Jessii Arp
Peter and the Starcatcher Director
Last at Civic: Directing The Little Prince, Onstage in Merrily We Roll Along, Directing James and the Giant Peach

Jessii earned a BA in Theatre Arts and Music from Western Washington University and currently works in Spokane Public Schools. Favorite credits include directing The Little Prince and James and the Giant Peach Jr. (both with Civic Education), Alice in You Can’t Take It With You (Civic), Tansey McGinnis in The Nerd (Lake City Playhouse) and Susan in Company (Mt. Baker Theater). Outside of the theatre Jessii enjoys reading books with her cat.

Joshua Baig
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in The Beauty Queen of Leanne, Directing Romeo and Juliet, Directing The Comedy of Errors

Josh made his debut as a director on the Main Stage with the classic Romeo and Juliet after directing last season’s A Comedy of Errors for Civic Education. He studied theatre locally at Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University and was last seen onstage at Civic in Merrily We Roll Along and Photograph 51. In Civic’s 2019-2020 season, he had the honor to play the iconic roles of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life and Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret. Other favorite credits include Paul Roms in Important Hats of the Twentieth Century (Upstart Players), Ensemble in Young Frankenstein (Civic) and Sebastian in The Tempest (EWU Theatre).

Ann Benson
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage for Civic Interactive: Cinderella, A Literary Tale

Ann is an active singer, actor, director, and voice teacher all throughout the Inland Northwest. Most recently, she’s appearing as Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella with Civic Interactive. Favorite past roles include Marmee in Little Women, Mother Superior in Nunsense (both with Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre) and Alison in Fun Home (Lake City Playhouse). Opera roles include Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel and Count Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Inland Northwest Opera. Ann regularly sings as mezzo-soprano soloist around the region, including collaborations with the Spokane Symphony, Conservatory Coeur d’Alene, the Palouse Choral Society and Walla Walla University Symphony. Recently, Ann directed The Sound of Music at Whitworth University, and past directing credits include Our Town, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, The Glass Menagerie and The Miracle Worker for theatres and organizations around the region. She also loves directing chamber theatre productions and devising scripts and eclectic multimedia theatre performances—especially with kids and novice performers! Ann has a long history as an educator, having taught music and/or theatre at Ferris High School, North Central High School and Mead Middle School, as well as serving as an adjunct professor in theatre at Whitworth University. Currently, Ann maintains a thriving private voice studio and looks for any interesting opportunity to perform, make art, or collaborate with other people on performing and art-making.

Kylle L. Collins
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Prop Master for Waitress, Onstage in The Great Gatsby (Readers Theater)

Kylle is a professional international Prop Master of the stage and screen by trade and is a graduate of the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Kylle returned to Civic this Spring onstage for The Great Gatsby Readers Theater directed by Kim Roberts, who was an early contributing factor in his interest in the arts, having directed him in several productions in his youth.

Bonni Dichone
The Wind in the Willows Choreographer, Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Choreographer for CATS

Bonni is a multi-hyphenate creative based in the Pacific Northwest, with a dynamic background spanning dance, musical theatre, classical ballet, classical piano, and on-screen acting. She has performed as a principal dancer with a contemporary ballet company and appeared on professional musical theatre stages. An award-winning choreographer, Bonni is currently a faculty member at Artistry in Motion Dance and Performing Arts Studio in Spokane. In 2024, she served as choreographer for Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of CATS. Recent film credits include Train Dreams and Dreamin’ Wild, with upcoming appearances in Tell No One and The Mythos Murders.

In addition to her artistic career, Bonni holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Washington State University and recently retired from her role as a tenured Professor of Mathematics at Gonzaga University. She lives in Spokane with her husband, Paulo, and their two children, Georgina and Rafael, embracing a full and happy life.

Chelsea DuVall
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Directing POTUS (Readers Theater), Directing Dracula, Directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Chelsea is a theatre artist, acting coach & writer based in Spokane, WA. She completed her Master of Fine Arts in Acting at the California Institute of the Arts. She is Fitzmaurice Voicework Teacher and has taught at higher education institutions such as Utah State University, Gonzaga University & the California Institute of the Arts. Previous directing credits include Dracula and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Spokane Civic Theatre and A Bright Room Called Day at Gonzaga University. She is directing an all female & non-binary cast of Julius Caesar at Stage Left in September 2025. Spokane acting credits include: Alison in Fun Home (Stage Left Theatre), Marianne in Constellations (Spokane Civic Theatre), Dr. Rosalind Franklin in Photograph 51 (Spokane Civic Theatre) & Harper Pit in Angels in America, Part I (Spokane Civic Readers Theatre).

Elise Forier Edie
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Directing Living Doll (Playwrights’ Forum Festival)

Elise holds an MFA in Playwriting from the University of Arizona. Her scripts have been produced all over North America, from New York to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. Her hit play The Pink Unicorn had two off-Broadway runs, and starred Tony-award winning actress Alice Ripley. Elise has taught playwriting and other theatre arts all over the world, most recently at Whitworth University, where she is an associate professor. She is best known for her award-winning children’s plays and musicals, including Cathy’s Creek, about a girl who can talk to Joan of Arc, John Henry, about the great American folk hero and Valerie and the Bear, a modern re-telling of the French fairytale, Valentine and Orsin.

James Gallo
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage for An Enemy of the People

James earned his Master of Fine Arts in acting from UCLA, and BFA from University of Connecticut.  He has performed and taught at theaters across the country, including Hartford Stage, LATC, Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, and most recently at Spokane Civic. He has trained at The Second City Hollywood, and Margie Haber’s Studio.  Before moving to Eastern Washington with his family, James was the Director of Theater Productions at Saint Monica Preparatory in Santa Monica, CA, and taught at Gary Spatz: The Playground Acting Studio. He is currently the drama teacher at Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame. He loves coaching actors and telling stories.

Sarah Glesk
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage and Choreographer for Rising Tide, Ballet Choreographer for Carousel

Sarah Glesk is a dedicated dance educator, choreographer, and dancer from Spokane, WA. She has served as an adjunct faculty member at Gonzaga University since 2013 and at Whitworth University since 2018. In addition, Sarah is a dance instructor at Spokane Ballet Studio and Artistry Motion and a sought-after guest teacher for summer intensives at various studios across Spokane. Her expertise encompasses ballet, pointe, contemporary/modern, jazz, choreography, and dance conditioning. In 2024, she began teaching Dance for Parkinson’s classes after completing her training with the Mark Morris Dance Group Outreach Program.

Sarah earned her BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, graduating Cum Laude in 2006. Her professional experience includes performances with various companies across Seattle, WA, as well as co-founding the CanCan Castaways, contributing both as a performer and choreographer for the Seattle-based cabaret dinner theater. Recently, Sarah has both choreographed and performed in several productions by Kindling Dance in Spokane. Her choreography has gained significant recognition, being prominently featured in Kindling Dance Productions, Gonzaga’s annual Spring Dance Concert, the Spokane Film Project, the 50-Hour Slam, and various music videos.

This past year, Sarah had the honor of working with the Spokane Civic Theatre for the first time, choreographing the ballet for their production of Carousel, and she is excited for the opportunity to work with Civic again.

Nathan Hoyt
Peter and the Starcatcher Music Director, Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in Carousel, Onstage in She Loves Me, Onstage in Jersey Boys

Nathan is a graduate of Eastern Washington University with a degree in Music Education. He is currently the Drama Director at Cheney High School. Nathan has been performing on stage for most of his life, and has a decade of experience as a Music Director for musicals at places like Civic, Spokane Children’s Theater, several High Schools, and EWU – where he received a Kennedy Center Meritorious award for Excellence in Music Directing.

Karlin Marie Kahler
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in Waitress, Winter 2025 Teaching Artist, Fall 2024 Teaching Artist

You may have seen Karlin in Carousel as Julie Jordan, in Heathers The Musical as Heather Chandler, in CATS as Demeter, and in Cabaret as Fraulein Kost (all with Civic). Outside of Civic she has portrayed Johanna in Sweeney Todd, and a Phantom in The Rocky Horror Show at Stage Left. At the Lilac City Dinner Theatre Karlin appeared as Bunny Lingus in Saucy Jack and The Space Vixens and Jessica in Women Playing Hamlet. In addition to performing, Karlin works as Costume Associate at Civic and is also proud to be a member of the teaching staff for Civic’s educational programs and loves helping young artists discover their craft.

Mary Orsmby
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in The Wolves, Fall 2024 Teaching Artist, Onstage in Carousel

Mary is excited to be back as a Teaching Artist this summer at Civic. This season she appeared in the Main Stage’s Carousel and the Studio Theatre’s The Wolves. Other favorite roles include Ilona Ritter in She Loves Me (Civic), player in Pippin (Stage Left Theater), Fred’s Daughter/Street Urchin in Scrooge (Civic) and Baby Duckling in Honk! (Spokane Children’s Theatre).

Peter Rossing
Summer Teaching Artist
Production and Strategy Director, Spokane Civic Theatre

Peter first designed and painted for the Civic with CATS last season before joining the staff as Production and Strategy Director. He has designed sets for theater, opera, dance, and corporate events in Portland, Austin and traveling productions. Favorite projects included A View from the Bridge for Portland Repertory Theatre, The Importance of Being Earnest for New Rose Theatre (Portland), On the Verge for Different Stages Co. in Austin, and A Comedy of Errors on Austin’s Zilker Park Stage. In recent years, Peter has focused on graphic design, arts marketing, and entrepreneurial projects including founding and operating an art supply store in Portland.

Dana Sammond
Education Coordinator, Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in Waitress, Winter 2025 Teaching Artist, Summer 2024 Teaching Artist

Dana received a BA in Theater from Whitworth University with a Certificate from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. She currently works at Civic as the education coordinator and a teaching artist, and is a cat mom to Henry. Her favorite roles include Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Spokane Ensemble Theatre), Bridget Sullivan in Lizzie: The Musical (Bright Comet Theatre), Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong and Fritzie in Cabaret (both with Civic).

Jake Schaefer
The Wind in the Willows Director, Summer Teaching Artist
Executive Director, Spokane Civic Theatre

Jake  is a musician, theater-maker and, proudly, Civic’s Executive Director. His passion for collaborative creative work caught fire at a young age while studying music and performing at Civic. Jake moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue a college education and career in show business. In 2010, he founded a music co-op called EMPHATIC which has since evolved into a recording and live production company. Jake and other EMPHATIC artists have contributed to recordings and live endeavors for artists including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, LA Phil, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Rufus Wainwright, and Quincy Jones; commercial clients include Cirque du Soleil, Marc Jacobs, and Nike; favorite regional theater credits include Evita (director), It Must Be Him (original/LA workshop music director), and The Night of the Black Cat (original production workshop music director); consulting clients include Live Nation, The Nederlander Organization, and Universal Music Group. In addition to directing CATS, The Addams Family, Alice by Heart, Jersey Boys, Young Frankenstein, Follies in Concert, and more, Jake has led Civic collaborations with Spokane Symphony (West Side Story) and Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (Dressing The Abbey: The Costumes of Downton Abbey).

Jamie L. Suter
Summer Teaching Artist
Costume Designer and Shop Manager, Spokane Civic Theatre

Jamie holds a BA in Theater Design and Technical Production with concentrations in Costume Design and Directing from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, studying under Broadway professionals Gail Brassard, Liz Covey, and Bob Anton. Notable credits include Costume Design for The Wonder!: A Woman Keeps a Secret (T. Schreiber Studio), Assistant to the Costume Designer for Sweeney Todd (Avery Fisher Hall), Assistant Costume Designer for The Lucky Chance (Theresa Lang Theater), Director/Costume Designer for Seven Femmes (Rathskeller Studios), and Costume Designer for The Lost Cabaret (NYC Fringe Festival). Jamie joined the Civic staff in 2018, her first design on stage being Present Laughter in the Studio Theatre. She loves being part of the fun and frivolity of live theater and is incredibly happy to do that at her home away from home, Spokane Civic Theatre.

Rachae Thomas
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in Sweat, Onstage in POTUS (Readers Theater), Summer 2024 Teaching Artist

Rachae  is originally from Spokane, WA. She recently relocated to her hometown by way of Los Angeles in 2021. Her TV credits range from recurring to guest appearances on streaming networks like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Shows like How to Get Away with Murder, Hand of God and Casual. Her breakout role was in a  film called Life of a King playing a supporting role to Cuba Gooding Jr. She’s appeared in numerous national commercials throughout her career. As well as starred in critically acclaimed Theatre and Musical Theatre productions all over Los Angeles. She’s also performed her own and other One Woman shows around the country. Rachae’s goal is to break racial boundaries and limitations in roles and in life. Creating relate-able characters and stories that transform and empower the narrative around Women, People of Color and normal ass people everywhere, is her passion. Being “Mommy” is her passion too.

Ryan Wasson
Summer Teaching Artist
Last at Civic: Onstage in Waitress, Onstage in The Great Gatsby (Readers Theater), Winter 2025 Teaching Artist

Ryan has made a home at Spokane Civic Theatre over the past 6 years. Some of his Civic credits include “Himself” in Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), Heavenly Friend/Ensemble in Carousel, Waiter/Ensemble in She Loves Me, an Ancestor in The Addams Family, Vice Principal Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, James Watson in Photograph 51, and Ensemble in The Wizard of Oz. Ryan also works in the area as an actor, director, and photographer, in addition to working as the Communications Assistant at Civic.

Erin Weller
Summer Teaching Artist

Erin is a multidisciplinary writer. Born and raised in Spokane, she studied Film Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and spent the next two decades working in the film and tv industry doing everything from art department to lighting to directing. Her true calling, however, is writing. She co-created the comedic web series Social Animals, wrote pilot scripts that received accolades from numerous festivals, and was selected for the inaugural Women in Film/The Black List Episodic Lab, sponsored by HBO. Erin wrote on Disney+’s Big Shot, starring John Stamos, and has pitched her original scripts to everyone from Sony to 20th Century Fox to ABC. She and her writing partner are developing an original animated show with Powerhouse Animation. Since moving with her wife and children back to her hometown of Spokane, Erin has written for advertising, serialized audio stories, and picture books, and is currently writing a middle grade fantasy-adventure novel.”