Darlene Jenson

Darlene graduated from UMass with a BA in Education. She has been the Co-Director and Disabilities Specialist for Theatre Adventure since 2004. She works side by side with Laura Lawson Tucker to develop curriculum and to produce shows that meet the needs of the participating troupe members. Finding creative and expressive ways to address and highlight each individual in the program brings out Darlene’s passion for theatre. The success of the past 15 years of Theatre Adventure has confirmed her ideas about creating an environment where troupe members of all abilities can find their unique voice, express their talents, and have a chance to belong to and work with a group to learn together and accomplish greatness!

Laura Lawson Tucker

Laura’s journey as an educator began in 1970 when she created and ran a summer day camp for four year olds in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Their days were spent exploring the surrounding fields and forests and creating theatrical stories. The children discovered a bridge over a creek and it seemed to Laura that magically the group of children began to refer to it as the Queen’s Bridge. It was soon revealed that the Queen’s Bridge was the perfect vantage spot to admire a field filled with Queen Anne's Lace. It was at that moment that Laura fell in love with the creative process, with the unplanned moments that happen in learning environments that are stable and predictable and yet ripe with many delightful surprises. Fast-forward to 2004, and with her Masters Degree in education and twenty-one years as an early educator, Theatre Adventure was born from the inspiration of one child and a fellow educator. Laura continues to grow as an educator and artist in the environment of Theatre Adventure---a home for aspiring actors with developmental challenges. Laura values deeply the opportunity to help ignite fires of imagination and witness actualization of the students’ personal power and purpose--all while having great fun in the land of inclusive theater.

Lori Angell

Lori Angell joined Theatre Adventure in 2005, a year after its inception. She arrived with eleven years of experience as a Special Educator. Lori's first role was as an agency Support Professional for an actor. She was soon thereafter hired as a teacher. When Theater Adventure's Costumer left in 2011,   Lori stepped in to fill those shoes. Since then, she has volunteered countless hours to design and sew breathtaking costumes for over thirty eight shows. Lori's favorite shows to design are productions from specific periods of time. She says there is a lot of detail in period costuming, “...so it is challenging, but a good challenge.” Lori adds that the best part about being the Costumer for Theatre Adventure is, “seeing the expressions on the actors’ faces when they try on their costumes. They are so into their character when in costume…although I have noticed that they are also very much in character without costumes."  Upon reflection on her fourteen years of experience with Theatre Adventure Lori shared, “The students have grown tremendously as actors. Theatre Adventure is a highlight in our students’ lives and they look forward to every class. The Directors are two very important individuals, Laura and Darlene. They always put the needs and wants first for all troupe members. Every show is a must see and you will be hooked forever.”

In Co-Director Laura Lawson Tucker’s words, “Lori Angell is one-of-a-kind as the master Costumer for Theatre Adventure. Lori's skillful creation of stunning costumes springs first from Lori's commitment to buildng a trusting relationship with each student.  Lori then melds together the directors' vision for a particular production and the actor's own ideas as well as any particular sensory and physical needs. With artistic vision Lori helps each actor claim their character with magnificent confidence."

Rachel Durante

Rachel Durante began working with Theatre Adventure in 2017 as a summer visiting Theatre Artist, and returned in 2020 onwards working with students on semester shows and summer sessions. Passionate about the performing arts, Rachel graduated with a BA in Theatre from Goucher College in 2016 and is currently pursuing her Masters in Vocal Pedagogy through the Voice Study Centre and University of Wales Trinity St David. Rachel is an actor with Vermont Suitcase Company, and has performed with various VT companies including Lyric Theatre Company, Vermont Theatre Company and Apron Theatre Co. Rachel has credits with Fresh Show Films and Verde Group Films, and has toured nationally with Speak About It, bringing performance-based consent education to college students. Through teaching with Theatre Adventure, Rachel has learned the true power and importance of inclusive arts access, and strives to center her vocal teaching studies and practices around inclusivity for all abilities. Rachel is so admirable of both the students and staff at Theatre Adventure for their creativity, adaptability and boldness.

Sher Levesque

Sher Levesque joined Theatre Adventure in 2018 as a teacher and movement/sound specialist. She grew up studying music & dance, cultivating a meditation practice in her teens. In college, she was a music education/performance major for her first semester and found herself taking her first yoga class in her last one. Sher graduated from UMASS Amherst with a BA in psychology and has worked in the non-profit public health field since 1998 in direct care, management, quality assurance, and training/staff development.  In 2010 she began offering yoga, sound meditation, and healing arts modalities both in the community and with specialized populations in public health settings. Sher has taught yoga/sound meditation to children & adults with trauma, chronic mental health issues, traumatic or acquired brain injuries, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy and other atypical neurodevelopmental conditions. She has completed multiple trainings and certifications in yoga, meditation, and other healing arts modalities, including sound therapeutics and trauma-sensitive yoga. Sher continues to practice different forms of dance and embodied movement and is currently focused on tap dancing. Her focus on these mediums ranges from more therapeutic applications, for self-exploration and as ways to cultivate a connection to others. Sher also has her own movement/sound oriented business, Sri Healing Arts, in which she offers classes, workshops/events, ceremonies, retreats & privates sessions.

Leslie Kinney

Leslie Kinney’s involvement with theater goes back to musical and drama productions in high school and occasional fun with community theatre in the Brattleboro area. Her sister fondly remembers her performance as a “love- sick maiden” in a Gilbert and Sullivan production.

She finds it a joy to combine her love of community theater with her experience providing services and supports to people with developmental disabilities. Leslie has a Master’s in Administration and has had a career managing services for people with disabilities in Massachusetts including family support, residential and vocational programs, respite care and self- advocacy groups. In addition to her Theatre Adventure work, she consults with several Massachusetts agencies that provide supports to people with disabilities.

The motto of self-advocates has always been important to her, “Nothing about us, without us.” She values the Theatre Adventure process which draws inspiration for activities and performances from the concerns and voices of the actors.

Laura Howe

Laura first experienced Theater Adventure ten years ago when she and her son took toddler music classes at The New England Youth Theater where Theater Adventure was originally located.  The music class was next door to the Theatre Adventure classroom and after each class her son would gravitate toward the theater rehearsals taking place next door.  They’d watch from the doorway and Laura was in awe of the magic that was happening in the room.  Years later when she heard of an available Theatre Adventure teaching position she jumped at the chance. She continues to be in awe of the ability of theater to empower mixed ability actors to explore and express their artistic talents; to learn how to work successfully in a group setting; to explore means of expression while gaining tremendous self confidence, and to have an immense amount of fun in an incredibly supportive atmosphere. Laura has an undergraduate degree in Social Work from the Pennsylvania State University and a Masters degree in Intercultural Management from the School for International Training.  Laura’s background in teaching includes being an Environmental Education Instructor for the Peace Corps in Central America, as well as several years as an early childhood educator.

Maria Pugnetti 

Maria Pugnetti is an interdisciplinary artist who has been working with Theatre Adventure since 2009. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her creative repertoire includes painting, fiber arts, video, sound, lighting design, and shadow puppetry. She has attended Sandglass Theater’s Puppetry Intensive and a Shadow Puppetry Intensive with Stephen Kaplin of Chinese Theatre Works. 

Pugnetti works in Theatre Adventure’s tech department and teaches visual arts, sound, lighting, and video and assists with web design. She has worked with students on a range of activities some of which include: creating projections and animations out of their drawings and paintings, designing stage lighting, and creating soundscapes for live theatre. She works with the Theatre Adventure team to make tools available for students to see the work of their creative imaginations come to life on stage and beyond. 

Rich Nethercott

From an early age, music has always been a great love of mine (I was fortunate enough to grow up during the British Invasion!). By the mid-Seventies, I had begun playing rhythm guitar and writing songs, my influences as varied as Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Cat Stevens and David Bowie.

Since then, I have continued to compose numerous "ditties" in diverse styles. Melodies, especially, come easily to me - they just bounce around in my head like a pinball machine!

I began working with Theatre Adventure in 2018 setting music to the lyrics of actor/author Josh Blaushild for that year's production of "Questery.” The following year, I created songs (music and words) for the troupe's full- blown musical production, "Raising Our Voices Together" (both shows were stellar successes, by the way, but I may be biased!).

We are now in (online) rehearsals for the 2020 production of "Resilient,” the theme of which couldn't be more topical! I have found my association with Theater Adventure to be both fun and rewarding. I have indeed grown to consider the talented performers, and their teachers, as admired friends and colleagues. It is truly an honor to assist the students as we all strive to convey their thoughts and aspirations through song.