Creative Staff

We are grateful for StageDoor’s talented creative staff--award winning educators, playwrights, actors, vocalists, teachers, directors, choreographers, tech experts, and producers…each with deep teaching experience infused with a passion for sharing the performing arts with their students. Our directors also have proven track records demonstrating the highest standards in the field of education. They inspire, enliven, nurture, and challenge each performer, while thriving on providing a positive and encouraging environment for students to learn and excel

Elizabeth Barmann ~ Music Director

Elizabeth is originally from the metro Kansas City, Missouri area, where she was encouraged to begin piano lessons at an early age. She enjoyed participating in music in school and church and followed this passion into her college studies, receiving a B.S. in K-12 Vocal Music Education, with an emphasis in piano. Elizabeth also studied a variety of wind instruments, and brings this appreciation of vocal and instrumental music into her joy of working with students as both a private teacher and an accompanist. Elizabeth and her husband, Terry, recently moved to Colorado and are enjoying their home in the foothills. Getting involved with StageDoor Theatre has been a fun experience, and Elizabeth looks forward to continued involvement in musical theatre in the area.

Pam Clifton ~ Director

Pam has been teaching, acting and directing professionally for more than 30 years and has graced just about every stage in the Denver area. Her directing credits include "Sylvia,""Calendar Girls," "Young Frankenstein," "The Wizard of Oz," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "The Fantasticks," "Footloose," and "Noises Off" among many others. She has been a mainstay in children’s theatre for more than 30 years as well, and has her own touring company, The Playmakers, which has been bringing educational workshops and performances to the schools since 1984. Pam has her BA in theatre and has directed and developed programs at The Arvada Center, Boulder’s Dinner Theater, and spent six years as the Education Coordinator for Town Hall Arts Center.

Tracy Doty ~ Choreographer

Tracy grew up dancing in Maryland at The Olney and Wheaton’s Studio of Dance where she began teaching at the age of 18. She was a dance major at Towson State University. Tracy was a dancing ballgirl for the Baltimore Orioles where she performed dances with the Oriole Bird and fielded foul balls! Tracy can be seen dancing on the big screen in the original John Waters’ film, Hairspray! One of her favorite “gigs” was performing at The White House as Papa Smurf! Her dance career moved her to CA where she was a featured dancer/singer again for Paramount studios. Her choreography brought top honors to both Carlsbad Dance Centre’s and California Elite’s competitive dance programs. Since moving to Colorado 5 years ago, Tracy has choreographed musicals throughout the Denver area including many Adult Company and Senior Company shows at StageDoor, Conifer High School, Evergreen High School, Inspire Creative, Alameda High School, Littleton High School, CU Boulder, and Regis University. Tracy is also a certified Pilates instructor and a hobbiest photographer.

Justin Johnson - Director

Justin received his Masters degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder and his Bachelor’s from Oklahoma State. Justin has been involved in over 60 productions either as an actor, production manager or director. For StageDoor, he has directed "The Full Monty," "Barefoot in the Park," "Deathtrap," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Steel Magnolias," and "Avenue Q." He has performed with the Playback Theatre Troupe at a National Diversity and Inclusion Conference in Virginia and facilitated Forum Theatre at Bahá’í Seasonal Schools in Michigan, Illinois, and Colorado. Justin also recently won a Meritorious Acting Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his performance in "The Comedy of Errors" and participated in the 2019 Colorado Shakespeare Festival as a company member in"Charles III" and as a facilitator for the Camp Shakes production of "Antony and Cleopatra." Justin is currently directing "The Threepenny Opera" for the CU Boulder School of Musical Theatre program.

Tanner Kelly - Director/Music Director

Tanner is an active director, teacher and Henry-nominated music director around the Denver-Metro area. He received two Henry nominations for Outstanding Musical Director ("Newsies" and "Hairspray") and two nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical ("Newsies" and "Spamalot") for PACE/Inspire. Tanner music directed and conducted the 2017 Henry's, is the Artistic Director/Conductor of the Aurora Singers, and has directed, music directed and/or played in the pit with companies such as Breckenridge Backstage, Performance Now, StageDoor, Ignite, Sasquatch and Inspire Creative. Tanner is the Musical Theatre Director at Regis University, the Education Director for Inspire Theatre Company and is the Artistic Education Director at Parker Performing Arts. He holds a music degree from the Lamont School of Music at DU, teaching degree from MSU Denver and has a Master of Music Education degree from ASU. Love to his wife, Sarah, and his kids, Georgia, Crosby and Lucy.

Jay Louden - Director

Jay is an experienced actor, director and teacher with more than 40 years of experience. His StageDoor directing credits include "Almost Maine," "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," "Little Women," "Into the Woods," "9 to 5," "She Kills Monsters," and "Fiddler on the Roof" with our Senior Company. "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The 39 Steps," and "Noises Off" with our Adult Company. He has directed numerous productions, ranging from musicals to Shakespeare, in academic, community and professional theatre settings. His acting credits include professional theatres, film and television, including guest-starring roles in series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation

Ren Manley ~ Director

Ren is a graduate of Arcadia University with a BA in Theatre Arts and Video Communications. She has studied art all over the world: London, Italy, & India. In Philadelphia and Denver she has worked as an actor, director, stage manager, and designer. She spent two seasons as a production assistant for Storybook Musical Theater and created original projections for their world premiere production of "Adventures in Toyland." She also worked with the Walking Fish Theatre enacting children's books for young audiences. In 2015, she won a Henry Award for her sound design of "Jerusalem" at The Edge Theatre. She is currently the Artistic Director of Audacious Theatre, which creates theatrical experiences that are immersive, innovative and collaborative.

Jill Manser – Director
Jill is a Colorado native who has been producing and directing theatrical productions for over 25 years. By day, she wrangles words as a copywriter for a global medical device company, and in her spare time you can usually find her wearing a multitude of hats at the theater. Jill's directing credits include: “Something's Afoot,” “Into the Woods,” “I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change,” “Moonlight and Magnolias,” and “Lucky Stiff.” She has produced countless others, including: “Calendar Girls,” “Escanaba in Da Moonlight,” “Sylvia,” “The Odd Couple,” “The 39 Steps,” “Murder for Two,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Deathtrap,” and “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Before moving back to her home state of Colorado, she spent several years in the Houston area where she founded Encore Players for the Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center where she produced and directed multiple productions. She is very proud of her work there with the Books Alive! program where she helped translate children's books into musical productions.

Kelly McAllister ~ Director

Kelly is an experienced director, actor, educator, playwright, and was a senior reviewer for nytheatre.com. As a director, Kelly has worked locally with his company Sasquatch Productions; InspireCreative; the Denver JCC/Wolf Theatre Academy, Reel Kids in Boulder and many more. He also runs the First Mondays program at the DCPA, and teaches playwriting there. Kelly has taught, acted and directed all over the country, including Colorado, California and NYC. He has written both plays and musicals, winning several awards. His plays have been produced all over the United States, as well as Canada, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovak Republic, Dubai, and Brazil. Kelly directed StageDoor’s "Anything Goes," "Murder for Two," "White Christmas," and many more. He loves working with StageDoor’s amazing students!

Paul Newman ~ Director

Paul is honored to direct for StageDoor. He is a retired Emeritus Professor of Theatre for Adams State University in Alamosa, CO. For 23 years, he was its Program Director, directing plays and teaching theatre courses from the academic to the practical. He directed "Hearts of Palm" for Theatre Esprit Asia and has recently directed "Enchanted April" and "Love/Sick" for Evergreen Players. He directed "Superior Doughnuts" here at StageDoor and looks forward to other productions with this company. For many summers, he has adjudicated play competitions for the Colorado Community Theatre Coalition. He and his wife Patti live in Bailey with their yellow lab.

Kris Sage ~ Director/Music Director

Kris graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Bachelor's degree in Music, and a minor in Theatre. His senior thesis was on music and autism. Kris has almost thirty years of experience singing, dancing and acting in choirs and theatrical productions. He learned from some of the best teachers and conductors in the country, including a Grammy judge, and an American Choral Director's Association Hall of Fame conductor. He has been the choir and drama teacher at West Jefferson Middle School since 2016 and joined StageDoor in 2018. "I truly believe participating in the performing arts is so important to be involved in. The skills we learn in drama now will help us in any profession we pursue throughout our life, whether it is drama related or not. I am thrilled to be a part of the StageDoor family, and I am so excited to share my passion for performing with all of these amazing kids."

Laura Trefethen ~ Music Director

Laura is proud to serve as musical director for StageDoor's talented Senior Company. A professional accompanist, piano teacher, and vocal coach, Laura has also been the director of the Marshdale Singers for their performances and musicals the past several years, as well as the director and coordinator for her church choir’s Christmas and Easter programs. Growing up as a part of numerous theatre productions and top rated show choirs, she competed in Texas State vocal competitions as a first soprano, as well as numerous piano competitions. She pursued a music minor while graduating from Brigham Young University and loved the rich musical opportunities in the choral and music programs. She comes with experience in a variety of professional choirs and is on the board for the Foothills Music Teachers’ Association. Laura has lived in Evergreen for five plus years and loves the eclectic art and music opportunities we all enjoy in this area. She is excited to see what this next season brings!