ASHLEIGH COE is an actor, teaching artist and paraeducator working in the Seattle area. She has worked with Taproot Theatre as both an actor and teaching artist since 2018, most recently appearing on the Taproot stage in 2023’s As It Is in Heaven, and their touring production of A Christmas Carol. She believes theater is the perfect place to learn to be a compassionate human and explore what it means to be alive by bringing characters and stories to life.

JENNY CROSS has been on staff since 2003. In addition to performing on Taproot’s Jewell Mainstage and in touring programs, she teaches and directs for Taproot’s Acting Studio and held a long-time residency for Taproot teaching drama at Fairfax Psychiatric Hospital in Kirkland, Everett, and Monroe. Before coming to Seattle she toured with Shenandoah Shakespeare Express (now the American Shakespeare Center) and performed with American Cabaret Theatre in Many Glacier, MT. Her own company, Rasa’s production of The Two Gentleman of Verona was a finalist for “Pick of the Fest” for The Seattle Fringe Theatre Festival in 2002. Jenny studied theatre and vocal performance at Southeast Missouri State and is an alumnus of Director’s Lab West in Los Angeles, CA.

LORRIE FARGO has been a teaching artist in the Seattle area for more than a decade. With Taproot’s Acting Studio, she has taught classes and directed showcases for students of all ages, from Kindergarten to retirement. Lorrie particularly enjoys working on Shakespeare with young actors. As an actor, she has appeared on Taproot’s Jewell Mainstage as well as with Greenstage, SecondStory Rep, and Harlequin Productions, among others. Lorrie holds a BA in Theatre from Seattle Pacific University and trained at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the UK.

SOPHIA FRANZELLA (she/her) is a Seattle actor, choreographer, director, and educator, and producer! Sophia has most recently directed What I Like: a theatrical game with Filament and was the assistant director for the Road Company ’24 shows at Taproot Theatre. She also recently performed with Taproot Theatre (Sherlock Holmes; actor #2) and Seattle Shakespeare (The Bed Trick; Marianne). She is a co-founder and company member of theatre lab Filament and enjoys creating and producing theatrical new work and films!

SARA JO GEIGER (She/Her) –  Born in Olympia, raised on “Almost Live!”, SaraJo is now a Seattle-based improv and sketch comedian, with over 10 years of theater and film experience. She believes everyone has the capability to be unbelievably hilarious, and that each distinct comedic voice deserves celebration, and nourishing collaboration. Locally, SaraJo works with Bandit Theater, CSZ Seattle, and Jet City Improv in various roles such as performer, director, and teacher. Currently, SaraJo is with CSZ Seattle as an ensemble member, sketch teacher, and director. SaraJo serves as a staff member at SketchFest Seattle, SketchFest International, and is co-founder of local sketch troupe, Good Crash.

MELANIE GODSEY has been a teaching artist for over a decade. She began her artistic journey in youth acting programs, so they hold a very special place in her heart. She attended Abilene Christian University where she studied Theatre, specifically acting, playwriting, and children’s theatre. She is a working actor, playwright, and teaching artist in Seattle. She loves working with actors whose ages range from 3-18, specializing in collaborative environments where creating the script is half of the fun! Classes with Melanie are silly, compassionate, artistically challenging, and above all – fun!

CRISTIE KEARNY started acting in 3rd grade, playing Gretel opposite the cutest boy in class. Her directorial/writing debut was the same year, convincing her siblings to perform the Christmas masterpiece, Some Kids Don’t Know Santa. And many, many years later she’s still at it. Cristie has been teaching and working with kids of all ages for (mumbles) 30ish years.

EDD KEY has music directed and acted in such beloved Taproot shows as The Rainmaker, Driving Miss Daisy, Big River, Smoke On The Mountain, and Appalachian Christmas Homecoming. Composer/Co-creator credits include, Red Ranger Came Calling for Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Wuthering! Heights! The! Musical! for The Empty Space. He has appeared at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

HANNAH LEMBERG is excited to be teaching with Taproot Theatre. In her many years of teaching, she has found that what she loves most is collaborating with young actors and helping them find or deepen their joy and confidence in their unique talents and creativity. She has an MA in Shakespeare Studies from the University of Birmingham, UK, where she first discovered the joy of teaching theater to youth. Since then, she has taught with Stone Soup Theater, Seattle and San Francisco area Waldorf Schools, GreenStage, and San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, among others. Her special interests include stage combat, dance, history, and Shakespeare.

ROB MARTIN has a B.A. in Theatre from Whitworth University and has been working with children in school, theatre, outdoor recreation, and childcare environments for over 20 years. He is proud to be sharing the values and joy of theatre through the Acting Studio. He teaches theatre to students of all ages, including specialized improv classes for students with Early Stage Memory Loss. As a father of three boys, Rob is using his drama and improv skills in more ways than he ever could have imagined!

KIM MORRIS is thrilled to be back as a teaching artist with Taproot Theatre’s Acting Studio! Kim received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from California State University, Sacramento. She worked at Taproot Theatre from 1983 to 1994 as a Touring Company actress, mainstage actress, director, and teaching artist. Now she continues as a freelance artist with the company, acting, directing, and teaching. Kim has been engaging children in theatre, improvisation, creative play, and puppetry for over 20 years. She loves sparking their imagination and allowing their creative play and collaboration to bloom and grow. Kim has also written and directed several children’s plays and continues writing from the inspiration the children bring to each of her classes. “There is nothing better than discovery and the fresh creativity only a child can bring as they explore the world they’re in.”

TAYLOR NIEMEYER has been a performer and teaching artist in the Seattle area for over eight years. She can be found singing and dancing all over Washington State on stages such as The 5th Avenue Theatre and Village Theatre. She recently performed all over the United States with the national tour of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. A proud member of the Actors Equity Association, Taylor also works as a theater educator with many companies around town. She enjoys sharing her love of theatre, music, and dance with people of all ages!

PAM NOLTE, Taproot Theatre Co-founder, actor, and creator of Taproot’s theatre classes for individuals with memory loss, began her professional theatre career in 1976 with her post university co-founding of Taproot Theatre Company. Over the past forty-eight years she has appeared in over eighty plays with Taproot and a variety of other professional Seattle theatre companies. 
   Pam created the first of Taproot’s theatre classes for individuals with memory loss in 2011 for the Greenwood Senior Center’s program, The Gathering Place, in Seattle. Since that time, she and the company’s other specially trained improv teachers have taken Taproot’s memory loss classes to Arts Organizations, retirement communities, Senior Centers and more.  Taproot’s own ongoing monthly “Re-Ignite the Mind with Improv” classes have continued without interruption since 2011, moving to Zoom, during the pandemic shut down.  Z-IMPROV continues on Zoom to this day. 
   Pam was awarded a Maude’s Award for innovations in Alzheimer’s Care in 2022.

DAVID ROBY is elated to return to teaching theatre with Taproot. David received his Master’s in Teaching at Seattle U, his Certificate Degree in Physical Theatre at The Commedia School in Copenhagen, Denmark, and his BA in Theatre at SPU. David is the Drama Director at Nathan Hale High School. David believes strongly in doing what he teaches. So, you may have seen him over the years in roles at Taproot Theatre (Jeeves Intervenes, The Beams Are Creaking, Road Company), Sound Theatre Company, Seattle Musical Theatre, ACT, Annex, and StageRight Productions, among others.  Your children may have also had David as a teacher in the past at places such as Seattle Children’s Theatre, Stone Soup Theatre, Taproot Theatre, or The Moonpaper Tent. All the love to his inspiring son, Flynn, and the best partner in the world Becky.

MARIANNE SAVELL is a professional director, actor, and teacher. Recently, Marianne directed Arsenic and Old Lace for TTC and last summer taught classes in comedy and worked with the little ones in Adventures in Drama. Marianne was the head of the MFA Acting program at Regent University and the BFA Acting program at Belhaven University. As an actor, she most recently performed in A Civil War Christmas at TTC and tours The Amish Project. Marianne is a member of Actor’s Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC.