About Young Actors Theatre
Leadership and Staff

Leadership

Sarah Doolin Roy
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Roy comes to YAT from American Ballet Theatre (ABT), where she was Director of Marketing Communications & Strategic Partnerships. At ABT, Roy worked with Random House, American Express, LG, HBO, Lincoln Center, & more. In 2020, she was a Women in Power Fellow at the 92Y. Roy previously served as Communications Director at New American Economy, a bipartisan coalition of 500 CEOs and mayors for immigration reform. She was a Deputy Director of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a current term member of the think tank. In 2013, she acted as Communications Director for a negotiation process to maintain peace in Northern Ireland. Roy holds an MPA from New York University’s School of Public Service and graduated summa cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College.

J. Scott Handley
Artistic Director
J. Scott Handley most recently served as the Executive Director, Founder, Music Director, and Vocal Coach for the non-profit organization, Broadway Method Academy (BMA). The company grew from his private voice studio attracting students from all over the tri-state area seeking elite musical theater training. At BMA, he implemented an educational partnership with the prestigious Westport Country Playhouse. In 2002, Handley became department chair of musical theater at Regional Center for the Arts in Southern Connecticut. Many of his students have won awards including the National Jimmy Awards and have gone on to receive degrees in Musical Theater at the top musical theater programs in the nation. Handley is an accomplished collaborative artist, having worked with Alice Ripley, Klea Blackhurst, Nicholas Rodriguez, Meredith Inglesby, Steve Blanchard and Noah Rickets to name a few! He holds a BA from the Florida State University College of Music.

Natalie Futrell
Managing Director
Natalie Futrell enjoys overseeing the day to day operations of the theatre. She has worked at Young Actors for fifteen years, serving as the Education Director, Company Manager, and drama teacher, directing the Kid’s Company, Middle School Company, and Performers Unlimited program. She has stage managed over ten Mainstage productions. Her pride and joy is directing the students at YAT. Some of her favorite directing endeavors include Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo Jr, 13: The Musical, Elf, and The Wizard of Oz. Futrell would like to thank her parents, Mark & Marian, for enrolling her in a “High School Musical” YAT summer camp in 2006, which would lead to her strong sense of love for the arts. In her spare time, she is the Midday onscreen talent at the Florida Lottery, putting her theatre training to use.

Alison B. Grimes
Music Director
ALISON B. GRIMES, YAT’s Music Director received her Bachelor’s degree in Music from Florida State University as a voice and piano major studying with such notable artists as David Wingate and Edward Kilenyi. She has been the Musical Director, Pianist and Vocal Coach for Young Actors Theatre since 1979 and serves as Pianist and Assistant Director at Fellowship Baptist Church. At YAT, Ms. Grimes is heavily involved in long-term planning with regard to season, secondary and touring shows. With over 43 years of performing, directing and teaching experience; she has countless performances and over 100 productions to her credit. Mrs. Grimes also has a diploma in Writing for Children and Teenagers. She has been awarded in Who’s Who in Music and the Extraordinary Performing Artists of America.

Isabel Chistoni
Dance Director
Chistoni has been dancing since the age of three, and has received training from various accomplished dance companies in Connecticut and New York. She made her choreographic debut at YAT with The Addams Family in 2022, and has since choreographed Elf: The Musical, Pride & Prejudice, 13: The Musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, and Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! which was performed at FSU’s Fallon Theatre. In addition to choreographing productions, she serves as a teaching artist at YAT, working mainly with middle and high school aged students. Stage credit highlights include Cabaret (DC), In The Heights (Swing), Legally Blonde, and Newsies (Finch, DC). Rina is currently pursuing a career in performing arts as an independent performer and choreographer, and she is particularly grateful to J. Scott Handley, former teacher, for the opportunity to serve as YAT’s Director of Dance. Thanks go out to family and friends for their continuous love and support!

Kassidy Canova
Program Coordinator
Canova serves as the Program Coordinator and choreographer of the ACT ONE touring troupe at YAT. She is a graduate of Florida School of the Arts, where she studied Musical Theatre and Directing. Upon graduating Canova taught and choreographed for Asbury Arts Center in Middleburg, Florida, and directed/coached various events for Showtime USA in St. Augustine before returning to her hometown in 2018. She has choreographed various Junior productions at YAT including Frozen Jr, The Addams Family Young @ Part, Mary Poppins Jr, Nemo Kids, and Mean Girls Jr. Some performance highlights for Canova include her roles of Ruth Condomine in Blithe Spirit and Constance Ledbelly in Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) at Florida School of the Arts, Lady Beaconsfield in Jekyll & Hyde with NRM Performance at the Monticello Opera House, and most recently as the Nurse in Romeo & Juliet with the talented students of Young Actors Theatre.

Teaching Artists

Colleen Towey
Office Administrator & Wardrobe Manager
Colleen Towey enjoys wearing many hats at Young Actors Theatre, as resident costume designer, office assistant, and teaching artist to the youngest students. Colleen has been designing costumes for stage in and around Tallahassee since 2017, in educational, collegiate, and community theatres. Some highlights include Mean Girls, Romeo and Juliet, and Sweeney Todd at YAT, Hansel and Gretel and Patience at Florida State University Opera, Light in the Piazza and She Loves Me at Arts at Faith, and Les Miserables and Aida at Leon Performing Arts. She is thrilled to be back at YAT for her fourth season, as YAT has been a part of her family for generations. Colleen is grateful to her mentors, Naomi Rose-Mock and Christina Marullo, for their tutelage and guidance, as well as her fellow YAT staff members for providing such a welcoming community and wonderful place to create art.

Teaching Artist - Acting
Gina Jordan

Teaching Artist - Music
Wanda Rivera-Ferri

Ty Stone
Technical Manager
Ty Stone hails from Lincoln High School, wherein he got his first introduction to theater. Since his introduction to YAT, he has quickly taken a deep understanding of the theater and how it works. He has last served as their resident sound designer, and stagehand for all of YAT’s 49th season. He also served as the Assistant Music Director for Studio 609’s production of Carrie: the Musical, as well as serving as the music director for Mean Girls Jr. When it comes to performance, Ty likes to highlight the roles of Tom Watson in Parade, The Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Bobby Strong in Urinetown: the Musical. Ty is excited to continue his career in theater with the remainder of YAT’s 50th season and the seasons to come!

Teaching Artist - Dance
Kelly Greisl

Teaching Artist - Dance
Piper Greisl

Todd Teagarden
Technical Director
Teargarden has a MA in film directing from Regent University. Over the years Todd has called Chicago and New York home; where he worked for Tribeca Film Festival, and The Juilliard School. In 2014 Teagarden began designing Lights and Sets for Young Actors Theatre, as well as teaching the Film and TV class.

Teaching Artist - Dance
Za’Riyah Drayton

Teaching Artist - Music
Lisa Hight

Kiera Hansleman
Teaching Artist - Acting
Kiera Hanselman is a graduate of Florida State University’s Theatre program, where she also studied abroad in the FSU London Theatre Program. These experiences gave her the opportunity to train with world-class theatre professionals and immerse herself in both classical and contemporary performance techniques.
Kiera has over a decade of professional stage experience, including 11 years with The Laughing Stock, a political cabaret troupe. She has also performed in community and college theatre productions, such as Carrie (Margaret White), The Last Five Years (Cathy Hiatt), 42nd Street (Dorothy Brock), Side Show (Fortune Teller), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Soul Sister), among others.
Beyond her work as a performer, Kiera has trained under and apprenticed with world-renowned voice coach Arthur Samuel Joseph in Vocal Leadership and the Vocal Awareness Method. She has taught vocal empowerment and leadership workshops, helping performers and professionals alike unlock their authentic voices and communicate with confidence.
In addition to her theatre background, Kiera is a speaker and trainer, regularly presenting at national healthcare reform events for organizations like the Free Market Medical Association and Health Rosetta.Her unique ability to inspire, motivate, and lead through storytelling translates seamlessly into the classroom, where she fosters creativity, confidence, and collaboration among her students.
Kiera lives in Tallahassee with her husband, Michael, and their two children, Isabella (16) and Maximus (11). She believes in the transformative power of the arts to not only entertain but to empower, and she is thrilled to bring her expertise and enthusiasm to Young Actors Theatre.

Teaching Artist - Acting
Elaine Smith

Jessica Cavanagh
Acting Director
Cavanagh got her start at YAT (c/o ‘93!), and she currently teaches all 7th-12th grade Company Acting classes as well as Playwriting. For YAT’s main stage, she’s had the opportunity to adapt and direct both Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, as well as directing Sweeney Todd in 2023 and last season’s Romeo & Juliet. Cavanagh is an actor, voice artist, and playwright, with a career in Dallas, Texas that spans the past 20 years. Favorite stage credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, August: Osage County, Outside Mullingar, Doubt, A Feminine Ending, Hamlet, Mr. Burns: a post-electric play, and ‘Night, Mother. Her semi-autobiographical play, Self-Injurious Behavior, opened in Dallas in 2018 and was given an AEA workshop run off-Broadway, followed by an L.A. premiere in late 2019. You can hear her voice on Cartoon Network/Hulu/Netflix in shows such as My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Fairy Tail, One Piece, and dozens more! Thanks to Tina and Alison for the gift YAT has been, and continues to be, in her life!

Staff

Colleen Towey
Office Administrator & Wardrobe Manager
Colleen Towey enjoys wearing many hats at Young Actors Theatre, as resident costume designer, office assistant, and teaching artist to the youngest students. Colleen has been designing costumes for stage in and around Tallahassee since 2017, in educational, collegiate, and community theatres. Some highlights include Mean Girls, Romeo and Juliet, and Sweeney Todd at YAT, Hansel and Gretel and Patience at Florida State University Opera, Light in the Piazza and She Loves Me at Arts at Faith, and Les Miserables and Aida at Leon Performing Arts. She is thrilled to be back at YAT for her fourth season, as YAT has been a part of her family for generations. Colleen is grateful to her mentors, Naomi Rose-Mock and Christina Marullo, for their tutelage and guidance, as well as her fellow YAT staff members for providing such a welcoming community and wonderful place to create art.

Ty Stone
Technical Manager
Ty Stone hails from Lincoln High School, wherein he got his first introduction to theater. Since his introduction to YAT, he has quickly taken a deep understanding of the theater and how it works. He has last served as their resident sound designer, and stagehand for all of YAT’s 49th season. He also served as the Assistant Music Director for Studio 609’s production of Carrie: the Musical, as well as serving as the music director for Mean Girls Jr. When it comes to performance, Ty likes to highlight the roles of Tom Watson in Parade, The Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Bobby Strong in Urinetown: the Musical. Ty is excited to continue his career in theater with the remainder of YAT’s 50th season and the seasons to come!

Administrative Assistant
Fran Lagos

Isaiah Ramsey
Intern
Isaiah Ramsey began his journey with Young Actors Theatre after relocating to Tallahassee from Michigan in middle school. Immersing himself in its vibrant culture and educational opportunities, he remained a dedicated member throughout his school years, participating in YAT’s Studio Singers and performing notable roles – his favorite being Mr. Salt in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” At Leon High School, he continued his involvement in the arts, and his passion led him to pursue a Music Education degree at Florida State University, where he is now completing his senior year. Returning to Young Actors Theatre as an Arts Administration and Marketing Intern, Isaiah gains valuable experience in arts advocacy, shadowing CEO Sarah Roy and learning the skills needed to lead an arts-focused organization—one especially dear to him. He is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of his parents, Tia and Wayne, and for the mentorship of Sarah Roy and Natalie Futrell, who welcomed him back to YAT with open arms and continue to inspire his career aspirations in the arts.