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 Board of Directors
Sydney Paredes (Board Chair), Therese Durkin, Carol Lenhart, Meg Luhrs, Melanie Nelson, Cherie Ollman, Don Anderson, Mark Baer, Sue Mathews, and Al Scheideler. Click HERE for Board Member page.
Our Staff
Seth Kaltwasser and Jaclyn Johnson- Co-Artistic Directors
Seth Kaltwasser is an actor, playwright, teaching artist, and arts administrator, currently serving as one of Festival's Co-Artistic Directors. 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.
Jaclyn Johnson is an actor, director and theatre artist, currently serving as one of Festival's Co-Artistic Directors. She holds a BA from Cornell College and credits across the country, including Riverside Theatre (IA) and Creede Rep (CO). Jaclyn came to Festival Theatre as an actor in 2008, has provided administrative support, leadership, artistry and is now in her tenth season at Festival Theatre.
Jaclyn Johnson is an actor, director and theatre artist, currently serving as one of Festival's Co-Artistic Directors. She holds a BA from Cornell College and credits across the country, including Riverside Theatre (IA) and Creede Rep (CO). Jaclyn came to Festival Theatre as an actor in 2008, has provided administrative support, leadership, artistry and is now in her tenth season at Festival Theatre.
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, today she is our Finance Department! Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Accounting from UW River Falls. 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. You may see her around town, at the school with her youngest son or at the library with her grandson that she and her adoring fiancé are raising. She is passionate about the success of all four of her boys, her community and St. Croix Festival Theatre!
Rachel Kuhnle - Arts Education Director and Artistic Associate
Rachel Kuhnle is an actor, director and the Arts Education Director at Festival Theatre. Rachel has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from the University of South Carolina. She most recently appeared on the Festival Theatre stage as Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors and as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire and directed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and last season's The SantaLand Diaries. Rachel has also performed with The Commonweal Theatre Company (MN), Savage Umbrella (MN), Theatre South Carolina (SC), 3P/East (SC), and is a former company member of Trustus Theatre (SC). When not in the rehearsal room or teaching, Rachel can be heard complaining about how badly she needs a hobby.
Deeann Naegelen - Box Office Associate
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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, I am nice, helpful, smile with my eyes when greeting people.... |
Jenell Johnson -
Jenell has MANY years of experience with office procedures, accounting, along with business ethics that she has brought to Festival Theatre. She's enjoyed working at Festival Theatre and finds the artists incredibly creative, refreshing, and fun to be around. She loves hanging out with her "Cherubs". She plays in the dirt well and has many gardens - too many - and volunteers at the MN State Horticulture Society. She enjoys most music, with classical piano being her favorite.
Josiah Laubenstein - Marketing Director and Artistic Associate
Josiah Laubenstein is happy to join Festival Theatre's Artistic Staff. He has enjoyed his time in St. Croix Falls, WI, onstage and off. He has an MFA in Acting from the University of South Carolina. He acts, writes, takes pictures, and films things. If you see him, say hi.
