People of Stage Left
Greg West—Artistic Director
Greg A. West is originally from Aurora, Colorado. After receiving his BA in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado in 1983, he was employed by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival where he spent four years acting as Wardrobe Master and designing for the MFA/PAT program. Greg then received his MFA in Costume Design and Production from the University of Alabama in 1992. Professionally, he has worked all across the U.S., including Playmakers Repertory Theatre in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Opera in East Haddam, Connecticut. From 1994 to 1999, Greg worked for the University of New York at Albany as Costume Shop Manager and Instructor, where he received the ACTF Meritorious Achievement Awards in both direction and design for his adaptation of Plautus’ "Menaechmi." After moving to Salida, Greg became involved with Mountain Valley Players as the director of a one-act play. He then designed costumes for the High Country Fine Arts Association’s production of Damn Yankees, and also performed the role of ‘Applegate.’ He was made president of Mountain Valley Players, which then evolved into Stage Left Theatre Company. He is thrilled with his new challenges, and the artistic growth he has experienced with Stage Left.
Shelley Jacobs—Associate Artistic Director/Company Manager
Though a native of Colorado, Shelley grew up in Texas, where her father was a college theatre teacher, and her mother was acostumer. With that kind of background, Shelley was involved in lots of community and educational theatre from a very young age. As a teen, she toured the East coast with a bus and truck tour of the musical "The Five Rings", then did summer stock at the Granbury Opera House in Granbury, Texas, and became a member of the resident company, acting as Dance Captain and later Choreographer. Shelley attended the University of North Texas as a theatre major and received an award for Outstanding Performance in a Major Role for her portrayal of Emilia in "Othello". After moving to Salida with her husband and daughter, Shelley began to re-enter the theatrical world, performing in dance pieces with Barbara Baker, working on High Country Fine Arts productions, participating in the Calliope program, and becoming a member of the Salida Steamplant’s Board of Directors for four years. Steamplant audiences may remember seeing her in Arkansas Valley Voices and The Odd Couple. Shelley became Salida High School’s Drama Director in 1998, where she keeps herself busy between Stage Left productions.
Fred Kaan--Treasurer
Fred has been involved in the community theatre since 2000. Actively involved in the performing arts since 1970, he is a fairly recent Thespian. In that time his credits include “Damn Yankees”, “Annie”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and “The Fantasticks”. Fred has performed with “Calliope!”, High Country Fine Arts Association, and “Starz”. He joined Stage Left in August of 2004, and was voted in as Treasurer in October of 2004. Since that time he has served in the capacities of acting, stage managing, directing, and as business manager. Fred received a B.S. in Business Management with minors in Psychology and Education from Liberty University in Lynchberg VA.
Kathleen Nelson--Public Relations and Fund Raising Director
Kathleen is a long time participant in the performing arts. She has experience in television, dance, and African drumming as well as acting. Kathleen has worked with The Dragonfly Dance Troup, two separate African drumming and dance groups, and Stage Left. Among her credits are “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “A Christmas Carol” “Zeus’ Women”, and “Deathtrap”. Kathleen spearheaded a fundraising campaign in the last quarter of 2004; Her efforts allowed Stage Left to increase the production values of our shows, and enabled Stage Left to offer free performances for the first and second grade classes of Longfellow Elementary School in Salida, and Avery Parsons Elementary School in Buena Vista. Kathleen is an independent Realtor, a volunteer for Head Start, and a member of the Board of Realtors.
Jessica Saunders—Research Dramaturg/Theatre Librarian
Jessica has been fascinated by live theatre since she saw her first touring Broadway musical at 15 in Washington, D.C. Since then, she has worked at almost every job theatre offers. She has done street theatre in San Francisco, sung and danced in the Off-Broadway production of "The Dancing Princesses," and has had several cameo roles in movies including Something Wild, Little Sister, and Get Goosed. She has directed such diverse shows as "The Mousetrap", "Gypsy", and "Brother Love and the Harmonica Virgins", which she wrote, directed and appeared in in Tallahassee, where she served on the Board of Directors of the Tallahassee Little Theatre for three years. She has Assistant Directed numerous shows, and graduated from Florida State University with a BFA in technical theatre with an emphasis in lighting design, and an MS in Library Science with emphasis in research and reference. Jessica did lighting design for Tallahassee Little Theatre, and won Best Lighting Design awards for several shows, including "The Fantastiks" and "The House of Blue Leaves." Jessica was a founding member of the Mountain Valley Players and continues to enjoy working with it in its new blossoming as Stage Left Theatre Company. She currently chairs our One Act Playwriting Contest, and is very active in the local writing community.
Carolyn Richards—Member At Large
Carolyn has been involved in theatre as a costumer since 1982. She has worked for the Little Theatre of Owatonna in Owatonna, Mn.; River Tree Theatre in Denver, CO.; as well as designing wedding dresses, athletic wear, and children’s clothing. Her previous costuming credits include, “Our Town”, “Mornings at Seven” Guys and Dolls”, “Anne of a Thousand Days”, and “The Fantasticks”. Carolyn has been involved in costume design and production for Stage Left since March of 2004.