Learn about the people responsible for instructing the RTAA students

Michelle has spent the last 20 years in theatre, working with and teaching students of all ages. She served as Director of Education for the Magic Circle Theatre since 1995, where she oversaw the education program for the second-largest non-profit community theatre in Northern California. She is very proud of the theatre's field trip program which annually introduces about 20,000 students to the excitement of live theatre! She is also passionate about RTAA's Master Shakespeare program and watching teens discover the relevance and importance of Shakespeare's works in today's world. She has a beautiful family that she loves: Franky her knight-in-shining armor and husband, and  Alexandria and Morgan her gorgeous daughters who inspire her every day. She also enjoys acting, directing and writing her own fairytale shows like  Fairytale Survivor for which she received an Elly award win for Best Director and nomination for writing Best Original New Work play. She graduated Summa cum Laude from Sacramento State University with her degree in English, Creative Writing in 2008.

Jennifer Vaughn has been working in musical theatre since the age of 10. Both onstage and off, she has devoted herself to this genre. She accompanied her first musical for the local high school while in the 8th grade and from then on pursued her goal of musical directing. After moving from L.A. to Roseville at the age of 19, she has worked with various theatrical groups in the Sacramento area as well as numerous high schools. She found her niche with Roseville Theater and Woodcreek High School. Founded over 20 years ago, the youth and little one’s programs and master series are her passion. She is thrilled to be able to continue working with the children and young adults of Placer county with Roseville Theatre Arts Academy and excited for the future programs to be offered. 

An experienced Entertainment Field and Business professional with expertise as a Choregrapher. Stephen began performing at the age of 13. With over 20 years of performing arts experience in Dance and Choreography. A former Dance Studio Owner from the Bay Area. Stephen has choreographed numerous Musicals for Local Theatres and High Schools. Stephen has a wide range of expertise working on both small and large scale productions at a Professional, Regional Community Theater and Education levels. As well as experience in Direction, Production and Stage Management.

Christi has been performing, choreographing and directing in the greater Sacramento area for over 20 years. She has worked with many theatres from Woodland, Roseville, Folsom and Rocklin to name a few. She has directed and choreographed children through adults in multiple musical productions and won an Elly award for her direction of Les Miserables, School Edition. Christi is also a credentialed teacher in the Folsom-Cordova School district and currently teaches fifth grade. With 15 years of experience in child development, Christi has worked with all ages of children from Pre-school through High school and considers it her passion. Working with RTAA and being able to combine her love of theatre and children is truly rewarding. Christi also shares this love with her beautiful girls who both participate in RTAA workshops, and has a wonderfully supportive husband who cheers them all on!

Adrienne Dritz-Mars has been the director of Choral Activities at Woodcreek High School since it opened in 1994. Her choirs have sung all over California, Washington DC, Japan, and Italy. The musicals she has directed at Woodcreek have received over forty Elly nominations thru the years. Adrienne has also directed at Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom. She is thrilled to be directing a show at RTAA, a theatre where both her daughters and ever so many of her students have fallen in love with theatre.

Samantha Ellinwood fell in love with theater after doing her first little one's workshop at Magic Circle Theater when she was four years old. She participated in the many Youth and Master's workshops, and Mainstage shows over the following 20 years. She happily returned to teach little one's, choreograph and guest artist for youth workshops, and direct Master's workshops. Samantha was also lucky enough to get to choreograph the SENSE theater (an theater group for autistic children) production of Wizard of Oz last year. She is currently in her third year of medical school at UC Davis School of Medicine but comes back to work at Roseville Theater Arts Academy whenever possible, as it was her experience in in the children's theater programs that inspired her to become a pediatrician.

Cassie March is 21 years old, and has been working with Jennifer and Michelle for 15 years now. She started out in youth workshops herself, going on to masters, and in the adult productions. She has been in countless community theatre productions all over the sacramento area. Some of her favorites are Sandy in "Grease", Annelle in "Steel Magnolias", and the shimmy girl in "Smokey Joe's Cafe". She was a two time Elly Nominee for a children's production of The Princess and the Pirate, and Emily in Our Town. She was a member of the Radio Disney dance team for 3 years, and also has been to training workshops in New York with Peter Sklar working with top monologue coach, and many broadway choreographers. She now teaches dance at RTAA including tap and jazz, and is now the Youth choreographer for the workshops for the past 4 years. She loves every second of working with the children, and loves to watch them grow into the bright and talented young adults they all are. Theatre is not her only passion she also is an aspiring hairdresser who is currently attending Career Beauty Academy. She would also like to thank Jennifer and Michelle for letting her tag along on this amazing road and is so honored to be working next to two amazing women, whom she looks up to very much, and has helped her grow into the person she is today. She hopes that in joining this amazing new company you too will find your corner of the sky.

Topeka Vaughn has been performing on the Roseville Theater stage for her whole life. She is very proud to be a Little Ones instructor and choreographer in training after growing up in the program. Topeka loves singing and dancing and hopes she can learn a little piano to aid her mother's restless hands.

Erin has been performing and teaching in the Sacramento and Roseville areas for over 20 years. Erin received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Performance and a minor in Dance from San Jose State University. She is currently a voice instructor for aspiring young singers and is proud to have had many students go on to pursue vocal performing careers. Her performing credits include Mother in "Ragtime" (for which she won an Elly award), Maria in "The Sound of Music" (for which she won a Birdsall Award), Velma in "Chicago", "I Love You You're Perfect Now Change", "Forbidden Broadway", and most recently, portraying the title role in "The Drowsy Chaperone".

Colton Archey is 22 years old and is thrilled to be a part of RTAA team. Colton has training in all aspects of stage acting from Shakespeare, to Comedia Del Arte, to all modern styles (drama and comedy). Most of his training came from the fabulous professors at American River College. He has done tons of shows around the Sacramento community and his favorite roles include "Gangster" in The Drowsy Chaperone, "Newsboy" in Jekyll and Hyde, and "Wickersham Brother" in Seussical the Musical. He would like to thank Jennifer Vaughn and Michelle Raskey for giving all of the opportunities that they have given him. He hopes that they can get used to having him around all the time, because that's his plan.

Patty has been a public elementary school teacher for over 30 years! She earned her degree in psychology, and then went on to get her teaching credential at the University of California at Davis. She has taught students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and spent many years as a Reading Specialist. She currently teaches first grade at Quail Glen Elementary School. Her involvement at the Roseville Theatre began in 1992, as a chauffeur and fan of her three children, as they engaged in countless productions (over 16 years worth!) of Little Ones, Youth, and Masters. In 1999 she renewed her own participation on stage, and has appeared in numerous musical and non-musical productions. In 2008 she joined the Youth Workshop staff as an acting instructor. By day, she is an elementary school teacher, and is thrilled that by night, she can combine her two great passions, working with children and a love of theater, all at Roseville Theatre Arts Academy!

Pavel Kravchuk was born in Zdolbuniv, Ukraine, in 1984. He studied music from his early years, attending music school in Ukraine, playing piano and singing in choirs and various smaller ensembles. He continued piano studies in the US with Russian pianist Igor Denshik. While living in Seattle, he attended the University of Washington and sang in a chamber choir under the direction of the renown conductor Abraham Kaplan, at the same time conducting a church youth choir. In 2003, he began studies with Richard Cionco at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS). He sang in the Sacramento Choral Society and Sacramento State choirs, started a new youth choir at Bethany Slavic church, and studied conducting with Yevgeniy Goncharenko. Pavel took part in national and international tours with the Sacramento Choral Society and CSUS, performing and recording concerts in Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and China. He started and directed chamber choirs and orchestras at Bethany church and at House of Bread church, and has taught high school choir. Pavel is a graduate of the Moscow Academy of Sacred Music (emphasis in choral conducting), holds a Bachelor's degree in Music (piano emphasis) and a Master's degree in Conducting from CSUS.