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Our Teachers
KRISTIN PARRY
Ziegfeld Arts Academy and Youth Theater Director
Kristin Parry has acted in and directed both youth and adult productions in Ogden and Davis Counties for the past 15 years. Before that she has also been privileged to experience the arts, both acting, teaching and directing in many different countries including Brazil, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom. She has been the Youth Theater Director for the Ziegfeld Theater since it opened and the Academy Director since it opened. Kristin is passionate as she teaches and works with youth, improving their skills on and off the stage and in the classroom!
TAMI HARTVIGSEN
Math Games Teacher
Tami Hartvigsen is the Math Games teacher. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Utah. She has always enjoyed numbers and has worked multiple jobs in accounting and finance. She and her husband have 3 amazing children. Tami has homeschooled her own children since 2016. Her family enjoys the outdoors and spending time with all their crazy animals. They own horses, goats, sheep, chickens, dogs and a cat. They stay busy running the family farm!
MELISSA MICHEL
Voice Teacher,
California based
Melissa has been teaching private voice and acting for 21 years. She was the director of the theatre acting and film program at Syracuse Arts Academy for 12 years and was named Utah Advisory Council of Theatre Teachers “Teacher of the Year” for 2020. She is an inspirational recording artist with music that has been released through Deseret Book, Spotify, YouTube, etc. She has been a featured vocalist on FM100.3, the LDS Channel, and a featured soloist at Temple Square. She has recently moved to Los Angeles area to pursue even more performing opportunities.
She has performed her music on a cross country tour from NC to NY to UT and CA with her one woman show. She has a BFA degree in Musical Theatre having studied at New York University, Webster Conservatory, and East Carolina University. She enjoys playing theatre roles as often as possible, and she has performed at the Zig as Sister Mary Amnesia in “Nunsense.” She has performed at Hale Centre Theatre, and she recently starred in an award-winning short film “Love and Joy,” which was also featured here in Utah at the LDS Film Festival. She also was designated a Best Actress Nominee in the Faith in Film International Film Festival. Find her on Facebook at “Express YourSELF with Melissa” and on Instagram @_melissa.michels_.
CASEY WOODS
Makerspace Teacher
Casey and his family recently moved back to Utah after retiring from the Air Force where he spent 21 years flying cool planes. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Human Factors Engineering, where his favorite class was spent training a rat to run through a maze. He and his family have enjoyed taking part in the activities that make this place so cool: skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and driving his kids to and from the Zig for theater to name a few. He and his wife have helped facilitate the homeschool experience with their kids for the last 5 years and have loved the opportunities it has allowed, it also helped expand the families' Lego collection to epic proportions!
CINDY FEDOR
Art Teacher
Cindy Fedor has been teaching art classes at Ziegfeld Arts Academy for almost five years now. She graduated from Ben Lomond High School in 2002 as the Art Sterling Scholar. She also earned an art scholarship that same year that she used at Weber State University where she studied art for three years. She is a well known artist in her community and has won many awards for her artwork. When she is not teaching art at the academy she does commission drawings and teaches private art lessons in her home. She loves to share her passion for art with her students and help them have fun and be creative!
LAURA FELLER
Minis Theater and Spanish Teacher
Laura has had the privilege of working with children for over 20 years as a pre-k teacher, dance instructor, and nanny. She homeschools her three children and volunteers in the community as often as she can.
Laura is so excited to be teaching Minis Theater and Spanish at Ziegfeld Arts Academy. She loves to use her knowledge to create new educational experiences that are fun and memorable. Her goal for this school year is to help nurture a lifelong love of learning and to open up a world of possibilities for her students!
CASSIDY HEISE
Theater Teacher
Cassidy Wixon (Heise) has 20 years experinece as a performer. She was bitten by the acting bug in Jr. High, but when she auditioned for her first musical in high school and wasn't cast, it became her mission to become a "triple threat." She studied at The Performer's Studio in SLC for 3 years. During her time, she participated in their intensive "Singers Academy" which teaches not only how to sing and act for Musical Theater, but to sing and act every song that's put in front of you. In lessons your child will learn how to sing it all vocally, healthily, emotionally connected, and with the confidence to have that "star power" every director looks for.
She went on to study musical theatre at Weber State University for 6 years where she had amazing vocal teachers such as Maurie Tarbox, Kenneth Plain, and Jim Christian. She has performed in many professional/ semi-professional theatres in Northern Utah including Lagoon, Good Company Theatre, and, of course, here at The Zig. Her talents have even taken her to NYC where she attended The Open Jar Institute and got a crash course from professionals on what it takes to make it as a Performer.
KRISTEN CLAY
Storytelling Teacher
Kristen Clay has circled the globe as a storyteller, actor, teacher and perpetual student. She is the creator and director of Story Tours: Ogden & Salt Lake City Ghost Tours, Hysterical History Tours and many custom storytelling concerts. She has been a featured teller at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and is a regular teller at the WSU Storytelling festival. Kristen is well known for bringing the islands of Polynesia alive as she shares Hawaiian Ghost Stories (Obake Tales),
blending ancient mythology with modern phenomenon. She also has a passion for healing and inspirational stories that she has been privileged to share in schools, prisons, rehab facilities,
and with youth in custody. Her greatest joy is watching her audiences and students make connections with different cultures and experiences, then remember their own stories. Kristen
currently resides in Utah. While not writing or performing, she enjoys traveling, reading,
cooking, spending time in nature, hanging out with friends, family and her menagerie of pets.
CALEB PARRY
Entreprenuership and Graphic Design Teacher
Caleb Parry is the Executive director of The Ziegfeld Theater and Ziegfeld Arts Academy. With a degree in Musical Theater from WSU, as well as years of performing and directing, he offers a great perspective to new and continuing acting students.
ADRIENNE McELWAIN
Science Teacher
Adrienne is the owner of The Crystal Barista and has been making science fun for kids of all ages for many years.
JENNIFER HALL
Engineering Teacher
Jennifer built her first computer when she was 5 and has enjoyed staying in touch with the world of coding and engineering since then. She graduated as a home school student and has a BA in Business Management with a minor in Accounting and believes that learning never stops.
KIERSTEN PRESCOTT
Early Learners Teacher
I have always loved children from the time a was a pre teen and having my own babysitting business. Besides those years I have enjoyed working with children for 9 years now, and this will be my 3rd year as the early learner teacher at Ziegfeld. I enjoy getting to know each child and working on their individual level along with incorporating learning ways to what they are most interested in. I have a great deal of patience and am also CPR and first aide certified.
BECCA PRICE
Homeschool Curriculum Designer
Becca Price is a dynamic curriculum designer who has been involved in education for 20 years. She homeschooled her six children for eight years before becoming a full-time teacher. She has taught middle school science for the last seven years and is passionate about designing enriching and joyful project-based units. Becca has a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and a master’s degree in Instructional Design with a focus on curriculum and digital learning. In her spare time (hah!), she loves cooking ridiculously complicated food projects, sewing, writing, and reading.