2021 Triple Threat Teaching Roster

All of our senior teachers in dance, music, and theater either have been or are working professional performers.  They continually enhance their teaching skills with advanced workshops and classes around the country, performance work at the Playhouse, productions at other regional theaters and dance companies, and in New York training studios.  Student instructors have trained for years, and have performed with the Playhouse professional company and professional directors extensively.  All of our teachers share a passion for teaching, a love for children, a disciplined teaching environment, and the ability to encourage their students while inspiring confidence, focus, and poise in each child.

Weslie Webster: Director of Education

Weslie Webster:  Director of Education.  Weslie Webster is a North Carolina native and first came to the Cumberland County Playhouse in 1993 after graduating with a BFA in musical theater from Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music.  She moved to New York in 1995 where she joined the original Broadway National Tour of CAROUSEL.  During her years in the Big Apple, she also sang on several original cast recordings such as DRACULA and EAGLE SONG.  Since returning to the Playhouse as a resident company member her favorite roles include:  Grizabella in CATS, Maggie in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, Dolly Levi in HELLO, DOLLY!, M’Lynn in STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Madam Rose in GYPSY, Tanya in MAMMA MIA, Mrs. Lovett in SWEENEY TODD, and the Chaperone in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.  Weslie recently won a BroadwayWorld Nashville Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Maria in CCP’s LEND ME A TENOR.  She currently serves as CCP’s Director of Education where she enjoys teaching and directing the creative and talented Playhouse kids and teens.  Other directing credits include the CCP productions of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE FOREIGNER, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, AMERICAN ICON, BROADWAY OUR WAY, 50/50, ELEMENTAL, MASTERPIECE, THE SECRET GARDEN, SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN, SANDERS FAMILY CHRISTMAS, THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE PERILS OF PINOCCHIO, SEUSSICAL, and THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, and SWEENEY TODD at The Arts Center of Cannon County.  In 2016 Weslie was recognized with an Outstanding Teacher Award from the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts.  She bought a house in the fall of 2012 and is now proud to call Crossville her permanent home!

Caitlin Schaub:  Ballet Mistress/Education Administrator

Caitlin Schaub:  Ballet Mistress/Education Administrator.  Caitlin is in her 9th year as a resident company member and dance instructor at CCP.  She trained at New England Civic Ballet (Lawrence, Mass), Northern Ballet Theater (Nashua, NH), Florida’s Dreyfoos School of The Arts, Harid Conservatory, Boston Ballet, and danced multiple NUTCRACKERS (Sugar Plum, Clara, Spanish, Dew Drop).  She soloed with Chautauqua Summer Intensive, and American Ballet Theater’s Summer Intensive at Tribeca Center.  Caitlin earned a Bachelor of Liberal Science from Arizona State University.

Jenna Baker

Jenna Baker:  Jenna is originally from Flagstaff, Arizona and moved to Crossville last summer.  She studied dance at the University of Idaho where she received her B.S. in Dance.  Jenna has been dancing since she was 5 years old and has made it her passion.  She is trained in jazz, tap, hip-hop, and ballet.  Her main focus is hip-hop and tap.  Jenna has coached for the cheer and dance team for the Special Olympics and loves to perform and teach all ages. 

Darbi Banegas

Darbi Banegas:  Darbi began taking classes at CCP when she was 8 years old.  Over the years she has performed in over 50 productions on the CCP stage, has taught and participated in several T3 classes and co-directed the 2016 teen cabaret “Drama and Dreams”.  Darbi spent three seasons as part of the CCP intern program working in various departments and learning just about everything it takes to put on a show!  After moving to McMinnville in 2019, Darbi joined Dream Reality Group as resident choreographer.  She has choreographed several shows with DRG including GREASE, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and THE LITTLE MERMAID.  Darbi also choreographed A CHRISTMAS STORY at The Arts Center of Cannon County.  She is thrilled to be returning to the CCP T3 program once again.

Cory Clark

Cory Clark: Cory is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a BFA in Musical Theatre. He has worked at CCP for many years now and is super excited to be returning! Many thanks to Weslie, Britt, Bryce and his amazing cast mates for their constant love and support.

Jensen Crain-Foster

Jensen Crain-Foster:  Jensen grew up dancing at the Playhouse and is so thrilled to be able to teach and share her love for dance in the same place that inspired her so much while growing up!  She has been dancing for 20 years and has been teaching for the last 6.  Jensen studied dance at Western Kentucky University where she participated in master classes from Alvin Ailey and Angelica Burgos.

DeAnna Helgeson

DeAnna Helgeson:  Deanna began clogging at 4 years old with the Clogging Cuties.  She then joined Thunder Edition Cloggers beginning her 11 year career as a competitive clogger.  She won countless awards over her career culminating with the Southeastern Clogging Company winning the 2007 World Championship.  DeAnna is thrilled to return once again as a CCP Resident Company Member.

Ashley Gentry

Ashley Gentry:  Ashley is excited to be coming back to CCP.  As a young performer, the Playhouse is where she grew to love the arts.  Ashley holds a BFA in Performing Arts with an emphasis in Dance from Western Kentucky University.  She has worked in theatre and dance education since she was fifteen years old, when she was a student teacher here at CCP.  In 2008 Ashley joined the staff at the Capitol Arts Theatre in Bowling Green, KY where she served ultimately as their Youth Theatre Coordinator until 2012.  Favorite choreography credits include:  FOOTLOOSE, GODSPELL, KISS ME KATE, THE TEMPEST (an Original Musical), THE HOBBIT, BAT BOY, and of course THE NUTCRACKER.  “Dance and Theatre education is so important in the lives of all young people.  I am so excited to bring my training and experiences home to educate and inspire a new generation.”

Hannah Hays


Hannah Hays:  Hannah Hays is so excited to join the T3 team and start off her journey this year with Musical Theatre 3. She has had extensive training of her own receiving a Bachelors of Science in Theatre with a concentration in Musical Theatre from Northwestern State and is hoping to use that training to better prepare the younger generations with the skillset needed to chase this career. To put the icing on the cake, she gets to take on this task with the best partner she could ever hope to have, Grayson Yockey. 

Emma Jordan

Emma Jordan:  Emma began working at CCP in 2018, and is so excited to be joining the education program this year! She is a graduate of Wright State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre, has toured with The National Theatre for Children, has a passion for teaching kids, and cannot wait for this semester!

David Kappel

David Kappel:  David  has been taking classes in the CCP T3 Education Program for the past 6 years and has also performed in many shows including the lead role in CHITTY CHITTY, BANG BANG on the Playhouse Mainstage in 2020.  David is so excited to be teaching this year!

Morgan Neal

Morgan Neal: Morgan is a 15 year old performer from right here in Crossville. She has been singing and acting for as long as she can remember and is super excited to be teaching this year! This is her 6th year at the Cumberland County Playhouse, and she is looking forward to many, many more. Singing and performing are her passion, and she is hoping she can bring the joy of music and theater to her students. Her favorite roles at CCP are the Baroness in CHITTY CHITTY, BANG BANG and Marty the Zebra in MADAGASCAR.

Persley Snyder

Presley Snyder:  is a graduate of Cumberland County High School. She has performed in multiple productions here at the Playhouse and has also worked backstage crew. She has been in every recital and teen cabaret she could since 2014, and is very excited to learn and grow from her dance students! She hopes to help her students learn new skills, and to love dance as much as she does!