Meet the Artistic Staff of Disney's The Little Mermaid
Nikke Nason, Director
Grade: 2nd Year Candidate for Master in Public Administration
School: Northern Michigan University Other Theatre Productions: Various shows at Northern Michigan University and Peninsula Area Arts Appreciation Council (PAAC). Past LSYT and MACC Productions: All Other Activities/Special Interests: Photography, swimming, skiing, spending time with my nieces and nephews, serving on the Board of Directors for Lake Superior Theatre, First Nighter's Club, Pine Mountain Music Festival and other volunteer projects. Thank You To: To all of the amazing people involved with Lake Superior Youth Theatre including the Board of Directors, volunteers, cast members, crew members, artistic staff, audience members, supporters and especially to Reatha Tweedie for serving as a mentor for the past twelve years and always being there for the arts in our community. And to my family and friends for their support throughout the years and lending a hand to the program when we need them. Kurt Hauswirth, Vocal Director
Grade: Graduate of NMU in Music Education
School: Graduate of NMU 2009 / Rudyard High School 2004 Other Theatre Productions: Fiddler on the Roof (Fish Seller/Boy), Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie), Cinderella (The Prince), Bye Bye Birdie (Electric Bass Player), The Mikado (Nobleman), The Gondoliers (Marco), Sweeney Todd (The Beadle), How to Succeed...(Mr. Twimble) Other Activities/Special Interests: Teaching music, singing (solo and choir), playing bass guitar, keyboard, jogging, martial arts, spending time with my wife Abbey and son Graeme Thank You To: Abbey for believing in me, Graeme for emotional support, Nikke for her trust in me Courtney Brown, Technical Director
Grade: NMU Senior
Past LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre Productions: Director:The Mouse That Roared, Willy Wonka, Jr. Stage Manager/Assistant Director: Annie, Jr., Alice in Wonderland, Kids Sing Broadway 2010 Most Recent Other Theatre Productions: The Nutcracker (Kaufman), Bears(FRT), How I Became A Pirate (FRT), Compleat Female Stage Beauty(FRT) Other Activities/Special Interests: Singing, Costume design/sewing, Reading, Writing Thank You To: Nikke Nason, my good friend and mentor, for the wonderful experiences with LSYT. Reatha Tweedie and the LSYT Board for their continuing support of this amazing program. And to the cast of "Little Mermaid, Jr."-thanks for the great times and memories! Susan Boyle, Costume Designer
Grade: Post-Baccalaureate, expected graduation 2013
School: Northern Michigan University Past LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre Productions: Seussical the Musical (Mayzie la Bird), Once On This Island (Storyteller), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Reuben) Other Theatre Productions: Little Women (Meg), The Secret Garden (Lily), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona), 101 Dalmatians (Costume Designer), 1776 (John Hancock), Bears (Costume Designer) Other Activities/Special Interests: Susan, a Marquette native, earned a Bachelor of Music Vocal Performance degree in 2011 from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. In addition to performing and costume design, she enjoys baking, photography and playing the piano. Erin Ellison, Graphic Designer
Erin Ellison, Graphic DesignerErin is thrilled to have her two daughters, Elise and Ally, involved in the production of The Little Mermaid. Erin has resided in Marquette for the past three years. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors and anything creative. Erin has been successfully operating her own graphic design business for the past ten years and always welcomes new projects. You can see samples and contact her through her website, www.triogd.com. Huge thank you to LSYT for the wonderful opportunities they provide for our area youth.
Ryan White, Make-Up Designer
Age: 19
Grade: Sophomore at NMU Past LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre Productions: Cinderella (King Maxmillian), Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Alice in Wonderland (Makeup Designer), Annie (Makeup Designer) |
Jill Grundstrom, Choreographer
Jill Grundstrom has a B.S. from Northern Michigan University
in Secondary Education with majors in English and French, and a M.A. in Dance
Education from New York University in New York City and Genoa, Italy. She continues to train with The PULSE, jazz
dance legend Luigi in New York City and has worked, taught, and trained with American
Ballet Theatre in New York City and is certified in their National Training
Curriculum. She was also the author of
the dance blog for Cat Deeley’s Official Website (the host of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance) during
seasons four through seven. She is
currently on staff at Marquette Center for Dance and Northern Michigan
University. Miss Grundstrom’s choreography
credits include: Beauty and the Beast (MACC
Youth Theatre), Kids Sing Broadway (MACC Youth Theatre), Little Women (MACC Youth Theatre), Alice in Wonderland (MACC Youth Theatre), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
(NMU), Annie, Jr. (Lake Superior
Youth Theatre), The Little Mermaid Jr.
(Lake Superior Youth Theatre), Legally
Blonde (NMU) and L.A.-based pop singer Adam Whittington. She was the recipient of the MACC Outstanding
Performing Artist of the Year Award in 2011.
Moire Embley, Staging Director/Acting Coach
Moire Graduated from Northern Michigan University with a minor in Theatre in 2010. She began her training in theatre when she attended an artistic camp in Georgia during the summer of 2000. Shortly after returning to Marquette she started her work with the Marquette Arts and Culture Youth Theatre, assistant directing their first production Annie Jr. Moire also has 9 years of classic vocal training, traveling to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall with the Marquette Senior High School’s Redman Choral in 2004. Most of her theatrical knowledge has been acquired through experience. She has been involved in many local theatrical productions over the last 22 years such as; Forest Robert Theatre’s productions The Scarlett Pimpernel in 2002, Oklahoma in 2003 and Closer than Ever in 2006. Lake Superior Theatre’s Beacon on the Rock in 2001 and 2008, Marquette Senior High School’s The Music Man in 2000 and Guys and Dolls in 2004. Moire assistant directed the Lake Superior Youth Theatre’s production of Beauty and the Beast with Monica Nordeen in 2009 and continued directing for the Lake Superior Theatre in the summer of 2010 for the productions Little Women and A Home for Me. Currently Moire continues to work as an acting and vocal coach.
Mallory Asano, Assistant Choreographer
Age: 17
Grade: Senior at Marquette Senior High School Mallory has been dancing for 14 years, has attended The Pulse on Tour, Nuvo, Dance Olympus, and The Rock West. She has performed at the Blueberry Dance Fest and appeared in several local PSA’s and commercials. Mallory has danced for Adam Whittington and Brooklyn Haley and in Northern Michigan University’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and is currently a teacher at Marquette Center for Dance. Suzanne Shahbazi, Costume Mistress
LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre productions: Costuming for Guys and Dolls Jr., Aladdin Jr., Into the Woods Jr., Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Your A Good Man Charlie Brown, Once Upon a Mattress, Beauty and the Beast, A Home for Me, Willy Wonka Jr., Annie Jr., and The Mouse That Roared.Other Activities: Suzanne got into costuming because her daughter and son have been involved in many youth theatre productions. In her spare time she likes to make jewelry, craft, travel, and read.
Jessica Seppanen-TenEyck, Head Hair Designer
Hair designer for our Marquette budding stars.
I love styling for this fantastic group of kids. I am a mom of 2 amazing boys. I live in Marquette, and own a Hair Salon in my home. I love what I do. Leslie Davis, Hair Designer
Past LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre Experience: Willy Wonka Jr., Annie Jr and The Mouse That Roared
Other Activities/ Special Interests: Work part time at The Loop Salon, Cooking/Baking and Family. Thank You To: I want to thank My Daughter Ella for getting involved in the LSYT because it has been awesome watching her perform and allowing me to meet some great people and I've enjoyed helping with creating great hair for the productions. Also, my husband Chip who is awesome and very supportive. Kristin Anderson, Hair Designer
Past LSYT or MACC Youth Theatre Productions: Wonka Jr; Annie Jr; The Mouse That Roared; MCHC Haunted Hayride
Other Activities/Special Interests: art/drawing; hair/makeup; running/fitness; family Thank You To: A HUGE thank you to my daughter Tia for wanting to audition for Wonka Jr and thereafter bringing us together with our wonderful LSYT 'family'. To my husband and children for being amazing. To my parents and in-laws for their constant support and belief in me and my artistic abilities. |
