Montana’s Premiere Community Theatre
Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Grandstreet Theatre is a community-powered theatrical organization working to elevate the human spirit and brighten Helena, Montana through live theatre and theatrical education. Grandstreet produces eight mainstage productions annually in our 200-seat beautiful turn-of-the-century Romanesque granite church and is also home to a nationally recognized theatrical education program welcoming over 350 students a year. For almost 50 years, Grandstreet Theatre has provided Montana’s capital region with opportunities to experience and participate in locally grown, sustainable, world class theatre. Today Grandstreet stands as a crucial home for Helena’s artistic community.
Our Mission
To brighten Helena, Montana, and elevate the human spirit through live theatre and theatre education.
Our Vision
Locally grown, sustainable, world-class theatre.
Our Staff & Board of Directors
Corinne Woods
Managing Director
Dedicated to building a healthier and more stable performing arts field, Corinne (she/her) previously served as the Director of Programs at A.R.T./New York overseeing public programming to support non-profit theatres. During her tenure, she led the implementation of major funding initiatives focused on small and mid-sized theatres in New York City and across the state, created A.R.T./New York’s Body Autonomy program to address harassment and abuse in the field, and supported innovative initiatives to increase accessibility for theatre-makers and audiences with disabilities and further anti-racism and anti-oppression programming in NYC’s theatrical community.
Prior to joining A.R.T./New York, Corinne worked as the General Manager of Ma-Yi Theatre, and the Managing Director of All For One, where she started as an intern before the company had produced its very first show. She worked in various roles with a range of small to mid-sized performance arts organizations including Ars Nova, Keen Company, Thrown Stone Theatre (Ridgefield, CT), and Untitled Theatre Company No. 61. A self-proclaimed database and spreadsheet nerd, Corinne also provides guidance and education through consulting and teaching on budgeting, building sustainable financial systems, and navigating the complexities of being a business to small and mid-sized performing arts companies, centering the company’s unique ways of working while meeting the requirements of a system that can be challenging and hostile to arts organizations and workers.
Jeff Downing
Artistic Director
Jeff is originally from Chillicothe, Ohio and received a BFA in Theater Design and Production from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Jeff has been directing, teaching, and designing professionally since 2003. Some of his directorial credits include Into the Woods, A New Brain, Zanna Don’t!, Urinetown, Grand Hotel, Seussical, The Laramie Project, A Man of No Importance, Pippin, Marvin’s Room, and Captain Louie. He has written two original musicals for PGT with collaborator Barry James; Once Upon a Time and Toby and Walter. At Grandstreet, Jeff has directed The Secret Garden and Lucky Stiff. He has played some of his favorite roles on the Grandstreet stage, including the Baker in Into the Woods, Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Chip in Spelling Bee and Man One in Songs For a New World. Jeff has served as Artistic Director at Grandstreet since 2012.
Marianne Adams
Director of Education
Marianne Adams (she/her) received her BFA in Theatre Arts from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Marianne has directed many mainstage productions for Grandstreet, some favorites include Frozen, Jr Elf Jr, Tarzan, Rock of Ages, The 25th Annual Putnam Co. Spelling Bee, Big River and Ragtime. She teaches acting classes for the Theatre School (greatest kids in town). She has also worked as a mentor and artist-in-residence in the Helena Public Schools and surrounding areas.
Marianne was the 2015 Runner-up for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award presented by The Broadway League and Carnegie Mellon University at The Tony Awards. She is also a Freddie G. Fellowship award recipient for 2018.
Paige O'Neill
Technical Director
Paige O’Neill (Technical Director, She/Her) grew up first in the Pacific Northwest, then England, and now calls Helena home. Paige has a BFA in Technical Theatre from the University of Montana and gained professional experience with Missoula Children’s Theatre, Montana Repertory Theatre, and Fort Peck Summer Theatre before joining the Grandstreet Team in 2018. Paige has loved building sets at GST. Some of her favorites include Treasure Island, Falsettos, Puffs, and Bright Star. Paige is active with the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc., and serves as the Inclusion, Disability, and Equity representative. She would like to thank her chosen family for all their love and support.
Danielle Wineman
Director of Marketing and Sponsorships
Danielle originally hails from Cut Bank, Montana and first came to Grandstreet in 2008 and from that moment GST became a home away from home. Since then she has spent the summers performing and teaching with Grandstreet Summer Theatre School, on and off for the past 15 years. She received her BFA in Theatre Arts from Stephens College and her MFA in Acting from UC San Diego. In 2021, Danielle opened her own Social Media Management and Branding Strategy company, Danielle Wineman Creative. She is excited to be bringing these skills home to Grandstreet.
Morgan Cerovski
Director of Lights and Sound
Morgan is excited to call Helena his home again! Born and raised in the Queen City, he studied Theatrical Design/Technology and Entertainment Management at the University of Montana. Upon graduating, he relocated to Manchester, NH and held the role as Technical Director for 4 years at the Historic Palace Theatre. In an attempt to be closer to home, Morgan spent the next 4 years at the CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities in Gillette, WY. Morgan also has a rich background in touring, where his work has led him to visit 49 states! Along with his role at Grandstreet, Morgan is also the Technical Director and adjunct professor at Carroll College. When not working on a production, you will likely find Morgan out fishing for Walleye, on the slopes or spending time with his two 4-legged boys, Halligan and Griffey.
Jackie Hanson-Felber
Box Office Manager, Administrative Assistant
Jackie Hanson-Felber is a hometown girl, whose love of theatre was developed very early on with a performance at Grandstreet of Bridge to Terabithia. She has done volunteer stage work for Gypsy and Honk. She also did Theatre throughout High School, both at Capital and Helena High. She is over the moon to join the Grandstreet family as the new Box Office Manger/ Administrative Assistant!
When she’s out of the Box Office she enjoys her other full time job as a mom to three amazing kids, cooking, painting, gardening, shopping with her mom, and mining for sapphires with her wonderful husband.
Karen Hicks
Finance Manager
Karen joined the Grandstreet family in 2015 as the Finance Manager Karen graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in Business and Accounting and then moved to Helena. Karen retired from Heritage Propane in 2013 as its Vice President of Finance and Administration after working there for over 25 years. Karen now spends her time working part-time at Grandstreet, is currently on the Board at Ascent Bank of Helena and volunteers as the financial accountant/treasurer for Saint John’s Lutheran Church. Karen and her husband Garry are avid supporters of the Helena Arts Community, but especially partial to Grandstreet. Their children’s involvement in Grandstreet’s Theatre School Program introduced them to Grandstreet over 20 years ago and they have been involved ever since.
Retta Leaphart
Theatre School Faculty
Retta Leaphart (she/her) loves serving on the Grandstreet Faculty. She grew up in Helena as a Grandstreet kid, then earned her BA in Acting and Directing at Middlebury College and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Theatre at Sarah Lawrence College. Her training includes time with the British American Drama Academy, the London Theatre Group, and the La Mama International Directors Symposium. Between finishing school and returning to Helena, Retta taught for Disney Theatrical Group, The New Victory Theatre, Sitka Fine Arts Camp, and the Brooklyn Arts Council. She was a founding member of Trusty Sidekick Theatre Company in NYC, and her original puppetry work appeared in multiple New York puppetry festivals. Retta spent 8 years running the Education programs for The Myrna Loy, and continues to offer workshops through their outreach. Some of her favorite Grandstreet directing credits include Our Town, Speech and Debate, Sense and Sensibility, and A Real Boy (co-director).
Julia Harris
Theatre School Faculty
Julia has been performing and teaching for most of the last 20 years and is honored to be part of the amazing team at Grandstreet Theatre School. Julia is also a Part-Time Instructor in the Theatre Department at Carroll College and also coordinates the Staged Health program, a unique collaboration with the Carroll Nursing Department. She holds a BA in theatre from Carroll College and an MA in Theatre Arts from UND, where she earned an Irene Ryan Acting Nomination with KC/ACTF for her role as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Julia is an alum of the Shakespeare & Co. Winter Intensive and a four-season member of the Montana Shakespeare Co. Julia has served as the Drama Director for Devils Lake High School and a guest director in that community. Julia has directed six productions at Carroll College, most recently Twelfth Night, and has performed on several stages, most recently as Marianne in Grandstreet Theatre’s production of Constellations, and Mollie Raulston inThe Mousetrap. Other notable credits include the Women of The 39 Steps (GST), Juliet of Romeo & Juliet, Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (MSC), Mollie in Peter & the Starcatcher (GST), and Vanda in Venus in Fur (HTC). The role she most enjoys is “Mom” to her two boys and sharing adventures with them.
Colleen "Binky" Watson
Theatre School Faculty
Brandon Taylor
Theatre School Faculty
Brandon Taylor (he/him) is an actor/singer/dancer/musician from Hollister, California. He’s been singing, dancing, and playing music ever since. He started taking tap and ballet at San Benito Dance Academy when he was 12, and after three years was made the tap instructor. The first show he ever choreographed was Oklahoma! at San Benito High School when he was a senior. He currently holds a BA in Musical Theatre from California State University, Chico, where he started as a Math major but switched to Musical Theatre after playing Jack in Into the Woods. He received an Irene Ryan nomination from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for playing the role of Johnny in Green Day’s American Idiot. Brandon loves working as a dance captain and understudy. He has performed professionally in both union and non-union productions. Credits include Grandstreet Theatre, Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and Legacy Stage. Since moving to Helena, he has been choreographing for both Carroll College and Grandstreet Theatre and teaches dance to all ages.
2023-24 Board of Directors
Grandstreet Theatre is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. We are steered by a superb Board of Directors, and are always grateful for their advice and guidance.
Hope Morrison, President
Kate Dramstad, Vice President
Will Snider, Secretary
Meghan Bronec, Treasurer
Graden Marcelle, Legal Advisor
Jim Carney
Heather Brown
Kate Dramstad
Alvaro Freyre
Emily Hilliard
Bayard Leonard
Jon Miller
Jamey Petersen
John Rausch
Rex Walsh
Shawn Whyte
Layna Newhouse, Student Representative
