MEET OUR CENTERSTAGE 2021 INSTRUCTORS
Olivia Eppe
Olivia has been a speech/articulation/pronunciation specialist for over 20 years. She is certified by the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. She enjoys working with children and adults on improving speech intelligibility and speaking with clarity for their intended purpose. She has a certification in the Compton P-ESL program for accent modification. Her background in speech and linguistics helps her clients learn the techniques of learning new pronunciation for accents and intelligibility. She is so excited to bring this fun and useful offering to CenterStage!! 
Oliver Gerland
Oliver is an associate professor of theatre at CU Boulder where he teaches courses in dramatic literature and disability studies. His plays have been produced at Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts, Coal Creek Theater of Louisville, and CU Boulder. He is a longtime resident of Louisville who hopes that we can keep it quirky. 
Jordan Griffiths
Jordan Griffiths was born and raised in Milford, NY which is where her passion for theatre began at a very young age. From there she traveled across the state for her associate's degree in musical theatre, to Vermont for her bachelor's degree in acting and directing, and then made her way to Colorado to work as the acting teacher for an after school children's theatre conservatory. She is incredibly excited to dive into class with CenterStage and share her passion via zoom, in person, or any which way this crazy world goes! 
Ian Mattheson
Ian has always had a strong passion for performing and finds himself happiest behind a piano. He started playing piano at a very young age and continued to explore music by singing in choir and acting in musicals. He has been a part of CenterStage productions since 2012 when he moved to Boulder from Glenwood Springs and was an actor in "Hot Mikado". Not only did "Hot Mikado" introduce Ian to some life long friends, but it also created relationships with the directors at CenterStage to enable him to play for future musicals. Since then, Ian has worked with CSTC on multiple productions as a rehearsal pianist, keyboardist for the band, and music director. His most recent productions with CSTC include the music director for "Into the Woods" and "The Wizard of Oz" as well as the pianist for "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Ian graduated from CU last May and is working as a software engineer in Boulder when he is not playing music for CSTC or various schools and churches in the Boulder area. He is excited to be back after a short break and ready to spread the joy of music. 
Rachel Greenberg Matz
Rachel has been involved in the entertainment industry for 30+ years. Rachel worked at SAG talent agencies in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Rachel was also a successful voice-over artist for 15 years, and has been helping manage children's entertainment careers in the Denver and national markets for the past 10 years. Rachel is excited to use her experience and knowledge to help you find and follow your path to success. 
Megan McDonald
Megan is thrilled to be co-directing at CSTC! As a Middle School Counselor at Eldorado PK-8, Megan cherishes her role in helping to support students as they work through life transitions and discover who they are. She is also honored to have directed the annual school musical at Eldorado for the last 22 years and believes that theatre and the arts are integral to our growth and development as humans. Some of her favorite shows to direct have been Lion King, Jr., Mulan, Jr., & Mary Poppins, Jr. (many of which starred current and past CSTC students!). While Megan’s time to perform is more limited, she most recently played the role of Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods with Breckenridge Backstage Theatre and enjoys being able to connect to this creative side of herself. Megan also enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 kids in the beautiful outdoors of Colorado. Megan looks forward to partnering with Melissa and sharing her passion for theatre and working with youth with CSTC! |
Stefanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Registered Dance/Movement Psychotherapist, and owns a private practice in Denver, CO.
Stefanie’s first passion has always been dance and musical theatre, which not only played a hugely healing role in her own life, but fuels her desire to support others in defying limiting expectations and beliefs through creativity, self-expression, and empowerment. Through her expansive world travels, Stefanie has experienced the healing power of movement, ritual, and community with other cultures. Informed by all of her experiences, Stefanie’s private practice specializes in somatic (body-based) psychotherapy for complex trauma, relationships, body-image, self-esteem, and personal empowerment. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Stefanie also works as a coach supporting women in career development, life purpose, and feeling empowered to effect the change they wish to see in themselves and their communities. Stefanie continues to work as choreographer for various theatre companies around the Front Range, teaches private and small group creative dance and movement classes, and continues to perform now and again. Stefanie also enjoys spending time in the mountains with her fiance and back in NYC with her family whenever she gets the chance! 
Madeline Shaffer
Madeline grew up teaching and performing in southern Illinois. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Jacksonville University and then began working in NYC. While there, she choreographed the Off Broadway production of By Jupiter, worked for 2 years with the cult classic production of 420: The Musical, performed in a national tour, choreographed and directed a new musical, performed a piece that she wrote in front of the UN, and worked with several high schools and children’s programs choreographing shows and teaching classes. These high school programs include Stagedoor Manor where she has spent her summers choreographing for the past 6 years. While there she was able to work directly with the writer of Evil Dead the Musical to develop the World Premiere of a high school version for that show. She has been on the creative team for over 40 musical theatre productions and has over 10 years of teaching experience. She moved to Denver in September of 2019 and is now the Director of Dance for a performing arts academy. She recently wrote her first musical which had it’s Zoom debut in June 2020. She had the pleasure of working at CenterStage on We Will Rock You the Musical in 2020 and she is overjoyed to be returning to direct this very special musical "Theory of Relativity" this Spring! 
Jacob R. Shaffer
Jacob is a dramaturg, playwright, and producer in Chicago. His play In The Hollow Of His Hand was produced by his company ftiTheatre in 2018. This summer he taught a playwriting workshop for Performing Arts Academy in Highlands Ranch, CO. His most recent work on stage was as the assistant stage manager for America's Best Outcast Toy at Pride Films and Plays. Previously he dramaturged for Millikin University where he graduated with a BA in Theatre in 2018. His productions at Millikin include Mr. Burns, a Post Electric Play and As You Like It. In 2017 he founded ftiTheatre with a colleague and produced four productions in two years. 
Melissa Williams - Program Coordinator / Director / Instructor
An active performer and teacher in Colorado, Melissa is at home in front of the footlights as an actor or working backstage as a director, stage manager and designer. She teaches a busy private vocal studio - South Boulder Vocal Studio and was last seen on stage as Margaret White in Carrie the Musical with Longmont Theatre Company. Melissa directed CSTC mainstage productions of Avenue Q, Into the Woods & the regional premiere of A Little Princess and many other camps and CSTC productions. Melissa believes in the power of the performing arts in developing people's confidence, creativity and sense of community. |