Who’s Who at LCT
Rhonda, a Nashville native, is excited to continue her experience at LCT as a Resident Teaching Artist. She holds an MA in Theatre from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and a BA from Berea College. Although she is a stage manager by trade, Rhonda enjoys teaching and spending time with kids.
After graduating with her BA in theatre from Morehead State University, Octavia was one of two actors nationwide accepted to the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City. Since returning to Kentucky, Biggs has worked hard over the last twelve years to bring children’s theatre to eastern Kentucky. In 2004, LCT was able to expand its programming and services to a satellite theatre based in Morehead, KY, which Biggs operates. Since 2004, Elliott and Carter counties have been included into SSYT programming and Biggs oversees all programming and serves these three Appalachian counties. Biggs currently resides in Morehead, Kentucky and serves on the board of directors for the Morehead Theatre Guild. She has been a private speech and theatre coach and developed and ran her own theatrical voice and acting company called TADA Performing Arts Instruction. She is also Lecturer of Theatre at Morehead State University, Music, Theatre and Dance Department (MSU/MTD) and Director for The Little Company, where she prepares college students to perform touring productions and teach drama workshops in middle and high schools across the state of Kentucky. In 2014, Amelia Earhart, which Ms. Biggs directed for the Little Company, was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Albany, Georgia.
After graduating from Morehead State University with her Theatre degree, Corinne lived in Los Angeles, California where she was a production assistant and background actor on various web series and television shows. She is back in Morehead as the Assistant Program Director for Shooting Stars Youtheatre with Lexington Children’s Theatre and the Theatre Tour Coordinator for MSU’s The Little Company. She has travelled with The Little Company to Edinburgh, Scotland the summer of 2018 to help with the show Einstein’s Dreams at the Fringe Festival.
Ashlee is thrilled to be back at LCT after two years working with Chicago Children’s Theatre and Broadway in Chicago. You may remember Ashlee from LCT’s Duck for President, Old Dry Frye, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Ashlee is a Discovery Educator at The Living Arts and Science Center.
Kathryn Henriques manages the LCT Touring Company, social media platforms, and all video content and production for the theatre, among many other things. Kathryn started with LCT in 2015 as an Arts Administration Intern, became Marketing and Sales Assistant in 2016, and has served as Marketing and Sales Manager since 2019. Additionally, Kathryn occasionally serves on the production side of the theatre, as both a choreographer and Summer Family Musical ensemble member. Ever both an artist and entrepreneur, Kathryn received a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with Honors from Samford University.
Scarlett is excited to join the LCT team. She started her career in theater in Northern California where she was the costume shop manager/costume designer at Theatre Rhinoceros, Second Wind Theater, Custom Made Theater, Berkeley Youth Theater, Dragon Theater and others.
7Megan, a graduate of Lee University, has spent the last three summers with LCT! She began as an Education Intern (summer 2017) and returned for the 18-19 season as an Admin Intern. Back for the 19-20 season, Megan is so grateful to work at LCT for another year!
Jeremy Kisling has taught, directed and performed for young people for over 30 years. He received his B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Northern Iowa and his M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth from the University of Texas at Austin. Jeremy has authored stage versions of Why Mosquitoes Buzz, Anansi the Spider, The Princess Who Lost her Hair and co-wrote The Ghosts of Pineville with Sara Turner. He was the recipient of the 2017 Sara Spencer Child Drama Award and the 2019 Tom Behm Award from the Southeastern Theatre Conference. He is a proud graduate of Leadership Lexington in 2019. Jeremy serves on the Board of Directors for Kentucky Theatre Association, Southeastern Theatre Conference and Lexington’s DiverCity Festival. He is honored to share his life with his wife, Amie Kisling and his wonderful son, Leo. Jeremy would encourage you to be brave and stretch your imagination everyday!
Erin received her BA in Dramatic Arts from Centre College and her MFA in Dramatic Media from the University of Georgia. By night she develops her work as a book illustrator and fine artist. She loves her hubby, her dogs, her art, and her work at LCT!
Esther holds a BA in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Scenic Art from Taylor University in Indiana. Her first year with LCT was as Scenic Charge Artist. Now serving as Resident Director and Company Manager, she has directed Fancy Nancy the Musical, Charlotte’s Web, Holes, and Cat in The Hat, among many others.
Rachel Ray began working in development at Lexington Children’s Theatre in January of 2011 and was promoted to Managing Director in January of 2021. Prior to that, she worked at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in a number of positions, most recently as Marketing Manager, for over ten years. She has a BS in Speech Therapy and a BA in English from the University of Kentucky. She is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Lexington and is a past National Philanthropy Day Chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals of the Bluegrass. She also serves on the board of directors for Girls on the Run Central Kentucky and is a founding board member of First Generation Women Achievers of Kentucky, an organization whose goal is to award scholarships for women who are first generation college attendees
Gabriel Slusser is thrilled to be joining the LCT family. Originally from Georgia, he earned a B.A. in Theatre from Piedmont College. He has worked at theatres throughout the eastern United States, including Titusville Playhouse, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and Stagedoor Manor.
Larry Snipes served as Lexington Children’s Theatre’s Producing Director and CEO from 1979-2020. After completing his MA in Theatre for Young Audiences at Alabama’s University of Montevallo, Mr. Snipes worked for two years as a professional actor and director in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He has directed a multitude of productions for LCT and written several plays including Jack and the Wonder Beans, Cows Don’t Fly and other known facts, and Old Dry Frye. He is a member of the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) and a past conference chair for SETC, and is a member of TYA‐USA (Theatre for Young Audiences. Along with his wife, Vivian, Mr. Snipes is the winner of the 2010 Sara Spencer Child Drama Award, and 2012 Orlin Corey Medallion winner from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America.
Vivian knew in sixth grade, (thanks, Mr. Maas!) she would work in theatre. By ninth grade (thanks Jerry Whiddon and Craig Babcock!) she had decided to specialize in theatre for young audiences. Much to her parents’ chagrin, as a senior in high school, she announced that she, “wasn’t going to college but was going to get a job in theatre!” And (fortunately) went straight to work for Library Theatre in Washington, DC. Later ‐ while teaching elementary school, working toward a degree in Interrelated Arts at the University of Maryland, and volunteering at Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo Park ‐ she met and married Larry. Shortly thereafter (like within four weeks shortly) Viv and Larry moved to Kentucky — expecting to stay three to five years. Now, some forty years and change later, Vivian has contributed to LCT in multiple capacities as teacher, technician, stage manager, costumer, designer, production manager, director, and writer / rewriter! In addition to directing a myriad of published plays Ms. Viv wrote and developed many scripts including The Snow Queen, MisterE of Imagination: Tales of Edgar Allan Poe, The Tallest Tale Ever Told, The Princess and the Peas, and (possibly her favorite because it speaks to the journey of so many artisans with which she worked) The Ugly Duckling. She loved helping emerging artists discover their artistic perspective, collaborating on the process of discovering the intent behind the words, building worlds with an incredibly talented pool of artisans, and watching cast, crew, staff, and audience members experiencing “A-HA!” moments of engagement. Fill your life with “A-HA!” moments whenever possible. Let your heART shine!