THE INSPIRATION STAGE creative team is comprised of internationally-trained and -traveled, nationally-decorated and ‑acclaimed artists whose strengths lie not only in their individual performance capabilities but also in their ability to communicate and instill those capabilities in students.
MEET THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
MANDY SEYMORE-SENSAT has taught, directed and choreographed educational / adult theatre and classes for nearly two decades. She previously owned and operated Center Stage Performing Arts Studio and Theatre, home of nationally-acclaimed and internationally-travelled Slightly Off Center Players (SOCP), which she co-founded. Mandy served as education director for both Fort Bend Theatre in Stafford TX and Ocala Civic Theatre in Ocala FL. She danced with the Southwest Jazz Ballet Company for ten years and has studied with Chris Wilson’s, Theatre Under The Stars, HITS, APM Studios, and worked with Clear Creek Country Theatre, Pasadena Little Theatre, Theatre San Jacinto, Art Park Players, Center Stage, Fort Bend Theatre, Ocala Civic Theatre and SOCP. Mandy was the professional choreographer for numerous high school musicals including Les Mis, Godspell, Weddiing Singer, Rent, Rocky Horror, Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose and Seussical: The Musical. She’s choreographed, directed and / or acted in over 100 productions, having garnered AACT and ACTF awards for both acting and choreography. She frequently presents performance workshops and has served as an accredited UIL One Act Play adjudicator. Mandy was the founder of SOCP’s award-winning Rhapsody Dance Team and audition-only performance troupe, The Harlequin Players, which thrice was awarded Texas Nonprofit Theatres’ coveted Backstage and Esprit de Corps awards. She was awarded All Star Cast and given choreographic recognition for SOCP’s internationally-travelled All in the Timing during AACTFest ’05 Quad, State and Region fests. Mandy is founder / artistic director of Puppet Playground and serves as TNT Quad IV Co-Chairperson and past TNT Board Member.
ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS
SARAH PATTERSON joined Inspiration Stage’s inaugural season as music director for the The Jungle Book. Sarah holds a degree in communication from Cal Poly University near Los Angeles. She’s performed in regional choirs and community theatres for over 15 years having toured nationally as a soloist with The Continental Singers and assistant directed an award-winning children's choir in northern California. Sarah appeared on stage most recently as Dragon / Mama Ogre in Shrek The Musical and is performing in upcoming productions of Songs for a New World and Doubt: A Parable at Eklektix Theatre Company this fall. Other Houston area credits include Spring Awakening (Ilse), Chicago (Mona), West Side Story (Graziella), The Music Man (Ethel Toffelmier), The Odd Couple: Female Version (Olive Madison), and The Sound of Music (Sister Margaretta). A former casting intern for CBS Television in Los Angeles, Sarah also assists with local productions as casting director including Spring Awakening: In Concert, RENT, The Rocky Horror Show, and Legally Blonde: The Musical.
RICHARD GOMEZ joined Inspiration Stage’s inaugural season as assistant director for the musical Godspell, Jr. Since the age of two Richard acted and sang; he later turned those skills into a passion for the arts. Competing in both middle and high school UIL, Richard received many performance and leadership awards. In 2010 he returned to Houston after touring with Acquire The Fire Ministries. Since then, he performed with many pro and community Houston theaters in various shows including Annie (Rooster), The Wizard of Oz (The Cowardly Lion), Crazy For You (Bobby Child), Little Women (Laurie), Hairspray (Corny Collins), Treasure Island (Ben Gunn), The Music Man (Marcellus), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Godspell (Jesus), Bye Bye Birdie (Conrad Birdie), Frankenstein (Victor Frankenstein), Polish Joke (Jaisu) and many others. Richard has had the pleasure of working with kids of all ages, both master and assistant teaching summer camps at Fort Bend Theatre, including: Aladdin, Mulan, Willy Wonka, Beauty and the Beast and Annie. He also assistant choreographed Pippin at Travis High School in 2010 and Hairspray at the Stafford Center in 2011. Currently Richard serves as the music and drama teacher at a special needs school in Katy, Tx, The Creator's Kids.
THEATRE TEAM
ANNELEA BOOTLE serves as stage manager of Godspell Jr. for Inspiration Stage’s inaugural season. She’s also class and front office assistant as well as box office manager. A 2013 high school graduate who’s as comfortable on stage as in a tech booth, Annelea has performed in more than a score of productions including Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Mother and Witch), Hairspray (Cindy Watkins), Anne of Green Gables (Prissy Andrews), Legally Blonde (Pilar), Alice in Wonderland (Caterpillar), and Pinkalicious (Mrs. Pinkerton). She was most recently seen in the southeast Texas premiere of Tarzan and went from light / sound technician overnight to Mercutio in The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet. Annelea has designed and operated lights and / or sound for Tarzan, The Little Mermaid Jr., Into the Woods and The Sunshine Boys as well as camp productions of Rapunzel, Wicked, Wizard of Oz, Mulan, Annie, Beauty and The Beast, Seussical and others. She has served as musical director of Pinkalicious, vocal coach / choreographer of Alice in Wonderland, and student assistant director for The Music Man and Wizard of Oz.
INSPIRATION STAGECLASSES & SHOWS:Sugar Land Auditorium226 Lakeview DrSugar Land TX 77498713.302.5329