MEET THE THEATRE RALEIGH ACT TEAM
Amanda Blaire Thompson
Creative Director
Resident Director
Blaire is a native of Raleigh who was in Music Education before starting Raleigh ACT in 2012 with just two classes. She grew up performing in musical and drama productions, school, church, and local community theaters.
Blaire is grateful that she gets to perform regularly with local professional theatres, North Carolina Theatre and Theatre Raleigh.
She also continues her professional development with voice lessons, vocal pedagogy classes, and acting and directing workshops.
Blaire is thrilled that Raleigh ACT recently celebrated 13 years and is now Theatre Raleigh ACT! It has been an honor to pour her heart and soul into its development. Teaching students and watching them grow in technique and confidence is Blaire's ultimate passion.
Blaire is grateful to the amazing families of TRACT who have made this theatre like a family. She is also grateful to her favorite people - Bryn, Luke, and Mom for always supporting her!
Lauren Tompkins
Assistant Creative Director
Resident Music Director
Social Media & Website Management
Lauren Tompkins is a singer, actor, voice teacher, music director, audition coach, and accompanist. Her first time working with Theatre Raleigh ACT was accompanying a summer masterclass camp in 2015 and she has been with us through camps, classes, workshops, Voices on Broadway, and JTF ever since.
Lauren strives for musical excellence but, above all, loves watching our students build confidence in their musical abilities and in themselves.
Hailing from the Midwest, Lauren received her BM in Voice Performance from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and her MA in Voice Performance from the University of Iowa.
Since moving to the Triangle, she has performed on stage with many area theatres and opera companies, and enjoys being able to share her experiences as a performer and educator with all her students.
Tim Malboeuf
Assistant Creative Director
Casting Manager, Talent Development
Director, Resident Choreographer
Tim is a professional actor, director, choreographer and educator based in Raleigh, NC. Tim earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from Emerson College in 2019, where he honed his craft while performing across the East Coast. After graduating, he further advanced his professional career in New York City, gaining valuable performance experience and continuing his education. Over the years, Tim has expanded his expertise into choreography and direction, earning nominations and awards for his work. He is deeply committed to theatre and athletic education, specializing in a wide range of disciplines including dance technique, acting, vocal technique, audition coaching, college audition preparation, professional orientation, and tumbling/gymnastics. With a versatile skill set and a dedication to fostering artistic growth, Tim is passionate about inspiring and educating the next generation of young professionals!
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Kelsey Walston
Choreographer & Technique Instructor
Kelsey Walston is an accomplished musical theatre artist with nearly a decade of professional experience. Based in New York City during much of that time, she honed her craft at some of the most prestigious dance and acting studios from the same teachers who consistently mold performers for Broadway and beyond.
Kelsey has traveled throughout the country, working with renowned theatre companies (NCT, Theatre Raleigh, The Hollywood Bowl, Riverside Theater, The Palace, Westchester Broadway Theater, and many others) to collaborate with incredible actors, creatives, and artists who bring a wealth of expertise in various dance styles as well as musical theatre performance.
Kelsey is thrilled to be back in her hometown, helping shape the next group of passionate actors from the Triangle. Kelsey developed her love of Musical Theatre Performance at the North Carolina Conservatory and could not be more thrilled be working with Raleigh ACT to share her love of performance with the next generation. A huge thank you to Blair for creating a space where it’s possible to foster creativity and confidence in young dancers, where it’s possible to inspire and empower students through engaging classes that emphasize technique, expression, and teamwork.
Chelsea Wilson
BFA Prep Instructor
Chelsea Wilson is a voice teacher specializing in musical theatre performance. She’s a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre BFA program and uses her expertise to support her students all over the world, from Broadway stars to amateur singers. Guiding students (and parents!) through the college audition process with ease and confidence is one of her passions!
She’s currently the associate vocal coach for MASQUERADE, the new immersive Phantom production in New York City. In 2017 she began working as the associate vocal coach on the Broadway production of SCHOOL OF ROCK and later THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
In 2021 she co-founded Broadway Vocal Coach, an online training platform and podcast for professional and aspiring musical theatre performers who want to take the next step in their careers.
Chelsea began her voice teacher education journey in 2007 and now has the pleasure of training other voice teachers as part of the education team for the Institute for Vocal Advancement.
She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and two daughters. Most days you can find her sipping a Diet Coke and being told "not to sing along!" to the Disney tunes on constant repeat at her house.
Find her on TikTok @singwithchelsea or on Instagram @chwils.
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Ray Walker
BFA Prep Instructor
Ray Walker founded and led the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory, offering
arts programs for youth ages 5–18, from beginner to pre-professional levels in
musical theatre, acting, and dance. Ray developed and led the LIVE ON
STAGE program, bringing musical theatre to thousands of students around theTriangle.
As a performer, Ray appeared on Broadway in the original production of Les Misérables as Marius as well as Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar and Falsettos. He understudied Donny Osmond in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and was featured in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webbers concert tours across the world and the world premiere of Whistle Down the Wind. Local audiences may remember him for his many roles on the stage of North Carolina Theatre.
As a voice teacher and educator, Ray’s students have been accepted into
premiere BFA programs across the country including Michigan State, Syracuse, Emerson and NYU. Many students have gone on to careers on the stage in Broadway productions of The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, West Side Story, Tootsie and Matilda. Ray is currently an Advanced Voice Instructor at Theatre Raleigh and is proud to be working with TRACT which gives outstanding training to students while providing the unique opportunities that only Theatre Raleigh stages can offer.
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Rebecca Marlowe
Choreographer & Technique Instructor
Rebecca Marlowe is so excited to be a part of the Theatre Raleigh ACT family!
Rebecca graduated from Wagner College summa cum laude majoring in Theatre. National Tours: Billy Elliot: the Musical (Swing/Tracy Atkinson) Other Credits: Anything Goes (Mrs. Harcourt/Dance Captain), Small Town Story (Gwen), Dance Project 2018/2019 (Dancer/Dance Captain), A Little Night Music (Frederika), A Chorus Line (Maggie) Pirates of Penzance (Isabel).
Rebecca has worked with ITheatrics for over 15 years continues to work with MTI/iTheatrics on their choreography videos and the workshops of new junior shows.
Susan Shank
Co-Director
Susan Shank originally hails from Arkansas where she earned her undergraduate degrees in Musical Theatre and Elementary Education, as well as her Masters Degree in Teaching. She spent almost a decade in New York City, where she worked for producer Robyn Goodman and Manhattan Theatre Club. She then served as a 3rd and 4th grade public school teacher for 4 years. Since arriving in the Triangle, Susan has jumped into the arts scene with great enthusiasm, often being jokingly referred to as the “Mayor of Raleigh Theatre.” She also occasionally sings, dances, and acts for fun. Thank you for this joyous experience, Blaire, and thank you, Jenika and Sam, for being such wonderful partners in teaching!
Lanif Azcona
Stage Manager & Camp Instructor
Lanif Azcona is a singer-songwriter and producer who graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Songwriting and Minor in Recording Production and Engineering. Since 2022, Lanif has been a part of the Theatre Raleigh ACT family, juggling roles as a stage manager, production team member, and social media guru - all while bringing energy and creativity to summer camps. Whether behind the scenes or shaping the spotlight, Lanif thrives on crafting unforgettable experiences.
Jenika Cool
Technique & Camp Instructor, JTF West Director
Jenika Cool attends UNC Chapel Hill and is a dramatic art major with an education minor. She grew up performing in Raleigh ACT’s productions, and began interning for the younger classes when she was a freshman in high school. She had her directorial debut in the spring of 2024 with Jump Up’s James and the Giant Peach Jr., and most recently choreographed Track 1 of Giants in the Sky for Track Out Camp. Jenika is forever grateful to Raleigh ACT for giving her a place to be herself and do what she loves, and is thrilled to provide that experience to others.
Gail Stephenson
Business Administrator
With over 35 years in administration, business ownership and event planning, Gail comes to Theatre Raleigh ACT with the experience needed to make sure that parents and students are informed and everything is organized for a smooth operation. She is the oldest of six children, grew up in Cary and is the mother of three and grandmother to seven. Gail has a genuine love for children of all ages. As Blaire’s Mom, she also has a vested interest in the success of Theatre Raleigh ACT!
Sam Scipioni
Co-Director
Samantha Scipioni is a 2022 graduate from ECU where she double majored in Musical Theatre and Theatre Education. Some of her onstage credits include Mamma Mia, Pippin, & Ghost: The Musical. In addition to TRACT, Sam is a Drama Instructor for Vault Theatre in Durham and the Cary Arts Center, and the Marketing Associate for Capital Arts Theater Guild in Raleigh. Having experience with students K-12, she strives to create relationships with her students that are grounded in trust, communication, and open-mindedness. A native New Yorker with a big family, Sam enjoys spending time with her dogs, working on puzzles, and promoting positive change!
Kara Troy
JTF West Music Director
Kara Troy is currently earning her BFA in Theatre Education at UNC Greensboro. She is an alumni of TRACT, having graduated in 2025, and has performed in TRACT shows since 2020. She served multiple years as a vocal captain in TRACT shows, with favorite leadership experiences including Alice by Heart and Sweeney Todd. She is deeply invested in theatre education, specifically in music directing, and is so grateful to TRACT each and every day for allowing her to spread her passions onto the next generation.
Maddie Lind
Technique Instructor
Maddie is a performer, choreographer, and teacher from North Carolina, grew up dancing singing acting and loving theatre. She loves to share her love of music and dance with anyone that will listen, she began choreographing in college at East Carolina University where she got her BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in dance performance and choreography. Some of her favorites have been Swing the musical, Trail to Oregon, and Hair Spray! As a life long learning she is still training and taking classes to continue flexing those creative muscles while pursuing a performance career! She believes all humans should have an artistic outlet and enjoys empowering those around her to be authentic and outrageous as they grow into the artists they want to become!
Madeline Campbell
Technique & Camp Instructor
Madeline Campbell is a Theatre Raleigh ACT alumni. She performed in many shows with TRACT and interned with multiple classes as a stage manager, along with having 16 years of musical theatre experience. She loves the TRACT community and is so excited to continue her journey through teaching. She plans to pursue a BFA in musical theatre.
Molly Damar
JTF West Choreographer
Molly is a junior homeschool student who has grown up performing in Theatre Raleigh ACT productions and continues to perform with the TRACT Performance Company. She has a passion for both performing and choreography and plans to major in Commercial Dance in college. For more than two years, Molly has been the choreographer for TRACT’s homeschool class and has also served as choreographer for the Junior Theater Festival West team and associate choreographer for Performance Company productions. Molly is incredibly grateful for the many opportunities TRACT has provided for her to continue to grow.
Tanner Lagasca
Technique Instructor
Tanner is an American actor, writer, director, member of SAG-AFTRA, and author of The Portable Acting Coach. He studied acting under the guidance of Elizabeth Kemp, Ellen Barkin, Arthur Storch, and Ron Leibman from Actors Studio Drama School. He is featured in the 2015 web series The Super Femmes and as the head gentleman in the fan-based web series Doctor Who: The Ginger Chronicles episode "A Loud Lush". He has been seen as a featured extra in You are Here with Owen Wilson and as a A.I.M. employee in Iron Man 3. He has appeared in countless stage and musical productions across the U.S as well as in South Korea. Tanner founded Actors Training Ground in 2015, an acting studio in Raleigh, NC.
Amanda Lupacchino
Technique Instructor
Amanda Lupacchino (she/her) is a performer, director, choreographer and educator from New York City. She has toured North America with Sesame Street LIVE!, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE!, Angelina Ballerina and was also a part of the Annie national tour as a kid! Her regional theater credits include: The Prom, A Chorus Line, Hairspray, Memphis, Cabaret, Grease, West Side Story, South Pacific, Saturday Night Fever, Mamma Mia and All Shook Up. She has worked alongside some of Broadway’s greats on pre-production and workshops for the Broadway shows Jekyll and Hyde, Prince of Broadway and Chasing Rainbows. Her director and choreography credits include Newsies, Bring It On: The Musical, A Chorus Line, The Addams Family, Wonderland: Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure, Alice By Heart, We Are The Tigers as well as many cabarets and showcases. She was the creative assistant for Wine Lovers: The Musical on Norwegian Cruise Lines. TV/Film credits include: Squatch, Monsters Inside Me and A Party To Die For. Amanda received her Bachelors of Science in Liberal Arts from The New School with a concentration in Creative Arts Therapy. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the young performers at Theatre Raleigh ACT. www.amandaleighlupacchino.com