Our Team

Risa@GREATTheatre.org

Bonnie@GREATTheatre.org

Breana@GREATTheatre.org

Breana Burggraff As our Finance and Database Manager, Breana does all our bookkeeping, generates monthly financial reports, organizes payment for staff and visiting artists, and processes donations, along with organizing and managing GREAT’s large database of patrons. Breana also hosts HOW GREAT: The GREAT Theatre Podcast alongside Keenan. GREAT has been lucky enough to have Breana for the past two years as an Administrative Assistant, and for four years as a Teaching Artist before that. With a BA in Theater and Communication and a Minor in English writing, Breana tends to prefer challenging theatre experiences and enjoys analyzing the artistic choices behind most any production. Outside of her time with GREAT Theatre, Breana works with Pale Horse Studio making films. She’s also an avid fan of arts and crafts, and spends many afternoons sewing, knitting, etching glass, or trying a craft entirely new to her.

Mark@GREATTheatre.org

Tim (he/him/his) joined the GREAT team after falling in love with the organization during his involvement in multiple productions.

As development director, he focuses on finding revenue not covered by ticket sales and registrations. That revenue mostly comes from sponsorships and generous philanthropy in our community.

In his life, Tim has been a dad (and always will be), an Air Force sergeant, a radio DJ (with KCLD, Wild Country, and Lite 99.9 FM locally), a college professor (at St. Cloud State and St. Cloud Technical and Community College), and a contestant on Wheel of Fortune in 2022. He volunteers for the Miracle League of Central Minnesota and other places where he’s needed. Before joining GREAT, he did marketing and advertising for jobs at CentraCare.

Tim’s spent most of his life in Minnesota but lived away for several years after joining the Air Force, including five years in Alaska.

He is an avid photographer and likes to shoot at night, especially doing astrophotography. Tim owns six bowling balls will go bowling pretty much whenever you ask him to.

Email Tim here and/or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Emily Johnson (she/her) is GREAT’s Education Manager where she supports the development and delivery of programs that provide a broad range of educational experiences ensuring access to the transformative power of live theatre in schools, at the theatre, and in community settings. Emily has been involved in theater since she was little, in both onstage and backstage roles. Emily pursued her undergraduate degree in theater at Rutgers University, and her Master’s in Elementary Education at Northwestern University Chicago. She is excited to have the opportunity to combine her passions here at GREAT and help expand access to arts education for all. In her free time, Emily loves spending time with family and friends, crafting, running, and traveling. 

Jasmyn@GREATTheatre.org

Jasmyn Linn (she/her/hers) as part of the administrative team, Jasmyn coordinates volunteers and all things front of house. A published illustrator, Jasmyn graduated from Luther with a B.A. in studio art and started working at GREAT shortly thereafter. Jasmyn recruits and onboards volunteers, tracks participation, and coordinates appreciation for volunteers throughout the organization. She is also responsible ensuring welcoming and engaging front of house experience. In her free time, she draws and creates prints. One of Jasmyn’s favorite aspects of working with GREAT is getting to know more about the volunteers she works with.

Jessica@GREATTheatre.org

Jessica Mancini (she/her/hers) grew up in Kimball, MN and has lived in St. Cloud, MN for more than a few years. Jessica leads a wonderful team of volunteers in the creation and care of costumes for GREAT’s productions, summer Camps and other programming. She works closely with the Resident Costume Designer to understand the costume needs for each project, and to facilitate and contribute to the realization of the Costume Design. Jessica loves spending time with members of her family, and especially finds joy in watching her nieces and nephews discover and learn.  She also enjoys books and audiobooks, logic puzzles and riddles, singing in the car, and dancing in the kitchen. For Jessica, making a contribution to a production is wonderful, but she takes even more pride in the moments when costume shop volunteers can pick out specific costume pieces they’ve worked on, and experience the feeling that comes from watching their work come to life onstage.

Kendra@GREATTheatre.org

Kendra Norton Dando (she/her/hers) As Artistic and Education Director for GREAT, Kendra is focused on increasing access to the arts by bringing engaging theatre to our stages, developing partnerships and opportunities to tell the stories of our community, and expanding learning experiences for audiences of all ages. Kendra is originally from the Chicago area and joined GREAT as Education Director in January of 2019. She holds a Master of Theatre Studies from Southern Oregon University and brought fifteen years of experience in educational theatre to GREAT, having developed, designed, and taught theatre curricula for middle and high schools in St. Louis, MO and Madison, WI. Additionally, Kendra is an award-winning director and educator who has directed youth and adults in over fifty productions. She has presented nationally on social justice and theatre and served as the co-director of the Educational Theatre Association’s Wisconsin Thespians and on the board of Minnesota Thespians, increasing student opportunity and access to theatre arts. In addition to teaching acting and theatre courses at St. Cloud Community and Technical College, she has worked with area school districts on developing K-12 arts pathways and was recently selected to the 2022 cohort of the Minnesota Young American Leaders Program with the University of Minnesota and Harvard Business School. When not in a classroom or rehearsal, Kendra is most frequently found enjoying the sunlight, tending to houseplants, or building ginormous LEGO creations with her children.

AnitaR@GREATTheatre.org

Anita Reber (she/her/hers) is from St Joseph, Minnesota. Anita is a House Manager and Stage Manager at GREAT. As House Manager, Anita sets up the lobby for auditions, performances, and other events, and helps train any volunteers working in the lobby as well. As Stage Manager, Anita communicates with the production team, writes rehearsal reports, coordinates with the production team to get the show ready on time, and makes sure that shows run smoothly. Anita enjoys spending time with her kids and grandkids! She also likes to garden, read, visit her family cabin, and draw with watercolor pencils. Anita is on a mission to camp at each state park in Minnesota! Anita’s favorite part of working with GREAT is educating cast members (particularly newcomers to theatre), welcoming them to GREAT’s space, and helping them feel comfortable and confident. Anita also enjoy working with nervous newcomers at auditions, as well as nervous repeaters. She encourages these actors to do their best, relax, and have fun!

Keenan@GREATTheatre.org

Keenan Roberts (he/him/his) grew up in Tennessee, Michigan, and Massachusetts. He moved to St. Cloud in 2021 after getting his MA in Communication at Western Michigan University, where he taught for two years and was awarded the departmental award for teaching excellence. Keenan began working at GREAT as their Engagement Manager in 2021, only a week before their debut at The Ledge Amphitheater. As Engagement Manager, Keenan works to publicize GREAT’s programming and build awareness of GREAT’s initiatives throughout the Central Minnesota community. In a typical week he handles donation requests, works with volunteers at shows, manages GREAT’s social media presence, designs show programs, and works with Breana to create HOW GREAT: The GREAT Theatre Podcast. In his free time, Keenan likes to bike, listen to new music, play video games, and blunder his way through card games. Keenan says that his favorite part of working at GREAT is getting to meet folx with a wide variety of artistic experience, all working together to create art. Seeing the community come together to create art is like nothing else!

Lacey Schirmers (she/her/hers) has been GREAT’s Executive Director since 2022, and has worked at GREAT since 2014. Having worked very closely with the founding Executive Director in the role of Managing Director, Lacey’s business leadership with GREAT and has been integral to the organization’s recent successes and essential to making our artistic vision possible as we strive to ensure everyone has access to the transformative power of the arts.

Lacey was born and raised in St. Cloud and has firmly rooted her family here. Graduating from St. Cloud State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Marketing, she has experience working in a variety of industries and over 18 years of applied experience achieving financial and marketing results, developing and leading others, and managing projects from ideation through implementation and evaluation. Until recently, Lacey also owned her own business as a freelance graphic designer and photographer for eleven years.

Although not a performer herself, Lacey is passionate about the arts and strongly believes that the arts play a critical role in making a community a vibrant place to live. This is especially important to Lacey, as she is deeply engaged in the community. She has been actively involved with Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation since 2015, most recently co-leading a marketing initiative to reframe the narrative of the greater St. Cloud region to one that is inclusive, celebratory, and authentic– St. Cloud Shines. She previously served as a board member for the American Advertising Federation of Central MN, was a recipient of the St. Cloud Times 5 under 40 Award in 2017 (recognized for innovation, involvement, and influence), and was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Minnesota Young American Leaders Program with the University of Minnesota and Harvard Business School in 2019. Lacey currently serves on the steering committee for Granite Table – a Communities of Excellence initiative through CentraCare, as well as the Waite Park Collaborative Project– an initiative of the city, Boys and Girls Club of Central MN, and St. Cloud Public Safety Coalition.

Lacey’s desire to connect with people and add value to their life extends far beyond her full time gig, volunteer work, and side hustle; she also takes her social life with friends and family pretty seriously. She enjoys spending as many weekends at the cabin as possible, playing card games, early morning workouts, attending theatre and supporting the arts, and being with people that bring joy and laughter to life.

Anthony@GREATTheatre.org

Anthony Schrock (he/him/his) is a scenic carpenter at GREAT. Anthony first found family in the theatre, and in his teens and early twenties he was involved in 20-25 shows. Anthony always tried to be in a show, and often volunteered to help build sets and props. Anthony was even in several productions on the Paramount stage before its big renovation! Between directing Two Days in Saint Cloud at the Helgeson Learning Lab, acting in Ahoy, Murder, Dead Ahead!, and being a volunteer, Anthony has seen GREAT from a many different angles. Anthony loves being part of the GREAT team and finds pride in the high quality productions he works on. Anthony makes designs come to life at GREAT, from designer’s blueprints into a set you can walk onto and shine!

Dana@GREATTheatre.org

Hillary Vermillion (she/her/hers) is originally from Fort Collins in Colorado. Hillary is the resident Music Director at GREAT. As Music Director, Hillary has a variety of roles. She helps with the audition process for each show and teaches music to each cast. She rehearses with the pit orchestra, and conducts performances of each GREAT musical. Hillary loves instruments and plays the cello. She is also learning the bagpipes and harp. Hillary really enjoys the rehearsal process, and finds it rewarding to see GREAT casts grow and gain confidence as they learn the music for each show. Hillary also loves opening night, because the cast, crew, and production team finally get to share their hard work with amazing GREAT audiences.

Hillary@GREATTheatre.org

Grace@GREATTheatre.org