Adam M. Miller has served as Theatre Tuscaloosa’s managing director at Shelton State since 2010. He holds an M.F.A. in theatre management/arts administration from UA, having interned at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Previously, Adam was a Marketing Manager for the UA College of Continuing Studies and the Director of Marketing and PR for the LSU Theatre Department and their affiliated Equity theatre, Swine Palace Productions. In addition to overseeing the business operations of Theatre Tuscaloosa, Adam also enjoys acting, teaching, and directing, having performed professionally with the Bijou Theatre Center in Knoxville, TN, and Playmakers of Baton Rouge, LA, and taught at UA, LSU, and Shelton State. His accolades include a Druid City Arts Award (Theatre Educator 2015) and AAF Tuscaloosa’s Silver Medal and Dan Kilgo Community Service Awards. With ACT, Adam has previously served as the Community Division Vice Chair and Chair, Theatre Community and Culture Committee Chair, Treasurer, and Vice President. Adam and his wife, Paige, share two sons and two cats.

Dr. Allison Upshaw, Interim Director of Interdisciplinary Studies/Harte Honors College, is tenured faculty at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL. She is a native of Forest Home, Alabama. She holds degrees in vocal performance from Oberlin Conservatory and Louisiana State University, as well as a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Alabama. As a member of Actor’s Equity, she’s performed in Menopause, The Musical; Jelly’s Last Jam; Jerry Springer, The Opera; and GRITS, The Musical. 

Kristy Meanor serves as Executive Director for the Wetumpka Depot Players, the River Region’s oldest community theatre. Kristy has directed, acted and designed for the Depot Players for the last 35 years and has been ED for ten years. Kristy leads marketing, educational outreach programs and the artistic activities at the Depot Theatre. Kristy has served in leadership roles with ACT and SETC. Her recent work onstage in Night Mother was recognized at ACTFest and SETC with an Outstanding Achievement in Acting award. Kristy was also named Best Director at Southeastern Theatre Conference for her work with the talented ensemble of The Fantasticks and was a part of the ensemble cast of the nationally recognized production, Second Samuel. Other roles include Rosemary in Picnic, Willie Mae in The Sugar Bean Sisters, Dotty in Noises Off, Sister Amnesia in Nunsense, Felecia Dantine in I Hate Hamlet and Melissa in Love Letters. Directing credits include, Tuesdays With Morrie, Big River, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Kristy is a former recipient of ACT’s Marian Gallaway Award. Kristy is mom to an ensemble of amazing children- Laurel, Drew and Colgan and a fur baby named Rudy.

Ashley Butler is a theatre artist and senior lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Auburn University. She is also a creative director and graphic designer specializing in arts marketing and non-profit fundraising. Throughout her career, she has worked as an educator, performer (actor/dancer/singer), director, designer, choreographer, dramaturg, administrator, and archivist. Butler holds an MFA from Ohio University and a BFA from Auburn University, both in acting, and has studied song and monologue interpretation with legendary stage and film actor and singer Betty Buckley for over a decade. Her current teaching, creative, and research interests include theatre for social change; the intersections of theatre, dance, text, and movement in such disciplines as devised, immersive, site-specific, musical, and dance theatre; and cross-disciplinary pedagogies such as movement for actors and acting for dancers.

Jane Ganey grew up in Birmingham, AL. She started her first theatre class as a freshman in high school at Shades Valley High School under the direction of Roy Hudson and Barry Austin and Janice Sanders during her tenure at Shades Valley High School (currently Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance). She continued her theatre training at Troy University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts with a Dramatic Track. While in college, she spent summers working around the country with different theatre companies. Jane has worked with theatre companies around Birmingham, including Virginia-Samford Theatre & South City Theatre.

Jane Ganey started teaching theatre in 2007 and has been involved in several theatre associations in Alabama. In 2013, She was voted Chair of the Secondary Division of Alabama Conference of Theatre. She is also a board member of the Alabama Educational Theatre Association. In 2017 & 2022, she was awarded Alabama State Troupe Director of the Year at the Alabama State Thespian Festival. In 2018, she was named Teacher of the Year for Thompson High School. In 2024, she was named Teacher of the Year for Mountain Brook High School.

Jane Ganey is married to her supportive husband, Logan, with two wonderful children, Piper and Dock. She is always excited to work with young artists and looks forward to many more years inspiring tomorrow’s talent!

Rebecca Yeager is an actor and educator who focuses in early childhood and collegiate education. She graduated Cum Laude from Birmingham-Southern College with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre and received a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. In addition to performing and directing across the south, Rebecca served as the Artistic Development Coordinator at Birmingham Children’s Theatre where she spearheaded the Theatre for the Very Young program. She has served as Visiting Professor at Birmingham-Southern College and as and adjunct professor at Samford University, Auburn University Montgomery, and Wallace State. She is chair of SETC’s Theatre for Youth Division and was a founding board member of InToto Creative Arts Initiative. She is now the Executive Director of the Alabama Arts Alliance.

Through her work at professional and community theatres, public, private, and community colleges, and numerous high schools, elementary schools, and private arts studios, Rebecca has spent over fifteen years working to make quality collegiate and early childhood education accessible to students of all socio-economic backgrounds.

Some of her favorite roles include Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web, Merlin in The Sword in the Stone, Prospero in The Tempest, Betty in the world premiere of Love Is A Blue Tick Hound, Eurydice in Eurydice, The Fool in King Lear, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Mute in The Fantastiks.

Rachel Burttram has been a working union professional actor for over 25 years.  She grew up in the Birmingham metro area and then went out on the road where she played up and down the east coast and even on the tiny island of Bequia! Rachel, her husband Brendan and their orange cat Oscar The Wilde moved back to her hometown recently. While she is still actively working at regional theaters across the US, she is proud to call BHM home. Most recently Rachel played Toni in the Miami premiere of Appropriate at Gablestage where she was nominated for a Carbonell Award for her work as Nora in A Doll’s House Part 2.  NYC credits:  Actor’s Studio, Vital Theater Company, NYC International Fringe Festival. Regional credits: Geva Theatre Center, Flat Rock Playhouse, Great Barrington Public Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, Gloucester Stage Company, Riverside Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Penobscot Theatre Company, Florida Repertory Theater, The Hippodrome. Online: Alabama Shakespeare Festival @Home 2020, tiny_Theatre. TV/Film: The Right Stuff (TV series) in the recurring role of Betty Grissom, Emma’s Fine as Emma, Bloodline on Netflix and Burn Notice.  She and her husband Brendan Powers are co-creators of tiny_Theatre, a little idea that was sparked during the pandemic that has now produced over 275 play readings from playwrights around the globe and a client base with some of the world’s biggest brands. Rachel has performed in over 100 professional regional theater contracts (LORT to SPT to Guest Artist) over her career and has worked on both sides of the table as a director and administrator at theaters across the country.  When not performing, Rachel is a facilitator and instructor for the Mercedes Benz Experience.  www.RachelBurttram.com

Bobby currently works as the Director of the Fine Arts at UMS-Wright Preparatory School. He graduated from Huntingdon College with a degree in creative writing and history. Since then, he has obtained a Juris Doctorate from Barry School of Law as well as a Masters in Secondary Education from the University of South Alabama. He has written a fantasy novel, Revelation, and edited books for various authors. His most recent adventure has been diving into stage combat with the Society of American Fight Directors. When Bobby is not spending time with his wife and two sons, he finds pleasure in reading, writing, and plotting his next great fantastical tabletop adventure.

Ashley Bishop is a performer, designer, and educator with over 40 years of experience in the theatre. A graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts (Theatre ‘91), She double-majored in performance and design at the University of New Orleans (95) and received her Masters of Education from DePaul University in 2011. Now teaching theatre at R.F. Bumpus Middle School, she has also taught at Center Point High School and the Jefferson County Academy of Theatre and Dance. Prior to moving into teaching, she spent 15 years in Chicago, where she was an Artistic Associate and teaching artist with American Blues Theatre, a founding member of the Route 66 Theatre Company and a teaching artist with Timeline Theatre. In 2013, Ashley and her husband, Marty Higginbotham, founded Ravenswood Theatre, best known for their annual production of It’s a Wonderful Life, Live!

Terrena Hope Gonzalez Mann brings over thirty-five years of experience in the performing arts as an educator, playwright, performer, producer, director, and choreographer. Throughout her career, she has contributed to more than 65 theatrical productions across Texas, California, Tennessee, and Alabama. Her extensive experience includes performances, direction, writing, and choreography for renowned venues such as Six Flags, Dollywood, and the nationally televised Ed McMahon’s Star Search. As the owner of Hopefool Productions in Madison from 2011 to 2019, Terrena taught voice, piano, and introductory acting skills. She has also served as a teaching artist and in various capacities—directing, performing, and serving on the board—at Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theatre and Academy in Huntsville. Her work with the Huntsville Community Chorus Association includes performing, assistant directing, and choreographing numerous productions. In addition to her theatrical work, Terrena was a teaching artist and choreographer for Merrimack Hall’s Dance Your Dreams Program in Huntsville, a program specially designed for children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. In the summer of 2023, Terrena’s technical theatre expertise and creative designs were showcased at the Alabama Center for the Arts Gallery, as part of their exhibition, The Art of Decatur Theatre. She currently teaches as a theatre educator for Madison City Schools.

Matthew Stratton is an Assistant Professor and Technical Director at the University of Alabama. His passion for theatre began in Arizona and continued in Illinois, where he graduated from high school, earned his BA at Southern Illinois University, and earned his MFA from the University of Illinois. Previously, he taught at Vanderbilt University, where he combined artistry with engineering and design. His professional experience includes work with Glimmerglass Opera, McLeod Summer Playhouse, the Prague Quadrennial (2008), and the Sloss Furnace section of the 2022 Birmingham World Games Opening Ceremony. Most recently, he was an Associate TD for the New York Theatre Company’s production of Machinal and has joined the Crew on the Outdoor Networks’ Renovation Hunters TV show. “This show is dedicated to preserving the family tradition of the outdoors. Our mission is to ensure that your hunting, fishing, or vacation camp can be passed on to the next generation.” (renovationhunters.com)

Revel Parsons Gholston has been a part of Alabama’s Secondary Theatre Education crew for the past seventeen and half years. All of these years have been spent managing the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts and managing the High School theatre program at Opelika High School. Graduating from the University of Iowa with a focus on English, Theatre, and Creative Writing, Revel, is always eager to help out anyone and everyone that could use a hand. Having handled over 100 professional touring productions for the East Alabama Arts Association, all while directing nearly 50 high school productions, and teaching in the classroom part-time, Revel tries to find time to rest as well as spend as much time with his wife and two children before they forget who he is. Bringing as much culture to the state of Alabama has always been Revel’s mission, and the Alabama Conference of Theatre is more than a great platform for everyone to do just that. Revel looks forward to the bright artistic future that the state is producing.

Melissa Strickland has a BS in Secondary Language Arts and has been a teacher in Prattville and Montgomery for 25 years, teaching English, theatre, art, and several other electives. She has been diligently growing the theatre class and Creative Outlet theatre club at Prattville Junior High for the last seven years, and her students have participated in the ACT Youth competition. She is also the current board president of Prattville’s Way-Off Broadway Theatre. Melissa was very active in theatre throughout high school and college, and after a hiatus returned to community theatre in the last few years as an actor and director. She has tried to instill her love of theatre into her daughters, Syndal and Skylar, and hopes to do the same with her two grandchildren as well. Thankfully, her husband James is always supportive of any theatre endeavors Melissa takes on. She is excited to be a part of the growing ACT Youth Division!

Cindy Harper currently serves as the Executive Director of ACT. Cindy has worked as a consultant with non-profit organizations bringing more than 30 years of experience with boards, staffs, and volunteers of arts organizations and community groups. With a B.S. in Mathematics from Wake Forest University and an M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans, Cindy has held various positions with arts organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Alabama Ballet. Active in the community, she served as president of the Birmingham Figure Skating Club for five years and chaired the 2016 US Figure Skating National Theatre On Ice Competition in Pelham, AL. She has served on numerous boards including Association of Fundraising Professionals – Alabama Chapter, Magic City Actors Theatre, Space One Eleven and the Music Opportunity Program.