Staff
Working Together
Bobb Cooper
Producing Artistic Director
Lauren Antioco
Director of Education and Outreach
Lee Cooley
Director of Marketing and Communications
Karol Cooper
Resident Costume Designer
Mark Fearey
Musical Director
Tom Holmberg
Technical Director
Debbie Paine
Director of Development
David Hope
Audience Services Director
Kristian Rarig
Production Stage Manager
TBA
Financial Administrator
VYT STAFF
Bobb Cooper
Producing Artistic Director
Bobb is in his fifteenth year at VYT as Producing Artistic & Managing Director. He came to VYT with a bright new vision to offer children a safe place to learn, grow, and exercise their innate sense of creativity. Under his direction and energetic leadership, Valley Youth Theatre has become a highly-respected, professional-level theatre company where virtually thousands of young people experience the magic of live theatre. Bobb's first full season at Valley Youth Theatre was nominated for 32 ariZoni Awards for Theatre Excellence, and was the recipient of 15 awards, including Best Overall Children's Production for Annie and Best Director for The Wizard of Oz, a favorite production of Bobb's because it so beautifully illustrates his view that anything can happen as long as you believe. On the heels of the successful 1997-98 season, VYT lost their home at Tower Plaza. Bobb and the Board found a run-down building at the corner of First Street and Fillmore, a lease was negotiated and construction began on a new home for Valley Youth Theatre. For most of the 1998-1999 season, Bobb could be found with hammer, nails and shovel in hand. Yet, he still managed to produce two shows that season at the Herberger Theater Center, and walked away from the 1998-99 ariZoni Awards with Best Director honors for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. In the 1999-2000 season, Bobb oversaw the grand opening of VYT's new 202-seat theatre, produced eight shows, including the very successful Peter Pan for which he secured the set from the Cathy Rigby touring show.
In August of 2000, Valley Youth Theatre was named "Arts Organization of the Year" by the Business Volunteers for the Arts. Bobb was honored as the "Artist of the Year" 2000 by the Arizona Theater Alliance. Under Bobb's leadership, VYT became part of a successful city bond proposal in 2001, giving Valley Youth Theatre its first permanent home. VYT's 2000-2001 season received 81 ariZoni Award nominations, and Bobb received four "Best Director - Children's Musical" ariZoni Awards. In the fall of 2001, VYT was honored by the Black Board of Directors as "Arts Organization of the Year 2001" for exceptional diversity in programming. In 2002 Bobb was named to The Business Journal's "40 Under 40," as one of the business community's "rising stars!" In 2003 Valley Youth Theatre was accepted into the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the organization for professional theatre. In 2004, Bobb was recognized by The Business Journal as one of the "Valley's Most Influential" business leaders. VYT's 2004-2005 season garnered 84 ariZoni Award nominations; and Bobb was honored with the Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2005 ariZoni Award ceremony. VYT was honored with 32 ariZoni Awards for the 2005-2006 season and Bobb was named the top leader for Mid-Size Non-Profits by the Organization of Non-Profit Executives 2006.
Bobb's professional affiliations include Phoenix Community Alliance, Arizonans for Cultural Development, Arizona Theatre Alliance, ariZoni Theatre Awards Board, O.N.E., National Who's Who of Executives, Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Bobb is currently developing the Valley Youth Center for The Arts, which will bring together VYT and other major youth arts organizations, at a site at First and Fillmore Streets in downtown Phoenix.
Lauren Antioco
Director of Education and Outreach
Lauren has been teaching for VYT for the past 5 years. She completed graduate school at ASU with a teaching certification in Theatre Arts. Lauren has also received her B.A. in Psychology and Theatre Arts at Iona College in New York City. Lauren is the director of the VYT Playmakers Troupe. She has acted in many shows such as Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Macbeth, and West Side Story. She has also directed plays such as The Glass Menagerie, The Importance of Being Ernest, The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians, Into the Woods, and Seussical.
Karol Cooper
Resident Costume Designer
Karol has been designing since the 1996-97 season, when she won ariZoni Awards for Best Costume Design for Cinderella, Wizard of Oz, and Raggedy Ann and Andy. In 1999-2000 she won ariZoni Awards for Best Costume Design for A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas Tail and Jungle Book; in 2000-2001, she received ariZoni Awards for her costumes in A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas Tail and West Side Story and an ariZoni Award for Hair & Makeup. Karol received 10 ariZoni Award nominations (the most of any artist) and two ariZoni Awards for costume and hair and makeup designs in the 2001-2002 season. She also received a 2002 Maxie Award Honorable Mention for Best Costume Design for The Wiz. For VYT's 2002-2003 season, Karol won ariZoni Awards for Best Costume Design and for Hair & Makeup for The Wiz and for Hair & Makeup for The Little Mermaid. She received a 2004 ariZoni for Best Costume Design and Hair & Makeup for Titanic and a Best Hair & Makeup award for Pinocchio. In 2005, Karol was honored with 11 ariZoni Award nominations, garnering three awards for her incredible costumes for The Wizard of Oz and hair and makeup designs for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Wizard of Oz. Rounding off the list are 10 nominations in 2006 and 2 awards for costumes and hair and makeup for Bye Bye Birdie.
TBA
Financial Administrator
Mark Fearey
Musical Director
Mark is in his fifteenth season at VYT. Mark has been recognized for his outstanding musical direction at VYT with ariZoni Awards for theatre excellence for The Wizard of Oz, Titanic, Annie, The Wiz, Oliver!, West Side Story and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He came to the world of children's theatre with an extensive history in music and accompaniment, a Master's of Music in Performance from ASU and a degree in Piano Performance from D'Angelo School of Music, Mercyhurst College. Mark also is the Music Director for Abiding Savior Lutheran Church; accompanist for the Voice Department at Grand Canyon University; and Music Director for the local opera group, Opera-tunity. Mark has traveled to Germany and Austria, where he performed in numerous instrumental and vocal recitals. Mark also has served as the opera music director on the Lake in Center Lovell, Maine. He is also accompanist for the classical/pop/jazz vocal divisions of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts ARTS Week in Miami, FL. He and his wife Tory are the proud parents of Olivia, born in December!
Visit Mr. Mark's web site at http://www.markfearey.com/.
Tom Holmberg
Technical Director
Tom is a VYT Alum. He’s been seen onstage in VYT main stage productions of Titanic, Grease, Annie, Cats, and Bye Bye Birdie. He joins Valley Youth Theatre as our new Technical Director. He’s been working in the arts for the past 10 years. Tom received his BA from ASU in 2008.
Lee Cooley
Director of Marketing and Communications
Lee first hit the boards during a college production of Carnival! His involvement in community theatre peaked in the mid 1980’s at Players by the Sea in Florida and Mariemont Players in Ohio. By then, Lee’s acumen for character acting had spilled over into his television and radio career. His affection for the footlights resurfaced after moving to Arizona with his lovely wife Andrea. In his spare time, Lee volunteers as a mentor.
Debbie Paine
Director of Development
Debbie is passionate about arts and education opportunities for developing the “best” in kids. She is an accomplished nonprofit professional with special expertise in leading fundraising efforts for corporate, individual, foundation and earned income programs. Debbie’s career has been focused in the nonprofit world. Her most recent engagements have been as Executive Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Phoenix; Executive Director of the Heather Farr Foundation; Director of Operations for Make-A-Wish Foundation of America; and, Director of Volunteers for St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Debbie received her certification in nonprofit management from ASU’s Non Profit Management Institute, is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), a graduate of Valley Leadership Class XXVII, Past President of Lead for Good, and past board member for the Organization for Nonprofit Professionals.
David Hope
Audience Services Director
David was introduced to the performing arts by his grandmother who played piano for the Youngstown Symphony and was a long-standing member of the Symphony Guild in Ohio. David performed with a rock band in the 90’s and moved to Phoenix in 1999 where he eventually became patron services manager for Phoenix Theatre and then Theater Works. David would like to thank Bobb and the entire VYT staff, parents, volunteers and children for making him a part of an incredibly vital theatre company. He also thanks his beautiful wife Amber, son Jack (3) and stepdaughters Ashley (16) and Drew (10) for putting up with his crazy schedule!
Kristian Rarig
Production Stage Manager
After graduating from SCA in 2008, Kristian completed a six-month internship at The New York City Dream Center and is currently on her way to completing a BA. Some of Kristian's favorite stage management credits include SCA's Once Upon A Mattress, A Midsummer Night¹s Dream, Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma, DFT's Dixie Swim Club and VYT’s Dora the Explorer, Live! and A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail, she was also assistant stage manager for VTY's Hairspray. Kristian would like to give thanks to her wonderful mentors Lori Vandermatten, Kathleen Brazie, and Mark Stoddard, her incredibly gracious and loving parents, her amazing support group of friends and family, the fantastic VTY Family, and most importantly her Heavenly Father.
GUEST ARTISTS AND INSTRUCTORS
Marten Niner
HaHa's Director
Marten Niner has performed professionally all over the world. Beginning his stage career as a classically trained vocalist, he is an alumnus of the Phoenix Boys Choir, Phoenix Symphony Masterworks Chorale and Naval Academy Glee Club. Marten has performed, directed and taught improvisation for over 15 years. He was a founding member and assistant director of the Oxymoron'Z Improv Comedy Troupe and has performed stand-up around the Valley including The Improv in Tempe. Marten serves on the Board of Directors of Valley Youth Theatre.
J'ana Young
VYT Instructor
J'ana Young has been teaching musical theatre at Valley Youth Theatre for over 5 years. She received her bachelors degree in piano performance with a minor in voice at Grand Canyon University. J'ana absolutely loves teaching, and believes the character values that are learned through musical theater help a student become a better individual. She married her husband, Daniel, in August 2007, and they live in Tempe. Besides teaching musical theater, she teaches private piano at Kirk's Studio for the Performing Arts in Scottsdale. Her hobbies are cooking, learning to dance, and convincing the hubby that a dog can come before a house.
Stacey Hanlon
Education Instructor
Stacey has been a teacher with the Valley Youth Theatre for the past three years, joining the organization shortly after moving to Phoenix from New York in 2005. In New York, Stacey was the cofounder of improv comedy troupe Late Night Ritalin. She also appeared regularly in the sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Rewritten.” She was a producer and workshop director of the Oktoberfest improv comedy festival, and also regularly taught summer enrichment drama and dance programs to children and teens in her hometown of Akron, Ohio. Currently, Stacey performs with The Light Rail Pirates, Mail Order Bride, and The Phoenix Neutrino Project. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.
Jenny Hintze
Education Instructor
Jenny has been performing since the age of eleven. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theater from Arizona State University in 2006. She has performed around the valley with Phoenix Theatre, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Mesa Encore Theatre, Actors Theater of Phoenix, Arizona Jewish Theatre Company, Theater League, The Actor’s Group, Cookie Company and Lyric Opera Theatre. She is also trained extensively in dance with scholarships to Tremaine Dance Studios and L.A. Underground. Recently joining Valley Youth Theatre for their Summer program of Music Theater classes, she is looking forward to a great fall semester!
Will Hightower
Education Instructor
Will is an actor/writer/comedian and teaching artist who has had the pleasure of working with great Valley talents. He is a graduate from both Phoenix College and Arizona State University acting programs and has performed with several improv troupes including Inapropriov and ASUs Spot Improv. Will has taught for Arizona Jewish Theatre Company and the Academy of Cinema and Television; he is excited to join the VYT family of instructors.
Rebecca Joslin
Education Instructor
Rebecca comes to the Valley Youth Theatre staff as a long-time veteran of the theater. She has been playing in VYT orchestras for over eight years and continues to work, play, and teach here. As a frequent musical performer herself, Rebecca has received training from some top musical directors in Arizona and Utah. As a music education student at Arizona State University, she continues to develop both her musical abilities and her teaching skills. Recently, Rebecca spent an entire summer inthe midwest under the direction of some of the best directors in the world performing 24 shows a week!