About the Ruth Academy

Jon received his MFA in Performance from the University of Tennessee, his BFA in Acting from BYU, and his AS in Theatre from UVU. With an educational and professional background in acting, Shakespeare, improv, stage combat, and the Alexander Technique, Jon has worked, studied and performed in regional theaters across the United States, and in Europe. Having taught both High School and Collegiate classes, Jon has a passion for helping actors become true artists and to discover the stories that only they can tell. Jon’s previous directing credits include Spongebob Jr, Shrek Jr, Little Shop of Horrors, As You Like It, The Addams Family, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Guys & Dolls, Twelfth Night, Little Women, High School Musical, and Romeo & Juliet. Some of Jon’s favorite roles  include: Mortimer in Arsenic and Old Lace, Wadsworth in Clue, Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Flince in The Jawbone’s Daughter, and Colonel Brandon in Sense & Sensibility. Awards and Recognition include Faculty Senate award for Best Adjunct of the Year in Performing arts at UVU; Director of the Year, 2017 at PHHS; Teacher of the Year, 2018 & 2021 at PHHS.

Amelia graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Musical Theater from Weber State University and has been training in voice and vocal pedagogy for over a decade, specializing musical theater and pop/belt. She loves teaching students of all ages and helping them find their voice and working together to discover which exercises and techniques works best for them. When she’s not teaching, she performs in musicals and concerts throughout the Utah Valley. Some of her favorite roles include Morticia in The Addams Family, Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dorcas in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Adult Sarah in Blink!

Dylan Hamilton Wright is a Utah-based Actor who recently obtained, with Distinction, his Master's in Classical Acting for the Professional Theatre from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.  While there, he became Advanced Certified in both Rapier and Dagger, as well as Sabre, passing both of his examinations with Distinction and Examiner's Gold Star.  Before that, Dylan received his BFA in Acting from Brigham Young University, where he was recognized on both the regional and national level for his work through KCACTF.  Co-creator of "Whispering Room Theatre", Dylan refuses to flinch away from challenging subject matter, and strives to dig deeply into what it means to be an actor, bringing to life lesser known texts in an effort to focus on the very thing that brings vitality to the Theatre.  Currently, in addition to teaching through The Ruth, Dylan serves as Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Theatrical Arts for the Stage and Screen at Utah Valley University, where he teaches Acting, Stage Combat, and Voice.

Courses: Group Acting

Hailey's love for theater began at 8 years old as a student in the Hale Youth program productions. Since then she has performed at HCTO, HCT, Scera, Covey Center theater, Utah Valley Players, West Valley City Theater and more - adding up to over 200 productions, concerts, and films. Hailey has found a new love in directing and teaching theatre - bringing her full circle back to the Hale Youth Program. She studied theater and public relations at BYU. A cheerleader for her students, Hailey believes in the life-changing powers of theatre.

Kolton is a theatre educator, and native of Utah County, who has been working across the state for the past 4 years. While studying at Southern Utah University, he earned a Bachelor's of Theatre Education & Arts Administration, as well as receiving various honors such as the 2023 prizes of the Fred C. Adams Renaissance Man Award and the Outstanding Theatre Educator Award. During his 3 years of working at the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival in he worked as a teaching artist in the Education Department (recipient of the 2024 Utah Honors in Education Award), serving as an instructor for the festival's various Youth Programs. Additionally, for the 2024 season, he served as the Assistant Director for ‘Silent Sky’, directed by Melinda Pfundstein. Selected theatrical credits include directing ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ and ‘The White Liars’ (SUU), assistant directing ‘Silent Sky’ (USF), ‘Bulrusher’ (SUU), and ‘Little Women’ (Cedar High School), as well as several performance credits such as Flip Benham in ‘Roe’, Puck in ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’, and Mercutio in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (SUU). Kolton is currently serving as a K-6 Drama Specialist at Trailside Elementary, in addition to his work with the Hale Academy. Extremely optimistic about the future of theatre education & arts advocacy, Kolton is constantly seeking to maximize the impact it can have on our physical & emotional well-beings through entertaining and thought provoking work.

Amanda is a professional actor, dancer, singer, and vocal instructor.  She is proficient in all styles of singing and teaching mix/belt, classical/legit, pop/rock, jazz, country. Amanda earned a BFA in Music Dance Theater from BYU. Amanda has over 25 years of performing experience. She toured nationally and internationally with BYU Young Ambassadors from 2012-2014. She worked as a professional dancer at Disneyland and Legoland Resort. Amanda has worked at theaters across Utah including Sundance, Hale Orem, Hale Sandy, Hale West Valley, and West Valley Performing Arts. She was the Associate Artistic Director for two years at One Voice Children’s Choir. Amanda is continuing her education for vocal instructors while currently being certified in Maddie Tarbox’s (MFA) Voice Function 101 course that focuses on evidence-based training. She strives to create an environment in which students can feel safe to be brave and to push themselves to grow as artists and people. She feels passionate about helping hone the talents of the emerging artists of the next generation and discover confidence in themselves. 

Amanda joined HCTO's voice faculty in 2005, shortly after having a full time professional performing career. Before that she graduated from The Boston Conservatory with her M.M. in Musical Theater. Amanda has taught at Brigham Young University, Peking University and is currently teaching at Utah Valley University in their Theater Department working with the Musical Theater students. In her spare time, you can find Amanda singing on stage at HCTO in a variety of roles, singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or, her favorite, singing with her beautiful nieces.

Brandalee received a Bachelor degree in Sociology with a minor in dance from Brigham Young University. Besides being a voice teacher at Hale Studios in Orem, she is also Company Director at Utah COPA. Previous musical direction includes The Little Mermaid, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Beauty and the Beast at Center Stage Performing Arts. She has performed at the NY Lamb Theater, Hale Center Theater Orem, Summerlin Theater Las Vegas, Hale Centre Theatre West Valley, and two years with Brigham Young University Young Ambassadors.

Chelsea has been singing since she could talk. Singing is her joy. She received her Bachelor of Music from the U of U in 2012, and her Master of Music from BYU in 2015, both in Vocal Performance. At BYU, she was named Female Singer of the Year and invited as a featured soloist for the BYU Devotional Broadcast. She competed in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for three years, and was named Utah District Winner and Audience Favorite in 2014. She’s taught all age groups in a variety of settings. As a graduate assistant, she taught ear training, group voice, and private voice. After her degree, she taught elementary music at Welby Elementary while teaching teenagers private voice at Utah Vocal Arts Academy. She’s toured with collegiate choirs to the Pacific Northwest, China, and Israel. She's been a soprano guest artist all over Utah, and as part of a Young Artist Program with Opera Maya in Mexico. In recent years, she's returned to her first love, musical theater. Her favorite roles include Meg March in Little Women, Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Sister Amnesia in Nunsense. She’s loved performing on the HCTO stage and is excited to join this studio and help your singers grow. 

Kelly Coombs started her acting career at the age of 15 playing a quirky, cheerleader in a Disney Channel Original Movie. By the end of high school, she had nearly 20 productions on her resume including leading roles in The Wizard of Oz, Seussical the Musical, and Beauty and the Beast. Kelly attended Utah Valley University and graduated in Acting Performance in 2012. Since graduation, Kelly has added countless stage productions, tv commercials, and many appearances to her resume. She has found her second passion (acting is her first love) in teaching and loves coaching her students to be the best they can be on and off the stage.

Marcie Jacobsen has a BFA in Music Dance Theatre from BYU where she was part-time music faculty for over ten years. While a student at BYU Marcie toured with the Young Ambassadors and performed in numerous musicals including West Side Story, Evita and Chess. Most recently Marcie played Golde in Fiddler on the Roof (Sundance Summer Theatre), Kala in Tarzan (HCTO) & Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! (HCTO) Other favorite roles include Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Audrey II (The Voice of the Plant) in Little Shop of Horrors & the title role in The Drowsy Chaperone. In addition to performing Marcie has directed and/or music directed for HCTO, SCERA, Provo Theatre Company, Actor's Repertory Theatre Company, Centerpoint Legacy Theatre & COPA.

Marcie loves teaching and making music. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from BYU, and is a credentialed Suzuki voice instructor. What began as an interest and mastery of woodwind instruments, which she has both played professionally and taught, turned to a fascination in ballroom dance in which she earned many bronze, silver, and gold medals. While in college, she learned that she could better express herself through vocal music. She has taught youth and children proper singing technique and expression through Classical and Broadway styles, and the Suzuki method, for over 12 years. Marcie has also arranged and conducted music for soloists, small mixed groups, and choirs. In addition to the private voice lessons she teaches, she also heads the Music department for the Ranches Academy in Eagle Mountain, Utah.

Rachel Ryan Nicholes is an Utah based stage actress and Voice Teacher. Her love of musical theater started at home in Canada and eventually brought her to the United States to further her training. She has spent fifteen years in the United States and Canada studying music and theater and performing professionally. Rachel recieved a degree in Opera from BYU-Idaho and a Masters of Music in Musical Theater from Oklahoma City University. While studying for her masters she completed all three levels of Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) training from the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia and wrote her masters thesis entitled: “Cross-Training in Musical Theater Voice Pedagogy: Co-ordinating Flexibility in Vocal Registration Utilizing Musical Theater Repertoire.” She has recently become certified as an Evidence Based Voice teacher after completing Voice Function 101 and The Mechanics of Belt with Maddie Tarbox. Some of her favorite roles include: Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock (HCTS), Girl in the musical Once (HCTO), Judy Haynes in White Christmas (Playmill Theater), Adrianna in The Comedy of Errors (Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park), and Lucy in Menotti’s opera The Telephone (Idaho Falls Opera Theater). When she’s not teaching voice lessons at the HCTO Studio in Orem, or Utah Valley University, she can be found performing professionally across Utah, hiking with her husband and puppy, or completing some organizing project.

Rex has been performing on the HCTO stage since he was a teenager, and is thrilled to help students develop their talents at Hale Academy. Favorite roles include Javert in Les Miserables (HCTO), Reverend Shaw Moore in Footloose (Harmon Theater), Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music (HCTO), and Joseph in Savior of the World at the Conference Center Theater. Rex has been a featured soloist with many premiere music organizations including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Salt Lake Choral Artists, Utah Baroque Ensemble, and Salt Lake Symphonic Choir. He performed in Europe, West Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East with the BYU Singers, including concerts at the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall. He is a founding member of the nationally-renowned quartet Reprise, which won the Gold Medal at the international barbershop competition and has shared the stage with the King’s Singers. Rex’s voice can be heard on numerous television/film/recording projects, including the award-winning Celebrating Wendell Berry in Music, which pairs original recordings of Mr. Berry reading his poetry with choral music and art songs by composer Andrew Maxfield. Rex is passionate about building a thriving music culture in his home state of Utah, co-founding The Consortium Ensemble, a men’s a capella group, and founding and acting as Artistic Director of the Deseret Chamber Singers, a chamber choir based in Salt Lake City.