Aaron Mateo Arroyo – Resident Director
Acting, Audition Prep, Shakespeare Text, Stage Combat
Aaron Mateo Arroyo comes to NTPA after working on stage and video in Los Angeles earning his Actor’s Equity status. Aaron grew up in Texas earning his BA in Acting and Directing, then went on to earn his Masters in Fine Arts in Drama from the prestigious Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine, one of the nation’s top theatre and film acting universities. Aaron’s lovely wife Sterling also holds a BA in Acting and Directing.
Aaron brings his passion for teaching and extensive on stage acting and dramatic talent to expand NTPA’s offerings of non-musical/play productions. Aaron has extensive experience in multiple acting methods and genres including Shakespeare, modern drama and comedy and a long list of equity and non-equity roles to his credit. He also provides individual instruction in the NTPA Private Lesson program in the areas of Audition Prep, Acting, Stage Combat and more.
Favorite gigs include: Pizza Chapel Theatre CO., Shakesepare in the Bar, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, touring with Missoula Children’s Theatre, performing at the beautiful Irvine Barclay Theatre and, NTPA Rep. A few favorite acting credits include Florizel in The Winter’s Tale, Hook in PAN!, Jonathan Waxman in Sight Unseen, Abram Baker in Our Class, and Freddie Trumper in CHESS: The Musical. Aaron is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be working with the strong talent pool of artists in North Texas. He firmly believes theatre can shape young actors into outstanding adults. His favorite works as a director so far are: Los Vendidos, Quoth the Raven, The Crucible and Shakesepare in Love. Aaron is represented by RPM Talent.
Gabby Banzon – Therapy Programs Director
Instrumental, Rock Stars, Voice
Gabby is the Therapy Programs Director at NTPA. She earned a Bachelors in Music Therapy from Georgia College & State University in 2014 and a Masters of Arts in Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in 2017. Her clinical experiences include clients of all ages with various developmental & intellectual disabilities and mental health conditions. She also presents at conferences and serves on committees for music therapy. Outside of work, she writes and performs on her own and in ensembles, singing and playing various instruments. You can find her music on iTunes! When not working or playing music, Gabby enjoys having good conversations over a good meal.
Christian Black – Senior Resident Director and Program Director, NTPA – Dallas
Acting, Audition Prep, Voice
Hannah Brewer – Associate Resident Director
Acting, Audition Prep, Voice
Hannah Brewer started with North Texas Performing Arts as a sophomore in high school, beginning as an actress and now as a Director. Her acting career began when she was 6 years old in the homeschool community, and she has never looked back. Some of her most favorite roles include Sarah Brown in “Guys & Dolls”, Rosie in “Bye Bye Birdie”, and Ms. Darbus in “High School Musical”. Currently, she is attending Texas Woman’s University and working toward her B.A. in Child Development.
Much of her experience includes several years of working along side the other Directors at North Texas Performing Arts in performances such as “The Jungle Book KIDS”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Aladdin KIDS”, and “The Hobbit”. Hannah has also taught many camps, classes, and audition privates. She has directed students ages four to eighteen in major productions such as “High School Musical”, “Stuart Little”, “Mystery at Shady Acres”, and more. Beyond theatrical training, she is passionate about educating the students in NTPA’s 10 Characters and using them to advance in performing arts, education, or wherever else life may lead.
Bethany Bourland – Resident Director
Acting, Audition Prep
Bethany Bourland has been directing and teaching children’s theatre for nine years. Bethany received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama: Acting Emphasis from the University of Oklahoma Peggy Dow Helmerich School of Drama. Growing up in Katy, Texas, Bethany began her directing and teaching career with the Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center. In 2014 and 2015, Bethany interned with Dallas Theater Center in their summer theatre education program. From 2016 to 2018, Bethany worked in Oklahoma as a Casting Associate for film and television with Freihofer Casting. During that time, she also worked as an on-camera acting coach and as the program director for The Actor Factory Young Performer Academy. Bethany acted as Associate Producer for the OU School of Drama’s theatre-for-young-audiences touring series, Helmerich Literature Alive, since 2015.
Favorite directing credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr, Legally Blonde Jr. Into The Woods, The Music Man Jr., Sleeping Beauty Kids., and Little Mermaid Jr. As an actor, Bethany’s favorite roles include: Amy in Little Women, Pennywise in Urinetown, Ado Annie in Oklahoma, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Juliet in The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, Ensemble in Les Mis, and Dr. Zavala in Distracted.
Bethany loves spending time with her friends and family—especially her husband, Connor, and dog, Judge, who graciously indulge her theatre, Disney, and iced green tea habit.
Cibby Bowden – Managing Director, NTPA – Fairview
Acting, Audition Prep
Cibby Bowden joined the NTPA team in 2017 to serve as Director and Managing Director of NTPA – Fairview. Cibby has worked in the industry as a director and actress for over 35 years. She previously worked as Theatre Production Manager, Resident Director and Acting Instructor at Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center and as Theatre Director at Faith West Academy both in Katy, TX.
Favorite director credits include; Little Women, Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man, Oklahoma!, Once Upon a Mattress, A Christmas Carol, Annie Get Your Gun, Oliver Twist, Willy Wonka, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Honk!, Legally Blonde, High School Musical 1 and 2, The Wizard of Oz, Shrek and Xanadu. She has also appeared in many of KVPAC’s Encore Players productions including Joanne in Sondheim’s Company, Mistress Paige in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Betty Meeks in The Foreigner, Mrs. Trotsky in All in the Timing and Effy in The Spitfire Grill.
In her twenties, Cibby worked as an actress in Hollywood and can be seen (in re-runs!) on Full House, Cheers, Married with Children, Night Court, Star Trek the Next Generation, Days of our Lives and several films including Ghostbusters 2 and Maid to Order.
Carol Crook – Dance Instructor
Dance
Denver Danyla – Senior Resident Director
Acting
Denver received his BFA in Acting for Stage and Screen from Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles. He found his passion for acting while in Jr. High and High School, landing such roles as Curly in Oklahoma! and Harold Hill in The Music Man. He went on to pursue his study of acting. Stage credits include Lord Goring in An Ideal Husband, Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing and several other Indie stage productions. While in college he worked as a counselor at several youth camps including Kanakuk and Forest Home where he then knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life working with students.
Soon after graduating, he began directing children and young adults in the Houston area and is thrilled to continue his love for teaching, directing and mentoring here in the Dallas area. Some of his favorite works as a Director are: Honk! Jr, Game of Tiaras, Elf Jr., and Avenue Q: School Edition.
Charlotte Forcht – Adjunct Director
Acting, Audition Prep, Voice
Charlotte has been a Director at NTPA since 2013. She has a B.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas. She has performed in theatre, stand-up comedy, improvisation, film, and television productions in Boston, New York, Providence, Dallas and other parts of the country for over 18 years, and she continues to perform throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Melissa Hartman – Voice Instructor
Voice
Jacob Hemsath, Choreographer
Acting, Audition Prep, Dance, Voice
Lauren Kravitz – Dance Instructor
Dance
Alex Langley – Dance Instructor
Dance
Cheryl Lowber – Resident Director
Acting, Audition Prep
Cheryl Lowber is thrilled to be a member of the NTPA family and is so excited to work with all of the amazingly talented students and their equally amazing and hard-working parents! She believes that theatre offers so much more than a place to shine in the spot light (though that sure is a fun perk!). It also teaches discipline, persistence, flexibility, confidence, resilience, empathy, PLAY, and the list goes on! Cheryl is a professional actor, director, and acting coach based in DFW as well as an experienced UIL One Act Play adjudicator at both the Middle School and High School levels. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Oklahoma Baptist University and an M.F.A. in Acting from Southern Methodist University, where she taught undergraduate courses in “The Art of Acting.” Cheryl has appeared onstage at numerous venues in DFW, New York City, and as far away as South Korea, where she played Lady Anne in Shakespeare’s Richard III for the Eurasia Shakespeare Theatre Company. In addition to onstage roles, she occasionally works as a voiceover artist, performing in audiobooks, commercials, and industrials.
Favorite regional acting credits include: The 39 Steps (Stage West); Role Play (Stage West); A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center); House and Garden (Theatre Three); Picnic (Theatre Three); A Premature Corpse (Pocket Sandwich Theatre); Blithe Spirit (Garland Civic Theatre); A Winter’s Tale (Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park)
Her absolute favorite roles, however, are those of wife to Adam and mom to Evie (4) and Maggie (1)!
Hannah Makepeace – Resident Director
Acting, Audition Prep, Dance, Voice
Hannah earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from Ouachita Baptist University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. She grew up training in many forms of dance and getting involved in every performance opportunity she could.
Hannah participated in competitive dance until the age of 12, where she became a full-time ballerina as a member of the pre-professional ballet company Arkansas Festival Ballet. She also directed and performed in an improv troupe called Off the Top, which traveled the state of Arkansas. At her university, she had the opportunity to perform, write, design and direct for several opportunities, culminating in the opportunity to direct a MainStage production that she developed. Following graduation, she moved to Orlando, where she worked and performed at Walt Disney World before moving to the Dallas Area!
Some of her favorite directing credits include Not a Clue, Wanda’s Visit, Junie B. Jones and Annie Kids. She also has choreographed for many NTPA productions, some of her favorites including Legally Blonde Jr, Hello Dolly, Once on this Island, Beauty and the Beast and Matilda. Hannah has a true passion for the theatrical arts, and loves being able to see the students she works with grow in their skills and challenge themselves to be daring in their pursuits. She loves her husband Andrew, her two cats, her friends, family, and NTPA family so dearly, and is thankful for all of their support and encouragement.
Trisha Martin – Choreographer
Acting, Audition Prep, Dance, Voice
Trisha Martin has been a part of the NTPA family since January 2017. Since young childhood, Trisha has been educated in dancing, singing and acting in the Texas panhandle. She has performed in several shows with Amarillo Little Theatre including Annie and Chicago, danced in “Texas” The Musical Drama in Palo Duro Canyon, and in mainstage shows at West Texas A&M University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Musical Theatre with an emphasis in dance. Also, Trisha has experience teaching acting, voice, ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop, and has a passion for teaching to young and old.
She is grateful for every opportunity to teach, direct, choreograph and perform in NTPA Youth and Repertory productions. When busy with choreography, performing and classes, she dedicates her time to her three girls, Nora, Abbigayl and Natalie who are her light, joy and grace.
Gregory McKnight – Technical Programs Director
Instrumental
Tori Micaletti – Production Services Manager, Adjunct Director
Acting
Danny Miranda – Artistic Director, NTPA Repertory Theatre
Acting, Voice
Daniel Dean Miranda started choreographing for NTPA in the Summer of 2008. From there, he took on shows as director, choreographer, and music director. In 2015, he took a break to explore other ventures, and realized this is where his passion was. After a 3 year hiatus, he is thrilled to return to NTPA to be working with such talented youth, and working with NTPA’s Repertory Theatre, helping bring Broadway style productions to the burbs!
He has been a local actor since the age of six. Some of his acting credits include: Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Jesus in Godspell, Emcee in Cabaret, Patsy in Monty Python’s Spamalot, William Barfée in The 25th Anual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, among others. Directing credits include: Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, Godspell, Little shop of Horrors, Seussical the Musical, Heathers the Musical, among others.
DeeDee Munson – Artistic Director
DeeDee leads the NTPA – Dance program as Artistic Director, and serves on the teaching staff for NTPA – Dance and NTPA – Academy. She is also the Staffing Coordinator and part of the Executive Staff at MA Dance & MA Visual FX. DeeDee has been teaching & educating students since 1991! She is the former General Manager/Artistic Director for the Power House of Dance. Her credits include Kilgore College Rangerette, Stephen F. Austin Repertory Company Member, Stephen F. Austin Pom Squad member and coach, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, and Dallas Mavericks Dancer. While attending SFA she won two consecutive NCA National Dance Championship titles. She is also a former Walt Disney World Dancer where she performed in The Beauty & The Beast Show, Pleasure Island Explosion Dancers, various conventions and special events, and the Rhythms of the World Show at Tokyo DisneySeas.
DeeDee has taught and choreographed for drill teams and dance teams across the country as well as being a head instructor and adjudicator for MA Dance. She has appeared in Body Wrappers, Dance Spirit, Cheerleader & Danzteam, YM, and Glamour Magazines. She also modeled for Disney Animation where her likeness was used for the image of Princess Kida in Atlantis Milo’s Return. Her television appearances include Good Morning Texas, Good Day Dallas, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Salvation Army Halftime with Reba McEntire, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade with Aaron Carter and John O’Hurley, Live with Regis and Kelly, the Oprah Winfrey Show and Street Talk with Wendy Williams. She was also a dancer/actress in the movie Miss Congeniality starring Sandra Bullock and can be seen judging in the documentary Sweethearts Of The Gridiron featuring the Kilgore College Rangerettes. DeeDee has served as a judge for The Dance Worlds held at Walt Disney World. She has served on USASF Dance Worlds National Advisory Board, Power House Dance Foundation, Twelve 12 Ministries & the North Texas Performing Arts Management Board.
Seth Nelson – Adjunct Director
Acting, Audition Prep
Seth Nelson is a proud Adjunct Director with NTPA and has been directing here since 2017. Seth graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SMU in Theater, with a focus in acting and directing and has performed in both Theatre and Film across the DFW area. Seth is profoundly grateful for the opportunity to help young artists flourish, and hopes that through theatre, each student who comes through our doors can grow themselves both as an artist and as a person. Some favorite directing credits include: Anne of Green Gables, Fools, Mauritius, Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Julius Caesar and She Kills Monsters.
Alison Quarles – Starcatchers Instructor
Rock Stars
Lainey Raab – Starcatchers Instructor
Rock Stars
Emily Sears – Dance Instructor
Dance
Leslie Shaw-Hatchard – Dance Instructor
Dance
LaSheta Skinner – Dance Instructor
Dance
Morgan Southard – NTPA Creative Director
Acting, Audition Prep
Morgan Southard is an actor, director and teacher who is thrilled to be making a difference in the lives of our youth! She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the University of Evansville in 2007 and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from Southern Methodist University in 2010. She taught at Southern Methodist University 2008-2010 and has been teaching and directing professionally in the area since 2013.
Other experience includes time spent at Les Subsistances Theatre Performance Program in Leon, France where she received training in acrobatics, improvisation, play, masks and puppets. Professional stage experience includes roles in A Bright New Boise (Circle Theatre), Mrs. California (Contemporary Theatre of Dallas), Arms and the Man (Stage West), Macbeth (Trinity Shakespeare Festival), As You Like It (Trinity Shakespeare Festival), Boeing-Boeing (Circle Theatre/WaterTower Theatre), Donʼt Dress For Dinner (Theatre Arlington) and Bright Ideas (Circle Theatre). Favorite directing credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Shop of Horrors, Urinetown, School of Rock, The Addams Family and Mary Poppins. She loves her boyfriend Cesar, her dog Bandit, and her NTPA family more than words can say!
Will Stotts – Adjunct Director
Acting, Audition Prep, Voice
Will is a professional actor and singer originally from Arkansas. He, along with his wife Alexis and their dog Lily, moved to DFW in the summer of 2019. Will holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from Ouachita Baptist University. His professional acting credits include Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and Tom in Schoolhouse Rock Live! (Dallas Children’s Theater) Freddy Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre), Joey in Sister Act (Murry’s Dinner Playhouse) and Officer Lockstock in Urinetown (Red Barn Theatre). Will recently signed with The Linicomn Agency, and is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. He’s very proud to be working for NTPA as well!
Lindy Waldmeier – Starcatchers Instructor
Instrumental, Rock Stars
Lindy P. Waldmeier, MM, graduated with a BA in Voice Performance from McNeese State University, obtained an MM in Voice Performance Pedagogy from University of Louisiana, and is currently working on her MA in Music therapy at Texas Woman’s University. Lindy has performed as a soloist with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra, and has performed in various Opera and Musical Theater productions. Most notably, Lindy played the principle role as Marcelina in Le Nozze di Frigaro, and Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Lindy’s performed internationally while attending the Vocal Arts Master Workshop at the Real Conservatorio de Musica in Granada, Spain, under the tutelage of world renowned opera singer, Teresa Berganza. For over ten years, Lindy enjoyed her career as a music educator both in the classroom, and as a private voice and piano instructor. As a music therapist, Lindy has worked in diverse clinical settings with children and adults, with varied physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities.
Kaitlyn Wright – Resident Director
Audition Prep, Voice
Kaitlyn Wright graduated in 2013 Cum Laude from Texas Woman’s University where she performed in both their opera and theater productions. She has been with NTPA since 2017 and has directed and music directed with the organization on many occasions. Some of her favorite titles have been: Elephant and Piggie (director), Sleeping Beauty KIDS (director), and Little Women (music director). She taught music and choir in Plano ISD for five years. Kaitlyn is certified in the Kodaly Method of music education and completed her third level of training in the summer of 2015. For the 2015-2016 school year, Kaitlyn received the Bass Hall Fellowship for excellence in music education and in the spring of that year presented about elementary music at the Texas State Music Education Association conference in San Antonio. Kaitlyn is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society, Who’s Who Nominee, Presser Scholar Nominee, and the recipient of the first Lily Mildred Hodges Endowed Scholarship. For the 2016-2017 school year, she was nominated as Teacher of the Year and received the PTA Life Member Award. Music and theater are her passion and she loves to see children grow through the arts.
Jennifer Yoch
Voice
Jennifer Yoch is thrilled to join the NTPA team! She graduated in 1999 from California State University Chico with a BA in Music Education and Vocal Performance. As a voice teacher she specializes in Italian, Latin, and German art songs. She worked for eight years as an Elementary and Middle School music teacher in the public school system. She later taught a variety of subjects as a Homeschool educator. She currently directs the Middle School choir at BRISD. As a music teacher she understands the value of listening to her students both as they sing and to understand what motivates them in life. Her passion is to stimulate growth in those around her as performers and in all their hopes and dreams!