Theatre
Jamie Young Jamie Young is an Associate Professor and the Program Director of Theatre at Western Wyoming College. Young started his tenure at Western in 2001 when he came here from College of The Albemarle in North Carolina where he implemented a musical theatre program, taught and produced theatre. He started teaching in 1994 at the University of Idaho while he was completing a terminal graduate degree (M.F.A.) in Directing and Acting. Jamie completed his undergraduate studies (B.A.) at Weber State University and Ricks College with a major in Musical Theatre. Young has produced, directed, choreographed, designed, written or performed in more than 100 professional and academic productions. When he began his work at Western he was the only theatre faculty and there were less than 20 students. Since then the program has grown to have a staff of 9 professionals, nearly 70 students, and a strong regional reputation. Jamie founded the program on process-oriented musical theatre training that results in synergized, heightened, and truthful performance. He especially enjoys working on shows that cause people to think about their lives and make positive changes. Despite his great love of the theatre, Jamie’s greatest love is for his family. He has a magnificent wife and five wonderful children. |
Amy Critchfield Amy is originally from Spokane Washington. She received an AAS in Natural Sciences from BYU Idaho and a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Washington University. She later went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Design from Utah State University. Some of the highlights of her career have been designing several original works such as Grasshopper and the Ant and First Freedom. She has also enjoyed working with several community and regional theaters in Washington, Idaho, Utah and New Jersey. Among some of her most memorable designs have been Seussical, Jane Eyre, Big River, Titanic, the Musical and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Amy joined Western in the fall of 2002 and continues to enjoy working with the Theater Department. |
Chris Will Chris comes to Western from New York City. He received his BFA in Theatre and Dance from the University of Wyoming followed by a Master of Performance in Musical Theatre from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. While in the UK, Chris had the wonderful experience of working with some of the key producers and practitioners currently working in theatre - including Martin Lowe (MD Mama Mia) and was honored to represent the United States as Young Buddy in a West End star-studded production of Follies in Concert, which was specially arranged by Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Chris has also performed in several workshops for new musical theatre, including the opportunity of working with Jason Robert Brown. For the last 11 years he has been performing and directing professionally all around the world including two Off-Broadway shows (Time Being, and The Jungle Queen). Chris has been honored with his work at the collegiate level both in directing and performing with Meritorious Achievement Awards: Directing “The Music Man” & playing the role of Mary Sunshine in “Chicago” as a guest Artiest at the University of Wyoming. His greatest role he has played is husband and father to wife Beth, daughter Caitlin (5 yrs), Ashlee (3 yrs) and soon to be child number three. |
Martha Holloway, Ph.D. Dr. Holloway holds a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Utah, a Master of Music in Music Therapy from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Greensboro College, North Carolina. Martha directs the Jazz Combo, Piano Ensemble, and teaches many of the music classes at WWCC.
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Lynette Nelson |
Nathan Balser WWCC Dance Department is now accepting applications for scholarships (Contact Nathan for details). Saturday, February 26, 2011 is High School Day. Please bring your parents and join us on campus for classes taught by the faculty, scholarship auditions, a tour of the campus and housing facilities, AND lunch on us. We hope to see you there! High School Day starts at 9:00 am with a dance scholarship audition at 11:00 am. Nathan Balser is thrilled to be joining the Theatre and Dance Faculty at Western Wyoming Community College. He is originally from Springville, UT, where he participated in High School choirs and community theatre productions of musicals. It wasn’t until he went to Rick’s College and took his first dance class that he realized his love of dance. After transferring and graduating from BYU, where he took many more dance classes and participated on the Dancers’ Company, he decided to pursue a graduate degree in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. While attending both BYU and U of U, he worked Summer theatre jobs including Jackson Hole’s Lighthouse Theatre, Opryland USA’s Way Out West, Sundance Summer Theatre, and Tuacahn Center for the Arts. It was at Tuacahn where he met his wife, Suzie Jacobsen Balser. They were married 33 times on stage before legally and lawfully doing it one year later. They have been married over 10 years, now, and have two beautiful daughters, Sydney and Charley. Nathan also worked as a member of Repertory Dance Theatre for two years in Salt Lake City after finishing his degree and then moved to Las Vegas to perform in Mamma Mia! From there, Nathan worked on the National Tour of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby and Howard McGillan. A move to New York was the next step that led to Nathan performing in Legally Blonde, Damn Yankees, 9 to 5: The Musical, and Promises, Promises on Broadway, among other workshops, readings, and out of town performances. While Nathan was still in Salt Lake City, he had visited WWCC for the first time and taught and choreographed as a guest artist for Desert Dance Theatre, which ultimately has led him here today. |
Katie Pastor |
Suzie Balser, originally from Sandy Utah, is thrilled to be a part of the Western Wyoming Community College family. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University where she majored in Musical Theater. Suzie's love of the arts began at an early age. Since then she has had the pleasure of touring around the country as well as abroad. Suzie loves teaching and being a part of WWCCs students journey |
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Kristy McManus is the Assistant Professor of Theatre and Forensics here at Western. When she is not designing and making costumes, she is coaching the speech and debate team. Kristy is a native of Wyoming but has spent the past 16 years working professionally throughout the country. She also has three amazing children and husband to go home to every night. |
Doug Knapp Doug is a brand new addition to the Music and Theatre Department this year. He received his Masters Degree from Utah State University and is the musical director for the Theater Department as well as the instructor for various vocal ensembles. |
Kristy McManus
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at: webmaster@wwcc.wy.edu.
