Renee Wimberley is a Triangle based actor, director, caregiver-artist advocate, and educator specializing in arts integration. She has over 30 years of experience teaching theatre arts programs in Wake County Schools, homeschool coops, various outreach and summer programs such as Raleigh Little Theatre and Applause Youth Theatre. She has worked with students at Meredith College, NC State, and William Peace University and on tour with The Missoula Children’s Theatre. She received her BA in Theatre Arts Education from UNC-Greensboro. In 2020, she was nominated for Broadway World Regional’s Theatre Arts Educator of the Decade. Favorite local roles include Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (The Justice Theater Project), Joyce in The Sum of Us (Honest Pint Theatre), Smitty in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (RLT), and most recently The Duchess of York in Richard III (Sweet Tea Shakespeare). As founder and Executive Director of Seed Art Share, she is passionate about supporting caregivers in the arts and exploring community spaces through site-specific productions. Her favorite humans are her husband Joe and kiddos Max, Cana, and Stella.
Emily Freer
Emma K. Johnson is a Senior Musical Theatre major and Professional Communications Minor at Meredith College. She has worked as the Meredith College Marketing Intern since 2021. Past Roles in the area include: Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher (FVAC); Cinderella in Cinderella (RLT; Chris Hargensen in Carrie: The Musical (MCT); Mom in Nuclear Family (New Play Premiere) (MCT). She also is one of RLT's 2024 DIVAS and Director for Meredith College Theatre's ETC Miscast Cabaret. She also loves her family, friends, and dog, Kevin. Love to Dad!
Barbette Hunter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech/Communications from NC State University and did graduate work in acting at UNC-Greensboro. She has earned three performance awards and two technical theatre awards from RLT. As a professional actress, she has performed with numerous companies in the Triangle including the Justice Theatre Project, Raleigh Ensemble Players and Theatre in the Park. She has over 25 years of experience working as a director, stage manager, and award-winning professional actress in theater, film, TV, and radio. Barbette has been working with the RLT Education Program and Cary Applause! Youth Theatre for over fifteen years.
Tara Raab has supported the Raleigh theatre community since building sets and props in college at NC State. She is a biotechnology executive with over 25 years of leadership experience and enjoys volunteering as a mentor and coach. She and her family know first hand the challenges of juggling multiple work, school, and rehearsal schedules. Tara love's the site specific productions Seed Art Share is known for and is dedicated to integrating arts into education, sharing theatre with a broader community and supporting other families active in the theatre community.
Caitlin Rabb
Dylan Bailey is a Raleigh-based theatre artist. He holds a BFA in Theatre for Youth from East Carolina University. As a teaching artist, he’s worked with RLT, Applause! Youth Theatre, NCT, Seed Art Share, TAP, and The ArtsCenter. In addition to teaching he’s worked professionally as a freelance actor and theatre technician with Seed Art Share, Burning Coal Theatre, Pittsboro Youth Theatre, Theatre in the Park, and Summer Storybook Theatre. In 2018 he spent a summer performing abroad in Polish primary schools and at the Juwenalia Youth Festival in Krosno. Since 2016 he has worked as a teaching artist and facilitator with the Confident Voices program at Camp SAY: A Camp for Young People Who Stutter. When not on a stage or in a classroom, he enjoys writing and adapting new plays for young audiences!
Jess Barbour is a full time actor and teacher. She earned her BFA in Theatre from Elon University and studied with Bill Esper at The Esper Studio in NYC. She has taught and choreographed all over the area for local high schools, NCT Conservatory, Raleigh Little Theatre and North Raleigh Arts Creative Theatre. She also works at the Anesthesiology Board of America and Duke University as a Standardized Patient training medical students and professionals in empathy and bedside manner through acting scenarios. She has performed professionally all over the Southeast and filmed on industrials, local and national commercials, voiceovers, television, independent and feature films.
As a Triangle based teaching artist Jordan Biggers has taught with Seed Art Share, Raleigh Little Theatre, Carolina Youth Theatre, Theater Academy Productions, and North Carolina Theatre. She is a graduate of East Carolina University where she received degrees in Theatre Education and Theatre for Youth. In addition to her love for teaching, Jordan is an active performer (Women’s Theatre Festival, Pure Life Theatre, Pittsboro Youth Theatre) and has travelled internationally with Storybook Theatre. Jordan is passionate about promoting children’s literacy, developing a love for learning, and instilling kindness and empathy in each student she teaches.
Chanda Branch’s credits include Smokey Joe's Cafe (Brenda), Chicago (Velma), Hairspray (Lorraine), 9 to 5 (Kathy), Ragtime (Sarah), Zuccotti Park (Kate), Crowns (Velma), Porgy & Bess (Strawberry Woman), Ain't Misbehavin' (Charlaine), Big Fish (The Witch), and Three Little Birds (Montego), Loving (Narrator) A Motown Christmas, and A Soulful Christmas & A Gospel New Year with companies across Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina. She has performed at the National Black Theatre Festival and the Women's Theatre Festival Fringe where she was recognized for her "Outstanding Performance" in Call & Response (Pearl). She has also designed, directed, choreographed, and produced theatre for schools and youth programs. She has held city, state, and regional titles in beauty pageants and is the nationally reigning Ms. Black USA! Family and friends have cut a path for her on this journey as an Artist, Wife, Mommy, Advocate, Educator and Queen and she is grateful for every opportunity that head led her to this very spot! Follow her on Instagram: @iamrsbranch and @modernblackmommy
Dustin Britt is a theatre educator, director, performer, designer, and writer. He holds an M.A.Ed. in Special Education from East Carolina University and a B.S. in Deaf Education from UNC-Greensboro. He has taught and participated in the performing arts in North Carolina for more than 25 years and was privileged to direct Seed Art Share's 2018 production of The Miracle Worker. As a Seed regular, he has strutted about town as Sir Walter Raleigh, sprinted through the darkened streets in several First Night Raleigh performances, and sprinkled fairy dust in the Raleigh Rose Garden in 2015's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Dustin also writes about arts accessibility for young people for Carolina Parent Magazine.
Joyce is a graduate of East Carolina University where she received a BFA in Professional Acting. She has performed in statewide high school improv competitions and served as Swish Improv's team captain for three years. During her time with Swish, she gained teaching artist experience leading workshops in schools, holding private lessons, and assisting with North Carolina high school improv competitions. Additionally, she has experience performing and teaching Shakespeare to school-age children and globally to college students all the way in Poland
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.
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