Classes & Workshops

Joelle (she/her) brings 20 years of teaching theatre and public presentation to the table. She LOVES sharing the joys of theatre, helping children gain confidence and have a blast while doing so. Through energy instruction, young actors will learn the wonderful world of sharp theatre and technique! Her OTHER favorite things are currently eating interesting food and reading children’s stories… out loud.

Seth Davis (he/him) is the Executive Director of The Lyric Theatre, with over 20 years of experience in professional theatre. Prior to beginning his tenure at The Lyric, Seth served as a music director for regional theatres throughout the Southeast, followed by a nine-year position as Resident Music Director for Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, VA.  He has worked on pre-Broadway productions, award-winning regional theatre productions, new musicals, and film & television productions. Seth has also served as musical director for Georgia Tech, Oglethorpe University, and Hollins University in addition to teaching at The Alliance Theatre, Aurora Theatre and judging many regional music and theatre festival competitions. Seth is passionate about sharing his love of music and theatre with students of all ages!

Kayla Lees. Kayla caught the theatre bug around 20 years ago and has been working on and off
the stage ever since. She is a self-taught artist who has helped create sets, props and costumes
for hundreds of productions. She has worked on everything from community theater, to murder
mystery dinners, to Shakespeare, tv, indie films, even immersive horror and art experiences.
She is so excited to share her love and knowledge of theatre and creating!

Susie Young is a choreographer, director, educator, and community and cultural organizer based in Roanoke. She recently got her M.F.A. in Directing and Public Dialogue at VT in May 2023 after a fifteen-year career directing and choreographing in theaters and schools nationwide. She is an artist-in-residence with Roanoke City and works at The Cranwell International Center as a program coordinator. Her most recent work has been a series of performance projects exploring the intersection of theater, dance, and agriculture. She works in various ways with farmers and artists across the Roanoke Valley to make art projects that explore food systems and land connections.

Kate (she/they) is a theatre artist and arts educator passionate about encouraging students to find their voices through creativity. She is also deeply passionate about art in various mediums and shares this enthusiasm by teaching at The Art Factory NRV. She has been a founding team member and Associate Artistic Lead with Calliope Stage in Sylva, NC; the Education Outreach Manager and Director of Education at Virginia Children’s Theatre; an Acting Apprentice at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; and holds a BFA in Acting from Western Carolina University. She dreams of using community-focused theatre practices to create more accessible and equitable arts spaces. When not creating, Kate enjoys playing board games and spending time outdoors in nature.