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Meet the Team
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Producing Artistic Director
Jeff Thomakos
Jeff is a seasoned teacher and director. He is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. He is also one of the most credentialed teacher of the Michael Chekhov Technique in the world (NMCA, MICHA, GLMCC).
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Associate Artist
Diane Hill
Diane Hill has a Ph.D. in Theatre from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Michigan.
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Resident Stage Manager
Lizzie Caldwell
Lizzie has experience managing plays, musicals, dance concerts, and live music performances across Louisiana and Michigan.
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Associate Artist
Brittany Connors
Brit holds a BFA in Acting from The University of Michigan, where she honed her craft, but also fell in love with movement. She is especially inspired by the language of movement and how we can use it to propel storytelling
Associate Artist
Joseph Sfair
Joe believes in the uniqueness of Michigan artists and is glad to call so many not only his colleagues, but his friends. In 2019, he began working in Macomb Community College’s Education & Outreach department...
Board Vice President
Katja Thomakos
Katja Thomakos is the Director of Development at Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Previously, she was Executive Director of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts Foundation.
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Board Treasurer
Carrie Cook
Carrie Cook was born a West Virginia girl. She received her BFA in Musical Theater from Otterbein University in Ohio. She worked as an actress and singer at Shadowbox Live in Columbus Ohio for 17 years.
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Board Secretary
Joel Kurth
Joel Kurth has been a decorated Michigan journalist for nearly 30 years. He is managing editor of Bridge Michigan and is a former investigations editor and reporter for The Detroit News.
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Board Member
Norman L Berman
Norman L. Berman was born and bred in Detroit, Michigan. He served as composer and director for major regional theaters in New York City including New York Shakespeare Festival, Manhattan Theater Club, Roundabout Theater, Circle Repertory Theater (Composer-in-Residence), Chelsea Theater Center, New York Theater Workshop, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and most of the major theaters across the United States.
Board Member
Jerry Nechal
Jerry Nechal has a BA in Political Science from the University of Detroit. He also holds both a Master’s in Public Administration and a MBA in Finance from Wayne State University. Jerry has worked as a manager and administrator in both government, corporate and university settings.
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Board Member
Rachel Keown
Rachel is a 2008 graduate of UNC School of the Arts and is a director and playwright. In 2019, she was selected to attend the Mitten Lab playwriting workshop (Bear Lake, MI) as a playwright in residence — facilitated by Rachel Sussman (Producer of “Suffs,” “What the Constitution Means to Me;” Katherine Carter (Director, Canadian Grand Opera, Houston Grand Opera) — and was afforded the opportunity to develop her first full-length play, BOX CUTTER, that culminated in a performance at Interlochen.
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Board Member
You???
Come and be a part of our team! If you're excited about bringing quality professional theatre and theatre education to Metro Detroit, we'd love to get to know you better!
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Email us at info@inspiredacting.org