Leadership and Staff

Sarah Roy comes to YAT from American Ballet Theatre (ABT), where she was Director of Marketing Communications & Strategic Partnerships. At ABT, Roy worked with Random House, American Express, LG, HBO, Lincoln Center, & more. In 2020, she was a Women in Power Fellow at the 92Y. Roy previously served as Communications Director at New American Economy, a bipartisan coalition of 500 CEOs and mayors for immigration reform. She was a Deputy Director of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a current term member of the Think Tank. In 2013, she acted as Communications Director for a negotiation process to maintain peace in Northern Ireland. Roy holds an MPA from New York University’s School of Public Service and graduated summa cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College.

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As Executive Director of Young Actors Theatre, Natalie Futrell oversees the organization’s daily operations, staff development, and strategic initiatives in partnership with the CEO and Board of Directors. A proud YAT alum, she has been an integral part of the organization throughout her career. Over her fifteen years on staff, she has served as Managing Director, Education Director, and Company Manager, while continuing to share her passion for acting with her Kid’s Company students. She has directed more than ten Mainstage productions—many of them large-scale fall shows featuring over 100 students—including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo Jr., The Wizard of Oz, Matilda, and Pinkalicious. Futrell delights in creating the kind of magic in Tallahassee that evokes her favorite place, Walt Disney World, and played a key role in guiding YAT through its post-COVID operational transition, helping the theatre enter a new era of creativity and growth. Outside of YAT, she brings her performance background to life as the Midday On-Screen Talent for the Florida Lottery.

J. Scott Handley most recently served as the Executive Director, Founder, Music Director, and Vocal Coach for the non-profit organization, Broadway Method Academy (BMA). The company grew from his private voice studio attracting students from all over the tri-state  area seeking elite musical theater training. At BMA, he implemented an educational partnership with  the prestigious Westport Country  Playhouse. In 2002, Handley became department chair of  musical theater at Regional Center for the Arts in Southern Connecticut. Many of his students  have won awards including the National Jimmy Awards and have  gone on to receive degrees in  Musical Theater at the top musical theater programs in the nation.  Handley is an accomplished  collaborative artist, having worked with Alice Ripley, Klea Blackhurst, Nicholas Rodriguez, Meredith Inglesby, Steve Blanchard and Noah Rickets to name a few! He holds a BA from the Florida State University College of Music.

ALISON B. GRIMES, YAT’s Music Director received her Bachelor’s degree in Music from Florida State University as a voice and piano major studying with such notable artists as David Wingate and Edward Kilenyi.  She has been the Musical Director, Pianist and Vocal Coach for Young Actors Theatre since 1979 and serves as Pianist and Assistant Director at Fellowship Baptist Church. At YAT, Ms. Grimes is heavily involved in long-term planning with regard to season, secondary and touring shows.  With over 43 years of performing, directing and teaching experience; she has countless performances and over 100 productions to her credit. Mrs. Grimes also has a diploma in Writing for Children and Teenagers.  She has been awarded in Who’s Who in Music and the Extraordinary Performing Artists of America.

Canova serves as the Program Manager and choreographer of the ACT ONE touring troupe at YAT. She is a graduate of Florida School of the Arts, where she studied Musical Theatre and Directing.  Upon graduating Canova taught and choreographed for Asbury Arts Center in Middleburg, Florida, and directed/coached various events for Showtime USA in St. Augustine before returning to her hometown in 2018. She has choreographed various Junior productions at YAT including Frozen Jr, The Addams Family Young @ Part, Mary Poppins Jr, Nemo Kids,  and Mean Girls Jr.  Some performance highlights for Canova include her roles of Ruth Condomine in Blithe Spirit and Constance Ledbelly in Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) at Florida School of the Arts, Lady Beaconsfield in Jekyll & Hyde with NRM Performance at the Monticello Opera House, and most recently as the Nurse in Romeo & Juliet with the talented students of Young Actors Theatre.

Kiera Hanselman is a graduate of Florida State University’s Theatre program, where she also studied abroad in the FSU London Theatre Program. These experiences gave her the opportunity to train with world-class theatre professionals and immerse herself in both classical and contemporary performance techniques.

Kiera has over a decade of professional stage experience, including 11 years with The Laughing Stock, a political cabaret troupe. She has also performed in community and college theatre productions, such as Carrie (Margaret White), The Last Five Years (Cathy Hiatt), 42nd Street (Dorothy Brock), Side Show (Fortune Teller), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Soul Sister), among others.

Beyond her work as a performer, Kiera has trained under and apprenticed with world-renowned voice coach Arthur Samuel Joseph in Vocal Leadership and the Vocal Awareness Method. She has taught vocal empowerment and leadership workshops, helping performers and professionals alike unlock their authentic voices and communicate with confidence.

In addition to her theatre background, Kiera is a speaker and trainer, regularly presenting at national healthcare reform events for organizations like the Free Market Medical Association and Health Rosetta.Her unique ability to inspire, motivate, and lead through storytelling translates seamlessly into the classroom, where she fosters creativity, confidence, and collaboration among her students.

Kiera lives in Tallahassee with her husband, Michael, and their two children, Isabella (17) and Maximus (12). She believes in the transformative power of the arts to not only entertain but to empower, and she is thrilled to bring her expertise and enthusiasm to Young Actors Theatre.

As the External Relations Coordinator, Fran supports the administrative team with front office operations, manages communication with parents and students, and helps lead the organization’s marketing and social media efforts. In addition to her administrative role, she also choreographs “The Cadences” and contributes creatively to our shows. As an alum of Young Actors, Fran is thrilled to return to the place that helped shape her both personally and professionally. She’s deeply grateful to be part of a community that continues to inspire and nurture the next generation of performers.

Jack Jammer comes to YAT after three years working at Quincy Music Theatre, where he served as the Production Manager and Master Carpenter, among various other duties. He holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and spent five years working as an architectural designer for BKJ Architecture, before switching to full time theatrical work in 2021. He currently also freelances his design and carpentry skills across the greater Big Bend area, working with dozens of other theatres and schools including Theatre Tallahassee, Southern Shakespeare, Making Light Productions, Maclay, Leon and Lincoln High Schools, Quincy Music Theatre and Monticello Opera House. His design work has been featured across a variety of scales, from the grand Antony & Cleopatra at the Adderley Theatre in Cascades Park to the intimate The Revolutionists at Theatre’s Tallahassee’s Studio.

Christian Collins is a Senior BFA Music Theatre Major at Florida State University from New Orleans, LA. Previous On Stage Credits: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Great Comet (Dolokhov), Something Rotten (Robin/Shakespeare U.S./Dance Captain), 9 to 5, Sweet Charity, and Young Frankenstein at FSU; A Chorus Line (Mike), Rent (Steve), Pippin, and 42nd Street at Tulane Summer Lyric; A Year With Frog and Toad at Asolo Rep; Pippin (Pippin) at NOCCA. He has been choreographing since he was 15 including a regional production of Disney’s Newsies, numerous benefit concerts in New Orleans, FSU Music Theatre Cabaret, The Jerry Herman Legacy Concert and The John Bucchino Concert at FSU. He is also the manager of the FSU Music Theatre social media. He plans to move to New York after his graduation in May 2026 and pursue a career as an actor, director, and choreographer. Go NOLES! Live Like Keith.

Elliott is a 20 year old BFA Musical Theatre Student at Florida State University. Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, he discovered musical theatre at the age of 6 and has not stopped since then. A little later down the line,he was then accepted into and attended the Northeast School of the Arts, a performing arts high school where he double majored in Musical Theatre and Dance (NESA) where he trained day and night doing what he loves the most. His dream and life goal is to take a bow on a Broadway stage, and he will do anything it takes to make that happen(and don’t worry, it will). Elliott’s favorite musical is An American in Paris and his favorite dance style is Tap. Elliott is honored to be a part of the staff at Young Actors Theatre in Tallahassee and thankful to be where he is today.

Emma Kate Farlow is proud to be a part of the YAT team, where she teaches dance to the high school members of YAT Company and with the Creative Players 2, helping prepare them for the stage. She has been teaching a variety of styles—including ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary—since early high school. She is passionate about sharing her love and knowledge of dance with the next generation of performers. Emma Kate is currently a senior at Florida State University, pursuing her BFA in Musical Theatre. Some of her favorite FSU credits include Once Upon A Mattress (Winnifred), Nine to Five (Dance Captain/Swing), and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Ensemble). Beyond her collegiate work, she has performed regionally with Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, TX, and City Springs Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA. Memorable credits with these companies include Seussical (Dance Captain), On The Town (Ivy Smith), and A Chorus Line, where she had the honor of working under original cast member Baayork Lee (Cut Dancer). She’s excited to jump into a new season with YAT, ready to challenge, encourage, and celebrate every student who walks through the studio door.

Gina Jordan has been a YATTIE most of her life. She was a student at YAT, winning a Zoli for her portrayal of Yente in Fiddler on the Roof, the first show performed in the newly-built theatre in 1986. She has been teaching drama at YAT since 2012 and helped launch the film program. Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Florida State University. She has appeared in community theatre productions in her hometown of Tallahassee as well as Orlando, where she lived for 15 years. There, she studied under casting directors Ellen Jacoby, Lori Wyman, Len Hunt, and Mark Fincannon. She gave Universal Studios and Nickelodeon tours, acted in industrial videos, and performed at the Actor’s Studio. Gina also utilized her theatre experience as a morning show sidekick and deejay, but most of her career has been as a radio news reporter, anchor, and podcaster. Gina is the host of Morning Edition and Speaking Of on 88.9 WFSU-FM, Tallahassee’s NPR affiliate. She serves as a board member for the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists. Her favorite stories to produce are about Tallahassee’s thriving arts community.

LISA HIGHT – MUSIC TEACHER:  spent the last thirty years teaching and
performing music in some form or fashion and is so excited to be able to work and
learn alongside her colleagues here at YAT!
Lisa graduated from the Florida State University College of Music in 1993 with her
Bachelors in Music Education and has been making music ever since.
Earlier in her tenure, Lisa had the great fortune to be employed as the Choral Music
Director in Bainbridge, GA and right here in Tallahassee. When she began her family
Lisa began teaching out of her own private piano studio which enabled her to be at
home with her children (all of whom are musical; one of whom used to teach here!).
Prior to landing here at YAT, Lisa was employed over two decades at Trinity UMC in
downtown Tallahassee, where she led worship for almost 15 years. During that time
she also taught music at the Faith Presbyterian Preschool and worked with the
Childrens and Youth music departments at Trinity helping produce musicals, and
preparing the children for church and community performances.
Lisa loves spending time with her husband Brandon, and their (combined) five children.
Additionally, Lisa is thrilled to partner in making music alongside the other talented
instructors here at YAT and looks forward to a magical year making music with your
children.

Megan Stokley is a member of Florida State University’s Class of 2029. She is a psychology and theatre
major, studying to pursue a career in forensic psychology. Megan is a 2025 graduate of Young Actors
Theatre. She is the assistant music director of YAT’s 2025 Mainstage fall show, “The Little Mermaid”, and
a music teacher for YAT’s pre-Company students. In her six years as a student, she was a student liaison
and received the Elizabeth H. Anderson Award for Excellence in Performance during her senior season.
Her performance highlights include Romeo & Juliet (Benvolio), Annie (Miss Hannigan), Carrie (Chris
Hargensen), Newsies (Spot Conlon), Chicago (Mama Morton) Elf: the Musical (Jovie), Pride & Prejudice
(Caroline Bingley), and Frozen Jr. (Bulda).
Megan has been studying music since she was in Kindergarten, having played the piano for fourteen
years. She is the keyboardist and a vocalist with the Northwoods Church band. A lover of all art forms,
she additionally enjoys singing, guitar, bass and drums, as well as creative writing, playwriting and
poetry. Megan is thrilled to be able to share her knowledge, training and love of the arts with the pre-
Company students at Young Actors Theatre.

Ms. Wanda arrived in Tallahassee from Puerto Rico to attend Florida State University, where she received a Bachelors’ degree in Music Therapy and a Masters degree in Choral Music Education. She began her teaching journey in 1991, first as a music therapist in the school system, and then as a chorus, drama and guitar teacher. In 1999, Ms. Alison Grimes attended one of Ms. Wanda’s concerts, and by the Fall of 2000, Ms. Alison invited Ms.Wanda to join the Young Actors Theater staff. Thus began an exciting journey into the world of musical theater that still continues today…25 years of music and dancing and drama… touching so many young actors’ lives and loving every minute of it!