We are so excited to welcome you back to Matthews Playhouse for our year long classes! Our staff has been working diligently to make sure that your class and production experience is a great one. Please know that we are working with the Town of Matthews to make sure that our classes are Covid compliant and safe for your child to attend. Be sure to note our covid policies here.
We know that transitions can be tough, especially in our ever changing world, so we wanted to update you on the staff changes at the playhouse. As you may have heard, June Bayless has stepped down from her role as the Artistic and Executive Director at MPH. After founding Matthews Playhouse over 25 years ago, June and her husband John have relocated to California to be closer to their children. June is still actively involved in Matthews Playhouse operations as our Grant Writer and Executive Advisor.
To fill the gap, Matthews Playhouse instructor and director, Sarah Baumgardner, has stepped into a new leadership role as our Managing Director. Sarah oversees operations, productions and education at the playhouse. To fulfill her passion for teaching, Sarah plans to continue to interface with School of Theatre families as an instructor and music director. If you haven’t had Sarah in class or in a production before, we are sure you will enjoy getting to know her!
Additionally, Alli Sanderson, who has coordinated Summer Camp for a number of years, is taking a year round position as our Education Coordinator. She will be your main point of contact for the
School of Theatre program and the friendly voice on the phone when you call with educational
questions. A long time theatre educator, Alli has the knowledge and experience to help move our
educational offerings forward.
Cassie Prodan, our wonderful Production Manager, is still keeping our productions moving forward despite the many pandemic related challenges. Marie Michele Darcy remains in her role as our Marketing and Administration Manager, promoting shows, programs and interfacing with the community. Gretchen White, a long time parent and volunteer, has come on board as our staff accountant.
We are also excited to introduce you to Jessie Hull, who will assist with office needs, School of Theatre check-in and season stage management. If you have been part of a mainstage production in the past, or attended camp this summer, you may have had the privilege of working with Jessie.
To see a complete list of our instructors and directors, please visit our website.
Special Things to Note
We will be using the online School of Theatre portal again this year. It is easy to access at
www.matthewsplayhouse.com and will be grouped by class. Be sure to check regularly for updated information from your child’s instructors. We will post scripts, handouts, music and videos to the portal for your use and convenience.
Should your child need to miss a class, please check the portal for any updates on what they may have missed. Regarding missing classes, should your family need to quarantine, please note that Matthews Playhouse is not able to make up class or offer an alternative class time. The School of Theatre portal should have all that you need for your child to stay connected to what is happening in class.
We look forward to seeing you soon and getting back into theatre.
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