Director 

Miss Valerie is a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Speech/Theatre Education and has spent over 30 years involved in theatre: performing or directing.   She finished her ninth year as Troupe Director of Amherst Steele High School where she also teaches Freshman English.  In 2006 she took the play RNJ:PDQ to perform at the International Festival as the only play to represent Ohio, and in 2007 she took The Crucible as a featured play at the Ohio Educational Theatre Association’s State Conference.  This is Miss Valerie’s fourth year with PYT, she directed Honk, Jr (2006), Seussical (2007), and Willy Wonka Jr. (2008).  She thanks: her talented and dedicated production staff, the awesome PYT parent volunteers,  John & Suzanne and the rest of the wonderful Palace staff, her husband Fred, and the beautiful and talented students in this year’s production.  You all worked hard and put your heart and soul into this year’s project!  Don’t forget that you are “...youth... joy... and freedom!”

Musical Director

E-mail: kylebranzel@gmail.com

Website: www.kylebranzel.com

This is Kyle's fourth season with the Lorain Palace Youth Theatre. His theatrical credits stretch across Northeast Ohio in regional, community, and educational theatre settings in a multitude of capacities, including music director, vocal coach, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, rehearsal accompanist, and performance pianist. Kyle was recently accepted to the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University BFA Musical Theatre Class of 2013.

Choreographer

Alex can't wait until PYT starts up again! He lives in New York city as a professional actor. Growing up doing shows, Alex was Rooster in PYT's Annie, and Geppetto in their Pinnocchio. Alex has choreographed six shows, including PYT's Honk! Jr. and Seussical. Professional credits include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat National Tour (Dan/Joseph US), Broadway's Rising Stars (at Town Hall), Unlock'd (New York Musical Theatre Festival), West Side Story (Lyric Stage- directed by Original Broadway Castmember Grover Dale), and A Fireside Christmas in Wisconsin (where he played The Grinch). Alex is a proud graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

Technical Director

E-mail: steve.stransky@gmail.com

This is Steve's second year working with the PYT staff. He has been involved in theatre since the age of eight, when he himself participated in the Palace Youth Theatre. Steve currently attends the University of Toledo, majoring in Communication, with a minor in Theatre. After graduation he plans to work in marketing while maintaining his passion for the arts. This year Steve has many exciting design concepts he plans to incorporate into the show.

Producer

Phone: 440-315-1551

E-mail: jessicadsmith221@hotmail.com

Jessica is no stranger to the Palace Youth Theatre program, as she attended PYT for 8 years with her debut in The Hobbit back in 1995. This is her fifth year on the PYT staff, and fourth year as producer (Aladdin Jr., Honk! Jr., Seussical and Willy Wonka Jr.). Jessica recently graduated from Ohio University with a B.A. in English, and currently works as a Staff Assistant in the Social Sciences Division at Lorain County Community College. The site you are currently viewing is her first attempt EVER at creating/designing a web page, so please be patient with any glitches or problems you may encounter! 

Costume Designer

This is Justin's third year with the staff and is honored to be working with PYT once again. Justin’s theatrical credits extend across Northeast Ohio, working as a Costume Designer for community and academic theatres in Amherst, Cleveland, Lorain, Shaker Heights, and as a Student Designer for Ashland University. Justin has his Associate of Arts degree and will be graduating from Ashland University with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies/Costume Design in December 2009. Justin will be concurrently designing PYT’s Peter Pan and Sandstone Summer Theatre’s production of Once upon a Mattress. He most recently designed for The Shape of Things and Crimes of the Heart at Ashland University this past year as a student Costume Designer. He previously designed SST’s productions of Little Shop of Horrors (2008), Grease (2005), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat (2004), and worked as a student costume design intern for Nickel and Dimed at LCCC in 2007. Justin is excited to be working at the Palace Civic Center once again and is equally excited for what is in store for the children in the program!

I'll teach you to jump on the wind's back, and away we go. – Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

Co-Producer

Kristin Stark is thrilled to be back for her second year working with the staff of PYT. As far as she is concerned, this is the perfect environment, combining her love of theatre with her passion for working with children. Kristin has been involved with theatre since the age of 12. Show credits include Romeo and Juliet, The Three Musketeers, and her favorite, The Crucible. She spent four wonderful years at Amherst Steele High School performing under the Drama Queen herself, Valerie Farschman. Kristin is currently attending Baldwin-Wallace College with a major in Middle Childhood Education, and couldn’t be more excited for this summer’s production!

Staff Assistant 

Sarah is very excited to be back again this summer! This is her eleventh production with PYT since she was eight, including shows such as: Snow White, Charlotte's Web, Annie, Pinocchio, Honk, and even the last production of Peter Pan! She has also been in educational theatre and community theatre, including: Jesus Christ Superstar, Exploding Love, Schoolhouse Rock, Audition For Murder, Godspell, A Christmas Carol, You Have the Right to Remain Dead, Lil Red in Da Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and many more. This year, she even directed the musical: Songs for a New World, by Jason Robert Brown. She is a recent graduate of Lorain Southview High School, where she took part in: Chorale, Music Studio, Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Pep Band, and Drama. She is attending Baldwin-Wallace College in the fall to study Theatre and Education.