Kerynne Vance - Founder/Director
Kerynne started Upstage Theatre for Youth in Payson, UT in 2001, and in 10 years Upstage produced 24 shows and over 500 young people were involved.
She graduated from Utah Valley University where she minored in Theater. The first musical in which she participated was "Brigadoon," during her freshman year of high school. She fell in love with musical theater then, and it's been in her blood ever since. She loves helping young people develop their talents and gain confidence.
She have been married to my husband, Lyle, for 26 years. She is the mother of 3 and grandmother of 3. She has been a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir since 2011, and I loves it! She also teaches fourth grade at a private school in American Fork.
Rebecca Kitchen - Board Member
Rebecca Kitchen is thrilled to be on the Board of Upstage.
She has 5 children and 9 plus grandchildren, graduated from BYU in Theatre
Education, was Drama Coach at the Winner School, has volunteered for over 15
years at Bella Vista Grade School in directing Shakespeare, is currently on the
Cottonwood Heights Arts Council and believes in the positive life changing
influence theatre can have on children. Laurisa Ward Cope - Board Member/Producer
Laurisa Ward Cope, a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, received her B.M and M.M. degrees in Piano Performance from Brigham Young University. At BYU, she studied with Dr. Irene Peery-Fox and Robert Smith, as well as receiving jazz training from Dr. Ray Smith, Dr. Steve Call, Dan Waldis, Craig Larson, and Steve Erickson. Laurisa toured Germany, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands as pianist for the jazz big band "Synthesis" and recorded two CD's with the group. She is a past recipient of the D. H. Baldwin Fellowship, a national award given to outstanding graduates in the piano teaching area. Laurisa loves to help children experience the joy of creating and participating in music. She has taught piano for over 20 years, and has served as Assistant Director of the Weber State Piano Preparatory Program for 13 years. Laurisa has accompanied numerous theater productions, and was even cast as Sister Margaretta in "The Sound of Music" and as Fruma Sarah in "Fiddler on the Roof" in her high school days. Her most recent theater ventures have included composing music for and producing "The Hare and the Tortoise" for children's theater and supporting her children in their discovery of the magic of the stage.
Celeste Porter .......Celeste Porter has been seen in the past on stage with Draper City, Sandy Cit
McKenzie Maag - Choreographer
McKenzie is very excited and thankful for this opportunity
to choreograph. McKenzie has been dancing all her life but began her formal
training at 7 years old. After a year of ballet, she began taking any and every
class she could. McKenzie has training in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, belly
dance, basic hula, and musical theatre. McKenzie is currently a student and
teacher at The Learning Circle. McKenzie is planning to attend Westminster
College in Fall 2015 double majoring in Theatre Performance and Education
McKenzie has 3 siblings and a giant family of 'adopted'
theatre friends. She has been performing in musicals since she was 11 years
old. Her first role was 'Amaryllis' in the Music Man Jr. Some of her other
favorite roles include (but not limited to); Tiffany Swords (Lights, Camera,
Murder: Poison Ivy Mysteries), Miss Flannery (Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr:
Upstage Theatre for Youth), Aquata (Little Mermaid Jr: Sandy City) and Ariel's
Entourage (Footloose: Sandy City)
