Chevez Smith (Do No Harm Director)
Chevez Smith (she/her/hers) has been a working artist in Boulder, CO for almost four years. She holds a Masters degree from the University of Colorado Boulder in Theatre Performance Studies and a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Performances from Coker University in South Carolina. Chevez focused her work in graduate school on the art in local communities, combining specifically the climate community and theatre for the empowerment of the youth. Her passion is to bring forth an equitable, survivable, and thriveable future through theatre and dance. Chevez was seen in Little Shop of Horrors, Twelfth Night, Our Town, The Crucible and Climate Cabaret to name a few. She has behind the scenes experience in The Importance of Being Earnest, Sweeney Todd, Little Mermaid Jr. & The Hairy Scary. She is grateful for this opportunity & especially within her community!
Courtney Navarre (Nadia Half Dreaming Director)
Courtney Navarre she/her) is a director, performer, and teaching artist based in the Denver–Boulder area. Courtney holds a Master of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her work spans musical theatre, opera, and arts education. Directing credits include the premiere of The Door as well as Frozen Jr., and Honk Jr. (Parlando School of Musical Arts). She has assistant directed Hadestown: Teen Edition, The Lightning Thief, Twelfth Night, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Xanadu, and Alice in Wonderland (Parlando). Music directing credits include The Gift of the Magi and Frozen Jr. (Breckenridge Backstage Theater) as well as Matilda, Into the Woods, and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. As a performer, Courtney has appeared in Ghost Quartet (The Catamounts), Die Zauberflöte (Boulder Opera), A Christmas Story (Breckenridge Backstage Theater) as well as Getting Through April (staged reading), Into the Woods, Chess, The Merry Widow, White Christmas, and more. She can also be heard on the original cast recording of Getting Through April as Holly. She is the Director of Voice and Theatrical Education as well as a voice instructor at Parlando School of Musical Arts in Boulder. Courtney also makes music with Elle Tyler as Chansonniers (@chansonniers.music), performing works written by women across all genres. She is a co-creator and co-producer of New Musical Project (www.newmusicalproject.org).
Ben Stasny (Kairos Director)
Ben Stasny is a PhD candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ben’s doctoral dissertation focuses on a series of workshops he has developed designed to share improvisational energy and reduce climate anxiety. He is a graduate student instructor and has taught courses on Improvisation, Creative Climate Communications, Musical Theatre History and more. Ben frequently works as a theatrical director in Boulder. He partnered with NYC’s Climate Change Theatre Action to produce CU Boulder’s 2021 production of Climate Cabaret. Other recent directing credits include: The Lightning Thief, Twelfth Night, Treeson: an eco-musical, and Roll With It (Parlando School of Musical Arts), Company (CU Boulder), Lend Me a Tenor, Freaky Friday, Mamma Mia (Fairview High School), The Fall of Man (ATLAS Black Box), and several new plays since 2021. Ben loves working as an actor, director, instructor, workshop facilitator, art-maker, and the myriad other things that give his life purpose.
Amina Gilbert (The Happy Parts Director)
Amina Gilbert (she/they) is a proud Parlando alum, Chicago-based lighting designer, director, and multi-hyphenate artist. Directing credits include Lucy Larcom, Fate, Polly the Musical (Parlando), and Feathers and Teeth (Columbia College Chicago). Lighting credits include Relatively Speaking, Refracted Light (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre Co) Spring Awakenings, Not Bitter Nor Sweet, A Paper Orchestra, Madam and Steve (Lazy Susan Theatre Co), The Pillowman (Concrete Content), Astronaut Group 1 (Griffin Theatre Co). Lighting assistantship credits include Little Bear Ridge Road (Steppenwolf Theatre), and In Quietness (A Red Orchid Theatre). Devising credits include most recently House of Dreams: Purim 5785, and most famously Whelmed: A Clown Cabaret. Amina holds a BA in theatre from Columbia College Chicago. You can find her work at www.aminagilbert.com.
Simon Daum, Festival Music Director
Simon Daum is a music educator/performer recently relocated from Philadelphia to Boulder. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Choral/General Emphasis) from Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University, where he sang in internationally touring choirs, served as Music Director of the Nu Psi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, graduated magna cum laude, and later attended the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute.
Simon has enjoyed working on numerous high school/college productions, whether music directing, vocal coaching, playing in the pit, or helping with technical aspects. Select highlights include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Freaky Friday, Bring it On, Les Miserables, Big Fish, and Once on this Island. As a performer, some of his favorite roles include Dr. Madden in Next to Normal, Mr. Popper in Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and Constable Locke in The Music Man. He also has years of experience singing classical and sacred music in the Philadelphia area, including performances of Carmina Burana with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In the studio, Simon encourages healthy vocal exploration and loves helping students develop a better understanding of how their voices function. Valuing each individual’s personal relationship with music, he can accommodate students interested in multiple styles, as well as those interested in playing piano while singing. Outside of the studio, you can find Simon hiking, bouldering, playing basketball, and searching for delicious donuts.
Matthew Stuckey, The Happy Parts Music Director
Matthew is a senior at Boulder High School. He plays viola at Boulder High as well as in the Denver Young Artists Orchestra. He takes piano lessons at Parlando and is also a member of the Student Advisory Board. In his free time, Matthew enjoys hanging out with his cats, reading, and playing ultimate frisbee. This is his first year involved in the New Musical Project, and he’s super excited for the performances!