Meet Our Teachers:

Kathleen Edwards (Executive Director DSC) began teaching theatre to young people right out of college with the Alliance for Drama Education in Honolulu, HI. She taught at public schools all over the Islands, producing culminating performances with entire student bodies — as many as 400 young performers in an evening. Right after moving to the Seattle area, Kathleen toured Snohomish County as an actor with Open Door Theatre, using theatrical scenes and role play to teach children to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse. She created T.A.L.K Theatre to take the same message into Pierce County. As Director of Holocaust Education at the Stroum Jewish Community Center Youth Theatre, Kathleen created a play called Eyewitness that toured Seattle area schools with Holocaust survivors to advance the concept that we must Never Forget. Kathleen taught for many years at Village Theatre's Kidstage, Youth Theatre Northwest, Northwest Actors' Studio, and as an artist mentor for public school teachers in South King County through a program called Arts Impact. Kathleen is also the Executive Director and creator of our education department, DownStage Center, which provides classes, summer theatre camps and additional performance opportunities for our young artists.

Allison Gobat is a hands-on, sensory-led, active teacher. She likes to keep the children moving, experiencing, having fun, and learning through doing. She likes to bring multiple senses into her teaching so that she can reach each student wherever their strengths lie. She believes in allowing skill development to happen in its own time for each student — there is no "one size fits all" for learning. Allison has taught Preschool through High School in various positions: special education inclusion specialist, one-on-one instructor, special programs teacher, specific subject tutor, and music, theater and arts teacher. She has a Master's degree in Special Education from the University of San Diego and holds certifications in Elementary Education, K-8 Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education.

Ali Webb is a teacher, vocalist, pianist, Burien native and Hi-Liner alum. She holds degrees from Pacific Lutheran University in vocal performance and education. Her resume includes church music, choral music, opera, and musical theatre. For the past six years she has taught elementary general music in the Issaquah school district. Ali has also taught classes for Village Theater's Kidstage programs in Everett and Issaquah as well as many years of classes, camps, and musical direction for the Hi-Liners. She met her husband in the 2003 production of Les Miserables and they live in Burien with their two young children.

Mackenzie Neusiok is a Seattle-based performer, teacher, and choreographer. She was recently seen onstage in Matilda (2018) at Village Theatre as an ensemble swing, and as an Angel and Asst. Choreographer in Anything Goes (2018) at UW, where she graduated with a BA in Musical Theatre and American Indian Studies. As a choreographer, her recent work includes Curtains (2019) at Woodland Park Players, and Legally Blonde (2018) at Seattle Musical Theatre. She currently teaches ballet, tap, and musical theatre jazz at Hi-Liners Musical Theatre, and directs the Performance Teams at Applause Studios. Mackenzie is a member of the Coharie Native American Indian Tribe, based in North Carolina. Her goal as an artist is to bring her indigineity into everything she does, and to lead with the qualities instilled in her by her people: respect, reciprocity, and compassion.

Frankie Curry-Edwards is an actor, teacher, and aspiring director. She grew up doing theatre at the Hi-Liners Musical Theatre and believes passionately in giving back to the organization that gave so much to her. In her work with the Hi-Liners she has taken on the role of actor, director, musical director, choreographer, designer, painter, and teacher. She received her Musical Theatre degree from the University of Northern Colorado where she appeared as Celleste II in Sunday in the Park With George, Rummy Mitchens in Major Barbara, and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She also appeared in the Little Theatre of The Rocky's Summer Stock, as Woman 1 in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and as an Ancestor in The Addams Family. She has recently moved back to Seattle and looks forward to auditioning and working in the Seattle Area.

Andrea Benson is a teacher, director and actress and has appeared on camera and stage in Hawaii and the Northwest. She has worked with the Hi-Liners since 2010, and she is a co-founder, senior teacher and Theater Arts Director for The Bridge Cooperative Elementary School. Andrea's natural exuberance combined with her passion for teaching and theater result in a learning environment where children feel nurtured and empowered while further developing their skills as young artists. She holds a Master in Education from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA in Theater from Western Washington University. Andrea is constantly striving to further develop her skills as both an artist and an educator. Most recently she graduated from the Washington State Teaching Artist Training Lab at Seattle Children's Theater.