Michelle Romeo

Stuart Motola

Michelle Romeo
Artistic Director, Founder, & Boulder Program Director
Michelle has been doing theatre all her life, with her roots as an aspiring performer and dancer as a child and young adult in New York City. She holds degrees in Theatre and Dance with a secondary emphasis in Film and Multimedia from Southern Oregon University, Hunter College in NYC, and Naropa University in Boulder, CO. She has extensively studied acting pedagogy, improvisation, and vocal technique in New York City at La Mama, Circle in the Square Theatre, HB studios, and Theatre Sports. She has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to study with such renowned acting teachers as Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Peter Goldfarb and Ruth Zaporah among others. In 1996, she founded Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids, an award winning youth theatre where her mission was to create highly creative, innovative, and fresh children’s theatre for the community. Michelle has directed over 70 plays in all genres of theatre from well known musicals such as “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Oliver” to dramas such as Eve Ensler’s "Necessary Targets" and most recently Sarah Ruhl’s "Dead Man's Cell Phone" at Theatre O, which she recently founded.

Stuart Motola
Director of Operations & Denver Program Director
Stuart has been working with Rocky Mountain Theatre For Kids since its inception fifteen years ago. A state licensed secondary school teacher, he has worked with children in the educational and creative arena for over twelve years. He has a great passion for helping children succeed on stage, which he has seen time and again launch children’s self esteem to new heights. He brings a wealth of educational, business, and production management experience to Rocky Mountain Theatre For Kids. Stuart is also a novelist and playwright. He recently completed a full length dramatic script titled "Enemies and Allies".

Instructors
All Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids staff undergo a Colorado State and Federal background check.

	Rodney Douglas Music Director Rodney made his professional debut on Broadway in “Dreamgirls” thirty years ago. He has been seen in several national and international tours. He starred as Simba in the Broadway tour of “The Lion King”. Rodney was a member of the Disney “family” for 15 years and spent more than a decade performing for the Disney Special Events Company in shows such as “The Little Mermaid”, Beauty and the Beast”, and “Mulan”.
	Leigh Cassidy King Choreographer Leigh's professional dance career gave her the opportunity to work with well known choreographers such as Ron Lewis (Liza Minelli - Liza - The Act), Jeffrey Hornaday (A Chorus Line: The Move), and the amazing Bob Fosse. After performing in shows for almost two decades, she became the owner/director of Dancentre, a studio which produced National Award Winning Competition groups, choreography awards, and numerous professional dancers. Her students are currently working in L. A., Las Vegas, New York, and throughout Europe. They can also be seen in various music videos and performing on cruise ships around the world.
	Kristi King Choreographer Kristi has been dancing for over twenty years. She has studied various dance styles and has partnered and trained with David Hallberg, American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer and Brian Friedman, Britney Spears' choreographer. Kristi has performed in The 2000 Billboard Awards, Super Bowl XXX, music videos, Las Vegas Shows, and a tour of China. She has also received several choreography awards for her work , and is currently performing at Boulder's Dinner Theatre.
	Matthew Kerns Director  Matthew served as Chair of the Theatre Department at The Chicago Academy for the Arts (CAA) from 2000-2009. During his tenure he was awarded the Creative Ticket Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In 2009, Mathew left CAA to assume the title as Director of Theatre at the prestigious Sonoma Academy, in Santa Rosa, California. Matthew is also an accomplished solo artist. His writing has been produced by the Tony Award Winning Victory Gardens Theatre and Live Bait Theatre in accordance with Tellin’ Tales Theatre Company. Matthew and business partner Lauri Glowdowski are co-creators of the P.H.R.E.D Foundation (Philanthropy Reaching to Explore Dreams), a scholarship program that offers funding for students to explore artistic pathways. Currently, he is working toward a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Performance Degree at Naropa University that will be completed in the spring of 2013.
	Christina Caplan Choreographer  Christina is thrilled to be working for Rocky Mountain Theatre! She is an Equity performer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Penn State University. She has been instructing across the U.S in dance schools for 15 years, including on faculty for Penn State University’s Musical Theatre Department. She has also had the pleasure of performing and choreographing musicals regionally for the last 20 years. Christina has been seen in several National/ International touring productions alongside such artists as Gladys Knight, Gary US Bonds, Rita Coolidge and Nathan Osmand. She has had the opportunity to perform in, as well as choreograph an international tour of “In the Mood”, a 1940’s Big Band Musical. Christina has been blessed with the opportunity to perform off Broadway as well as being seen in various National/International commercials around the world. She recently had the amazing experience of being the Director of a School for the performing Arts in Oahu, Hawaii. While in Hawaii, she was also seen in the show Pacific Swing Hawaii as a featured Swing Dancer. Now settled in Denver, she is very much looking forward to the exciting year ahead with RMTK!
	Amanda Brown Director / Choreographer Amanda was raised in the local community theatres and art centers in Dalton, GA. During college, she studied theater at the 2004 Summer Acting Conservatory at Michael Howard Studios in New York City. In 2005, she obtained a B.A. in Theatre Arts at The University of the South: Sewanee. In Dalton, Amanda served as the Theatre Arts Director and Visual Arts Coordinator at The Creative Arts Guild, and through a new-formed partnership with Westwood Elementary, worked as their primary art teacher. Amanda is excited about the new home she has found at RMTK and is thrilled to have an opportunity to give to all the children who have an interest in the arts.
	Heidi Anderson Director / Music Director Heidi is so honored to be a part of Rocky Mountain Theater for Kids. She holds a Bachelors of Music Arts in Classical Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music. She has been performing professionally around the world since the age of 19. Heidi was one of the youngest members of the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center's Opera Program and has won numerous Opera competitions including one in Salzburg, Austria, which yielded a solo concert at the famous VonTrapp home. After pursuing a life of performing in New York, Heidi decided to start a family here in Colorado where she began teaching Performing Arts. Ms. Anderson is passionate about imparting her love for music to children.
	Jeanette Cerami Younger Company Director   Jeanette is entering her third summer as a Director for Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Denver in Theatre and International Relations. She has a background in acting, lighting design, and directing and is currently working with Papercat Production Company in several comedy sketches. Her passion is improv and comedic acting and she looks forward to continuing her work in this area during the 2010 Younger Company Summer Camp, as well as on stage.
	Morgan Flahive-Foro Assistant Director / Choreographer  Morgan is very excited to be joining the RMTK family. She recently graduated from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University with a BFA in Acting, where she studied under and worked with amazing Chicago Artists such as 500 Clown, Steve Scott Assosiate Producer of the Goodman Theatre, Ted Hoerl with Act One Studios, Jane Alderman of Jane Alderman Casting and Redmoon Theatre Company. Morgan grew up studying dance in Colorado and has performed with such ensembles as David Taylor Dance Theatre and Parker Dance Academy. Morgan has won excellence awards in tap and jazz from New York City Dance Alliance and Dance Educators of America. She was the primary ballet, tap and jazz instructor for Rico School of Music and Dance in Chicago for the past year before deciding to move back to Denver. She loves teaching, and feels very lucky to be working in Boulder with RMTK.
	Kari Kraakevik Music Director  Kari is a composer, arranger, classical singer, clarinetist and pianist, and presently, a teacher at University of Colorado. Ms. Kraakevik holds a BA from Pepperdine University in music theory and composition with a vocal performance emphasis. As a vocalist, Kari has performed in many musicals and operettas around the LA, Chicago and Phoenix area, as well as premiered numerous pieces of her own and of other composers. Major voice teachers include: renowned Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, Martha Lindsey-Glenn, Louise Loftquist and Susannah Murray. Major composition/sound design teachers include, N. Lincoln Hanks, Richard Skvorec, Bryn Corbett and most recently John Drumheller, at University of Colorado. Kari is currently pursuing her MM in music composition at CU Boulder. She loves teaching at all levels, and believes that RMTK provides a unique atmosphere in which she gets the opportunity to work with the next generation of talented musicians, actors, dancers and altogether, truly gifted artists!
	Mary Haughie Music Director  Mary is so happy to be a part of multiple teams at Rocky Mountain Theater for Kids. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Vocal Performance from Stony Brook University, gained her teaching certificate at Queens College in Music Education and is currently working towards a Master's in Vocal Performance at the University of Denver. Throughout New York, Colorado and Italy, Mary has performed opera, musical theater, theater and accompanied many performances and singers. As a pianist, singer and actor throughout her life, Mary has performed in, directed, produced, choreographed and musical directed all types of productions. She enjoys working in all styles with performers of all ages!
	Jennifer Bartos Director  Jennifer has had great joy working with the staff and students at Rocky Mountain Theater for kids. She has musically directed and directed the younger company summer camps in Denver for several years and is looking forward to her third year as a director for 2010. Jennifer holds a bachelors degree in Music Management and a masters in Education both from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has taught music, band, theater and dance at Barney Ford Elementary for last seven years. In 2007 and 2010 she was honored with the Mile High Teachers award from Denver Public Schools. In her spare time she enjoys teaching private piano and spending time with her 4 year old daughter MaKenna. Jennifer believes, "Every child has a talent and it is my passion to find it, mold it, and make each child shine!"
	Devin Thomas Choreographer  Devin is a recent transplant to Denver from L.A where she attended the American Academy for Dramatic Arts. She also studied at Oxford University with the British American Dramatic Academy, pursuing an education in classic as well as modern text. While in L.A. Devin studied at the Groundlings School of Improv and was an active part of the entertainment industry performing in venues all over the city, most recently in a Jurassic Park improv show at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Devin also taught dance and acting in fine arts camps and after school programs throughout Los Angeles and continues to educate young performers in the Denver and Boulder areas.
	Jim Tranchida Director  Jim received his BA in psychology & theatre from Ohio Wesleyan University and his MA in drama therapy from New York University.  While the majority of his professional work involves using theatre as a therapeutic/psychoeducational tool, he is thrilled to be part of the RMTK family where he can set treatment plans and psychobabble aside, and simply share his love of all things absurd with a wide range of creative kids, teens, and adults.He's also co-facilitated a sketch comedy class and an assortment of mini workshops as part of RMTK's "Extended Arts" summer program. When above ground, Jim enjoys playing an assortment of roles:  curriculum developer, therapist, mask-maker, backpacker, tarot card reader, coffee drinker, collector of ludicrous t-shirts, protector of exotic cats, and improv coach.
	Amber Moffet Director Amber has found a love for working in children’s theatre that is unmet anywhere else. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a B.A. in Theatre, Film and Television with an emphasis in Acting and started working with children ages 5-17 in theatre and arts for the Silverton Summer Youth Program, which she eventually took charge of as Program Director. Amber started with RMTK last year where she directed Honk! Jr. for the Denver Jr. company and is absolutely thrilled to be returning again this year.
	Stephanie Nelson Choreographer  Stephanie is very excited to be returning to RMTK, where she choreographed “The Wizard of Oz” in summer, 2010. She relocated to Colorado in 2010 from New York City, where she made her living as a singer and dancer. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance Performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and has performed all over the country in regional theaters and opera houses. Her favorite roles include Anita in “West Side Story” and Petra in “A Little Night Music” with the Central City Opera and she was thrilled to serve as their Resident Choreographer during the 2011 Summer Festival. She has recently begun her new favorite role as Mother to her beautiful son, Rhys!!!
	Liz Comninellis Vocal Coach  Liz is in her final semester at the University of Colorado- Boulder, earning a master’s degree in music composition. A composer of chamber and orchestral works, Comninellis has also written a wide variety of dramatic works as well as works for theatre. She won the Edward J. Levy Award for composition at CU in April of 2011. Liz also taught several years of aural music theory at CU. Liz holds a bachelors’ degree in music composition, with emphasis in voice and piano from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she studied with the acclaimed composer, Chen Yi. Liz is also active as an accompanist and vocal coach. She has performed as both singer and pianist in musical theatre, opera, new classical, pop, jazz, and flamenco. She performs regularly on the CU Pendulum New Music Series.
	Heather Zurcher Music Director  Heather has been putting on plays for her parents since she was a toddler. She gained a love for theater while performing in several productions with Shoestring Community Players in her hometown, St. Helens, Oregon. At the age of fifteen, Heather co-founded River City Children’s Theater with her friend, Caleb Thurston. Together, they wrote and directed five musicals and organized sixteen summer theater camps. Heather earned her Bachelor’s degree in Media Music at Brigham Young University where she studied songwriting, film scoring, orchestration, synthesizer, and oboe. She is currently working on a Master’s degree in Musicology. Heather is very excited to be working at Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids!

Kelly McAllister Director  Kelly is a playwright, actor and director. Plays include: Last Call, which won the 2002 FringeNYC Excellence in Playwriting award, and is featured in Best Stage Scenes 2002 (Smith & Kraus) and the anthology Plays and Playwrights 2003 (NYTE); Muse of Fire; Burning the Old Man, which won the 2005 NYIT award for Outstanding Full Length Script and is featured in One on One- Best Men’s Monologues for the 21st Century (Applause Books), Best Men’s Monologue’s 2005 (Smith & Kraus), and Plays and Playwrights 2006 (NYTE); The Morons, which won the Ten by Ten one act contest at Triangle Theatre Company, NC; as well as others.  He had his first international production in May 2009, when Divadlo na Zabradli of Prague opened Cesta Horiciho Muze, the Czech translation of Burning the Old Man- where it is still performing to sold out houses. In 2003, San Jose State University named him Graduate of the Last Decade for the School of Humanities. He was also a senior reviewer for nytheatre.com for 2003-2005. Currently he is working on a screen adaptation of Burning the Old Man, as well as a new play about the Modoc War of 1873. He is represented by Harden-Curtis of NYC.