Our Mission

Olmsted Performing Arts' mission is to instruct, develop, and advance acting, music, and dance skills, to edify and positively affect all individuals involved in our organization, and to motivate staff, students, and volunteers to work at their best ability. We seek to serve the community with quality and affordable entertainment and to create a safe environment. Our practices are designed to build character, build confidence, build relationships, and encourage creative expression. Our goal is to operate a successful organization without compromising our values.

History

Olmsted Performing Arts began with theater classes held at the Olmsted Community Center in 2003 culminating in its first production, The Sound of Music, that summer. Soon after, shows began to sell out, and it was obvious that a bigger space was needed. Auditions and rehearsals are still held at the Olmsted Community Center, but performances have been held at Journey Church since summer, 2005.

Since its beginning, OPA has grown to attract over 100 youth at each audition, a staff of 12-15 people, a crew of wonderful volunteers, and a growing audience. Its focus has been, and will continue to be, a solid program that strives to focus on the kids who participate and to constantly provide them with an experience in keeping with its mission statement.

Contact

(440) 465-3355 · Olmsted Performing Arts · PO Box 38265 · Olmsted Falls · Ohio · 44138

Need customer service assistance? Contact Toni Fenimore.

Interested in working with Olmsted Performing Arts? Email your résumé to Angela Boehm.

Our Staff

Click on the name of a staff member to contact via email.

Lauren Berry Voice Instructor, Hip Hop Dance Instructor Substitute
	Lauren Berry graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre with a Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from Marietta College. She has studied Tap, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, with a main focus on Hip Hop throughout her collegiate career. She choreographs for Competitive Showchoirs and has worked professionally for Cedar Point Live Entertainment and many regional theatres. In addition to teaching dance she is a certified vocal instructor and coach. She has been sought out by such companies as Disney Live Entertainment and is an experienced auditioner for various projects on Broadway. As a veteran of the OPA shows, she is thrilled to join the OPA dance instruction staff to share her knowledge and passion for teaching hip hop!
Angela Boehm Artistic Director, Main Stage Director
	Angela Boehm is no stranger to the stage. She started young, performing in her high school theater program, at The Beck Center for the Arts, and at Huntington Playhouse. She attended a college in Albany, NY and Tri-C in Parma. She has directed shows for Olmsted Performing Arts since 2003. She is passionate about musical theater and loves working with children and young adults. She would like to thank God for her family and for the many people who support her career. "I never imagined OPA would get so far so fast; it has been a wonderful experience! I love everything about our theater and am excited to see where we are going. Our biggest goal for the future is to have our own facility, where we can have main stage productions for youth and adults. We also hope to offer classes for instrumentalists and other fine arts. We have big dreams that may be a distance away, but we are determined to get there and to have fun in the process."
Kristen Bollinger Dance Instructor
	Kristen has been dancing for 19 years and has recently graduated from Hope College with a major in Dance Performance and Choreography with a minor in Business Management. She performed in faculty dance performances as well as student led performances during her four years at Hope. Kristen was a member of the jazz and tap company, Insync Dance Theatre, as well. She has been trained in a variety of styles including modern, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, lyrical, tap, non-traditional partnering, and capoeira.
Angela Bruzina Voice Instructor
	Angela Bruzina, mezzo-soprano, is a Senior Music Education and Vocal Performance double major at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, she has been seen around Cleveland as a Performer, Music Director, and Teacher. Angela has worked for various companies including: Opera Cleveland, The Beck Center, Mercury Summer Stock, Huntington Playhouse, and Brecksville Theatre on the Square. She has recently been seen in Opera Cleveland's production of Il Pagliacci, and as a Finalist for Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music's Concerto Competition, and is currently Music Directing Annie Get Your Gun at Garfield Players. In addition to being a student, Angela presents various Musical Theatre Workshop classes around Cleveland and works as a Vocal Coach for individuals, high schools, and theatre companies.
Natalie Cavanaugh Official Photographer of Olmsted Performing Arts
Mikaela Clark Dance Instructor
	Growing up near Houston, Texas, Mikaela first became intrigued with dance after watching a ballet class at the age of ten. She pursued being trained in ballet and modern until graduating high school. Mikaela's intrigue of dance has taken her to Australia, The Solomon Islands, and finally to Cleveland where she came to train with Inlet Dance Theatre. In 2007 she was promoted to company member and continues to enjoy dancing, teaching, choreographing, and performing with Inlet. Mikaela is honored to be a recipient of the Creative Workforce Fellowship Grant for her choreographic collaborations with Mackenzie Clevenger. Mikaela loves sharing her passion for dance and watching students learn about themselves, each other, and life as they grow as dancers in the classroom and onstage.
Judy Crandall Vocal Music Director
	Judy Crandall has been a music educator in the public schools for the past twenty-eight years. She began teaching in Maple Heights before becoming the director of the Olmsted Falls Middle School choral program. Over the next nineteen years, she taught students in the building which is now the police station and community center. She then took over the High School choral program where she directs the Chorale, Treble Choir, Concert Choir, Mens Ensemble, and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Choirs under her direction have earned consistent high ratings at district and state level adjudicated events and several groups have been invited to perform at state music education conventions. She is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Ohio Music Educators Association, and serves as an adjudicator for OMEA. She is listed in "Who's Who of American Teachers". She currently serves also as musical director for the Olmsted Falls High School Masquers. Her favorite thing about teaching and directing is watching cast members surpass their personal best time after time after time.
Marie Diamond Fundraising Coordinator
Bob Foraker Technical Director, Scenic Designer
	Bob has been the Technical Director for Olmsted Performing Arts since 2007. Most recently, he has created the sets for Disney's Mulan, Jr., Les Misérables, and White Christmas. He took his current position as scenic designer during the production of Disney's Mulan, Jr. Bob has also built sets for Magical Theatre Company, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Clague Playhouse, Mayfield Performing Arts, Fairmount Performing Arts, Chagrin Arts Academy, Dover Players and High School Show Choirs. Bob has degrees in Chemistry and Biology from Kent State University. He owns and operates Four Acre Woodworking, designing and crafting unique, custom cabinetry, in business since 1984. He also plays guitars and sings in the classic rock and country band "The Big Daddies." Olmsted Performing Arts is his home theatre. Meeting and working with such fine people has been wonderful journey. Plus, where else can a grown man build castles, flying carpets and palaces and not be thought strange?
Gina Glazer Front of the House Manager
Christina Haviland Main Stage Assistant Director
	Christina's love of theater began with her first production at the age of 13, in Aurora Community Summer program's The King and I (Aurora, Colorado). After graduating High School, Christina received education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in California. She has performed in community theaters in Colorado, California and Ohio, and finds the work greatly rewarding as it both deepens a "neighborly connection" and allows her to share her passion and talent for the stage.
Cathy Hongosh Stage Manager, Main and Youth Stages
	Cathy has worked with OPA since 2003, as a parent volunteer and then as stage manager for Guys and Dolls, Once Upon A Mattress, West Side Story, and Babes in Toyland, High School Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Annie Get Your Gun, Singin' in the Rain, The Sound of Music, High School Musical 2, the reprise of Beauty and the Beast and It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. She feels blessed to be able to combine two of her favorite things, kids and musical theater. Cathy is an RN working as a school nurse, and lives in Olmsted Township. She is married to Ron, and is mom to 3 beautiful daughters who also love to be involved in musical theater.
Jacquelynn Hongosh Communications Manager
	Jacquelynn is proud to be a part of Olmsted Performing Arts' creative team. With Olmsted Performing Arts since 2003, she has stage managed and designed lighting for over a dozen productions, has designed show posters and marketing materials since 2007 and served as OPA's webmaster beginning in 2009. Other credits, with Grove City College, Olmsted Falls High School, and Oberlin College include lighting design for Proof, and Oberlin's 2010 Student One Act Festival, direction for William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and Dorothy Parker's Here We Are and stage management for Little Shop of Horrors. She currently works for Oberlin College.
Megan Hyde My First Dance Class and Pre-Ballet Dance Instructor, Youth Stage Choreographer
	Megan, a veteran of the Olmsted Performing Arts theatre and dance programs, is thrilled to be joining the dance instruction staff and her passion for dance grows more every day.
Sharon Knaggs Marketing Manager
	Sharon has been involved with OPA since its inception as a parent-volunteer. Sharon has been doing OPA's marketing for three years. She has a B.A. in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College and a J.D./M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. She is also a member of the Olmsted Falls Parks and Recreation Board and a Daisy Girl Scout leader. She is married to Mike and her children are involved with OPA as well: Timothy (Stage Crew); Allison (actor, member of the OPA dance team, and Marketing Assistant); Jonathan (audience); and, Emily (actor, dance classes).
Josh Landis Dance and Theater Instructor, Main Stage Choreographer
	Josh has been performing, teaching and choreographing for over ten years. His passion for the performing arts can be seen through meticulous care for his students as well as how he shines on and off stage. His award-winning choreography (The Music Man, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Annie, Fiddler on the Roof) has been seen from churches and high schools to professional stages. Josh holds a B.A. in Dance from Eastern University, where he specialized in theatre as well. He loves taking the time to perfect his own craft by being on stage, taking class and dancing around and singing in his living room with his two boys, Gabe and Eli, and his wife, Melissa.
Michelle Mannino Education Coordinator, Dance Instructor
	Michelle graduated from Hope College (Holland, MI) with a major in Dance Performance/Choreography and a minor in instrumental music. While at Hope, Michelle studied modern, period, and social dance in addition to ballet, tap, and jazz. She also enjoyed performing in many of the dance concerts put on by the Hope Dance Department each year. Michelle began dancing at the age of three and has been teaching for about nine years. She also served as a choreographer with Kids Healing Kids for two years. Currently, she enjoys performing with the Duffy Liturgical Dance Ensemble here in Cleveland. Michelle is excited to join the dance department of OPA as a ballet instructor.
Sharon Randall Child Wrangler
Jess Widener Hip Hop Dance Instructor
	Mrs. Widener began her dance training at Midwest School of Ballet where she performed with the school's Chamber Ballet and participated in Outreach programs for local churches such. Mrs. Widener was also an active member of Firelands High School Dance Team, where she served as Captain and Choreographer touring nationally taking First Place in many competitions. Mrs. Widener is a 2-time All-American Dancer, 3-time UDA All-star, and a recipient of the UDA Great Spirit and Dance Ability Award. She also has had additional training with Universal Dance Association, Eastern Dance Association, Cheerleaders of America Dance Division, LA Dance Force, and Urban Jamm. Upon graduation from high school, Mrs. Widener attended LCCC (Elyria, OH), where she graduated with her Associates of Arts in 2005. She has taught for many local studios and choreographed for many non-profit organizations such as The American Heart Association's Day of Dance, Erie Shores Girls Scouts, Horizon Activities Center, and many local high schools.