Meet the Team

Administrative

Anna Senechal Johnson
Artistic and Managing Director

Anna Senechal Johnson, (she/her) is the founding Artistic and Managing Director of Cadence and is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where she holds a B.A. in theatre and dance. She was a co-founder of Richmond’s award-winning Firehouse Theatre Project, served as Company  Artist for Company of Fools (COF) in Hailey, Idaho, and is the founding Artistic Director of St. Thomas Playhouse in Sun Valley, Idaho. Recently, she directed The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse, 13  by Jason Robert Brown, Dan Elish, and Robert Horn, Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (RTCC Winner for Best Play), Appropriate by  Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (RTCC Winner for Best Play and Best Director) and Rabbit Hole by David  Lindsay-Abaire. Other credits include Peter Shaffer’s Equus, Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind, and the Richmond premieres of Lisa D’Amour’s Detroit and David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People (RTCC  Nomination Best Play and Best Director). Favorite Richmond directing credits include Next Fall (Richmond Triangle Players); Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas (Virginia Repertory Theatre); Sons of the Prophet (Cadence Theatre in partnership with Virginia Repertory Theatre); Kimberly Akimbo (Cadence Theatre in Partnership with Virginia Repertory  Theatre); Fool for Love (Cadence Theatre); Godspell (Cadence Theatre); My  Children! My Africa! (Theatre IV) and A Devil Inside (Theatre IV); And Then They Came for Me:  Remembering the World of Anne Frank (Jewish Family Theatre); Tone Clusters (Firehouse Theatre Project). Acting credits include roles in Steel Magnolias, Rabbit Hole, Sight Unseen, and Bus Stop (COF). Anna also serves on the board of the Campfire Foundation in Boise, Idaho, and has worked with the PTSA and Drama Boosters at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School. Since Cadence’s inception, she has also been involved in areas of educational programming, production, marketing, volunteer recruitment and management, publicity management, development, and administration. In her spare time, Anna enjoys hiking, going to the theatre and ballet, watching movies, jogging, and spending time with family, friends, her daughter, and her pets.

Laine Satterfield
Director of Education, STAGE WRITE and TRAIN Program Director

Laine (she/her) is an award-winning theatre artist who has performed in, taught, choreographed, directed, and devised theatre both nationally and internationally. She holds a BFA from TSOA at NYU and has trained at the University of Eurasian Theatre, Stella Adler, Carnegie Mellon, and University College London. She has taught at NYU, Stella Adler, Aquila University, VCU, VA Governor’s School, Company of Fools, Center for the Arts, and various workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Laine founded the NYC-based theatre group World 3, where she was Artistic & Founding Director. She also toured Europe extensively with the international theatre group, Linea Trasversale. Recent acting roles include Cadence’s Native Gardens, Cadence/VaRep's The Thanksgiving Play, Gloria, Sight Unseen, In the Next Room, and Detroit; VaRep's Pipeline, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time; RTP’s Cloud 9. Other favorite roles include Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Elena in Uncle Vanya, Paulina in Death and the Maiden, and Ariel in The Tempest. Recent directing credits include VaRep’s Cinderella and Airline Highway, and Cadence’s Small Mouth Sounds and The Mountaintop. She believes theatre has the power to hold a mirror up to ourselves and our place in society.

Omiyemi (Artisia) Green
Sitelines BLM Program Director

Omiyẹmi (she/her) is the originator and Program Director for Cadence Sitelines BLM and had the honor of directing Brittany Fisher’s Bleach, one of Cadence’s award-winning commissions for its 2023 Sitelines BLM Film Festival. As noted in Bleach being “the first black anything” makes clear that progress is being made slowly. However, progress is still happening and Omiyẹmi does not take this distinction in her professional profile lightly. Since the inception of the William & Mary Theatre & Dance department in 1926 and the hiring of its first Black faculty member sixty years later, Omiyẹmi is the first Black woman to achieve tenure and promotion to full professor in Theatre. She also holds posts as the editor-in-chief of the Black Theatre Review, the VP for Professional Development for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, and a W&M Provost Faculty Fellow.

A director and dramaturg Omiyẹmi’s work has been seen in places such as the Afrikana Independent Film Festival (Richmond, VA), Southern Illinois University (Carbondale), Illinois Wesleyan University, eta Creative Arts Foundation, and Cadence. Her research is published in the Journal of American Drama and Theatre, the Journal of American Folklore, Continuum, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Journal Peer Review Section, the August Wilson Journal, August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle: Critical Perspectives on the Plays (McFarland), and African American Culture: An Encyclopedia of People, Traditions, and Customs (Greenwood). She has forthcoming work in Theater Magazine, Applied Theatre and Racial Justice: Radical Imaginings for Just Communities (Routledge), and August Wilson in Context (Cambridge University Press).

Since graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2003 (MFA, Theatre Education) she has held teaching positions with Morgan State University, Chicago State University, and Purdue University’s Black Cultural Research Center. Omiyẹmi’s accomplishments include two William & Mary NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Faculty Support, a Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence, a W. Taylor Reveley, III Interdisciplinary Faculty Fellowship, a WMSURE Mellon Faculty Fellowship, an Arts & Sciences Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, and a term professorship as the Sharpe Professor of Civic Renewal and Entrepreneurship. She has earned $230K in external and internal awards for her teaching and research, and creative work, has been recognized by the Black Theatre Alliance Awards, and supported with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, CultureWorks, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Sara Krivanec
Communications and Social Media Associate

Sara Krivanec (she/her) has called Richmond home since 2000. She is a proud supporter of the Richmond arts community and brings her love of administrative work to Cadence through communications assistance including social media posting and newsletter publishing. Sara has worked as a Certified Birth Doula since 2001, educating and supporting RVA families as they bring their babies into the world. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Women’s Studies, Sara has continued to incorporate her knowledge of women’s issues in her birth work and through her appreciation of the various jobs women perform in this world- including the amazing work of women in theatre! The arts hold a special place in her family’s heart, whether it’s music, performing or visual arts. Her oldest son graduated from VCUarts in Craft/Material Studies and her daughter (who grew up as a SPARC & Cadence “theatre kid”) is now using that background as they pursue their ASL interpreter degree in Chicago. Sara loves reading mysteries and political books, watching her youngest son play soccer, and visiting the Outer Banks with her family.

Jill Porcelli
Bookkeeper

Jill Porcelli (she/her) has been the Bookkeeper for Cadence Theatre Company since July 2018. Originally from Long Island, NY, Jill moved down to Virginia to go to Randolph-Macon College in 2007. She loved it so much that she made Richmond her home for many years. Now newly married she has moved to Memphis, TN with her husband to start a new chapter but is happy to continue working for Cadence Theatre Company from afar. With a passion for theatre but no acting skills, she has found her love behind the books. 

Melissa Johnston Price
Special Events Coordinator

Melissa Johnston Price (she/her) has been working in event coordinating and catering for the past 25 years.  She was heavily involved in both the June Jubilee and the Children’s Festivals in the 90’s and was the Director for the 17th Street Farmer’s Market Festival which was held in conjunction with the Tour de Richmond bicycle race.  Melissa is also an actress having worked with Cadence Theatre Company, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Richmond Triangle Players, 5th Wall, and Quill Theatre, and she was voted one of Richmond’s favorite actresses for 2013 by Style Weekly readers.  She received the Teresa Pollack Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts in 2014 as well as the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Actress of the Year for her role as Barbara in August, Osage County produced by Cadence in association with Virginia Rep. Melissa and her husband, Roger, own and operate Whisper Recording, voicing phone voice prompts, on hold messaging, and radio and television commercials.

Skye Shannon
Webmaster

Skye Shannon (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and recent graduate from VCU with a BFA in Graphic Design. She currently works as a UX/UI Designer for Capital One, in addition to managing Cadence’s website. Skye has been working creatively with CTC and Virginia Rep for more than ten years since joining the Fourth Wall Student Leadership Program as an original member in 2012. Check out some of her work at skyeshannon.com. 

Liv Wilson
Dramaturg, Communications Associate

Liv Wilson (she/they) is a dramaturg, playwright, librettist, and theatremaker based out of Washington, D.C. Their work has been seen at The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, Boise State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, The College of William & Mary and at The Premiere Theatre Playwriting Competition. Liv is the recipient of the Howard Scammon Prize for Drama and the Martin Jurow Theatre Arts Award for artistic excellence. She has worked as the dramaturg for Ford's Theatre, Cadence Theatre Company's Sitelines BLM series, and several independent new works developed by artists across the country. Liv received their Bachelor's degree in History from The College of William and Mary in 2021 and is a recent National Theatre Institute alum.

Creative

The following designers and production team members have worked with Cadence on three or more live theatre or film projects or productions: Andrew Bonniwell, Zachary Carlson, Yuna Chen, Michael Duni, Daniel Kunkel, Weston Corey, Sarah Grady, Sharon Gregory, Shawanna Hall, Hanna Hoffert and Olive, Courtney Holmes, Michael Jarett, Margarette Joyner, Lara Koplin, Joseph Lavigne, Joey Luck, Rich Mason, Emily Hake Massie, Jacob Mitchell, Aaron Orensky, Janet Rodgers, Alleigh Scantling and Ellie Wilder.

Drew Brown
Film & Video Production Associate

Drew Brown (he/him) studies Interactive Media Arts at New York University and works as a repair shop technician at the Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. A life-long Richmonder, he is a 2021 graduate of St. Christopher’s School, where he served as Technical Director of the Ampersand Theatre Company. He joined Cadence’s 4th Wall Student Leadership Program in 2018 and now serves as a film editor for the Kdents TV web series “Bloodlines.” He has previously worked as a camp counselor at SPARC and interned at the Science Museum of Virginia’s Forge Makerspace.

Jason Collins
Photographer

Jason Collins (he/him) has spent most of his life living in central Virginia. He spent his school age years in Midlothian, VA, but attended college in Radford, VA and Richmond, VA after high school. Jason has since settled into the southside suburbs with his wife and young son. Jason started becoming more interested in photography around 2007 and eventually worked part-time by gaining interest from the music industry capturing live shows and promotional images for musicians and publications. In 2012, Jason Collins Photography became a full-time business venture and he has been consistently photographing local and destination weddings, as well as, family portraits and headshots. Jason's attention to detail and photojournalistic approach to the art of photography is what attracted him to work with Cadence Theatre Company and Virginia Rep. He's been photographing Cadence's live performances and promotional material since the early 2010's after going full-time. Jason's unique style works perfect in tandem with live theatre performances and is a great addition to the Cadence Theatre production team. You can see more of Jason's work at www.jasoncollinsphoto.com.

Denise Simone
Associate Artist, Instructor, National New Play Network Liaison

Denise Simone (she/her) has pursued a life in the professional theatre for the past 40 years as an actor, director, teacher, administrator and consultant. While her work as an actor has informed and fed all other aspects of her life in the theatre, it was her 1996 move to Hailey, Idaho, with the award-winning Company of Fools (COF, of which she was a founding member) that led to the richest and most rewarding chapter (thus far) of her career.  Between 1996 and 2016, Simone served as COF’s Co-Producing Artistic Director and led the Company to becoming one of the pre-eminent arts organizations in Idaho. Some of her favorite acting roles with COF include Barbara in August: Osage County, Veronica in God of Carnage, Masha in Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, Margie in Good People, Polly in Other Dessert Cities, the one-woman shows The Syringa Tree and Shirley Valentine, May in Fool for Love starring Bruce Willis and Roberta in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. She has also appeared in recent years in Boise Contemporary Theatre’s productions of The Roommate, The Clean House and Slow Food and Potus at Virginia Repertory. Directing credits include Cry It Out, Proof; Constellations; Almost, Maine; Doubt; Dead Man’s Cell Phone; Distracted; Collected Stories; The Laramie Project; and The Belle of Amherst.  Simone has taught theatre and creative writing in Virginia and Idaho and helped create and implement COF’s innovative in-school Stages of Wonder program. She has developed workshops and classes for nonprofits including Camp Rainbow Gold, Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center and Flourish Foundation.  Simone served as a commissioner for the Idaho Commission on the Arts for ten years and as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. She is currently an advisory board member for the Sun Valley Playwrights Residency as well as a member of Actors’ Equity Association and Screen Actors’ Guild.  For her work in the theatre Denise was awarded the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Rusty Wilson
Associate Artist, Instructor

Rusty Wilson (he/him) is a theatre artist and teacher based in Richmond, VA. Since moving to Richmond in 2005, he has directed a number of critically acclaimed productions for Cadence, including The Christians, John, (RTCC Best Director, 2017), Sight Unseen, and In The Next Room (or The Vibrator Play). Other Richmond directing credits include Cloud 9, Death of a Salesman, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (RTCC Best Director, 2011), Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice (RTCC Best Director, 2009), Noah Haidle’s Mr. Marmalade, and Virginia Rep’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Prior to moving to Richmond, Rusty spent ten years serving as the Founding Artistic Director for Company of Fools, an award winning theatre company located in Sun Valley, Idaho. Favorite directing credits there include Uncle Vanya, James Joyce’s The Dead, Waiting for Godot, How I Learned to Drive, The Tempest, Death and the Maiden, Buried Child, and Other Desert Cities. The company received the Idaho Governor’s Award in 2004, and continues to be one of Idaho’s leading arts institutions. Rusty has been a guest director and teacher at various colleges and universities around the country, received a fellowship in directing in 2003, and was featured in the March 2002 issue of American Theatre Magazine. Rusty currently serves as an Associate Artist for Cadence.

Education

Erica Arvold
TRAIN Instructor

Erica (she/her) has been an educator, guest instructor, and speaker for over 20 years, sharing insights from a career as a casting director and producer that spans major studio films, television shows, and multimedia projects. She has had the honor of collaborating with and serving students and faculty at universities, schools and acting studios across the country including UVA, UNC, George Mason, Longwood, TRAIN at Virginia Repertory, and many others. Her multiple festival and conference appearances over the years include serving as a panelist, moderator, mentor, and host; recent festivals include Austin, Virginia, Richmond, and the Independent Television Festival. She has been the keynote speaker for several organizations outside of the filmmaking industry as well. In 2010, Erica founded arvold.education with the goal of raising the bar for all film artists through training and collaboration. arvold.education develops and offers master classes for actors and also sponsors events, panels, and discussions on all aspects of the industry. As the daughter of a professor, Erica believes that we are and will always be students of one another, a belief that was shaped and molded by her years at The Theatre School, DePaul University (formerly The Goodman School of Drama), which has manifested into a deep love of craft and a belief in formal training as a means to consistent, constant artistic growth.

Danny Caporaletti
Film & Video Production Mentor, Instructor

Danny Caporaletti (he/him) is a writer/filmmaker based in Richmond, Virginia. He has an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of New Orleans, and his writing has been published in journals such as Bluestem, Sink/Swim Press, NewOrleans&Me, and others. He served as an assistant editor at Bayou Magazine in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2014 to 2016. In addition, his short films have screened in Berlin, Germany, as part of the Weihnachts Christmas Film Festival; in Washington, D.C., as part of the Awesome Con Short Film Festival; and in Richmond, New Orleans, and at various other events. He works in Virginia as a freelance director and teaches film production in the VCUarts Cinema Department at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Anne Chapman
TRAIN Instructor

Anne's (she/her) casting credits include Lincoln, Loving, Big Stone Gap, Harriet, Juanita, over 200 short films, commercials, PSAs, and museum films. She holds a BA in Theatre/Film and a Master's in Cinema, and she was a 2018-2019 visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge. Nominated for the CSA’s Artios Awards three times, Anne is a member of the Casting Society, BAFTA, the BIFA Performance Nominations Subgroup, and the Television Academy. She has been an adjunct instructor in the VCUarts Cinema program since 2007, teaching casting. She believes wholeheartedly in illuminating the path for upcoming actors and casting directors, and delights in watching their careers progress.

Clay McLeod Chapman
Screenwriting Mentor

Clay McLeod Chapman (he/him) writes books, comic books, children’s books, podcasts and for film/TV. His most recent novels include Whisper Down the Lane and The Remaking. Please visit him at: www.claymcleodchapman.com.

Desirèe Dabney 
Instructor

Desirèe Dabney (she/her) (B.F.A, M.Ed) is a professional actor, singer, director, and teacher, as well as the executive director of Theatre Diva Productions in Richmond, VA. She has recently been seen in a National Commercial for Google, Everybody (Love) at Cadence Theatre, Times Square Angel at Richmond Triangle Players, Warm (Ensemble) a Firehouse Theatre production, Quill Theatre's Taming of the Shrew (Hortensio), University Of Richmond's Caroline or Change (Caroline), Quill Theatre's Red Velvet (Connie) and Virginia Repertory's production of Pinkalicious (Dr. Wink) and more. Desirèe received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2014.  She has been in over 100 productions including commercials, films, TV Shows (Apple TV and CBS), musicals, and plays. Professor Dabney is Head of Musical Theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University, Board Member of Virginia Theatre Association, Board Member of Richmond Triangle Players, Board Member of Yes & And Theatre, Owner and Executive Director of Theatre Diva Productions, and on the board for Fine Arts Education (Theatre) Virginia Department of Education. 

Paul Dandridge
TRAIN Instructor

Paul Dandridge (he/him) is a faculty member at Richmond Ballet and a full time Teaching Artist with its Community Engagement program, Minds In Motion. Paul received his dance training from the School of Richmond Ballet as well as Indiana University’s Ballet Theatre program and has performed works by some of the dance world’s greatest choreographers; George Balanchine (The Four Temperaments, Serenade, Who Cares?), Twyla Tharp (Noir), Paul Taylor (Cloven Kingdom), Fredrick Ashton (Les Patineurs), Agnes de Mille (Rodeo), among many others. Recently, Paul has performed more on the musical theater stage as Nelius, the dancing statue in Mary Poppins, and as A-Rab, in West Side Story, both with Virginia Repertory Theatre. He is thrilled to be on the TRAIN team.

Monique Davis
STAGE WRITE Instructor

Monique Davis (she/her) is a transplant to Richmond from Paterson, New Jersey. She is a 1987 graduate of Paterson’s Eastside High School — home of the Ghosts and known for its former principal Joe Clark, the subject of the 1989 film Lean on Me. Monique double majored in Journalism and Theatre Arts at Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey, where she was named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges in 1994. As an actor, she has appeared on New York Undercover and on Law and Order. Monique has also taught English in California and private acting classes in New Jersey. Monique’s affiliation with Cadence began as a student in Rusty Wilson’s adult acting classes in October of 2017. She looks forward to working with Cadence from the production side to support Cadence’s creative mission.

Michael Duni
Film & Video Production Mentor, Instructor

Michael Duni (he/him) is a director and filmmaker who has worked on projects for Netflix, PBS, AMC, Amazon and others. At 28, Michael directed his first feature film, The King of Crimes, and is currently in pre-production on his second. Outside of features, Michael’s short films, casting work, and cinematography have received international acclaim at festivals and mainstream theaters alike. Michael has also directed two stage plays, and has been tasked by distributors to re-imagine how plays are filmed for broadcast. He hopes his unique understanding of both film and theatre can help create storytelling experiences that elevate and combine both art forms. Michael is extremely excited to be a new addition to the STAGE WRITE team.

Jana Farrell
TRAIN Instructor

Jana (she/her) is thrilled to join the TRAIN teaching family. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Boston Conservatory, with an emphasis in Speech, and an MFA in Acting Performance from VCU. While a Graduate Student at VCU, Jana performed several roles at the former Theatre Virginia including Arcadia (Chloe), Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret), Picasso at the Lapine Agile (Suzanne/Countess/Female Admirer), Hay Fever (Jackie Coryton), and The Heiress (Marian). Most recently, Jana appeared as Miss Lynch in the TRAIN Summer Showcase production of GREASE: School Version. While she has fond memories of her New York City days, touring and acting in regional theatre, Jana now enjoys directing and teaching Speech & Drama where her journey began, in Chesterfield County Public Schools. She has been teaching middle- and high-school students since 2009, directing and choreographing many musicals and plays, including Hairspray, High School Musical, Zombie Prom, and John Lennon & Me. Over the course of her teaching career Jana has developed a strong working relationship with NYC/LA-based, award-winning playwright Brian Hampton (Jungle Fun Room, Gossip, Checking In), directing his plays and arranging for students to engage with the playwright throughout the rehearsal process. In 2018 Jana and Brian collaborated on the world premiere of USERNAME, scheduled for publication in 2019. She can’t wait to get started with the wonderfully talented TRAIN students!

Denise Folley
Instructor, Stage Manager

Denise Folley (she/her) is a Charlottesville native, currently studying at VCU for her MFA in Theatre with a concentration in Performance Pedagogy. She obtained her BA in Theatre Arts from Davis & Elkins College in 2018. Since her departure from undergrad, Folley has been able to teach theatre outside her hometown at The Old Brick Playhouse Company, Stagedoor Manor, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Since moving back to Charlottesville, she has made herself busy by acting in shows with Live Arts and Charlottesville Player Guild, directing shows with DMR ADVENTURES, teaching classes with Empowered Players, and acting as the Assistant Theatre Director at Charlottesville High School, while and working as the Program Assistant with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Virginia. Denise is the current Co-Chair for the Theatre of Youth division with the Virginia Theatre Association. 

Ruby Joy Garcia
STAGE WRITE Instructor

Ruby Joy (they/them) is a proud biracial Boricua born in England. Growing up primarily in California, they are now thriving in the RVA. Their background is mainly in mental health and crisis intervention, holding a BSW from Humboldt State University. They currently work as a suicide prevention counselor for LGBTQIA+ youth and have been recognized for their contributions to non-carceral street-based crisis intervention and advocacy. Ruby Joy developed a love for acting and theatre at a young age but didn’t have the opportunity to explore it until last year, when they joined Cadence's spectacular Unstaged adult acting class. While they have many hobbies and interests, you can find Ruby Joy spending time with their beloved fur children and spouse, helping out on their mum’s alpaca farm, and supporting their Ile in ceremony.

Brendan Kennedy
STAGE WRITE Instructor

Brendan Kennedy (he/him) is a Richmond native and a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, where he earned his BFA in Musical Theatre. Brendan spent the last 10 years at SPARC teaching classes, directing productions and camps, and helping manage and create programming throughout the organization. Brendan sees the arts as more than just a career or a hobby, but rather a way of life. Connection, truth, and vulnerability are not only characteristics of compelling storytelling, but also of great humans. He looks forward to helping youth continue to tell their most authentic story.

Daniel Kunkel
TRAIN Instructor

Daniel (he/him) is a director, writer, fight director, and educator based in Charlottesville, VA. He currently serves as the Education Director at Live Arts. He recently graduated from VCU with a Master's in Social Work and works as an in-home and outpatient clinician in Charlottesville. His previous directing credits include The Lightning Thief, Heathers, and You Don't Know Jacksh#t about the Mothman. He brings his love of mental health awareness, trauma-informed acting training, and self-respect into every artistic space.

Jason Marks
TRAIN Instructor

Jason (he/him) is a mainstay of the Richmond theater scene, having performed on local stages as well as across the country in musicals and stage productions. New York credits include Broadway Gypsy of the Year (with Carol Channing), Bound for Broadway, and Young Edgar. Regional credits include Mill Mountain Theatre, New Stage Theatre, Park Playhouse, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Riverside Center, and Virginia Repertory Theatre. Mr. Marks is an award-winning actor, singer, and cabaret artist. He received an Artsie Award in 2008 for his performance in Guys & Dolls, and the 2012 Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts from Richmond Magazine for his contributions to local theater. Additionally, he won the 2010 Your Big Broadway Break contest, hosted by Staybridge Suites Times Square NYC, and is a three-time NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition winner in the men's classical and musical theatre divisions. He has performed solo concert work with the Richmond Symphony and the Washington National Symphony and Chorus. For a decade, he served as the resident music director for the children's touring department of Virginia Rep and has been commissioned to write several new stage works for VA Rep, including Hiawatha, Ellis Island: Gateway of Dreams, The Little Engine That Could, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The Musical, and Newton's Apple. An experienced educator, Jason has taught for local youth arts organizations for almost 20 years, including SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community), as well as education programs at the Weinstein JCC, Virginia Rep, and Cadence.

Alexyn Scheller
Film & Video Production Mentor, Instructor

Alexyn C. Scheller (he/him), born and raised in New Jersey, began his work with Cadence in 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University and M.B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University and currently works as a Senior Brand Manager for Procter & Gamble. When not working on building and managing brands, Alexyn owns and operates a photo and video editing business (aptly named Alexyn & Video), a side passion project he's had for over a decade. A self-described film geek, he got involved with Cadence after volunteering to help film drone footage for a project in early 2021. After working on several projects with Cadence, he came on as a board member where he can bring his love of film and branding together. Outside of volunteering and work, Alexyn enjoys traveling, mentoring, and building forts with his son. Alexyn currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wonderful wife Jennifer Scheller and amazing son Cassian Scheller where he sometimes explores the far reaches of space and time.

Shalandis Wheeler Smith
STAGE WRITE Instructor

Shalandis Wheeler Smith (she/her) is a native of Petersburg, VA and currently resides in Richmond, VA. She received her BA in Psychology and English with emphasis in Theatre from Norfolk State University. Shalandis has previous experience as a Mental Health and Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselor. Currently, Shalandis is a local actress and a Production Manager for The Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company. Her joy for acting has led to her to being cast in many local commercials, films and various theatre's around Richmond. Shalandis loves spending time with her family and friends as well as supporting the arts.

2024–2025 Intern Company

Betsy Blackwell

Betsy Blackwell (she/her) is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech, where she studied Cinematography, Theatre, and Creative Writing. With a key focus on film, she enjoys working on short films, music videos, and scriptwriting. She has also worked on multiple plays at Virginia Tech and is grateful for the experience she has gained in costume design, scenic painting/design, and operating follow spots. Betsy looks forward to being a part of the eCadence team and creating alongside other motivated artistic individuals!

Kiyah Burrell-Junius

Kiyah Burrell-Junius (she/her) is currently attending Brightpoint Community College pursuing an associate’s degree in visual arts specializing in film. Kiyah would like to have a career in the film industry in the future. She loves to volunteer, act, and work behind the scenes as a cinematographer on a film set. She is very excited to start her first year as an intern for Cadence!

Terra Comer

Terra Comer (she/her) received a BA in Film/TV from Clark Atlanta University, where she acted in various productions and directed her first short film. Terra has also trained in New York at the Bill Esper Studio and in LA with Meisner instructor Anthony Montes. She aspires to start her own theatre company one day. She is thrilled to work as an intern at Cadence!

Jacob Cornforth

Jacob Cornforth (he/him) is a VCU student pursuing a BFA in Theatre, focusing on the technical side of stage productions. He has had a passion for theatre since the age of six. His biggest goal is to become a stage director. In his free time, he loves to cook and spend time with his family!

Maggie Higginbotham

Maggie Higginbotham (she/her) is a recent honors graduate from Emory University with degrees in theater studies and English/creative writing. Maggie has directed plays and established various theatre events on campus. Since her time at Emory, Maggie has co-founded an online theatrical production company, F-Squared. Maggie is excited to produce great theatre with the Cadence Theatre Company!

Kaylei Kipper

Kaylei Kipper (she/her) recently received her BA in Theatre with a concentration in Education from James Madison University. During her time at JMU, she directed and costume-designed several productions. She has also worked in costume design and teaching artistry for Live Arts Theatre in Charlottesville. Since graduating, Kipper has been working as a backstage dresser and costume specialist for Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Kyle Larsen

Kyle Larsen (he/him) is a passionate actor with experience in both theatre and film. Currently a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Kyle is committed to pursuing his dream of becoming a professional actor. He has appeared in various roles, including Lewis in a modern adaptation of Pippin, William Taylor in the feature film The Taylows, and Young Stone in the soon-to-be-released short film SportsStar for Columbia University. Kyle has also auditioned for notable projects and continually pushes himself toward his goals. He draws motivation from the memory of his late best friend, whose influence plays a key role in his pursuit of acting. Kyle loves spending time with his family, friends, and pets—his dogs and cat, who bring him joy and balance. He believes in the power of storytelling through acting and how it can touch lives and create change.

Shelby Rainey

Shelby Rainey (she/her) is a new local in Richmond, VA! She is passionate about many different things in life, but the performing arts have always held a special place in her heart. Currently, she works on marketing campaigns and is excited to see where life takes her and experience all it has to offer!

Cassie Sheedy

Cassie Sheedy (they/them) is an artist and writer currently based equidistant from Richmond and Charlottesville, VA. Over the past year, they have moved between various work/trade jobs, doing metalwork, gardening, and writing. They studied Sculpture and Extended Media at VCUarts (BFA '19), where they staged experimental plays and performances. Currently, they are working on a play about superstition and teaching an experimental performance class to ten-year-olds. They are excited to get to know everyone at Cadence and learn more about playwriting and production!

VCU Brandcenter Intern Team

Ann Ganao

Ann (she/her) is a Master’s student in Brand Strategy at VCU Brandcenter, with a background in Graphic and UX Design. She is passionate about building impactful brand experiences through a blend of strategic insight, design, and engaging user interactions. Outside of her work, she loves exploring new destinations, immersing herself in a good book, and catching up on her favorite shows.

Battogtokh Nyamdavaa

Battogtokh (he/him) is a 25-year-old Art Direction student at VCU Brandcenter, originally from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. With experience as a web designer and developer at an agency in Mongolia, he has a strong passion for graphic and web design, particularly in layout systems. A dedicated music fan and film enthusiast, he continually explores new creative avenues in visual work.

Emma Roth

Even before she picked up a flute or guitar for the first time, Emma (she/her) had an immense appreciation for the arts. Currently pursuing her Master’s in Business/Branding at VCU Brandcenter, she spends much of her free time jamming to a variety of music or binge-watching the latest shows. Her favorite film genre is psychological horror, and her favorite Broadway show (so far) is The Book of Mormon.

Leah Silverman

Leah (she/her) is a Master’s student at VCU Brandcenter, studying Business/Branding with a concentration in Art Direction. Her interest in the arts began with childhood dance classes and has since expanded to include graphic/web design and film. She recently worked as a visual designer for a hospitality company and holds a BA in Economics and Sustainability from the University of Virginia. Her simple pleasures include live music, Midjourney architecture accounts, and Thai food. Her work can be found at leahdey.com.