Alisa is thrilled to be teaching at NEYT. She recently relocated to Brattleboro from New York City. As a performer, Alisa has appeared on Broadway in the original cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie (Alice),  Grease! (Frenchy), and in the original cast of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast (Silly Girl). Some of her favorite regional and stock roles include Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street (Theatre-By-The-Sea), Judy in A Chorus Line (Stages St. Louis), and Her/Barb in Romance/Romance (Fulton Opera House).  

Amy graduated from Eckerd College in 1994 with a BA in Theater.  Performed in professional and community theaters in the Tampa Bay Area.  She has taught acting and performance to children and is actively involved in the performing arts enrichment programs at Academy School, where she has been the School Nurse since 2009. Amy directed the Brattleboro performance of Birth: The Play in 2006.

Becky graduated from Colgate University and has a Masters in Ed. from Lesley College. She has lived in the Brattleboro area for more than 25 years. She is the founder and director of the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, for whom she has arranged many choral works. 

Bill Forchion has filled the past 30 years of his life as a circus clown, actor, acrobat, stunt man, independent filmmaker, and writer (to name a few things). These days Bill can be found coaching at the New England Center for Circus Arts, creating at Dreamcatcher Entertainment (his award winning film production company) or dancing with his three amazing children.

Chris Yerlig is thrilled to be invited to work with Peter, the NEYT staff, and young actors on the wonderful Jungle Book. In 1985 Chris left his studies in language in his native England to travel, and shortly thereafter became a street mime in Europe. Since 1987 he has been based in the US and has performed and taught mime around the world.

Darlene has 15 years experience directing camps and after-school programs. As a parent of a child with disabilities she brings the desire to help all children discover their unique abilities and talents. Darlene has worked for many years at the Farm & Wilderness Day Camp as assistant-director. 

David worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).  He worked as a clown (with pictures to prove it!) then worked as an actor, touring and in repertory.  David directed for many years, and now teaches and directs at the Birmingham School of Acting in Birmingham, which is one of the UK's largest vocational Drama Schools.  

Deb has been working at NEYT since her daughter, Juliana was in her first play in 2003.  Recognizing that something wonderful was happening, Deb quickly became involved, offering her extensive professional photography and graphic design expertise for the benefit of the theatre.

Doran Hamm is a born and raised Vermonter, and is an Alumni from the very first NEYT company. After graduating from MCLA studying Theater and Arts management, he spent several years, traveling, touring educational theater internationally, and teaching theater in The US Virgin islands. He has been on the faculty of NEYT for the past 5 years, and is so grateful to return and teach in the community that helped raised him.

Eric has worked in the theatre as a director, playwright, performer and mask and puppet maker.  His first solo performance using puppets, Autumn Potraits, won the critics award at the International Puppetry Festival in Adelaide, Australia in 1983.  In 1982, Eric founded Sandglass Theatre in Munich, Germany, with his wife Zeller Bass, and they moved Sandglass to Vermont, in 1986.

Hallie Flower joins NEYT with over 25-year’s experience in the arts - making and managing theatre in both the community & professional arenas. She is co-founding Artistic Director of The Apron Theater Company at Next Stage Arts and has directed, produced, performed, and taught throughout Southern Vermont, Kansas City, & New York City. Hallie is a graduate of Playwrights Horizons Theatre School, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, & The 42nd Street Collective.

At 15 I became involved with youth theater as a performer and student at the Upper Darby Summer Stage.  Four years later I began teaching improvisation for that same theater.  Youth theater opened the door to my future and provided me with  friends who remain among the  closest in my life.

Jerry is a founding member of NEYT, and was part of NEYT's first board.  He has been involved in just about every NEYT production since the premiere show, as either lighting designer or as a mentor to lighting design students.  For 26 years he was the Lighting Director for the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusettes at Amherst and he has designed shows throughout the region.

Jessa Rowan, as a theatre artist, director and certified teacher, has worked behind the scenes and onstage for over 20 years. Jessa has taught at the Emma Willard School, The Hetrick-Martin Institute, Falconworks, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Shadow Box Theatre, Oasis Children's Services and Andy's Summer Playhouse. Locally, she has directed with the Vermont Theatre Company and is on the board of directors at Sandglass Theater.

Jonny Flood grew up in Northern Vermont, and came to the world of theater and education through Peter Gould's Get Thee To the Funnery camp in Craftsbury at the age of 12. The value of this program led Jonny to pursue his degree in English Education at Boston University, where he taught in the public schools of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. After graduation, he left Boston to become one of the developers of NEYT's theater program at the Gifft Hill School on St. John, USVI. In his current role as NEYT's Education Director, Jonny oversees the Town Schools Theater partnership with local elementary schools, the growing collaboration with Oak Meadow and the general homeschool community, and the future educational ambitions of NEYT as an organization.

Katrina graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a BA in Theater and promptly moved to Los Angeles where she completed the 2 year actor's training program with Sanford Meisner. She then enjoyed a brief but successful career acting and modeling in LA, after which she worked for Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment. She relocated to this area in 2009 after the birth of her two children and has been actively involved in local theater ever since, most recently at Next Stage Arts with the Apron Theater Company in such productions as "August Osage County" and "What Rhymes With America".

Keely Eastley is a Linklater Designated voice teacher who apprenticed with Master Teacher Kristin Linklater. She began teaching in 1987 and has been on the faculty of Yale School of Drama, NYU, Syracuse University, Emerson College, Circle-in-the-Square, Classic Stage Co., Trinity Rep. and Shakespeare and Company, where she is a senior faculty member. Internationally, she was head of Voice and Movement at Toi Whakaari – New Zealand Drama School. While in Aotearoa (New Zealand), she also worked with the students at Takitimu, the school for traditional Maori performing arts.

Kevin has traveled the world to both teach and study circus, theatre and yoga.  As the artistic director of Circus Minimus he has directed residencies and performances that have touched the lives of over 100,000 children and their families.  In 2001 he was awarded an Excellence in Education award from the UA.  

Laura came to NEYT with her two home-schooled daughters, Allie and Emma.  Having spent their childhood dressing up and play-acting, the girls were ready for real theater.  They quickly became very involved at NEYT and Laura found herself taking photos and acting as the Front of House manager first in the old theater and then in the new.  

Laura received her Masters Degree in Education from Antioch/New England. She also studied in the Dance/Movement Therapy program. Since the late 1970s Laura has been a creative drama and movement artist in the classroom with elementary students, taught photography, and directed many drama productions.

Recently arrived from Sweden, Michelle appeared as a quiet, efficient volunteer, helping at the theatre where her daughter Kristina was enthusiastically plunging into productions and courses.  She's now the Managing Director, juggling everything from scheduling to course admin to ticket reservations.  

Naomi was in the audience of NEYT’s first-ever show. From there, she took classes and performed in the early days, at the original main street theater. Naomi graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in Sociology and Playwriting. She is an Alumna of Double Edge Theatre’s Emerging Artist Program (2008-2010). 

Peter received his BA and doctorate from Brandeis University and studied mime and clown in Mexico with Sigfrido Aguilar and with Tony Montanaro at the Celebration Mime-Theatre School. Peter has directed numerous productions for NEYT, including The Crucible, Playboy of the Western World and many of Shakespeare's plays. 

Rebecca is a director and educator with an extensive background in theater, film, and television. She is a graduate of Vassar College and the American Repertory Theater Institute at Harvard who has spent many years acting professionally in NYC, LA and in regional theaters across the country. 

After a series of less than distinguished appearances in Summer stock in 1965 with the likes of Dorothy Lamour, Jayne Mansfield, and Constance Bennett ( yes, that Constance Bennett!), Rick decided to go technical.  Two years of poverty and joy ensued, building and lighting sets in Canada, and traveling such shows as “Murder in the Cathedral” and “Playboy of the Western World” in the provinces.  

Creative Director

"Sandy plays a role in just about every sort of decision and project at the NEYT, large and small, from programming and general management to the intricate details of stage and set.  When it all becomes too much, she retreats to her remote hideway far above the Green Room, where she creates extraordinary costumes for all the casts.  

Shoshi's involvement with NEYT began with its inaugural production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She has danced leading roles in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Tiny Tim's Christmas at NEYT, among others, choreographed NEYT's The Music Man, and co-directed its summer Music Theatre Camp. 

Founder of the New England Youth Theatre

Stephen Stearns has been teaching, directing and performing as a professional clown, mime and actor for 38 years. He has a post doctorate degree in acting from England's famed London Academy (LAMDA). He received his MA in directing ('Best Director Award' 1968) and PhD in Elizabethan and Scandinavian Drama, both from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Susan Haefner is a professional actor, director, teacher, Broadway veteran, and proud Vermont resident. As an actor she most recently appeared in A Christmas Carol at Northern Stage as Spirit of Christmas Past, and as Donna in Mamma Mia at Weston Playhouse. Her Broadway credits include State Fair, Thoroughly Modern Millie and 42^nd Street.