Christian Banks is a 22 year old actor with years of experience, both community and professional. This is his third semester working with CAPA, he has stage managed and is excited to be directing again. With his training in acting, singing, and dancing, he is grateful for the privilege to help grow the next generation of Columbia thespians.

Grace McCall Bethurem has been a musical theater performer for over 20 years. McCall grew up in Denver, Colorado performing nationally and internationally with Kids in America Theater Company. McCall loves the performing arts and had her first paid theater role at 10 years old. She has since performed in over 30 musicals and plays. As a child news anchor on television, McCall also received training in acting for film and television and had several film credits as well. McCall has also worked as a Production Assistant for films and commercials for the LDS Motion Picture Studio in Provo, UT. McCall attended Brigham Young University where she studied vocal performance, theater and dance. McCall is trained in mix/belt vocal instruction and took lessons in SLC with nationally renowned vocal coach, Dean Kaelin.

Meredith Boehme has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She enjoys all types of dance but tap is her absolute favorite! She was a competitive dancer and assistant dance teacher for 8 years and has performed at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, Jazz on Tap in Atlanta, Disney World and New York City. She has taken Master Classes from choreographers and dance teachers all over the country. Meredith graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance. She ran the dance program at Crooked Creek Park for 8 years and successfully grew the program after starting with just 2 students. It was there that she met Tiffany Dinsmore and was brought into the theater world. Meredith began working with Chapin Theatre Company in 2018 as a choreographer. She has also worked as a choreographer and assistant director for ICRC Children’s Theater and is a licensed Zumba instructor. Meredith believes that everyone has the ability to dance and loves to watch others learn and grow. She cannot wait to share her love of dance with all of you!

Tayshaun Brown is a rising senior at the University of South Carolina. Throughout his high school career, he has experienced choreographing several combos with dance classes, as well as a couple of musicals. He’s super excited to start teaching various genres, such as hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary!

Tiffany Dinsmore has been a performer since she was in elementary school. She was born in Ft Lauderdale, Florida and grew up all over the state. Tiffany has been on the stage, the small screen and the big screen. She especially loves directing and watching actors grow throughout a performance. She attended Troy State University (Go Trojans!) where she studied voice, drama and stagecraft while getting her degrees in Mathematics and Biology. Since moving to South Carolina (her 8th state) she has performed on many stages around the Midlands. Some of her favorite performances have been Miami Vice, being in 2 movies with her husband, Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz, Honey Rae Futrelle in the Jones, Hope, Wooten Futrelle sisters trilogy and Walt Disney World. Tiffany has been teaching and directing theatre close to 20 years now. She loves watching the joy on new performers faces as they fall in love with theatre.

Aurora is no stranger to the world of theatre, with over ten years in the children's theatre space backed by over fifteen years of acting experience. Starting as an improv actor, she knows what it takes to think on the spot and really keep the scene moving! When Aurora was a sophomore in college, she stepped out of the improv space and into Stage Management where she continued to work for a couple of years before transitioning to the role of Director with ICRC Children's Theatre. Over the past eight years in addition to being a children's theatre director, she was no stranger to the stage, working in many different production roles and stepping into the spotlight in several on stage performances. Aurora loves to help others find that spark and passion in theatre that she found so many years ago and is excited to continue that work with the CAPA crew.

Jamie Harrington is the theatre teacher at Dutch Fork High School. Before working at DFHS she was The Director of Youth at Town Theatre for 12 years. She has worked professionally in theatre for over 20 years and has had the privilege of touring the country with several professional theatre troupes that allowed her to perform in over 40 of the 50 states. She has directed many musicals and plays and has won accolades including Best Musical from the Free Times and Best Direction of a Play from Broadway World South Carolina. She is looking forward to leading a summer camp at Chapin.

Mary Jo Johnson is a classically trained music theatre performer with 20 years of professional stage experience. Having performed in Equity theaters across the country, Mary Jo has shared the stage with many performing legends: Joel Gray, Carol Channing, Jodi Benson, Nell Carter, Brian D’Arcy James, Blair Underwood, and numerous others. She has performed in over 30 musicals

Mary Jo received a BMP in Music Theatre from Florida State University, and has taken master classes under Joseph Papp, Lynn Stallings, Honey Coles, Mandy Benson, Siri Sat Nam, Frank Hatchet, and many others. She continued to train in voice, dance and acting as she worked professionally, and just recently she began attending workshops in film and television work with Canedy Knowles, Jorjenna Marie, Jack Alcott, Bonnie Gillespie, and Clifton Gutterman.

Hannah Jones has been dancing and acting since she was 10 years old. She loves all things dance (especially jazz!), but musical theater officially became her favorite in high school. The only thing she loves more than performing is sharing that passion with her students. She is currently attending the University of South Carolina, majoring in Early Childhood Education with hopes of becoming a kindergarten teacher. Hannah has experience teaching ages 2–16 and is a preschool dance instructor at South Carolina Dance Company in Lexington. She has been in numerous productions in the Columbia area over the years, but nothing compares to performing with her Chapin Theatre Company family. She is ecstatic to be back for another season at CAPA!

bio coming

McKinley Porth is from Gilbert, South Carolina, and is pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre at Kent State University with minors in Business and Dance. She is passionate about youth theatre, leadership, and especially tap dancing. McKinley has teaching experience through Town Theatre summer camps, Village Square workshops, and a year teaching tap and clogging with SC Music and Dance Academy. She has been active in Columbia-area theatre since 2018. Recent roles include Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Town Theatre and was last seen at Chapin as Jane in Descendants. Up next, she will appear in Porthouse Theatre’s Professional production of Side Show in Concert.

Jane Peterson is a recently retired marketing professional. She has been performing on stage since age 12. Jane has a BA in acting and directing from USC. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to teach acting to all ages. She has been seen on the Chapin Theatre stage in Farce of Nature, Stilt Girl, Final Appearance, and most recently in T Minus 10 in the 10 Minute-ish Play Festival. Jane directed Jamie Harrington‘s Targeted Advertising in the Festival, and Lou Clyde’s The Driving Lesson during last year’s 10 Minute-ish Play Festival. You may have also seen her in the Bath and Bronze commercial on local television. Jane is expecting her first grandchild in February. She is excited to have the opportunity to teach this class at Chapin Theatre.

Ella Riley has been working on, behind, and around the stage for almost 15 years. Currently a student at USC, majoring in Education, she has previously participated in Town Theatre’s Teen Troupe, South Carolina’s Tri-District Arts Consortium, and the several programs at the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. She currently serves on the board at Chapin Theatre Company and is excited to teach a class at CAPA this year!

Kathy Seppamaki has been working as a music director with greater Columbia area theatres for almost a decade. This season she musically directed Chicago, here at Chapin Theatre Company. She has been one of the musical directors for the youth theatre program at Town Theatre since 2016. She musically directed youth theatre productions of Frozen Jr, Elf Jr, Aladdin Jr. Lion King Jr, Camp Rock, My Son Pinnochio, Annie Jr, Peter Pan Jr (Town Theatre), and Aladdin Jr (Workshop Theatre). She has also musically directed mainstage shows such as A Chorus Line (Workshop Theatre), Hello Dolly (Town Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Town Theatre), and Legally Blonde (Workshop Theatre). As a vocal coach, Miss Seppamaki’s students have gone on to work professionally on Broadway, at Walt Disney World, and as entertainment on cruise ships. She is excited to work with the talented youth in Chapin at this camp!

Rob Sprankle creates art. Having studied both music and media arts, and having earned a Liberal Arts degree from The University of South Carolina, Rob has applied his love for creation to multiple forms of expression. A fairly large body of work in theatre, particularly musical theatre has been a cornerstone, but he has also worked in front of and behind the camera for multiple film and commercial projects. His greatest work, however, is at the grocery store, or at home, where his love for human interaction becomes the art of life.