The Growing Stage - Staff Bios

Meet the Staff


	Kari Reese Owner / Instructor Song and dance have always been a part of Kari Reese's life. Her parents encouraged her artistic endeavors and led by their example. After graduating from Houston's High School for Performing & Visual Arts, Reese received two scholarships to major in dance at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her B.A. in Dance. She has performed regionally with theatres such as Theatre Under The Stars (Houston), The Zachary Scott Theatre (Austin) and locally with Musical Theatre Southwest, Albuquerque Little Theatre, The Adobe, The Cell and The Vortex. Her favorite roles include the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Squeaky Fromme in Assassins and Miss Hannigan in Annie. Reese believes theatre can be a positive and powerful influence in children's lives. (She and her daughters are proof of this!). "Theatre teaches us to cooperate, communicate, create and celebrate. It is a place where individuality is cherished and teamwork thrives," says Reese. As Education Director of The Growing Stage, she strives to bring the joy, magic and lessons of theatre to as many children as possible in Albuquerque and the surrounding communities. "It's important and fulfilling work. I love my job!"


	Wendy Leverenz Barker Choreographer Wendy Leverenz Barker has been a member of the Albuquerque performing arts community for over 20 years. Her credits include Das BBQ, Book of Days, Cinderella, Kiss Me Kate, Cabaret, Gypsy, Peter Pan and Anything Goes just to name a few. She has worked at MTS/ACLOA, ALT, The Adobe, The Cell, Riverside/Tricklock, The Vortex and numerous other theatres around the United States. Wendy created her own cabaret, Welcome To Our Party, and presented it in The Ana Chavira Theatre last November with a special performance by Kari Reese, She is very proud to be supporting Kari and The Growing Stage.


	Maya Reese Teaching Assistant Maya Reese a freshmen at the Public Academy for Performing Arts, where she studies dance, voice and theatre. She has performed numerous times with Musical Theatre Southwest in shows such as The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, Suessical the Musical, and Annie where she starred as the lead. She recently finnished filming a full length movie in which she played herslef, only alter ego. She is so excited to back and working with the kids. "This is going to be FUN!!!!!"


	Zoey Reese Teaching Assistant Zoey Reese has been helping with The Growing Stage since its beginning. She is currently a junior at the Public Academy for Performing Arts, where she studies dance, voice and film. As well as being a teaching assistant at The Growing Stage, Zoey is in charge of all the video editing and filming. She has performed numerous times with Musical Theatre Southwest in shows such as The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, Suessical the Musical, and Annie. She was also seen in the Adobe Theatre's production of The Secret Garden, where she played the lead role of Mary Lennox. She most recently finnished filming a full length movie in which she played herself, alter ego. She is looking forward to many new faces in class, and hopes that all children have as much fun learning and performing as she does teaching. "What seems to me the highest and most difficult achievement of Art is not to make us laugh or cry, or to rouse our lust or our anger, but to do as nature does - that is, fill us with wonderment." ~ Gustave Flaubert.


	Lisette Herrera Instructor Lisette has been enjoying musical theater for all her life. She has been involved with several shows around the Albuquerque area, extensively with Musical Theater Southwest. Lisette has also performed professionally in Orlando at Disney World, Universal Studios, and with a professional dinner theater company. After returning from Orlando, Lisette got her degree in Elementary Education and is currently a fourth grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary School. She looks forward to working with your child at The Growing Stage.


	Matthew R. Naegeli Musical Director Matthew Naegeli is an Albuquerque native who grew up with an unquenchable love for musical theatre. Now a graduate of Colorado Christian University with degree in Music, Matthew is excited to join the team at TGS. Some of his directing credits include To Kill A Mockingbird and Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, while his favorite acting roles have been Billy Bigalow in Carousel and Schroeder in You’re A Good Man… He is also a performed playwright with two adaptations of C.S. Lewis works to his credit. Matthew currently holds a position in town as the Artistic Director of the Freedom Community Theatre where his work has been critically praised.


	David Geist Music Director/Pianist/Vocal Coach DAVID GEIST has had an illustrious, twenty-year Broadway career as a conductor, pianist, and vocal coach for some of the stage's brightest stars. In addition to his many theatre credits such as CATS, LES MISERABLES, MISS SAIGON, THE LION KING, THE PRODUCERS, WICKED, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, PASSION, and FOSSE, David has coached and performed with such world renowned singers as SARAH BRIGHTMAN, MICHAEL CRAWFORD, BETTY BUCKLEY, RITA MORENO, CASSANDRA WILSON, LINDA EDER, and HUGH JACKMAN. Composer legends STEPHEN SONDHEIM and ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER have requested David to perform their music in concert and theatre settings.


	Hal Simons Director/Instructor Hal Simons won a 2002 Bistro Award for his direction of Songs In The Style Of Weill, a New York cabaret act starring Lorinda Lisitza. The act also garnered Ms. Lisitza a Bistro Award and MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets) Award. Previously, Hal was nominated for a MAC for his performance in The M.G.M. Society, and has directed numerous other cabaret acts here and in New York City. Originally from the Bronx, Hal is a graduate of The High School of Performing Arts, was a theatre major at Hofstra University, and recently completed his Masters in Theatre Arts/Directing at UNM.


	Paul Roth Music Director/Instructor Bio will be added...

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