Every summer the Troy Arts Council Theater Committee works to bring in volunteer guest directors and creative teams to participate in a summer residency. This residency includes numerous educational opportunities, camps, and workshops. It also includes the production of a full-scale musical held in the Troy City Park.
We are so incredibly thankful for our guest directors and creative team. They volunteer their time, energy, and resources to help support our community through theater. They believe this community is worth investing in and give us so much. Learn about our team below!
We are so incredibly thankful for our guest directors and creative team. They volunteer their time, energy, and resources to help support our community through theater. They believe this community is worth investing in and give us so much. Learn about our team below!
Kenn Wheeler - director
Kenn Wheeler is very excited about returning to Troy for a second summer. He directed last year’s wonderful production of Cinderella. Kenn is an Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Oregon. He is in his twenty-second year, and considers himself a theatre generalist. His areas of concentration include musical theatre, stage management and directing, but he also designs scenery, and teaches acting, theatre history, stage makeup and stage combat. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University and his Master’s of Fine Arts degree from Michigan State University. Before coming to EOU, Kenn taught at Lansing Community College and Albion College, in Michigan, and Treasure Valley
Community College, in Ontario, Oregon. His most recent project was directing Bock and Harnick’s romantic musical, She Loves Me, which just ended in June of 2024 During his forty-year career, Kenn has directed, designed or acted in more than three hundred productions. In the fall of 2010, Kenn was privileged to direct the first amateur university performance of The Phantom of the Opera to be produced in the United States. While some of his favorite projects have included Urinetown the Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables, and Much Ado About Nothing, he considers his greatest productions to be his three daughters, Jennifer, Jessica and Jillian. He and his wife, Denise are now working on spoiling their seven grandchildren: Valin, Boston, Nathaniel, Oren, Tobin, Hazel and Abigaille. Plenty of pictures available upon request.
Community College, in Ontario, Oregon. His most recent project was directing Bock and Harnick’s romantic musical, She Loves Me, which just ended in June of 2024 During his forty-year career, Kenn has directed, designed or acted in more than three hundred productions. In the fall of 2010, Kenn was privileged to direct the first amateur university performance of The Phantom of the Opera to be produced in the United States. While some of his favorite projects have included Urinetown the Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables, and Much Ado About Nothing, he considers his greatest productions to be his three daughters, Jennifer, Jessica and Jillian. He and his wife, Denise are now working on spoiling their seven grandchildren: Valin, Boston, Nathaniel, Oren, Tobin, Hazel and Abigaille. Plenty of pictures available upon request.
Abigail Rebekah - choreographer
Abigail Rebekah is a dancer/choreographer based in New York City. She has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance from the University of Utah School of Dance. Abigail comes from training focussed in musical theatre jazz techniques (Fosse & Cole), classical ballet techniques (Vagonova & ABT), neo-classical jazz, modern dance, improvisation, partnering, and commercial jazz all accumulating to specialties in theater performance. She has also studied acting at Stella Adler and voice with Laura Menard and Leryn Turlington (BroadwayVox).
Choreographically, Abigail's most recent choreography and direction has been for the musicals Oklahoma (Cornwell Dinner Theatre), The Music Man (Troy Community Theatre), and Once Upon a Mattress (Washougal High School), screen dances I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, classic surrealist simplicity, Newsies The Musical (Troy Community Theatre), newly devised work, Grey Area in collaboration with the University of Utah Undergraduate Research Program, a new play, Ronald & Edith, and All Together Now with Eastern Oregon University. Her most recent performances have been as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Belle in A Christmas Carol , Nancy Love in a new work Wear Her Sting with the University of Utah Theatre Department, and a company dancer with the University of Utah School of Dance Performing Dance Company.
abigail-rebekah.com
Choreographically, Abigail's most recent choreography and direction has been for the musicals Oklahoma (Cornwell Dinner Theatre), The Music Man (Troy Community Theatre), and Once Upon a Mattress (Washougal High School), screen dances I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, classic surrealist simplicity, Newsies The Musical (Troy Community Theatre), newly devised work, Grey Area in collaboration with the University of Utah Undergraduate Research Program, a new play, Ronald & Edith, and All Together Now with Eastern Oregon University. Her most recent performances have been as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Belle in A Christmas Carol , Nancy Love in a new work Wear Her Sting with the University of Utah Theatre Department, and a company dancer with the University of Utah School of Dance Performing Dance Company.
abigail-rebekah.com
Kaitlyn Atchison - Music director
Kaitlyn Atchison is a voice teacher in Moscow Idaho. She holds a MM degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Idaho and a BA in Vocal Performance from Whitworth University. This is her third year working with Troy Community Theater, and her second time working as musical director. She is greatly looking forward to the experience, as one of her passions is to help others learn to sing and perform. She has performing experience in both opera and musical theater, with roles including Cinderella from Cinderella, Marian Paroo from The Music Man, Lucie Mannette from The Tale of Two Cities, Mabel from The Pirates of Penzance, The Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute, and Bradamante from Alcina. When she is not working in theatre, Kaitlyn can be found teaching singing lessons, hiking, working with her horses, and caring for her excessive number of houseplants. kaitlynatchison.com
Hannah turner - associate choreographer
Hannah is a student at the University of Idaho, working toward two Bachelor of Science degrees in Dance and Pre-Physical Therapy. She began developing her love for dance in her home state of Hawaii, before moving to the PNW to pursue education. She has trained in tap, ballet, contemporary modern, jazz, and dabbled in other genres of the vast art form. Hannah’s fervent love for dance has compelled her to find ways to reach people, and different populations, through it. She has found such growth and community through the world of theater, which is part of what fuels her to impact others in the artistic world.
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