes that theatre is one of the greatest educational mediums there is, because you have so much fun that you don't even know you're learning.
Dave Close worked as a music director and accompanist in the Bay Area before moving to the Midwest to study jazz and Choral Education. In addition to music directing productions at Studio East, Kirkland Performance Center, and Village Originals, he recorded the Phil Mattson/Kirby Shaw CD It's About Time and is working on an album of original compositions dedicated to the healing of the planet.
Sarah Coiley received her BA in Theatre Arts Performance and Education from Central Washington University, where she received honors for performance and choreography. She has taught art, musical theatre, drama, and dance to students of all ages in universities, public schools, and studios since 1994. As a mother of two young girls, she has become very passionate about the impact of the arts and movement upon young children's health and learning. She has studied extensively with international movement educator Anne Green Gilbert at the Summer Dance Institute for Teachers and joined her faculty at the Creative Dance Center in 2000 where she embraced the philosophy of brain compatible/conceptual education and forged this with her own belief that all children have the right to dance with meaning and joy! Sara is a faculty member at The Dance School in Everett.
Jason Collins. Based out of Seattle, Mr. Collins is fresh off of the Broadway National Tour of Annie, and was recently seen as Kurt in Terezin for Village Originals. Favorite roles include Seymour in Little Shop Of Horrors, (Village Theatre) and Matt in The Fantasticks, (ACT). He has also been involved with two collaborations with Speeltheatre, Holland at the Seattle Children's Theatre; Nicky Somewhere Else and Glittra's Mission. Mr. Collins has received three prestigious Footlight Awards for performance from the Seattle Press for his work as Huck Finn in Big River and Valentine LaMar in Babes In Arms, (both with Village Theatre) and Finn in Into The West (for Seattle Children's Theatre). Last year, he starred as Albert in Village Theatre's production of Bye, Bye Birdie, which received a Footlight for Best Musical.
Kristin Culp is thrilled to be teaching and choreographing Once on this Island for KIDSTAGE this fall after choreographing Children of Eden this summer.She has attended hundreds of auditions in New York City, New Jersey, and Seattle as a performer, choreographer, and casting assistant and knows what is expected of performers from both sides of the table! Ms. Culp has a BA in Jazz Dance with a minor in Musical Theatre from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. She was the Dance Captain of Village Theatre's Bye Bye Birdie and was Conchetta/Dance Captain for Once Upon a Time in New Jersey, also at Village Theatre.
Christian Duhmel delighted audiences as Vinnie LoBianco in Village Theatre's Once Upon A Time In New Jersey. He is a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Award Winning director, musical director, composer, lyricist, and playwright, and has worked at theatres across the country including: The Zipper Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Human Race Theatre Company, The 5th Avenue Theatre, and Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre. He has worked with young performers at many high schools, Wright State University, Auburn University, DePaul University, Village Theatre, and Puget Sound Musical Theatre. In 2002, he presented Tangled Tales: Fairy Tales with an Urban Twist for the inaugural session of City of Federal Way's Summer Youth Theatre. Mr. Duhamel earned his BFA in Acting-Musical Theatre from Ohio's Wright State University. He is the Artistic Director of Puget Sound Musical Theatre.
Brandon Ivie is Artistic Director of Contemporary Classics. A proponent of new musical theatre in Seattle, Mr. Ivie has produced the Northwest premiere of Andrew Lippa's john & jen, and directed the Seattle premieres of William Finn's A New Brain, Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years and Jonathan Larson's tick, tick... BOOM! (w/ Christopher Zinovitch). He directed the new musical Saint Heaven for Village Originals, created the popular songwriter showcase series New Voices, and produced The Songs of David A. Austin, including songs from David's upcoming Broadway debut Writing Arthur. Only 22, he has worked locally at Village Theatre (Little Shop of Horrors, Ruthless!, Sound of Music, Peter Pan, Fairystories), Empty Space Theatre (AOAA Falsettos), Washington Ensemble Theatre (Wonderful Life), Civic Light Opera (Anything Goes), University of Washington (Into the Woods, Tommy), ACT Theatre (AOAA Godspell), and The 5th Avenue Theatre (Rocky Horror Show, Princesses, Buddy, West Side Story), among others. Mr. Ivie is a dramaturge for Village Theatre and holds a BA in Drama from UW.
Brittany Jamieson has been dancing since she was three and teaching for the past nine years. She has performed with 5th Avenue, Seattle Children's Theatre, and in 12 productions with Village Theatre. She was most recently seen in White Christmas at the 5th Avenue Theatre and as the Siamese in CATS at Village Theatre. Ms. Jamieson is on the faculty of several local dance schools and has served as assistant choreographer for Annie and Bye Bye Birdie on Mainstage. She holds a minor in dance and a major focused on physical therapy and anatomy. She has previously choreographed Beauty and the Beast and Godspell for Everett Summerstock, and several KIDSTAGE camps and classes.
Eric Polani Jensen is thrilled to be teaching, and recently directed Children of Eden for KIDSTAGE this past summer. He also choreographed fights in Les Miserables School Edition and trust me. for KIDSTAGE. He was last seen at Village Theatre as Billy Castiglione in Once Upon a Time in New Jersay, as Peron in Evita, in the 2006 Festival of New Musicals, and the Village Original Stunt Girl. He also portrayed Oscar Jaffee in On the 20th Century with Showtunes!. Recent regional credits include: Sweeney Todd at The 5th Avenue, South Pacific and Man of La Mancha at Village Theatre, and Red, Hot and Cole at CLO. He has also performed at The 5th Avenue, SCT, ACT and TAG.
Nissa Kahle is currently studying music and mathematics at University of Washington. She has been involved in a number of productions in the Seattle area, including music directing Into the Woods and The Rocky Horror Show, and playing for productions of West Side Story, The Who's TOMMY, and Jesus Christ Superstar. She is looking forward to becoming a part of Village Theatre's KIDSTAGE this summer.
Sydney Lanier is excited to join KIDSTAGE. Previous youth theatre credits include Missoula Children's Theatre, where she and a teammate taught a show to groups of 60 young actors at a time in one week. Each week was in a different location and she learned how to quickly judge the strengths of the new cast and adapt scripts, sets, and costumes to reflect those strengths. She graduated Cum Laude with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Wright State University.
Jessica Low recently directed and choreographed Everett's Disney's The Jungle Book KIDS. She has been teaching for KIDSTAGE for the past three years and choreographed Honk! Jr. A graduate of the UW with a BA in Drama, she has worked as a performer, choreographer, and teacher in Washington and Idaho. Favorite roles include Maggie in A Chorus Line (Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre) and Eve in Children of Eden (Capital Playhouse.) Favorite choreography credits include Kiss Me Kate and Gypsy (Bainbridge Playhouse), Closer Than Ever, and Nunsense 2 (Civic Light Opera).
Orlando Morales has been teaching for KIDSTAGE since 2003. He most recently was the music director for The Jungle Book KIDS, as well as the music director for the KIDSTAGE Company productions of trust me. and Last Exit. Orlando is a recent graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in American Ethnic Studies and a minor in music. He has been involved with KIDSTAGE every summer since 2001, and music directed Summer Rep productions of Ruthless, Little Shop of Horrors and Into the Woods.
Kasey Nusbickel is very excited to be working with KIDSTAGE. She graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Wright State University and has been working professionally ever since. Some of her local credits include Bye Bye Birdie, CATS , The Music Man, and The Who's Tommy at Village Theatre, as well as the 5th Avenue Theatre's AMT school tour, High School Musical at Seattle Children's Theatre, and countless children's shows at Second Story Rep. Ms. Nusbickel has also been a pre-school teacher for the past three years and is thrilled to continue her work with blossoming young children.
Shanna Marie Palmer has taught drama, dance gymnastics, rock climbing, and skiing for youth of all ages for over 15 years. Originally from Minnesota, with a B.A. and B.F.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder, she now hails from the Issaquah area. You may have seen her most recently on the Village Theatre's Mainstage in The Who's Tommy, Evita, Hello Dolly, and CATS. Look for her this spring in Village Theatre's premier of Little Women in the role of Amy March. Ms. Palmer has also directed and choreographed numerous productions including this past summer's KIDSTAGE Summerstock production of Seussical the Musical in Everett. Locally her work has been produced through Village Theatre KIDSTAGE, Kentlake High School, TMP, TLT, AAT, and Stagedoor Productions.
Kat Ramsburg is the former Education Manager and Casting Associate for The 5th Avenue Theatre. As a performer, she most recently played Taylor McKessie in the Seattle Children's Theatre's production of High School Musical. Ms. Ramsburg has been seen on the Village Theatre Mainstage in The Secret Garden as Martha, The Music Man, Evita as the Eva Standby, and most recently The Who's TOMMY. She has also appeared at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, and will play Gooch in their upcoming production of Mame.
Faith Russell has been working in Seattle as an actress, teacher, choreographer, and director for the past 20 plus years, and is so excited to be with KIDSTAGE for another quarter of fun! She has also been pleased to teach and direct for Taproot Theater's Acting Studio in Seattle, and for Studio East in Kirkland. She was in Village Theatre's production of Once on This Island and can often be found at Storybook Theatre!
Bride' Schroeder-Laplatney is a recent graduate of Central Washington University's Theatre program. She has worked with the City of Ellensburg as a Youth Program Coordinator and has worked as a director, stage manager, actor, and puppet master with the Central Theatre Ensemble and Nothing Serious. Ms. Schroeder-Laplatney has a great love for puppeteering and is currently working on putting together a touring show.
Melanie Studley is ecstatic to be back with KIDSTAGE. She earned her B.A. from The Evergreen State College with emphasis in Voice, Theatre, and Expressive Arts, and is currently a private vocal coach from her home in Maple Valley. She has preformed in the Seattle area for many years, both in theatre and as a vocalist, and the lessons she has learned are worth sharing. Ms. Studley is so happy to be able to spread her gift of singing, and her love of teaching to the theatre youth.
Kate Swenson is excited to be back at Village Theatre this season. For the past several years, she produced three shows a year at the International School. Ms. Swenson also teaches drama all around the Seattle area. Ms. Swenson recently appeared in Big at Civic Light Opera and directed Oliver and Once on this Island for Youth Theatre Northwest.
Tim Symons is thrilled to be in his 15th year with KIDSTAGE, filling such positions as music director, teacher, actor, and composer. Favorite KIDSTAGE productions include A Perfect Fall, trust me. and Last Exit (Composer), In Your Eyes, Godspell, and Pippin. Mr. Symons was most recently the music director for The Who's TOMMY, CATS, and Girl of My Dreams on the Mainstage and for the Village Originals productions of Girl of My Dreams and Terezin. Mr. Symons is Village Theatre's resident music director.
R.J. Tancioco. Favorite music directing credits: Hair, Smokey Joe's Café at The 5th Avenue Theatre; Evita, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, Grease, and Joseph...Dreamcoat at Village Theatre; Terezin, Stunt Girl, Cold Turkey for Village Originals, Making Tracks at San Jose Repertory; The Wedding Banquet for 2G (Second Generation); Sisters of Swing at Broadway Rose; Ain't Misbehavin' at CLO, Just So, Voices of Christmas at Artswest, The Last Five Years for Contemporary Classics, and Songs for a New World for Raggedy Z Productions. Recording credits: TMC Work's Original Passion, David Austin's A Christmas Carol and Every Little Vow; Jennifer Paz's Awakening. During the day, Mr. Tancioco is an instructor (for over 9 years) to Village Theatre's KIDSTAGE classes and shows (Once on this Island, Children of Eden,Les Misérables, Footloose, Seussical), the touring musical director for Adventure Musical Theatre (It Happened at the World's Fair and Klondike!) at 5th Avenue Theatre, and is an avid vocal coach, arranger, and composer.
Kathryn Van Meter Choreography credits: The Who's TOMMY, The Secret Garden, Man of La Mancha; Associate: The Music Man, CATS, EVITA; KIDSTAGE: Joseph..., Singin' in the Rain, trust me., A Perfect Fall; New York: Feeling Electric (with Amy Spanger and Anthony Rapp). Throughout Seattle: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (The 5th Avenue); High School Musical (SCT).
Matt Wolfe has been seen on the Village Theatre stage in Million Dollar Quartet, The Who's TOMMY, The Music Man, and Hello, Dolly! His directing credits for children's theatre include Sesame Street Cabaret and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Mr. Wolfe has taught acting, camera technique, improvisation, comedy sketches, and theatre games at Second Story Rep and also through Tiffany Talent. Mr. Wolfe has a BFA in music theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University.
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