STAFF
Kendall Payne
(Producing Artistic Director)
is from Pulaski, VA. He studied at Shenandoah Conservatory and has a B.F.A. degree in Music Theatre and a minor in piano, dance and vocal performance.
Professional acting credits include: Dreamgirls (C.C. White), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Ken), West Side Story (Chino), Seussical (Cat in the Hat), The Happy Elf (Norbert) and Chicago (Billy Flynn).
Along with his performance experience, Kendall has a strong background in theatre education. In 2003, he assisted with the management of Camp Curtain Call, as the Theatre Arts Instructor and Assistant Dance Instructor. In 2009-2010, he worked as a Visual and Performing artist with Young Audiences of Virginia, fostering the creative development in children and enhancing their education through the arts. As a theatre artist keynote speaker for the Copenhaver Institute, he led seminars for PreK-12 teachers from around the country on how to effectively incorporate theatre arts into their classrooms. During the summer of 2011, Kendall oversaw the June Bug Center’s Visual and Performing Arts Education program, training faculty on how to create a community focused on each student’s individual development as a person and artist through theatre education. In 2015-2017, Kendall created and implemented theatre arts curricula for homeschool co-ops in the New River Valley. In 2018, Payne taught at the Springer Theatre Academy in Columbus, GA.
Keith Patrick McCoy
(Associate Artistic Director)
is from Portsmouth, VA. McCoy studied theatre performance at Norfolk State University. Keith has worked successfully as a professional theatre artist for more than twenty years. He has performed in all types of venues, from indoor and outdoor regional theatres, summer stock companies, national tours and theme parks throughout the United States. He has also performed at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world and takes place in Scotland's capital city.
An extremely versatile performer, acting credits include: Les Misérables (Javert), A Raisin in the Sun (Walter Lee), Dreamgirls (Curtis), Big River (Jim), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey II), Oklahoma! (Jud), To Kill a Mockingbird (Tom Robinson), Sweeney Todd (Judge Turpin) and Memphis the Musical (Delray).
As an educator, Keith has taught at Mad River Theatre Works, Playhouse on the Square Summer Youth Conservatory, The Springer Theatre Academy, Juneau Dance Theatre and in the Roanoke and New River Valley in Virginia.
Keith has worked regionally as a director and choreographer staging productions of Dreamgirls, Cinderella, Fences, Charlotte's Webb and Evita. Currently, Keith serves as the Associate Artistic Director for Adaire Theatre.
Katie Tiller
(Core Teaching Artist)
is a dance instructor/performer here in Southwest Virginia and is a proud native of Rocky Gap, VA. Through teaching dance, Katie inspires children to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. She is passionate about working with children and hopes to enrich their lives by exposing them to proper dance technique as well as the values of teamwork, professionalism, confidence and respect.
She began her teaching career during high school by teaching dance classes at her home studio, Bluefield Dance Theatre. She has currently been on the BDT staff as an instructor/choreographer for over 11 years. During her college years, she also taught dance classes at Holli's Academy of Dance. She was also a 4 year member of the Radford University Dance Team. In addition to dance and theatre, Katie's passion is science. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Radford University with a B.S. in Biology. While at Radford, she worked as a chemistry lab teaching assistant and performed undergraduate research in organic chemistry. Currently, Katie has been teaching in the Bland County Public School System for 2 years; first as a 3rd grade science and social studies teacher and currently as a high school biology and anatomy teacher. Katie has been a Core Teaching Artist for Adaire Theatre for 7 years.
Stacy Phillips
(Core Teaching Artist)
is a 2007 graduate of Radford University where she trained in the Vaganova method of ballet and performed in works by Inessa Plekhanova, Peggy Hunt, Deborah McLaughlin and various student works in the Department of Dance and Theatre. She choreographed and performed regionally with the Celtibillies and was a scholarship recipient for summer study with the Moscow Ballet.
After graduation she was an instructor at the Joan Izzo Academy of Dance in Chantilly, VA and a guest artist for Superne Dance Theatre and AG Arts. In 2010, she was an instructor at NRV Fine Arts and in 2011 she opened Pulaski Dance Productions in Pulaski, VA providing dance instruction in several dance genres as well as competition coaching, 2-3 full length productions per year as well as community performances. She is a guest artist for Ultimate Starz Dance Conventions and has obtained certifications in UltraBarre as well as Acrobatic Arts. In 2014, she became a resident company member of Adaire Theatre allowing her further growth in the arts as well as fostering involvement in theatre for her dancers.
Mariah White
(Teaching Artist Intern)
is from Pulaski, VA. She is currently attending New River Community College for her General Studies and will transfer to Radford University.
In addition to going to school full-time, she has been dancing since the age of 4. Mariah now teaches dance at Pulaski Dance Productions. Along with dance, Mariah has a strong passion for theatre performance. Her favorite performances at Pulaski County High School include: Guys & Dolls, Shrek the Musical, as well as Jungle Book and Chicago, with Adaire Theatre.
Grace Hurst
(Teaching Artist Intern)
a recent graduate from Pulaski County High School, has been with Adaire Theatre for the past four years. She has performed in many productions with Adaire Theatre including Jungle Book (Kaa) and Chicago (Velma Kelly). She has also worked with the company as a lighting technician, by assisting with summer camps as a co-counselor and in the classroom during after school programs as a teaching assistant.
Grace was a member of the PCHS Players and the International Thespian Society during her time at the Pulaski County High School. Some of her most memorable roles at PCHS include: Mary Poppins (Mary), Shrek the Musical (Fiona) and Guys & Dolls (Miss Adelaide).
Marjorie Atkins
(Director of Development / Event Coordinator)
is a theatre mom who considers Dublin, VA her home. She has 26 years of human resource and office management experience for a local government agency. She also stays heavily involved in her church organization as a Youth Coordinator and Sunday School teacher at Dublin United Methodist.
Since 2008, she has volunteered her time to run fundraising and advertising for the Pulaski County High School Theatre Arts Department. Since 2012, Marjorie has also served as the head of Sales and Marketing for Adaire Theatre. In her free time, Marjorie likes being crafty, loves cooking food and enjoys knitting scarves.
Neesey Payne
(Director of Marketing / Public Relations)
grew up in Pulaski, VA, she is no stranger to the area. She attended Radford University where she studied Journalism and Advertising. Neesey has experience in all facets of journalism. For four years, she worked as a radio personality for Vibe 100. After graduating from college, she worked as an editor for her hometown newspaper, The Southwest Times. Now she is the bright, bubbly personality on the WDBJ 7 Mornin' Show.
Neesey has been involved with the theatre company since it began in 2012 and even played a role in the theatre’s production of “High School Musical”. She loves to read, blog, cook, shop (she has one big shoe collection) and is passionate about inspiring kids to follow their dreams.
