Artistry Community Theatre

Elizabeth Abair is a graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelors of Arts majoring in Theatre and English. She is also a member of Alpha Psi Omega the national theatre honor society. Elizabeth has been in over thirty theatrical productions over the years, some of her favorite roles to date include Elle in Legally Blonde. Cathy in The Last Five Years, Diana in Next to Normal, Princess Fiona in Shrek, Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show, Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer, and Stevie in The Goat or Who is Sylvia. Elizabeth has also worked on two theatrical boards in the past. She served as treasurer for the College Theatre Association for three years and was on the Artistry Board as the Vice President at the beginning of the organizations journey. Elizabeth currently works as the Fund Development Officer for PPNCNY and loves her career and coworkers. Elizabeth is grateful for the consideration of being a part of the Artistry board again and looks forward to the opportunity to contribute to this great organization again.

Term: 2023-2025

Marie Agan has recently returned to the area.  She served for 15 years in the Air National Guard and is an alumni of Saint Michael’s College and the University of Vermont, where she honed in on her passion to help humankind through merging Chemistry with Public Health.  Marie is excited to be back to theater and singing after a long hiatus to focus on career and her four children.  Marie’s past roles include Fantine in Tallahassee’s Theater’s production of Les Miserables and Maria in Rickard’s High School’s production of West Side Story.  She was also honored to sing our National Anthem on National Stages for the United States Air Force, The Red Sox, The Boston Celtics and the Pro Bull Riders Association.  She is very grateful to be back and for the inclusivity and love the theatre community. 

Term: 2025

Jason Borrie is a high school social studies and theatre educator at Northeastern Clinton Central School. He produces and directs productions with his school’s drama club and advises the student team that organizes North Country Model UN, a regional model UN conference for area middle and high school students. He has performed in and directed several local theatre productions with area community theatre organizations such as Artistry Community Theatre, Adirondack Regional Theatre, Chazy Music Theatre, Essex Theatre Company, and North Country Ballet Ensemble. He co-founded, directs, and performs in Completely Stranded, Plattsburgh's Premiere Improv Comedy Troupe. He also serves his community as an elected councilperson in the Town of Champlain. 

Term: 2025-2027

Bonnie Hopkins has volunteered for Artistry Community Theatre since its inception assisting with the financial record keeping.  She is the current Town Clerk / Tax Collector for the Town of AuSable in Keeseville, NY.  She is also the tax collector for the AuSable Valley Central School District.  Bonnie is married to her love, Howard, and have three loving sons: Scott, Derrick, and Philip.  The light of her life are her three grandchildren: Allison, Carter, Theo, and Vera.  

Term: 2023

Derrick A. Hopkins is the current president and founder of Artistry Community Theatre (ACT) Corp.and educator. He earned his BS and MS in Elementary Education at SUNY Plattsburgh and currently works at AuSable Valley Central Middle-High School as the 8th grade math teacher.  Previously, he taught English at AVCS and was an elementary teacher and theatre teacher at Willsboro Central School for twenty years.  Notable roles include Mary Sunshine in Chicago, Jud Fry in Oklahoma!, King Kasapar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Horton the Elephant in Seussical. Derrick has been directing school and community productions in the area since 1998 including Cabaret, Chicago, Company, Hello Dolly!, I Hate Hamlet, Into the Woods, The Last Five Years, Mothers and Sons, My Fair Lady, Next Fall, Next to Normal, Peter Pan, Rabbit Hole, Steel Magnolias, West Side Story, Wit, among many others. He had the privilege and honor to direct Leslie and George Hearn in South Pacific and Mame.  Derrick was invited by Tony winner, Adam Guettel to play Fessik in the workshop of The Princess Bride at Lincoln Center earning his entry into Actors' Equity Association.  He founded the Keeseville Hometown Hero Banner program, which honors local veterans in the Town of AuSable and Town of Chesterfield.  Derrick is the proud father of two gorgeous babies! ❤️

Term 2024 - 2026

Casey Koziatek is very excited and grateful to be a part of ACT’s Board of Directors. He recently returned to the stage in ACT's production of Jekyll & Hyde. Casey was attending SUNY Plattsburgh when he was first introduced to theatre in 2016. Casey has since taken on the roles of Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show, George in Don’t Dress for Dinner, and Ty in Good Kids.

Term: 2025-2027

Megan is so excited to join the Board of Directors with ACT and learn more about the process of putting together a successful show!! Megan has approximately 25 years dance experience and 15 years musical theater experience. She has enjoyed playing many leads including “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast and “Dorothy” in The  Wizard of Oz. Most recently she came out of a 5 year hiatus to join the cast in ACT’s The Music Man. In her time outside theater, Megan is an oncology pharmacist and volunteers with the Whiteface Ski Patrol. She lives in Saranac Lake with her husband, Pete, their kids Eli and Mayah and the best dogs ever, Abby and Perry.

Term: 2022-2024

Carlinda LaPierre is so grateful to have joined the Artistry Board of Directors. With a love for storytelling, Carlinda has been actively involved in community theatre productions for several decades. Carlinda has taken on a range of roles in her time on the stage including Janet van de Graaf in The Drowsy Chaperone, Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Inga in Young Frankenstein, Erma in Anything Goes, Meg in Damn Yankees and most recently, Fritzie Kost in the ACT production of Cabaret. In addition to theatre, Carlinda has performed with the local barbershop quartet Pitch a Fit and has been a part of All-State and All-Eastern choral groups which included performances at Carnegie Hall. Off the stage, Carlinda works as a Doctor of Pharmacy and Mom to two wonderful children, Finn and Aria, who have inherited her love of the stage. Carlinda is grateful for the support of her theatre family and truly believes in the transformative power of theatre and the ability to create meaningful connections through storytelling. “If music be the food of love, play on.”

Term: 2025-2027

Annie-Laurie Lemieux has been a dedicated member of the creative team for a variety of Artistry productions. Assistant directing, casting director, and/or stage management for [title of show], The Hilarious Hillbilly Massacre, Cinderella, and Little Shop of Horrors. Over the last twenty plus years, Annie-Laurie has been in various improvisation groups and her fondest theatre memories include performing as Holly in the Stand Center for the Arts benefit performance of Next Fall; Willsboro Drama Club performances as Becca in Rabbit Hole and as Susie in Wit; SUNY Plattsburgh performances as Abby Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace and as Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream; Essex Theatre Company performances as Frauline Kost in Cabaret, Sylvia in Sylvia, and April in Company. Annie-Laurie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelors of Arts in Theatre and English. Her greatest loves are her husband, Eric and son, Rodney.

Term: 2023-2025

Max Longware graduated from SUNY Clarkson with a Bachelor’s in psychology. He got his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Clarkson University, and now works with SUNY Plattsburgh Upward Bound as a college career advisor and. He has been performing since PreK and is excited to continue performing with Artistry Theatre. Past shows Max has been in include Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Legally Blonde (Emmett Forrest), Proof (Father), Elf Jr. (Buddy the Elf), Mame (Young Patrick), [title of show] (Jeff), Hello Dolly (Ambrose), Cinderella (Grace), and Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince). He hopes can be part of this creative community for many years to come.

Term: 2023-2025

Ethan Luoma has worked with ACT since 2018 when he first joined the company for a production of Hello Dolly! and recently played The Prince in Cinderella. He’s performed in over 30 productions. Previous roles include Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid), Angus Tuck (Tuck Everlasting), and Joseph Pulitzer (Newsies!). Ethan is currently a student studying music at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam majoring in music education. Prior to this he studied Musical Theatre at Manhattanville College.

Term: 2024

Nora Mockus is ecstatic to be a part of ACT’s Associate Board of Directors. She previously starred as Woman #2 in ACT's Songs for a New World and the title role in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella.  When she’s not singing, she works as a RN at CVPH’s Fitzpatrick Cancer Center. Some of her past shows include: Frenchy in Grease, Urleen in Footloose, Brenda in Romance, Romance, Alice in Bye, Bye Birdie, Natalie in Next to Normal, and Humpty Dumpty in Shrek: The Musical. 

Term: 2025

Linda Murphy has been active with Artistry Community Theatre since September 2018 when she discovered their fall play reading series. Since then she has acted in their production of Steel Magnolias as Miss Clairee. She looks forward to participating in the future productions of this up and coming theatre company.  Linda is excited to be a part of the Associate Board of Directors.

Term 2022-2024

Michael Rafferty is a senior at the University at Albany where he studies Political Science and Theatre. He is currently the Live Entertainment Manager at Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, NY, where, for the past two years, has strived to strike a balance between preserving the history of the nation’s first theme park, and developing new works to be enjoyed by guests. Michael has been a member of various theatre groups throughout the North Country for more than a decade where he has been both an actor and technician. Some of his most notable projects have been You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (AVCS) and Next to Normal (ETC). Michael is a longtime supporter of youth programs in the North Country with groups including The Boy Scouts of America, The Missing Children’s Basketball tournament, and the AuSable Forks Christmas tree lighting celebration.  

Term 2022-2024

Andrew Russell is a partner at Russell, McCormick & Russell, the largest law firm in Keeseville, New York. Mr. Russell graduated from AuSable Valley Central School in 2000, SUNY Plattsburgh in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Minor in Music. In 2008, he graduated from Albany Law School with a Juris Doctor degree and was admitted to practice law in 2009 in all Courts of the State of New York as well as the Federal Court System.  He is currently the Vice president for Literacy Volunteers of Essex and Franklin County, and a Member-At-Large for the Adirondack Regional Theatre.  He is now a "retired" community theatre actor and has appeared in Annie, Sound of Music, Anything Goes, West Side Story, and Cabaret with ETC, and Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Li'l Abner, Oliver, and Cinderella at AuSable Valley. 

Term 2024 - 2026

Avery Tromblee recently graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a BA in Theater. She is now continuing her education to receive an MA in Early Childhood Education at SUNY Plattsburgh with a certification in Special Education. Before Avery graduated at SUNY Potsdam, she did an 8 month internship with the Disney College Program in Florida. This experience was one that she will be forever grateful for, as she has met her forever friends. Avery has had a passion for performing since elementary school. She has performed with ACT in the past with their shows, Into the Woods as Little Red, Cinderella as The Fairy Godmother, Damn Yankees as Linville, and more recently Vivienne Kensington in Legally Blonde! She was also in SUNY Potsdam’s Fall 2023 production of George Orwell’s: 1984 as Martin. Avery also worked as the Stage Manager for AVCS Drama Club’s 2024 musical with Guys & Dolls! Avery hopes to continue her passion for performing, as there is no greater feeling than being on stage.

Term: 2025

Eileen Wrisley is happy to be a Board member for Artistry Community Theatre. She brings rich and varied experience to her work with Artistry.  A graduate of Becker Junior College, Clinton Community College, and Plattsburgh State with a B.A. in Business Administration, Eileen has worked in Human Resources for the Press-Republican, the Manchester NH School District, and the UVM Health Network – CVPH, after 20 years in banking for Albany Savings Bank (now Community.)  She was previously treasurer and on Board for Honor Society at Clinton Community College and sang with the Champlain Valley Oratorio Society and acted as their treasurer. Now retired to provide daycare for her grandson, she has found Artistry to help fill her free time.  Last summer she was in the onstage ensemble for Hello, Dolly! She jumped in to save the day as costume assistant, altering costumes and constructing hats and Dolly’s spectacular headdress. 

Term 2024 - 2026