Our People

Theatre Aspen Staff

Jed Bernstein | Producing Director

For more than two decades, Jed Bernstein has been a leader in theatrical production, venue management, arts administration, and marketing and promotion. Most recently, he served as the ninth President and CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Prior to joining Lincoln Center, Jed was a Tony Award-winning independent Broadway producer through Above The Title Entertainment Productions.

In 2010, he partnered with the Bridge Street Foundation to purchase and renovate the historic Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The Playhouse had a celebratory reopening in 2012, and as Producing Director, Mr. Bernstein presented year-round theatrical seasons, returning this 75 year old playhouse to the forefront of regional theater.

From 1995 to 2006, Mr. Bernstein led The Broadway League, the industry trade association and co-producer of the Tony Awards telecast.

jed@theatreaspen.org

Jed Bernstein

Jed Bernstein | Producing Director

Prior to joining Lincoln Center, Jed was a Tony Award-winning independent Broadway producer through Above The Title Entertainment Productions.

From 1995 to 2006, Mr. Bernstein led The Broadway League, the industry trade association and co-producer of the Tony Awards telecast.

jed@theatreaspen.org

Producing Director

Danielle Taylor | General Manager

Bio coming soon!

dani@theatreaspen.org

Danielle Taylor

Daniel Benavent | General Manager

Bio coming soon!

dani@theatreaspen.org

General Manager

Peggy Burke | Office Manager

Peggy Burke has been affiliated with Theatre Aspen since 2008. A longtime local for nearly 20 years, Peggy thrives on the personal relationships she has created over the years, especially in the theatrical community.

After a 10-year stint in the hospitality industry with group sales, Peggy traveled to Italy, India and New Zealand in 2006 pursuing yogic philosophy and meditation studies. She recently became certified to teach Satyananda Yoga Nidra through the Yoga Academy of North America in Cleveland, Ohio.

Peggy has participated in the ACT productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Man of La Mancha and Wizard of Oz as well as Theatre Aspen’s 2010 show Defying Gravity. Peggy received her BA in Speech Communications from Wake Forest University. She supports and is inspired by the ever changing shows, talents and dynamic energy of Theatre Aspen.

peggy@theatreaspen.org

Peggy Burke

Peggy Burke | Office Manager

peggy@theatreaspen.org

Office Manager

Jenny Lyons | Development Strategist

Jenny Lyons moved to the Valley to work at Rocky Mountain Institute after earning a degree in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. A one-year internship turned into more than six years at RMI, where she assisted the communications director and rose to the position of Media Relations Director.

She jumped into development at the Aspen Music Festival and School leading their special events, and eventually moved into corporate and foundation support as well as individual fundraising, for a total nine-year tenure.

The last four years, Jenny has split time between raising two young children and assisting development efforts at Theatre Aspen. She is a 2006 graduate of Roaring Fork Leadership and has an affinity for mentoring younger women in their nonprofit careers. Jenny is grateful to everyone at Theatre Aspen who makes work so much fun and for our amazing and supportive Aspen community.

jlyons@theatreaspen.org

Jenny Lyons

Jenny Lyons | Development Strategist

jlyons@theatreaspen.org

Development Strategist

Graham Northrup | Director of Education

Graham Northrup is in his tenth year leading the education and training arm of Theatre Aspen. Graham received his MFA in Directing from Baylor University and serves as the administrator, lead teacher and director for both youth and adult theatrical training for Theatre Aspen School. He has taught classes from elementary to graduate school.

He has directed the teen Conservatory productions of Newsies, School of Rock, Spamalot, James and the Giant Peach, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Shrek, the Musical, Working, The Importance of Being Earnest, Romeo and Juliet – the Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors and The Curious Savage, as well as The Phantom Tollbooth, Xanadu, Jr., Schoolhouse Rock, Live Jr., a musical version of The Hobbit and Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. for Theatre Aspen School’s Spring Youth Production series.

He has coached, directed and associate-directed for other local companies including The Foreigner with Snowmass Chapel and Barrymore with the Hudson Reed Ensemble. As an actor Graham has been seen as Cogsworth in ACT’s production of Beauty and the Beast, FDR in Theatre Aspen’s reprise of Annie, John Adams in ACT’s production of 1776, Guy in the Fringe Festival staged reading of John Cariani’s Last Gas, Oliver Kilbourne in Theatre Master’s reading of The Pitmen Painters and more. He is also a voiceover artist and photographer, in addition to being a husband to a wonderful wife and father of five hard-working, beautiful daughters.

Graham’s approach to coaching and directing is to help actors explore their own creativity, encourage them to push through perceived barriers and take their performance to new levels of emotional honesty, physical expression and collaboration with their scene partners. He employs both physical and psychological/emotional techniques to help actors reach their most truthful and compelling performance.

graham@theatreaspen.org

Graham Northrup

Graham Northrup | Director of Education

graham@theatreaspen.org

Director of Education

Jeni Ptacek | Business Manager

Jeni has been the owner of two local businesses including Crystal River Ballet School at the Launchpad in Carbondale.

She has managed all areas of administration, marketing, budgeting, and bookkeeping, customer service, sales, marketing, purchasing, inventory, and human resources as an Office Manager for a few local businesses and physicians office.

She has also served on the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and was a volunteer advocate for Advocate Safehouse Project: a shelter and support center for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

As a dancer she had performed with Colorado Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theatre and Aspen Ballet. As a dance teacher she holds several certificates including from the Royal Academy of Dance and The International School of Dance, Rosella Hightower in Cannes, France.

jptacek@theatreaspen.org

Jeni Ptacek

Jeni Ptacek | Business Manager

Jeni has been the owner of two local businesses including Crystal River Ballet School at the Launchpad in Carbondale.

She has also served on the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and was a volunteer advocate for Advocate Safehouse Project: a shelter and support center for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

jptacek@theatreaspen.org

Business Manager

Elissa Russell | Education Manager

A native of Midland, Texas, Elissa Russell has loved theatre ever since losing her first tooth during after-school classes at Midland Community Theatre.

After attending the University of Texas, where she studied English, Elissa remained in Austin, where she interned at the ZACH Theatre and reviewed theatre for the Austin Chronicle. She also spent two summers in a barn in the middle of nowhere as a member of Shakespeare at Winedale, an intensive Shakespeare study program through UT.

After her time in Austin, Elissa worked at Virginia Repertory Theatre in Richmond, where she coordinated in-school tours for their sexual abuse prevention play.

Most recently she served as the Education Assistant for Midland Community Theatre, where she was able to give back to the same education department that inspired her own passion for theatre and arts education.

elissa@theatreaspen.org

Elissa Russell

Elissa Russell | Education Manager

A native of Midland, Texas, Elissa Russell has loved theatre ever since losing her first tooth during after-school classes at Midland Community Theatre.

After her time in Austin, Elissa worked at Virginia Repertory Theatre in Richmond, where she coordinated in-school tours for their sexual abuse prevention play.

elissa@theatreaspen.org

Education Manager

Matthew Troillett | Associate Artistic Director

Matthew joins the Theatre Aspen team having spent the last four seasons at Broadway PR firm DKC/O&M, handling publicity campaigns for the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival of Hello, Dolly! and the Tony Award-winning Best Play The Humans, as well as shows including Carousel, The Iceman Cometh, Meteor Shower, The Front Page, Bright Star, and School of Rock, among others.

Previously, Matthew served as the Artistic Associate at both Above the Title Entertainment, where projects included Driving Miss Daisy, Grace, Working, Rated P: For Parenthood, and Promise; and at the legendary Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA during its historic re-opening season which included A Grand Night for Singing and Barefoot in the Park.

Matthew is a graduate of the Wright State University Professional Actor Training Program.

matthew@theatreaspen.org

Matthew Troillett

Matthew Troillett | Associate Artistic Director

Matthew is a graduate of the Wright State University Professional Actor Training Program.

matthew@theatreaspen.org

Associate Artistic Director

The Theatre Aspen Alumni Association

The Theatre Aspen Alumni Association provides a community for current and former creative team and company members to connect, collaborate, and continue to build upon the Theatre Aspen legacy.

The purpose is to foster a long-lasting relationship between the theatre and the talented actors, designers, administrators & apprentices who have created work on the Theatre Aspen stage, while promoting the Theatre and remaining connected to the future of the organization.

Send us your news, get deals on tickets, receive exclusive invites and special benefits, and stay up to date with all things TA. Receive regular e-newsletters with fun and important TA news and invitations to join fellow TA Alumni at yearly events in New York City and Aspen.

Interested in joining Theatre Aspen’s Alumni Association? Contact Anna Rhoads at Anna@TheatreAspen.org.

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