Civic Theatre School Faculty
Samantha Bushspice Stein [Dance, Grades 1-4] returns to CTS for her sixth year. She choreographed the Civic Children's Theatre Company productions Alice in Wonderland and James and the Giant Peach, as well as Civic's A Christmas Carol, and she was assistant choreographer for Civic Mainstage productions Company and Jesus Christ Superstar. Dating back to 1993, Samantha's Civic credits include Hair, A Christmas Carol, Follies, The Crucible, The Who's Tommy, The Rocky Horror Show and many more.
Sue Danish [Dance, Grades 5-8] has been teaching dance for more than 25 years — most of those years working with children. She has taught at most of the area's prominent theatre schools. For more than 20 years she studied dance in New York City, and she was trained in ballet with The American Ballet Theatre. She also studied jazz in New York at Luigi Jazz Center. Sue currently works at Cedar Crest College.
Gretchen Furst [Principal; Drama, Grades 1-4], a veteran of many Civic productions and a teacher for Civic's Theatre School program for nearly 10 years, has also taught English and creative writing at Palisades, Southern Lehigh and Parkland high schools. She earned her bachelor's degree in English at the University of Delaware, her teaching certificate at Moravian and her master's in curriculum and instruction at Kutztown University. Gretchen's baptism into theatre began at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and eventually brought her to Civic, where she appreciates the opportunity both to teach and to perform in shows like Angels in America, The Crucible and The Cider House Rules. Currently, she cherishes playing the role of full-time mom and part-time principal/teacher.
Jill Kuebler [Drama, Grades 9-12] received a bachelor of arts degree in theatre and a bachelor of science in secondary education from Penn State University, and a master's degree in education from Kutztown University. She currently teaches drama, English and communications at Emmaus High School, as well as directing all EHS productions. She formerly taught theatre at the Allentown Academy of the Arts at William Allen High School, where she directed Godspell and other productions. She has taught CTS and Civic's Summer Acting Sessions for the past six years.
Shawn Salevsky [Drama, Grades 5-8] returns to CTS for his sixth year. In addition to appearing at many other local theatres, Shawn has performed at Civic in The Cider House Rules, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Everybody's a Somebody, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who's Tommy, Medea, A Christmas Carol and Cinderella. He has also served as assistant director for A Christmas Carol and Alice in Wonderland. Shawn has taught at the Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Performing Arts and the Allentown Arts Academy at William Allen High School. He is in his first year as drama teacher and director at Nazareth Middle School.
Jeni Lynn Toner [Drama & Movement, Age 4 & Kindergarten] is no stranger to Civic's stage. She appeared most recently in last season's CTS production, Everybody's a Somebody, and she has appeared here in Peter Pan, Annie, Godspell, The Secret Garden, Falsettos, Grand Hotel, many of Civic's concerts, and A Christmas Carol. Jeni is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. She has extensive experience with early childhood education, and she teaches drama at the Jewish Community Center Day School.
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