SANDY BOREN-BARRETT (DIRECTOR) - Sandy Boren-Barrett has been with Stages Theatre Company (STC) since 1990, allowing her to pursue her passion for theatre production and education, along with community building theatre serving young audiences. During her time in leadership STC has been awarded National recognition with the 2017 Harold Oaks Award for Innovative Contributions to the Field of Theatre for Young Audiences, as well as the 2018 – 50/50 Applause Award for promoting gender equity with playwrights. STC’s 2019-2020 season selection was highlighted in TYA Today Magazine as an example of “a promising increase in representation specifically in works that feature the stories of contemporary young people of color”. Sandy led an international performance tour and artistic exchange with “the egg Theatre, the Young Peoples Theatre of Theatre Royal” in Bath England. Collaboration is at the core of her work, and as an accomplished director has directed over 75 productions at STC which include many new works, dance-inspired productions, and world premieres. She directed the local premier, mainstage production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the musical which remains the highest attended production at Stages Theatre Company. Sandy remains on the Executive Committee, as former chair of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and last spring worked with Racially Conscious Collaboration (RCC) to gain her certification in racial equity organizational leadership.

 

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SARAH HOHENSTEIN BURK (MUSICAL DIRECTOR) - A performer and recording artist on keyboard, violin, vocals and percussion, Sarah Hohenstein Burk has toured the U.S., Europe and the Middle East with a variety of ensembles and theatre troupes. Ongoing endeavors include directing and performing with her jazz trio, as well as dates with various jazz, big band, R&B, gospel, classical chamber, international dance and variety ensembles. She has played the roles of music director, conductor, composer, instrumentalist and arranger in countless theatre productions and is actively involved in the development and production of new works at Stages Theatre Company, the History Theatre, Theater Latté Da and Green T Productions.

 

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MADDIE RIPPERGER (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR)  - Maddie is excited to be working with Stages for the first time! As an actor, Maddie has been seen as Pinocchio in Pinocchio (Lakeshore Players Theatre), Portia in Something Rotten (The Phipps Center for the Arts), and Harriet in Miss Woodhouse Presents (Aethem Theatre Company). Directing credits include Willy Wonka Jr., Puffs, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Children's Performing Arts' upcoming production of Little Women. By day, she serves as the Education and Programs Director for Children’s Performing Arts, where she teaches, directs, and plans educational programming.

 

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HANNAH WEINBERG (CHOREOGRAPHER)  - Hannah is thrilled to be making her Stages debut and to be collaborating with this group of artists on Finding Nemo Jr! She is an award winning choreographer and director, and has been lucky to perform all across the country and globe. Hannah loves sharing her passion for theater with young artists, she has taught thousands of children around the world. Some of her favorite past show credits include: SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical, Something Rotten, The Revolutionists, Junie B. Jones, Is Not A Crook, Hairspray (Lyric Arts), Singin' In The Rain, Disney's The Little Mermaid (Lakeshore Players), Tuck Everlasting, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Chaska Valley Family Theater) Disney's Newsies, Head Over Heels (Elk River High School) The best job is being Mom to her two little clownfish.

 

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KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ (Book, Music and Lyrics) Kristen Anderson-Lopez's Broadway credits include: co-creator/writer of In Transit (Broadway's first a cappella musical) and Frozen. Other theatrical works include Up Here (La Jolla Playhouse), Finding Nemo: The Musical (Disney World, running since 2006). Film: Pixar's Coco (Oscar® Best Original Song win for "Remember Me"), Frozen (Oscar and Grammy Award® wins for "Let It Go"), Winnie The Pooh. TV: songs for 87th Academy Awards (Emmy® nomination), "The Comedians," "The Wonder Pets." 2014 recipient, and now proud board member, of the Lilly Awards. Upcoming projects include Disney's Frozen 2. Williams College grad, BMI Workshop, Dramatists Guild council. She lives in Brooklyn with Robert and their two daughters.

 

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Robert Lopez (Book, Music and Lyrics) - Robert Lopez's Broadway credits include co-creator/writer of The Book of Mormon (nine Tony® Awards including Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Musical), co-creator/songwriter of Avenue Q (three Tony Awards including Best Original Score and Best Musical). Other theatrical works include: Frozen (Denver Center), Up Here (La Jolla Playhouse), 1001 Nights (Atlantic Theater). Film: Pixar's Coco (Oscar® Best Original Song win for "Remember Me"), Frozen (Oscar Best Original Song win for "Let It Go"). TV: songs for The 87th Academy Awards, "The Simpsons," "South Park," "Scrubs," "The Wonder Pets." Upcoming projects include Disney's Frozen2. One of 12 artists to win Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar and Tony Awards (EGOT). Yale University grad, BMI Workshop, Dramatists Guild council. A NYC native, he lives in Brooklyn with Kristen and their two daughters.

 

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Lindsay Anderson (Book Adaptation) - Lindsay Anderson is a New York City-based lyricist and book writer. Off-Broadway: co-writer/creator of A Never-Ending Line (Players Theatre). Other writing credits include Down Under Rescue Sanctuary and The Game Room (Brooklyn Children’s Theatre); The Jane Goodall: Experience, and Branded (Philadelphia Fringe Festival). Graduate of Dickinson College and Headlong Performance Institute. Lindsay is a proud member of Maestra Music Inc. and the Tony-honored BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Recipient of the 2018 BMI Foundation Jean Banks Award for her musical, One Swipe Away.

 

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Myrna Conn (Music and Orchestrations Adaptation) - Myrna Conn is a composer, music director, and teaching artist based in New York City. Broadway: Pretty Woman (Key 1/ Conductor & Key 2 sub). National Tour: Come From Away (Associate Conductor). New York music directing credits include Bagels from Benny (92nd Street Y), Fountain (New Victory LabWorks), and National Lampoon Presents: SHIZ (Feinstein’s/54 Below & UCB Theatre). Myrna is a songwriter and pianist for Story Pirates, a group of actors, comedians, improvisers, and musicians who adapt stories written by kids into sketch comedy and musical theatre. Graduate of Northwestern University, where she was awarded the Craig Carnelia Songwriting Award and the Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship. Myrna is also a member of the advanced class of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, Local 802 AFM, and Maestra Music, Inc.