CREATIVE TEAM BIOS

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SANDY BOREN-BARRETT (Co-Director and Artistic Director of Stages Theatre Company)

Sandy Boren-Barrett has been with Stages Theatre Company (STC) since 1990, allowing her to pursue her passion for theatre production and education, along with community building theatre serving young audiences. During her time in leadership STC has been awarded National recognition with the 2017 Harold Oaks Award for Innovative Contributions to the Field of Theatre for Young Audiences, as well as the 2018 – 50/50 Applause Award for promoting gender equity with playwrights. STC’s 2019-2020 season selection was highlighted in TYA Today Magazine as an example of “a promising increase in representation specifically in works that feature the stories of contemporary young people of color”. Sandy led an international performance tour and artistic exchange with “the egg Theatre, the Young Peoples Theatre of Theatre Royal” in Bath England. Collaboration is at the core of her work, and as an accomplished director has directed over 75 productions at STC which include many new works, dance-inspired productions, and world premieres. She directed the local premier, mainstage production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the musical which remains the highest attended production at Stages Theatre Company. Sandy remains on the Executive Committee, as former chair of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and last spring worked with Racially Conscious Collaboration (RCC) to gain her certification in racial equity organizational leadership.

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ANN MARIE OMEISH (Co-Director and Artistic Director of Escalate Dance)

Ann Marie Omeish is the owner and director of Escalate Dance and Theatre Studio. She has taught and choreographed dance and theater for the past thirty years in many venues throughout the region. After receiving a B.A. in Dance from Gustavus Adolphus, Ann Marie went on to incorporate theater in her experience, performing in and choreographing various productions including shows at Stages Theatre, Orchestra Hall, Lyric Arts and Normandale College. Ann Marie's passion for dance and theater led her to the decision to open her studio in the fall of 2004. She absolutely loves doing the dance collaboration with Stages Theatre every year!

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PETER H. REYNOLDS (Book Author)

Peter H. Reynolds is the award-winning author and illustrator of The North Star, The Dot, and Ish. He also illustrated the bestselling Someday by Alison McGhee, Tess's Treeby Jess M. Brallier, and the bestselling Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald. Peter and his twin brother, Paul (now his business partner), were born in Canada but moved to a Massachusetts suburb when they were 3 years old. They made their first foray into publishing at the age of 7, when they began producing their own newspapers and comic books on their father’s photocopier. An incessant doodler since childhood, Peter credits his unique brand of humor and his love for the absurd to growing up with “very eccentric British parents” who were fond of watching Monty Python. “It was not a normal house,” he recalls. From his parents he also inherited an appreciation for tea, which he uses both as a beverage and an art medium. Peter is the president and creative director of FableVision Studios in Watertown, Massachusetts, where he produces award-winning children’s broadcast programming, educational videos, and multimedia applications, Peter was recently honored by Verizon as Literacy Leader of the Year (USA). The author-illustrator lives with his family in Dedham, Massachusetts.

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JENNIFER KIRKEBY (Playwright & Lyricist)

The North Star” by Peter Reynolds marks the 23rd play that Jennifer Kirkeby has written for Stages Theatre Company. Other plays she and James LeKatz adapted for the stage include: “The Velveteen Rabbit”, “Snow Queen”, and “The Dot”, also by Peter Reynolds. A former dancer, Kirkeby enjoys creating pieces with movement and music. She is also a recreation artist who has been featured in Vogue magazine. Visit her Instagram account: @jenniferkirkeby The North Star” by Peter Reynolds marks the 23rd play that Jennifer Kirkeby has written for Stages Theatre Company. Other plays she and James LeKatz adapted for the stage include: “The Velveteen Rabbit”, “Snow Queen”, and “The Dot”, also by Peter Reynolds. A former dancer, Kirkeby enjoys creating pieces with movement and music. She is also a recreation artist who has been featured in Vogue magazine. Visit her Instagram account: @jenniferkirkeby

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JAMES LEKATZ (Composer)

James Lekatz is a composer, movement director, and arts educator in the Twin Cities. He was on staff at Stages Theatre Company for 5 years as an Education Associate, teaching many workshops, residencies, as well as the CAST program. He has composed and music directed many productions at Stages. He was the Artistic Associate of Performing Arts at Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts for 4 years, directing, acting, and programming work for the performing arts department. He has taught movement and movement directed productions at Augsburg College. Currently, he is a freelance composer, piano teacher, and aerial instructor. James firmly believes in giving young people a positive experience in the arts, as they will be the next generation of arts practitioners and arts patrons.

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SARAH HOHENSTEIN BURK (MUSICAL DIRECTOR)

A performer and recording artist on keyboard, violin, vocals and percussion, Sarah Hohenstein Burk has toured the U.S., Europe and the Middle East with a variety of ensembles and theatre troupes. Ongoing endeavors include directing and performing with her jazz trio, as well as dates with various jazz, big band, R&B, gospel, classical chamber, international dance and variety ensembles. She has played the roles of music director, conductor, composer, instrumentalist and arranger in over 100 theatre productions and is actively involved in the development and production of new works at Stages Theatre Company, the History Theatre, Theater Latté Da and Green T Productions.