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Kristen Gurbach Jacobson is a performer, educator and youth arts manager. She studied at Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts, receiving a BA in Musical Theatre, a Minor in Dance and a Concentration in Education. Since then her work has taken her to Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Musical Theatre, DanceTime Studio, LABCO Contemporary Dance Company; Cleveland: Beck Center for Performing Arts, Willoughby Fine Arts; and Chicago: Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Free Street, Metropolis. Kristen’s performance credits include conservatory and regional shows throughout the Midwest. Favorite performance credits include: On the Town, Nine, A Chorus Line, Tesla’s Letters, Two Gentlemen, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods. Kristen choreographs for youth productions and professionally throughout Chicago. Choreography credits at Metropolis include I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Secret Garden; A Christmas Carol; The Wiz; and High School Musical. She recently received an MA in Arts in Youth and Community Development at Columbia College Chicago. Currently, Kristen has stepped into the role of Outreach Manager at the Metropolis School of Performing Arts. This position has allowed Kristen to design and implement in- and after-school programs at schools and organizations throughout the community. Kristen also teaches dance and theatre at Metropolis and throughout Chicagoland.
Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Danielle Coody obtained a BFA in Theatre from The University of Oklahoma and a BFA in Dance from The University of Central Oklahoma. She is an outreach teaching artist and a member of the dance faculty for Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. In Chicago, she is a dance instructor for ARCC Ballet and Dance. Danielle has performed professionally with The Pollard Theatre, The Lyric Theatre, Carpenter Square Theatre, The Jewel Box Theatre, The Oklahoma City Theatre Company, and the Village Players Theatre. Favorite roles include Ti Moune in the Oklahoma premiere of Once On This Island; Evelyn Nesbit, Ragtime; Alice Sycamore, You Can't Take It With You; Little Red Ridinghood, Into The Woods; Belinda/Flavia, Noises Off!; Ensemble, Sweeney Todd; Peggy, Godspell; Mona, Chicago; Allison, Beehive; and Cecily Pigeon,The Odd Couple. She has also appeared with Kaleidoscope Dance Company and Perpetual Motion: Modern Dance Oklahoma, Inc. Danielle served as a Resident Actor/Choreographer for The Pollard Theatre, as the Theatre Director for J. Rogers Performing Arts Studio, and as a dance instructor for Cynthia Poteet Little Theatre and Sacred Heart Catholic School. Professional choreography credits include Peter Pan (Metropolis); High School Musical 2 Jr. (Metropolis); Treasure Island (Metropolis);Oliver; The Music Man; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; Hansel and Gretel; Willy Wonka Jr; 101 Dalmatians Kids. Directing credits include Willy Wonka Jr. and 101 Dalmatians with J. Rogers Performing Arts / Starlite Theatre Inc; The Woman in Black and A Territorial Christmas Carol with The Pollard Theatre.
Laura Wesslund is a teaching artist and performer. A graduate of Northwestern University with a BA in Theatre, Laura currently teaches theatre, dance, creative drama, and music theatre at various studios and through outreach programs that integrate the arts into the everyday experience. She is currently a performing member of Be the Groove, a Chicago-based rhythmic performance ensemble, and also performs in plays and musicals in the Chicaoland area. Performance credits include Damn Yankees (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre,) High School Musical (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre) and Phedra (New World Repertory Theatre.) Choreography credits include The Wiz (Dominican University,) Velveteen Rabbit (Metropolis School of Performing Arts,) and Pinocchio (Metropolis School of the Performing Arts.) Past Metropolis positions include Camp Director, Outreach Program Coordinator and Lead Teaching Artist.
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