Mission and Vision
Festival Theatre’s mission is to make the arts welcoming to all people as an essential part of their well being and for the vitality of the community.
Festival Theatre is the artistic and social hub for professional theatre and the arts for the extended Central St. Croix Valley and an economic anchor for St. Croix Falls and the surrounding business community
Festival Theatre is the artistic and social hub for professional theatre and the arts for the extended Central St. Croix Valley and an economic anchor for St. Croix Falls and the surrounding business community
Our Staff
From Left to Right (Front:) DeeAnn Naegelen, Rachel Foster, Brooke Smith
(Back:) Jen Seeley, Isaac Bont, Jason Richards, Peter Weber
(Back:) Jen Seeley, Isaac Bont, Jason Richards, Peter Weber
Jason Richards - Executive and Artistic Director
Jason is honored to be returning to Festival Theatre as the new Executive and Artistic Director. He was here as an actor in the 2004 season playing roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, and There Shall be no Night. Jason spent 15 years with the Texas Shakespeare Festival as an actor, director, Company Manager, Production Manager, Education Director, Festival Associate, and playwright. Past TSF acting credits include: Dogberry in Much ado About Nothing, Rick Steadman in The Nerd, Garry/Roger in Noises Off, Banquo in Macbeth, and Charlie in The Foreigner. He was also in The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Abridged, which he also directed. Other acting credits include: Henry Harry in Brilliant Traces, Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, and George in All My Sons. TSF has produced several of his plays (which he also directed) including: Quest for the Lost Chalice, The Enchanted Forest, The Lost Prince, The Princess and the Players, Spirit of the Sea, and The Witch of Pickle Patch. Other directing credits include: The Sound of Music, The Water Engine, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Mockingbird, Noises Off, A Lie of the Mind, and All My Sons. Jason was also the Artistic Director and General Manager at ArtsView Children’s Theatre for three years. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing from Baylor University and his Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Nebraska. He is an avid reader, trail runner, and baseball fan (Red Sox!!). Thank you for supporting Festival Theatre and for supporting the Arts in our community. Enjoy the shows!
Peter Weber - Technical Director & Facilities Manager
Peter Weber is a St. Croix Falls native who graduated from Northland College in Ashland, WI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts. Peter has explored photography, printmaking, and ceramics.
Hired as a stage hand in 2007 Peter was rehired as Festival’s summer stage manager in 2008 and each subsequent summer there after. Peter quickly attained the status of a much loved and much respected member of the production team. Since 2011 Peter has been a member of the management team at Festival Theatre where he is excited to help cultivate space for the theatre arts to flourish.
Hired as a stage hand in 2007 Peter was rehired as Festival’s summer stage manager in 2008 and each subsequent summer there after. Peter quickly attained the status of a much loved and much respected member of the production team. Since 2011 Peter has been a member of the management team at Festival Theatre where he is excited to help cultivate space for the theatre arts to flourish.
Jennifer Seeley - Finance Director
Jennifer Seeley joined our team as a bookkeeper in June of 2014, and today she is our Finance Department! Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from UW River Falls, majoring in. Jennifer is a local resident, residing here in St. Croix Falls since 2005, with her roots deepening in 2013 with a major remodel of her in town home. She is passionate about the success of her boys, her community, and St. Croix Festival Theatre!
Brooke Smith - Arts Education Director and Artistic Associate
Brooke Smith is thrilled to have joined the Festival Theatre team, first as an Acting Intern this summer and now as the Arts Education Director! A native of Bristol, Tennessee, Brooke received a BA in Theatre and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. During her time here at Festival, she has been seen in Elephant’s Graveyard, The Fantasticks, Little Women, and is thrilled to be a part of the cast for the upcoming Miracle on 34th Street!
Outside of Festival Theatre, favorite roles include Colleen in Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play with Theatre South Carolina, Olivia in Twelfth Night with Green Room Productions, and Camille in the premier performance of Dipika Guha’s Herculine and Lola at the Center for Performance Experiment. When not onstage or working, Brooke loves reading, writing, running, and FaceTiming with her mom’s dogs who live 1,000 miles away. Thank you so much for supporting Festival Theatre and the arts in St. Croix Falls!
Outside of Festival Theatre, favorite roles include Colleen in Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play with Theatre South Carolina, Olivia in Twelfth Night with Green Room Productions, and Camille in the premier performance of Dipika Guha’s Herculine and Lola at the Center for Performance Experiment. When not onstage or working, Brooke loves reading, writing, running, and FaceTiming with her mom’s dogs who live 1,000 miles away. Thank you so much for supporting Festival Theatre and the arts in St. Croix Falls!
DeeAnn Naegelen - Box Office Associate
DeeAnn Naegelen grew up near Cottage Grove Minnesota in a family of 5. She received an Associate of Arts degree from Crown College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Northwestern in Roseville. She met her husband Jeff during this time and married before her senior year in college. They have 3 children and currently live in Dresser, WI. Her daughters love acting and the Theatre, which propelled her to Festival Theatre's Box Office in 2015.
She loves attending the plays and seeing all the talented actors and actresses display their gifts on stage. She's an avid reader, loves to travel, (especially to warmer climates), enjoys hiking on local trails and bike rides with family, watching old movies, spending time in the flower gardens, cooking healthy meals on occasion, volunteering at her church, and cheering on her family in their various endeavors. And according to her co-workers, she is nice, helpful, and smiles with her eyes when greeting people....
She loves attending the plays and seeing all the talented actors and actresses display their gifts on stage. She's an avid reader, loves to travel, (especially to warmer climates), enjoys hiking on local trails and bike rides with family, watching old movies, spending time in the flower gardens, cooking healthy meals on occasion, volunteering at her church, and cheering on her family in their various endeavors. And according to her co-workers, she is nice, helpful, and smiles with her eyes when greeting people....
Isaac Bont - Marketing Director and Artistic Associate
Isaac Bont is thrilled to be a part of this amazing theatre family! Isaac graduated with a BA - Psychology degree from UW - Stout in 2013 and a BA - Theatre degree from UMN - Twin Cities in 2018. He has enjoyed working with various Festival Theatre summer companies, having performed in many shows since 2012 including Once Upon a Mattress, Man of La Mancha, Honk: The Musical, Crazy for You, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Frogs, Rumors, and Elephant's Graveyard. He also served as stage manager for This Untoward Generation, 1776: The Musical, and Little Women.
Outside of Festival Theatre, Isaac has performed for Mixed Precipitation's picnic operettas and Combustible Company's Bluebeard's Dollhouse, The Imaginary Invalid, and Flying/Falling. Other favorite roles of his have included Van Helsing (Dracula), Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mr. Peachum (The Threepenny Opera), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), and Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream). He is forever thankful to friends, family, and the countless performing artists he's been inspired by through his journey.
Outside of Festival Theatre, Isaac has performed for Mixed Precipitation's picnic operettas and Combustible Company's Bluebeard's Dollhouse, The Imaginary Invalid, and Flying/Falling. Other favorite roles of his have included Van Helsing (Dracula), Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mr. Peachum (The Threepenny Opera), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), and Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream). He is forever thankful to friends, family, and the countless performing artists he's been inspired by through his journey.
Rachel Foster - Box Office Associate
Rachel is an Artist, and business owner who resides in St. Croix Falls, WI with her husband and four children.
She is excited to be a part of the Theatres box office where she get to see all the magic take place first hand. She is an art enthusiast who loves to explore different mediums.
Outside Festival Theatre Rachel enjoys thrift store shopping, being in nature, gardening, making sun tea , cooking, meditation, and is currently working on launching her natural skin care product line.
She is excited to be a part of the Theatres box office where she get to see all the magic take place first hand. She is an art enthusiast who loves to explore different mediums.
Outside Festival Theatre Rachel enjoys thrift store shopping, being in nature, gardening, making sun tea , cooking, meditation, and is currently working on launching her natural skin care product line.
Seth Kaltwasser - Development Director
Seth Kaltwasser is an actor, playwright, teaching artist, and arts administrator, currently serving as Festival's Development Director. The world premiere of Seth’s play, This Untoward Generation!, was staged at Festival Theatre in August 2013. Seth holds a BA in Theatre from St. Ambrose University and has been involved with Festival Theatre since 2010.