MEET OUR SUMMER STAFF!
Alexa Cotran is a native of Columbia, SC, and currently works as the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Spartanburg High School. Alexa holds a B.M. in music education with a vocal performance certificate from the University of South Carolina Honors College, as well as a Masters of Music in choral conducting from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. While in Columbia, Alexa worked as one of the music directors for Town Theatre's Youth Theatre program. She taught voice lessons, as well as musically directed the youth productions. Outside of the classroom, Alexa has loved performing since she was a child. She was involved in performances at Town Theatre, in the Broadway Bound Theatre Company, Opera at USC, and Mercer University Opera. If she is not rehearsing a choir or in a theatre, you can find Alexa playing with her two cats, trying new restaurants, or exploring a new city!
Teaching this summer: Musical Theatre: The Little Mermaid (June 5-9), Musical Theatre: Hamilton & Six (June 12-16)
Ashley Crane is thrilled to be back at SYT where she grew up performing. After graduating from Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Cinema/TV program and working with SYT to launch screen acting classes, Ashley moved to NYC to work with Industry Leading Acting Coaches Denise Simon, Penny Templeton, Bob Marks, T. Schreiber, and ReelArc! Ashley’s clients have worked on- and off- Broadway, gone on National Tours, and worked on shows like John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, Saturday Night Live, I Am Frankie, Victorious, and more! She has had the opportunity to act up and down the east coast, and write for film, television, and theatre! When she’s not at SYT, studying in her adult acting class, coaching NYC clients over Zoom, or writing, she loves hanging out with her Shih Tzu Maddie and rock climbing! She cannot wait to meet all of you this summer and have a blast creating with you!
Teaching this summer: Adventures in Moviemaking (June 19-23), Storybook Live: The Crayons Trick-or-Treat (June 26-30), Let's Make a Movie! (July 10-1)
Cruz Crane is an SYT alum and has been creating virtual content for SYT for the past 2 years. He has worked as a freelance videographer and editor since he graduated from Full Sail University. Cruz has also taught film classes at Velos collective in Taylors, SC. He is excited to continue teaching filmmaking this summer and helping create the Storybook Live videos!
Teaching this summer: Adventures in Moviemaking (June 19-23), Let's Make a Movie! (July 10-1), Storybook Live: The Crayons Trick-or-Treat (June 26-30), Storybook Live: Ricky, the Rock That Couldn't Roll (July 24-28)
Ben Chumley is a music director, pianist, composer, and workshop instructor who has been involved in over 90 productions throughout the Carolinas, New York, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Paris. He regularly works with several Upstate theatres and college theatre departments, frequently with SLT, where he has served as music director for Sh-Boom, the Wintry Mix Christmas album, Mamma Mia!, The Little Mermaid, Guys & Dolls, Xanadu, Avenue Q, and the Broadway Backwards series, among others. He studied at New York University, University of Toronto, and Berklee College of Music, and has worked with the New York Opera Forum, Toronto Curtain Call Players, and is a past conductor of the North Carolina Community Chorus.
Teaching this summer: Actor's Studio Musical Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone (June 19-23)
K. Ray Jones performs at theatres all across the upstate – Spartanburg Little Theatre, Centre Stage, Glow Lyric Theatre, The Warehouse and Proud Mary Theatre Company. He was also the theatre/drama teacher at High Point Academy. He strives to teach students the possibility of creating, especially in roles like Sebastian in The Little Mermaid at the Spartanburg Little Theatre. When not onstage, Ray teaches at Cyclebar Spartanburg and travels all over as a front man with the Emerald Empire party band company. Ray challenges students to always find joy in imagination and play regardless of their age.
Teaching this summer: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (June 5-9), Acting Foundations (June 5-9), Superheroes Unite! (June 12-16), Bluey & Friends (June 26-30), Lions, Tigers and Bears, OH MY! (July 10-14), Farm Frenzy (July 17-21), Emoji Mania (July 17-21), Audition Prep Musical Theatre 7th-12th (July 31-Aug 4)
Adam Sanders has been the Artistic Director of SYT since 2015. Adam grew up in Spartanburg and developed his love for theatre at SYT. He loves leading the theatre that raised him! He previously worked with the South Carolina Children's Theatre as a teaching artist, director, and touring actor. Adam's favorite part of his job is directing, having directed many productions including Disney's Newsies Jr., Godspell Jr., Disney's Freaky Friday, Elf the Musical Jr., Songs for a New World, Disney's Aladdin Jr., Mamma Mia, Seussical Jr., and many more. When not at the theatre, you may see him riding at CycleBar Spartanburg, or spending time with his beautiful wife, Kelsey!
Teaching this summer: Actor's Studio Musical Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone (June 19-23)
Mary Thalassinos is a graduate of Wofford College where she received a B.A. in theatre. A Spartanburg native, she is proud to be working with the theater that embraced her as a child! After taking a youth theatre course in college, Mary interned with SYT the summer of 2018. Some of the classes Mary has had the extreme pleasure of teaching include, Musical Theatre: Beetlejuice & Mean Girls, Disney’s Onward, Fantasy Lands and Far-off Places, and Musical Theatre: Broadway Royals. In addition to working with SYT, Mary has also sound designed for Wofford Theatre.
Teaching this summer: Musical Theatre: The Little Mermaid (June 5-9), Musical Theatre: Hamilton & Six (June 12-16), The Very Hungry Caterpillar (June 12-16), The Fairy Tale Network (July 17-21), Mixed-up Fairy Tales (July 24-28), Musical Theatre: Disney on Broadway (July 31-Aug 4), Audition Prep Musical Theatre 3rd-6th (July 31-Aug 4)
Connor Vetter is an actor, director, and acting teacher based in Spartanburg, SC. She graduated from Wofford College with a B.A. in theatre and studied acting at the Moscow Art Theatre School in 2012. When she isn't making unbelievable plays with the children of the Upstate or splitting sides with Spartanburg's first, finest, and only improv team, Sparkle City Improv, you can catch Connor hanging out with her cats, eating spicy noodles, and watching reruns of her favorite kids shows from the '90s. She is so thrilled to be returning for her seventh(!) summer with SYT and CAN'T WAIT to have you in camp. Whether we're making a storybook, staging a production, or working on comedy scenes, we're going to have an absolute BLAST!
Teaching this summer: Storybook Live: Ricky, the Rock That Couldn't Roll (July 24-28), Laugh Out Loud: Improv Essentials (July 31-Aug 4)
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