FACULTY

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Traysie Amick

received her B.A. in Theatre at Winthrop University and studied directing with Omaha Magic Theatre. In college, she designed a children’s program for Rock Hill Community Theatre and was a member of Alpha Psi Omega, the national dramatic honor society. As a youth, she got her start in camera work and participated in the Governor’s School for the Arts theatre program. Involved both on stage and behind the scenes with many theatres here in the Upstate since 1999, Traysie has contributed many hours in the field as a teacher, director, and performer in both SCCT’s Theatre Arts Conservatory and the KNOW WAY Real Life Drama program. She also serves as SCCT's Principal Teaching Artist.

Betsy Bisson

has been working in educational theatre since 1992 when she began to develop the award-winning YouTheatre program for Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina. She has also worked regionally as a director and professional actress and stage manager. She was named to Who’s Who Among American Teachers in 1998 and 2000 and recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts in 2000. Her directorial credits (over 100 productions) range from children's theatre to musicals, from farces to dramas, from original works to classics. Betsy currently serves as SCCT's Artistic/Education Director.

Jason Bryant

is a graduate from Clemson University, the Fine Arts Center, The Warehouse Theater’s Journeyman Program and is an actor for SCCT's KNOW WAY real life drama program.  Formally trained in contemporary and classical acting, stage combat, diction, movement, and technical theatre, Jason can be seen as a regular member of Upstate Shakespeare Festival, as well as theatres throughout the Upstate.  He also serves as a facilitator for SCCT's KNOW WAY real life drama program. 

Laura Griffin Foglia

began her yoga journey at the age of fifteen reading books in her parents' basement.  Since then, she has expanded her knowledge by taking as many classes as possible and adding to her ever-growing library.  She has studied Forrest, Hatha, and Vinyasa styles of yoga at All One Yoga in Boston, MA.  She was also introduced to children's yoga and began incorporating it into the preschool classes she would teach at the United Way in Newton, MA.  In March 2011, Laura had the privilege to meet and begin training with Arlene Riley at Spiritus Studio Yoga in Hendersonville, NC.  October 2011 brought about the great opportunity for teacher training at YogaWorks Studio in New York City under the tutelage of great teachers like Jodie Rufty, JeanMarie Paolillo, and Paula Lynch.  Laura is thrilled to join SCCT this semester for Young Yoga.

Ashley Barrow Laughter

hails originally from Hendersonville, NC where she grew up at the Flat Rock Playhouse in their YouTheatre program and worked as an assistant to Betsy Bisson for various classes through her high school and college years. She received her BA in Theatre Arts and a Dance minor from Catawba College, in Salisbury, NC where she was trained in multiple acting styles such as Stanislavski, Lessac and Mesiner. She recently moved back to NC from Columbus, GA where she was able to perform onstage as well as teach in the Academy for Georgia’s State Theatre, The Springer Opera House. Ashley has choreographed such shows as How I Became a Pirate and Dr. Doolittle for the South Carolina Children’s Theatre and also works as a facilitator for SCCT’s Know Way program.

Mallory Morris

earned her B.A. in Theatre from the University of South Carolina. After graduation, she began facilitating for the KNOW WAY programs and assisting/substitute teaching with SCCT classes. During this time, Mallory also served as a Journeyman at the Warehouse Theatre in roles on stage, behind the scenes and in the classroom with the Wooden O Program. Since leaving SC in May 2010, she has worked at Seattle Children's Theatre as an education intern (summer 2010) and a DDC counselor (summer 2011) and at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT as the education resident (2010-2011). Mallory has worked with many various age groups, in both studio classes and in-school residencies. She is passionate about theatrical education and is thrilled to rejoin SCCT where it all began.

DeAna Nichols

holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pedagogy from Bob Jones University. A 2006 graduate, she has been involved in both music and drama for many years. After a year and a half of Masters work in both voice and speech, she married her husband David. Soon afterwards, she became both a volunteer and actress at South Carolina Children's Theatre, and is a facilitator for their Teen Know Way program. During the summer of 2011, she attended Shenandoah University where she studied and became certified in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. She is now a vocal coach for both actors and singers and enjoys teaching private lessons to both. A veteran of over 70 productions both onstage and off, she enjoys singing and acting whenever possible. Some of her favorite roles include Branwen in Sleeping Beauty, Mrs. Darling in Peter Pan, Allison in “Miss Nelson is Missing” and Melody in Billy Goat Gruff, the Musical. DeAna currently resides in Taylors, SC with her husband Dave and their four furry children.
 

Mia Phillips

received her M.A. in theatre from USC and her B.A. from Wofford College where she worked on and off stage in every aspect of production. She taught at Workshop Theatre and USC, as an adjunct professor in Columbia, SC. Mia taught drama for five years at Stone Academy and has been a consultant for the Explore the Arts program. She has been teaching for SCCT since 1997. As a SC Approved Artist, her credits include numerous directing, technical and acting roles. She is SCCT's Production Stage Manager and has guest directed numerous SCCT mainstage shows.

Adam Sanders

is a 2010 graduate of Erskine College with a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish. He participates in the SC Children's Theatre "Know Way" program as a cast member of the elementary school bullying awareness touring show. He also teaches musical theatre and the Glee Academy at SCCT, as well as directing their GLEE group. In addition to SCCT, Adam also teaches musical theatre and directs a pops choir at the Fine Arts Center of Easley. Adam has been involved with theatre for many years, his favorite credits including Smokey Joe's Cafe, Tony in West Side Story, Danny Zuko in Grease, Will Parker in Oklahoma!, Rooster in Annie and Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! He has sung in several traveling vocal ensembles including the Erskine College Choraleers, The Chamber Singers, The Gospel Choir and the men's a capella group The Fleetones. Adam also has experience directing and "choral-ographing." He directed and choreographed the musical Godspell and his own original cabaret "Those Magic Changes" which he also wrote. He choreographed for the Erskine College Choraleers' Pops Concerts and for the Greater Anderson Music and Arts Consortium Pops Concert. Adam had the opportunity to bring his love for theatre overseas when he conducted an independent theatre study in Spain during his semester abroad. He introduced the classic "A Christmas Carol" to the Spanish-speaking students and wrote and directed a condensed version of the play in simple English that the students performed for their peers. Adam loves theatre and music and strives to share that passion with any and everyone who will listen!

Corie Savage

received her B.A. in theatre arts from North Greenville University. In school she put in many hours in directing, performance, play writing, designing sets, and scenic art. She created a traveling drama team for Taylor 's First Baptist Church. The team later traveled to Brazil and performed for an orphanage. She started at SCCT a few years ago as an intern and is happy to be teaching this summer.

April Schaeffer

is a graduate of the Fine Arts Center for the Performing Arts and was a member of the Southeast Theatre Dance Company. Since 1998, she has been a principal dancer for the Greenville Little Theatre where she also acts regularly.  She has also been a part of each of GLT’s Studio 444 productions, and brought the first ever “Dance Drama” to the series.  April has been involved with several school outreach programs including GLT on Tour and SCCT’s KNOW WAY teen life theatre.   She currently teaches dance full time, choreographs regularly for local theatres, and is a member of the Laughing Stock Improv Group.  She is thrilled to be teaching in her 3rd year here at SCCT and is privileged as always to be sharing her passion with our next generation of performers. 

Harmonie Skipper

got her start in theatre twenty-one years ago at SCCT and has since been seen onstage in cities all over South Carolina ever since. She is a certified K-12 Theatre Teacher who received a Master’s degree in Theatre Education from the University of South Carolina. She was thrilled to join the talented staff of SCCT in August 2011 to serve as a touring performer with our KNOW WAY outreach Bullying Prevention and Gang Awareness shows as well as a Director for our 2nd Stage and a costumer for our Mainstage.