Joe Bishara (Founder/Managing Director) has worked on over 200 theatrical productions across the United States. An award-winning Actor, Director, Theatre Educator, and Producer, Joe is the Founder of New Albany Youth Theatre, the Theatre Supervisor for the City of Dublin (Abbey Theatre of Dublin) and the Theatre Instructor for Franklinton Preparatory Academy.  

Joe has created and facilitated theatre initiatives in educational institutions for 20 years at the elementary, middle school, high school and college level. In New Albany, Joe taught the IMPACT Musical Theatre Creation class for the Middle School (2014 and 2015) and Produced and Directed New Albany’s summer junior musical at The McCoy Center (2018 and 2019). Joe spent 10 seasons at CATCO (Associate Artistic Director and Associate Producing Director) overseeing productions for families and young audiences (CATCO is Kids). Additional stops include The Phoenix Theatre for Children (Production Coordinator), Wayside Theatre (Assistant Artistic Director), SoReal Theatre (Artistic Director) and Act Out Productions (Associate Producer).  

Joe is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, where he majored in Vocal Performance and minored in Business, Theatre, and Piano. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance (MTEA) and an associate member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). Joe is married to Actress/Director/Choreographer Liz Wheeler and is the proud father of two daughters.

www.joe-bishara.com

Liz Wheeler (Artistic Director) holds a BFA in Acting with an emphasis in Musical Theater from Wright State University. She has received numerous citations from The Columbus Dispatch, Theatre Roundtable and the Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle for Excellence in Acting, Choreography and Directing. Liz is a member of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) and has had the honor of performing at two Tony Award-winning regional theaters (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and The Human Race Theatre). She is a proud alum of Columbus School for Girls and was nominated for the Excellence in Theatre Education Tony Award by her students at CSG (where she has taught Theatre for the past seven years) in 2016.

Jonathan Collura (Director and Music Director – Shrek JR.) is excited to be working on his first production with NAYT. Jonathan is an adjunct voice teacher in the Theatre department at Wright State University, as well as a private voice teacher in Columbus. He also performs and music directs with several groups around the Columbus area, including Evolution Theatre Company, Abbey Theater of Dublin, Short North Stage, and Imagine Productions.

Abbie Keller (Choreographer – Shrek JR.) is a well accomplished choreographer in all facets of dance. She began teaching hip hop in 2006 and continues to run one of the most successful hip hop programs in central Ohio at Broadway Bound Dance Centre. She has been trained in tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, ballet, pointe & hip hop. Abbie has assisted for such dance names as Michael Metts of Drury Design Productions, Tony Awards Performer Michael Lee Scott, “The Producers” Dance Captain Pam Bradley and Past National DMA President, Eleanore Ryder.