Board of Directors

Sam Corey is a theatre teaching artist, actress, and director from  Raleigh, NC. She has over 7 years of experience teaching theatre and  circus skills to all ages, and has worked in the past with Seed Art  Share, Raleigh Little Theatre, Applause Cary Youth Theatre, Carrboro  ArtsCenter, Theatre Academy Productions, Cirque De Vol, and Aradia  Fitness and many more. She is currently in her final year at Mary  Baldwin University seeking a Master of Letters in Shakespeare and  Performance.

Candace Hescock is a New England born actor and classically trained singer, theatre and voice teaching artist and private vocal instructor. She has 17 years of experience including the last 6 years as a resident performer here in the Triangle. She has trained and performed with Shakespeare and Co of Lenox Mass, prop and crew for a few new new york state opera productions and experience and training as a haunted attraction performer and tour guide on the west coast. Some local show credits include Guys and Dolls with Cary Players, Men on Boats with Justice Theatre Project, several productions with the National Womens Theatre Festival and Trojan Woman with Bare Theatre. She is a veteran event and party entertainer specializing in childrens events and works with a Dinner Detective improv company in Raleigh. She loves teaching children and advocates for all types of learners where she can provide a neurodivergent perspective and approach.

Laura Bess has worked up and down the East Coast as both performer and  teacher. Bringing over 20 years of teaching experience to the classroom,  Laura received her BA in Theatre from Meredith College in 2007 and her  MFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in  2016. A native North Carolinian, Laura has performed at theatres all  over the Triangle and the Triad. Laura is also a playwright, and her  play "Hero" was produced in London in 2014. Laura is a proud member of  the Actors Equity Association.

Shannon Mitchell is a Homeschool Mom to two amazing children.  She  directs a 10th grade class of homeschoolers.  For 30+ years, she has  taught public speaking, theater, and dance classes. Looking forward to a great year! 

An award-winning actor and stage director, he has garnered praise for his performances as King Richard in Richard III, Prospero in The Tempest, and Romeo and Juliet with Evan Rachel Wood as well as his original direction of A Midsummer Night's Dream. His television credits include Windmills of the Gods, Smokey and the Bandit-The Series, and several guest appearances on Matlock. His film acting credits include Ramblin' Rose, Road to Wellville, Twilight Zone-The Lost Episodes, and Radioland Murders. From the beginning of his career, Tony has consistently been involved as a coach and arts educator, developing and working with programs and workshops throughout the southeast including The Growing Theatre of Georgia, Actor's Training Ground, and Applause! Cary Youth Theatre. 

Deb Royals-Mizerk holds a PhD in Performance and Cultural studies from  the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she also taught  multiple courses in oral histories, ethnographic field research, and  performance studies.  She also holds a MA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Northwestern University with a strong emphasis on theatre for youth that MATTERS. Royals-Mizerk has worked with school districts both in Chicago and in North Carolina, to incorporate the arts as a  necessary learning tool that works in step with and enhances STEM programs...she believes in STEAM. She has worked to create and/or found multiple companies in central North Carolina including Applause! Youth Theatre for the Town of Cary, Pure Life Theatre Company and is the founder and founding Artistic Director for The Justice Theater Project. She adapted William Faulkner’s That Evening Sun and Richard Adam’s Watership Down into fully realized stage plays that have been produced regionally. Her original works include The WOO Women, Still…Life and  Light on the Horizon.  Still…. Life was rendered from deep ethnographic  work that was conducted throughout the state of North Carolina and was awarded the National People Of Faith Against the Death Penalty award for its focus on how the death penalty negatively impacts the people of North Carolina and Light on the Horizon was a result of two years of work with National Geographic writer Joel Borne and multiple trips, interviews and experiences with people effected by the 2011 BP oil spill in southern Louisiana.  Deb is a long-time member of the Stage  Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC).  She is married to Joe Mizerk and they have three sons – Daniel, Noah and Eli.

Aya Wallace is a dance and theatre educator, performer, and activist.  She received her B.S. in Education with a Kinesiology concentration from Temple University and her M.A. in Dance Education with a Ballet Pedagogy concentration from New York University. In our local theater community, Aya has performed, choreographed, and directed for many local theaters including Justice Theatre Project, Agape Theatre, Seed Art Share, Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, Theatre Raleigh, NRACT, Raleigh Little Theatre, and Pure Life Theatre.  Major roles include Celie in The Color Purple (JTP), Felicia in Memphis (RLT - winning Cantey in Best Actress 2016-17), Wanda in Crowns (RLT), Anne in Dance on Widow's Row (Agape Theatre), The Lady in Scottsboro Boys (TR), and Mildred in Loving (PLT).  Aya has also appeared in film, winning Best Actress for role as Sheryl in "Rabbits" filmed for Beery Media, PSA roles working with Beery Media and Two Dots Studios, and even reading "Sulwe" for Wake Forest Renaissance Centre.  She is a board member for North Raleigh Arts Creative Theatre, core member for Pure Life Theatre and an adjunct ballet professor at North Carolina Central University. We communicate in words and images on a daily basis.  Aya believes it is critical to educate and demonstrate to our community the creative ways to communicate through acting, dance and song as an additional language to access.  When we experience the many different ways we exist in movement and song, we learn and appreciate those differences.  We learn more about ourselves and how we are all connected.

Roni Carrington is a dedicated community leader, entertainer, and artist with over twelve years of experience in various leadership, and artistic roles. Roni's passion for using art as a catalyst for change, social equity and community empowerment continues to drive her to make a positive impact on her students and the world utilizing art as a means of radical creative expression. 

Michael is an actor, costumer, and composer from Fuquay Varina NC.  Some of his works include the score for Shared Radience’s 2022 performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as the costumes for Raleigh Little Theatre’s 2023 production of Puffs.

Davi Cunningham is a young queer actor and poet new to the Raleigh area. They are a sophomore at Meredith College studying Musical Theatre and English. They have been in many shows recently, OhKay!, The Wolves, and Carrie, to name a few at Meredith. They are so happy to be apart of this educational team and they hope you enjoy the show! Their social media handle is @queenangelyls for all socials. 

Julia is a student, actress, and teaching assistant in Garner NC. She has performed since she was 6 years old in several homeschool and local community theater productions with Seed Art Share, CAPA, Applause! Cary Youth Theatre, The Towne Players of Garner, and Pure Life Theatre. She is a caregiver for Seedlings and Share The Show with Seed Art Share. In her free time Julia enjoys clogging, tap dancing, playing violin, singing and spending time with her dogs and cats.

 Asher Richardson has been privileged to be a part of Seed Art Share's educational and performance programs for over ten years. His favorite performance with Seed was playing Sir Walter Raleigh at the City of Raleigh Museum in the production "Night at the Museum." He has also been involved with various shows through CAPA, Sonorous Road and The Holly Springs Cultural Center. In addition to acting, Asher is very passionate about musical theater and is developing his drumming repertoire of various Broadway show tunes.  He is currently taking dual enrollment classes at Wake Tech and hopes to one day pursue a music and/or technical theater degree. He is also an avid snow skier and fire performer.