Nashville Children's Theatre

Drama Workshop Instructor Bios

Julee Brooks joined the NCT staff as Director of Education in July of 2005. She had directed both The Tempest and A Woman Called Truth for NCT. Julee has served as Education Director of the North Carolina Theatre for Young People. She's a graduate of the MFA program in Theatre for Youth at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a B.A. from Centre College in dramatic arts and government. In NCT's 2006-07 Season, Julee is excited to rock out when she directs the musical explosion that is Schoolhouse Rock Live!

Ross Brooks has appeared on the NCT stage in Bambi: A Life in the Woods, Holes, Treasure Island, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Alexander, Who's Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move. He has an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University, and, as a playwright, has recently had original works produced by People's Branch Theatre and Kentucky Repertory Theatre's Project HEAT: Health Education Awareness Theatre in Horse Cave and Glasgow, KY. Ross has given guest lectures in playwriting at Middle Tennessee State University, and this summer he enjoys teaching Theatre Ninjas and Theatre Voyagers camps at NCT and making kids laugh. Look for him this coming season in Schoolhouse Rock Live!

Rona Carter (pictured with her Spring Break Drama Camp) is a graduate of Boston Conservatory with a triple major in Drama, Music and Dance. She has been with NCT for over twenty years as an actor and a teacher. Favorite NCT roles include Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, Badger in The Wind In The Willows, Charlotte in Charlotte's Web, and Mother Gothal in Rapunzel and Lazy Mayzie in Seussical™. For NCT's 2006-07 Season, she will be seen as Queen Elizabeth in the swashbuckling adventure The Shakespeare Stealer. Rona has also taught with Artsmart for TPAC and Wolf Trap Early Learning Through the Arts. Rona believes she has learned a lot about her art from the students themselves while helping young people develop their own individual skills. Besides, it's fun!

Lisa Nicole Kimmey was seen in NCT's productions of Schoolhouse Rock Live! and Einstein is a Dummy. Other NCT appearaces include the role of Mama in A Woman Called Truth. Lisa has appeared as Mary in Amun-Ra Theatre’s Black Nativity and as Jesse in Theatre Craft’s Home on the Morning Train. She was one of the members of the Grammy nominated gospel trio Out of Eden and has performed in Tennessee Repertory Theatre’s production of Intimate Apparel. Lisa has toured with and shared the stage with Destiny's Child, Monica, Kirk Frankiln, The Pointer Sisters, Fred Hammond, among others and has written songs for and worked with Ashanti, Nivea, Toni Braxton, Staci Orrico and others.

Shawn Knight made his debut at NCT as Horton the Elephant in last season's delight, Seussical™. Shawn has performed with the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Tennessee Repertory Theatre and the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. He has played such roles as Aladdin, a Russian dog, and a Woman in a Purple Dress.

Jon Royal was seen on NCT's stage in our season opener Holes. Prior to that he played Rabbit in our production of Trickster Tales. Jon is a student from MTSU’s Theatre for Young Audiences program where he appeared as Troll in The Princess and the Pea, and assistant directed several productions. He works as a freelance teaching artist for numerous organizations that fight to use him.

Pete Vann has been seen many times on Nashville Children's Theatre's stage. Prior roles last season include Zig Zag in Holes and as Mole in The Wind In The Willows. He's been Huck Finn in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Swoozie the Dog in Alexander, Who's Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move, Triniculo in The Tempest and as Jack in the world premiere of Jack's Tale. Pete has taught both Junior Theatre Voyager and Theatre Voyagers at NCT's Saturday morning workshops and Summer Drama Camps.

Patrick Waller has been seen on stage in Tennessee Repertory’s production of 1776 as Richard Henry Lee and at NCT as Nick in Alexander, Who’s Not, Not, Not, Not, Not, Not Going to Move. Last season he had a delightful time in both NCT's Seussical™ and The Wind In The Willows. In NCT's 75th Birthday Season, Patrick will be seen in The Shakespeare Stealer, Schoolhouse Rock Live! and as the young genius, himself in Einstein is a Dummy. He has taught Junior Theatre Voyagers and Theatre Voyagers at NCT's Saturday morning workshops and Summer Drama Camps.

Sam Whited is familiar with performing at NCT, and was most recently seen as Grandma Miller in Junie B. Jones and a LIttle Monkey Business. He also played Herr Schloppnoppdinkerdonn in Einstein is a Dummy, and before that he appeared in The Tempest, The Prince and the Pauper, Bridge to Terabithia, The Wind in the Willows and some others. He lives in Springfield, TN with his beautiful wife and cats. Sam cannot decide if he should evade or embrace his reputation.