BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Peg McGuire - President
Independent Communications Consultant
Amber Lowery - Secretary
Roanoke Public Libraries
Sara Addington
Eastmont Community Foundation
Jamal Jackson
Refreshing Church
Board Member Emerita
Caroline LaRocca Hammond
Caroline LaRocca Event Design
STAFF
APRIL HARTSOOK CORBETT
Executive Director
april@virginiachildrenstheatre.orgApril Hartsook Corbett has spent her life dedicated to working in non-profit and theatre arts. Her fondest memories as a child were being a part of theatre in Roanoke, Virginia. She is excited to have the opportunity to give back to the community that helped to give her the foundation to go on to work for some of the best regional theatre companies in the country, including the following: St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Omaha Community Playhouse, and Mill Mountain Theatre. She has been the Director of Theatre Arts at Roanoke Catholic School for the last ten years. She has led classes for pre-K to 12th grade students in drama; producing theatre showcases to full musical productions. April has also contributed to the productions of Virginia Children’s Theatre for the last decade in the area of props construction. April previously served as the Development Director for FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is currently the Director of Operations and Events with Center in the Square. She graduated from Longwood College, in Farmville, VA with a BFA in technical theatre and also attended the Yale School of Drama internship program, in New Haven, CT. She is excited to help grow the mission of Virginia Children’s Theatre and to help every student in the program develop the life skills that come from exploring and developing theatre skills.
Lindsay Tolar
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
pr@virginiachildrenstheatre.orgLindsay Tolar is a Roanoke native and enters her 10th season with VCT. She is honored to get to watch so many youth come alive when they step onto the VCT stage. Prior to working with VCT, Lindsay was the Publicist for the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. for over 6 years. While there, she handled all press relations and media interviews on a national and local scale for both the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) and the Harman Center for the Arts. In 2012, she helped STC secure the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Before heading to D.C. she was the Public Relations Coordinator for Mill Mountain Theatre here in Roanoke, VA. She has made the New River Valley her home, along with her husband and two young children. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. When Lindsay isn't promoting and enjoying theatre, she runs the lifestyle blog Pursuit of Pink and plans vacations with Magic in the Sun Travel. She also enjoys practicing photography, tackling home décor projects, traveling and dabbling in graphic creation.
Kate MCCOSH
Director of Education
kate@virginiachildrenstheatre.orgKate is an actor and arts educator. She holds a B.F.A in Acting from Western Carolina
University’s School of Stage and Screen. Prior to working at VCT, Kate served as a founding
team member and Associate Artistic Lead at Calliope Stage Company. Her education experience includes serving as a summer camp director, teaching artist, and an in-classroom preschool teacher. Kate’s favorite artistic experiences include, CALLIOPE SHORTS: FIRSTS with Calliope Stage (Artistic Producer), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at WCU (Blanche DuBois), THE WOLVES at WCU (#2), THE ANOMALY, a WCU Student Film (Noelle), and her time as an Acting Apprentice at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. She is excited to call Roanoke home and return to creating magical theatre in the Appalachian Mountains. When not at the theatre, Kate enjoys reading, hiking, camping, yoga, and spending time with her dog Corky the Yorkie.
CHLOE RIEDERICH
Education Associate
chloe@virginiachildrenstheatre.orgChloe is a theatre practitioner (actor, director, choreographer, writer) from Southern California. Chloe has a BA in Theatre and Environmental Studies from Hollins University, and is pursuing their MA in New Play Development from Hollins University. Additionally, Chloe trained with the Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles. Chloe has Certificates in Leadership Studies and Arts Management, and aims to become certified in intimacy directing. Prior to working with VCT, Chloe worked as a wardrobe runner, stage manager, and spotlight operator for Mill Mountain Theatre. Chloe’s most recent education experience includes serving as a teaching artist for VCT and Mill Mountain Theatre. Chloe’s favorite artistic experiences include Frieda by ArLynn Parker (Frieda) and The Greenhouse by J. Harvey Stone (Director) with the Hollins Playwrights Lab, You + Me (Me) with NYC’s Fresh Fruits Festival, and Bumble’s Big Adventure (Writer, Director, Producer), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Choreographer, Movement Coordinator), and The Moors (Moor-Hen) with Hollins University. Chloe is ecstatic to work with VCT and create magic both on and offstage.Outside of theatre-making, Chloe loves dancing, hiking, baking, coloring, yoga, taking care of plants, and getting coffee with their friends.
Sydney Sinclair
Website Designer
sydney@virginiachildrenstheatre.orgSydney Sinclair is a performing artist (Actor, Director, Educator, Singer, Dancer, and Intimacy Choreographer) with a B.F.A. in Acting and minor in Directing from Oklahoma City University. She is currently pursuing her M.F.A. in Classical Acting through the Shakespeare Theatre Company in collaboration with George Washington University. She previously worked as the Theatre Academy Manager at Virginia Children's Theatre and is excited to continue working virtually for VCT as the website designer. Sydney has worked as a director and actor in Oklahoma City as well as a children’s educator, choreographer, and intimacy director for children's theatre’s in the DFW area. Some of her favorite directing credits include LEGALLY BLONDE JR. by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin (Virginia Children's Theatre), JUNIE B. JONES JR. by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich (Virginia Children's Theatre), SHAKESPEARE’S OTHER WOMEN by Scott Kaiser (Oklahoma City University), and assistant direction of THE SCHOOL FOR LIES by David Ives (Oklahoma City University). Some of her favorite acting credits include Evil Gabbi in SHE KILLS MONSTERS, Jen in ALL THIS INTIMACY, and Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID.
Brandon Duncan
Education Associate - Outreach Camps
Brandon Duncan is a teaching artist, actor, and musician from Floyd, Virginia. Trained at Radford University (BA in Theatre and Music), he has taught with Richmond Performing Arts Alliance as a Wolf Trap teaching artist, and has instructed for Virginia Repertory Theatre summer programs. First moving to Richmond to perform in the Virginia Repertory Theatre national tour, he has also performed with Richmond Triangle Players, Richmond Shakes, and the University of Richmond. His favorite artistic credits include: The Inheritance, The Rivals, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Cymbeline, The Diary of Anne Frank, Twelfth Night, The Frog Prince, The Taming of the Shrew, and Buffalo Soldier. Brandon is overjoyed to be returning to Virginia Children’s Theatre as the education associate and resident teaching artist since first performing here in 2016. He yearns to share his love of classical, didactic, and musical theatre through performing arts integrated education with the Roanoke community that he cares benevolently for.