Jennifer Kelly (Director, Producer & Theatre Teacher)
Director of the Lemon Bay High School Theatre Departmentand Thespian Troupe #257 since 2000, Jennifer Kelly also serves on the Florida State Thespian Board as the District Six Chair and Executive Director of the Lemon Bay Performing Arts Academy. Not only a former Troupe #257 Thespian and Lemon Bay High School alumnus, Mrs. Kelly literally grew up in the back of theatre here at Lemon Bay where her mother, Sherie Ragan, spent nineteen years as a teacher and Director. Kelly received a BA in Theatre from Principia College under the tutelage of Richard Morse (brother of Tony Award winning actor Robert Morse) and a MA in Curriculum in Instruction with an Emphasis in Theatre Education from Colorado Christian University.Mrs. Kelly made her stage debut at the age of four and has been directing for over twenty years. She has directed over a hundred productions with children ages four through eighteen as well as college and professional productions. In 2005, she led her Thespians to Lemon Bay’s first Florida State Thespian Festival Mainstage (an exclusive honor for the Top Eight high school productions in the state) with Seussical: The Musical. Success has continued to follow her with a State Workshop performance of Swing! in 2006, and Thoroughly Modern Millie (District 6 All Star Production) in 2007. She has also coached her students to numerous titles and Superior ratings in Individual Event and One Acts.
Most recently, Mrs. Kelly's directed The Wedding Singer and received honors not only for her production being selected as Top Eight in the state as a Mainstage, but as Top Seven in the world and invited to perform as the closing Mainstage performance at the International Thespian Festival held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With the support of her community, Kelly was able to raise over $80,000 in less than six weeks and bring her cast and crew of 51 students to perform at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts in July 2009. Her accomplishments along with those of her students have since been chronicled by numerous local and national news organization and newspapers such as NPR, FOX, ABC, NBC, WINK, SNN and Sun Herald, Herald Tribune, and the New Press, as well as theatre organizations such as Music Theatre International (mtishows.com) and BroadwayWorld.com.
Mrs. Kelly is also a published author, most recently publishing her inspirational analogies in a series called THE LITTLE INSPIRATION BOOKS. Her books can be seen at: http://www.jenniferlkelly.com/the-little-inspiration-books.html
Passionate about challenging her students to reach beyond expectations, she loves to watch them transform into beautiful masterpieces. Many of her former students are currently studying theatre, performing professionally, or working as technicians in the field. More importantly, all of her former students have gone on to great success due to their experiences and life skills learned both on and behind the stage.
For more information visit:www.jenniferlkelly.com
Most recently, Mrs. Kelly's directed The Wedding Singer and received honors not only for her production being selected as Top Eight in the state as a Mainstage, but as Top Seven in the world and invited to perform as the closing Mainstage performance at the International Thespian Festival held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With the support of her community, Kelly was able to raise over $80,000 in less than six weeks and bring her cast and crew of 51 students to perform at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts in July 2009. Her accomplishments along with those of her students have since been chronicled by numerous local and national news organization and newspapers such as NPR, FOX, ABC, NBC, WINK, SNN and Sun Herald, Herald Tribune, and the New Press, as well as theatre organizations such as Music Theatre International (mtishows.com) and BroadwayWorld.com.
Mrs. Kelly is also a published author, most recently publishing her inspirational analogies in a series called THE LITTLE INSPIRATION BOOKS. Her books can be seen at: http://www.jenniferlkelly.com/the-little-inspiration-books.html
Passionate about challenging her students to reach beyond expectations, she loves to watch them transform into beautiful masterpieces. Many of her former students are currently studying theatre, performing professionally, or working as technicians in the field. More importantly, all of her former students have gone on to great success due to their experiences and life skills learned both on and behind the stage.
For more information visit:www.jenniferlkelly.com
Sherie Ragan (Co-Producer, Costume Mistress, Box Office Manager)
Sherie Ragan, the former Director of Theatre at Lemon Bay High School and Thespian Troupe Director for twenty years, founded the theatre program in 1980. She has been an educator at the elementary, junior high, high school and college level for over thirty years and has worked as an actress, singer, director, and music director. During her tenure at Lemon Bay, Mrs. Ragan also served on the Florida State Thespian board and was an active member of the Florida Association for Theatre Educators (F.A.T.E.). She also gave frequent performances at the Charlotte Players, Venice Little Theatre, and Lemon Bay Playhouse. Her students were selected twice to perform at the International Thespian Festival with their one acts, I Didn’t Know That and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Mrs. Ragan has enjoyed the challenge of producing and costuming such an ambitious production. Her favorite high school productions to direct were West Side Story and Oklahoma! Her favorite role to play was the part of Mother Superior in Nunsense.
An inspiration to thousands over the years, many of her former theatre students continued in the performing arts and some even became theatre teachers themselves including local teachers Ryan Oliver at North Port High School and Jennifer Kelly, current theatre director at Lemon Bay.
Energetic and devoted, Mrs. Ragan is always the last to leave and is dedicated to providing a professional product. In recent years, after a hiatus teaching and directing in St. Louis, Missouri, Sherie returned to Florida to support her daughter and Lemon Bay High School Theatre. She has worn numerous hats starting with Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2007 as Co-Producer, Box Office Manager, and Costume Designer. Sherie is currently the theatre teacher at Edison Collegiate High School and an adjunct professor at Edison State College.
She’d like to thank her husband for allowing her to follow her heart, and her daughter, Jennifer Kelly, for giving her an exciting challenge!
An inspiration to thousands over the years, many of her former theatre students continued in the performing arts and some even became theatre teachers themselves including local teachers Ryan Oliver at North Port High School and Jennifer Kelly, current theatre director at Lemon Bay.
Energetic and devoted, Mrs. Ragan is always the last to leave and is dedicated to providing a professional product. In recent years, after a hiatus teaching and directing in St. Louis, Missouri, Sherie returned to Florida to support her daughter and Lemon Bay High School Theatre. She has worn numerous hats starting with Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2007 as Co-Producer, Box Office Manager, and Costume Designer. Sherie is currently the theatre teacher at Edison Collegiate High School and an adjunct professor at Edison State College.
She’d like to thank her husband for allowing her to follow her heart, and her daughter, Jennifer Kelly, for giving her an exciting challenge!
Sarah Baer (Choreographer)
Sarah Baer has been dancing for over 27 years and is the owner of the And 5-6-7-8 Dance Studio in downtown Englewood, FL. Seven years ago, she began working with the Lemon Bay High School Theater Department on a few IE pieces...since then she has choreographed for Kiss Me Kate, Seussical, Les Miserables, Swing!, Oklahoma!, Cats, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Grease. Most recently, Sarah choreographed the internationally acclaimed production of The Wedding Singer receiving numerous accolades for her incredibly innovative, creative, unique combinations of movement, and highly entertaining choreography. Her distinct style, charismatic energy, passion, and tireless dedication to the students at Lemon Bay has made her a strong component of Lemon Bay High School Theatre. Ms. Baer’s recitals in June are a huge community event!
For more information visit: www.lbpaa.com
For more information visit: www.lbpaa.com
William Booth (Technical Director)
Bill is the Technical Director for the Manatee Players in Bradenton. He has also been the Lighting Designer at the Manatee Players for such shows as 1940's Radio Hour, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Always... Patsy Cline. He has also served as the master electrician and Lighting Designer for Les Miserables: School Edition, Swing, Oklahoma, Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Mille,Cats, The Wedding Singer and most recently Aida at Lemon Bay. He has won technical excellence awards over the past 4yrs at the State, Regional and National levels with Tom Sawyer, Metamorphoses, Bat Boy and most recently Sweeney Todd.