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| Jean Howat Berry |
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| Jamie Cordes |
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| Bruce Cromer |
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| Rachel Ifft |
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| Marilyn Klaben |
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| Patricia Linhart |
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| Michael Kenwood Lippert |
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| Katie Pees |
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| Jene Rebbin Shaw |
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| Scott Stoney |
Jean Howet Berry has been a teaching artist for over twenty years. She currently works through Ohio Arts Council’s Artist Residency program, mentoring student artists through drama strategies and mask techniques and using curricular content to promote multi-level learning. Jean participated in the Lincoln Center Institute’s National Educator Workshop this summer, taking part in the conversation about imagination as a primary, cognitive capacity. Her residency with Cincinnati Recreation Commission received national recognition with the Dorothy R. Mullen’s Arts & Humanities award, given for arts programming by the National Recreation and Parks Association. She was also fortunate to study mask making with Stratford Festival of Canada, funded by Culture Works. She just finished a four-month performance art project supporting healthy choices for the teen community. “Clean Fringe” was fully funded by a Special Projects grant through Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District. It was a grass roots effort to invite teen citizens to express themselves on vital issues, using the performing arts. Jean has toured hundreds of classrooms in the past twelve years through Victoria Theatre Association’s Education Program, Muse Machine, Oho Arts Council and independent projects. In addition, she dedicated four years to Ohio Alliance for Arts & Education’s Project Start ID, a gifted identification project, assessing 4th and 5th graders in theatre skills, supporting research on the potential of deeper curricular learning through engaging one’s artistic abilities. Jean directed the Dayton Playhouse Youth Theatre program for five years and has taught for The Human Race Education program, Linden Education and Arts Program, Stiver’s School for the Arts, Spectra+ program in Hamilton and more. Her most recent work includes residencies for The Miami Valley School, Cleveland Heights Public Schools, Wapakoneta Schools, Bridges: Residential Treatment for Adolescent Girls, Milford Schools and Dayton Public Schools. She has directed projects for Oakwood City Schools for the last two seasons as well as supporting their Gifted Identification program. Jean volunteers as a youth leader for her church, promoting fellowship, artistic expression and service.
Jamie Cordes A versatile performer, Jamie has experienced fabulous opportunities in opera, musical theatre, plays and orchestral works. Musical Theatre credits include Billy Bigelow in Carousel, James Livingston in a revival production of The New Yorkers with Seaside Music Theatre, Frederick Fellowes in Noises Off and Neville Craven in The Secret Garden with Theatre on the Hill, and Man 1 in Oh, Coward! with Ohio Shakespeare Festival, among others. Opera performances with Lyric Opera Cleveland, The Ohio Light Opera, The University of Akron Opera Theatre, The Dayton Opera, The Virginia Opera, and The Washington Savoyards. Local theatre projects include Sam in Wait Until Dark, Count Carl Magnus in A Little Night Music, Big River, Green Gables, Shenandoah, with The Human Race Theatre, Maximilan in Candide and Cascada in The Merry Widow with Dayton Opera, Baritone Soloist in the Vaughan Williams, Dona Nobis Pacem with The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and Bright Eyed Joy, a concert with Ricky Ian Gordon at Wright State University. Jamie is a full-time Faculty Associate (singing faculty) in the Department of Theatre Arts at Wright State University. He specializes in musical theatre style singing and has added a Broadway Pop Style Singing Class to the WSU curriculum to better prepare students for the changing Broadway styles. Jamie is the Administrator/Founder of the WSU Musical Theatre/Acting Preparatory Program (MAPP) for ages 13-18. Former MAPP students have successfully entered college theatre and musical theatre programs across the country. M.M., B.M. in Vocal Performance; Member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Bruce Cromer is a proud Resident Artist with The Human Race, a Professor in the Wright State Professional Actor Training Program, and a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. As an AEA regional stage actor, he has performed with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Santa Fe Stages International Theatre Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Children's Theatre, etc. During the summer of 2009, he played Arnolphe in Moliere's THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. He will play Henry in Lion in Winter at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in the fall of 2009; then direct Cymbeline at Wright State's Herbst Theatre in November — returning for his fifth year as Scrooge in the Cincinnati Playhouse's A CHRISTMAS CAROL in December. His favorite roles are father to Charlie, Toby, and Elliot — and husband to Carol Allin.
Rachel Ifft is passionate about teaching and learning. She is a devoted teaching artist who focuses on the educational benefits of theatre. She is a graduate of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development where she received a Bachelor of Science in Educational Theatre. While attending NYU, Rachel worked with students of all ages in and out of New York City’s public school system. She also taught at the acclaimed Alley Theatre in her hometown of Houston, Texas. Rachel’s educational theatre classes are geared toward engaging participants in a direct, meaningful way. She utilizes the arts as tools to help others tap into their creative side while working in a positive, safe setting. Rachel is a seventh-generation Texan, the youngest of six children. She happy to be working in the Dayton area while her husband is stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Marilyn Klaben has been the Education Director as well as lead artist/teacher at The Human Race Theatre Company for 18 years. She directed The Human Race Theatre's Summer Stock for 7 years. She teaches theatre/drama skills to students K–12 throughout the Dayton area, developing innovative drama programs which connect with a vast number of curriculum areas. Many of these projects culminate in a play production. As an adjunct professor at Wittenberg University and Wright State University, Marilyn has taught Child Drama courses to students studying to be teachers. In 2008, Marilyn completed training to become a Kennedy Center teaching artist which resulted in the creation of a new Teacher Training workshop for K–8 teachers entitled Drama and Diversity: Promoting Acceptance and Respect in the Classroom Community. As a Muse Adventure and Victoria Theatre artist, Marilyn works playfully with teachers and students sharing successful strategies about how to integrate drama into every classroom. Marilyn was recently awarded the Jack Moss Creativity Award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.
Patricia Linhart is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. She has been the “Musical Theatre Voice Specialist” since 1997. She is proud to say many of her students are now starring in Broadway shows and national tours. She keeps herself busy with performances in and around Cincinnati and Dayton, not to mention Cleveland, Kentucky and surrounding areas. Pat is a Resident Artist with The Human Race Theatre Company, where her most recent role was in a the Midwest premiere of Tom Jones’ Harold and Maude. Other premiers at The Human Race include Green Gables for which she received a Cincinnati Entertainment Award nomination, as well as many staged readings of new musicals. Other shows at The Race include A Little Night Music, Falsettoland, Prelude To A Kiss, Quilters, Closer Than Ever, Starting Here, Starting Now and On Golden Pond, to name a few. While in Dayton, Pat has appeared with the Dayton Philharmonic as well as the Chamber Orchestra. Other orchestras Pat’s had the pleasure of singing with include the Kentucky Symphony and the Cincinnati POPS Orchestra. The POPS took her to Carnegie Hall where she appeared with Patti Page and Doc Severinsen, as well as a PBS broadcast of that concert. She has also had the pleasure of appearing at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in such shows as Candide, Wizard of Oz and A Little Night Music starring Donna McKechnie. Other companies include Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Whitewater Opera Company, Duke Opera Festival, and the Birmingham Theatre. Pat continues to teach master classes and adjudicate vocal competitions as well as maintaining her studio at CCM where she received the Ernest N. Glover “Outstanding Teacher Award”.
Michael Kenwood Lippert is a founding member and Resident Artist with The Human Race Theatre Company. As a member of Actor's Equity Association, he most recently appeared in The Sunset Limited at The Human Race. Other credits include the Midwest premieres of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour at the Schuster Center with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, SPINNING INTO BUTTER, STONEWALL JACKSON'S HOUSE, and ROBERT JOHNSON: TRICK THE DEVIL as well as leading roles in The Drawer Boy, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, True West, All in The Timing, Cloud 9, Speed the Plow, The Elephant Man, The Boys Next Door, Orphans, Speed of Darkness and Nova Town with Rhythm in Shoes. Michael is also a seasoned arts integration consultant who educators and students across the country in ways to reform education by integrating the arts across the curriculum. He currently serves as the Director of the Muse Machine Elementary Program. The Muse Machine Elementary Program arts integration residencies are fast becoming a standard in elementary schools across the Miami Valley.
Katie Pees is a resident artist with the Human Race and now is the head of the Drama Department at Alter High School. At Alter she teaches many theatre and voice classes during the day as well as directing the Fall Play, Spring Musical, and the A Cappella group "A Sharp." In past years Katie has directed the Teen Conservatory and Summer Stock at the Human Race. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and is still an active performer around Dayton. Some Human Race credits include: Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical, Shelby in The Spitfire Grill, Woman in Five Course Love, Woman in Harold and Maude, and her one woman show "Dayton's Divine Miss P." New York and Regional credits include: The National Tour of Footloose, Beauty and the Beast at the St. Louis Muny, Off Broadway "Boobs the Musical," and Guys and Dolls at Naples Dinner Theatre. She is active in the summer with Drama Summer Stock and private coachings.
Jene Rebbin Shaw is thrilled to be in her sixth year as the Adventures in Theatre instructor! She is excited to also be teaching outreach workshops for the Race through the new ArtsPart program this year. Jene has been teaching and directing youth theatre for nine years. She founded the GuildKids program at the Dayton Theatre Guild, and directed the program for five years. Last summer Jene again directed Summer Stock KIDS at the Race, and taught for Clark State Community College’s College for Kids program. She has also recently worked with KidStage and Project Jericho, both in Springfield. Jene has a Master’s Degree in Theatre from Miami University. She has taught for Miami and Sinclair Community College, and has directed for Clark State Community College. Jene has acted in many college and community productions, toured with Madcap Puppet Theatre, and often performs with Mayhem & Mystery in Dayton and Columbus.
Though he is known more for his stage work with over 30 years of professional credits, Scott Stoney is no stranger to teaching. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University in Education. After settling in Dayton in 1981 he began his teaching career with the Theatre Department of Sinclair Community College then chaired by Dr. Robert MacClennan. After several years that adjunct position evolved into an Artist-in-Residence position with Scott either directing the students or acting with them every year. This arrangement provided Scott with many unique opportunities to grow as an artist with leading roles in HAMLET, ANTIGONE, WAITING FOR GODOT, THE TEMPEST, THE LION IN WINTER and others. His directing credits on the Blair Hall stage form an eclectic collection including LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, THE INFERNAL MACHINE, UNDER MILKWOOD, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. He continued in this capacity until 2003 and now serves in his original capacity. He also teaches regularly at Wright State University, the University of Dayton and Clark State College as well as coaching privately, helping actors of all ages to get the part, the show, the job, or the school. He has assisted over 50 students in getting into the college program of their choice. An accomplished pianist, Scott enjoys working with musical students the most. As a resident artist and founding member of The Human Race Theatre Company, Scott has performed many functions. But he is most often remembered for his on-stage roles at the Loft and the Victoria. Victoria shows include among others WAIT UNTIL DARK, SHENANDOAH, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, and GREEN GABLES . Recent HR productions include BROTHER WOLF, ROMEO & JULIET, TAKE ME OUT, HAROLD AND MAUDE and BIG RIVER. His career has given him many opportunities to travel – a European tour in Maury Yeston’s PHANTOM with an international cast; a world premiere production about the Native American storyteller, TE ATA, in her home state of Oklahoma; and the Human Race production, CONVENIENCE that premiered in Dayton and Sacramento. From his acting credits, a few of his favorite roles are Werner Heisenberg, from COPENHAGEN; Horton the Elephant, from SEUSSICAL; Roy Cohn, from ANGELS IN AMERICA and the title role in SWEENEY TODD. From his directing credits, a few of his favorite Loft productions are MAN OF LA MANCHA, A CHRISTMAS CAROL (which he adapted with fellow Human Race staffer, Leigh Allan) RABBIT HOLE, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, MINEOLA TWINS, and MARVIN’S ROOM; for the Victoria Theatre he directed WEST SIDE STORY; LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS; and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Scott has also received two major awards: a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District and in 2004 he was inducted into the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame.