Hi! My name is Jack Champlin. I am a Theatre Student at Palo Alto High School, and have been doing theatre for a little over ten years. I have been involved in many productions and have lots of experience acting parts of all different shapes and sizes. I also have experience directing, as I assistant directed Paly Theatre’s most recent production Mamma Mia. I love theatre with all of my heart, and I want younger students to be able to experience it as well. I believe theatre can improve (if not totally change) all kinds of people’s lives. I know that I’ve grown a tremendous amount as a direct result of theatre, and I want to help more students experience this. There are so many sides of theatre to explore, and through this summer camp I will introduce students to as many of them as I can. I am very excited to spread the joy of theatre!

Hi! I’m Kyle Vetter and I have been involved in theatre for ten years now. My experience began in small youth theatre summer camps. I believe that if I had not had such a positive and constructive experience in those camps, I would not have pursued theatre with as much passion in the following years, and so I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. I want to provide younger kids with the same positive experience I had. I am a creative person who loves to use theatre as a means to express myself. I am experienced in many aspects of theatre, such as stage tech training in addition to lots of experience acting. I have experience as a writer, a director, a leader, and a helpful group member, and I have spent many hours entertaining kids with skills I learned from theatre. I look forward to working with Paly Theatre for these summer camps because I know I can contribute to the team in many ways.

Hello Campers! I’m Annalise Belle Klenow, I’ll be a senior in the fall. Paly Theatre offers something for everyone. Musical theatre is a huge part of my life, I’ve performed in over 25 shows. I have portrayed a wide range of characters in local productions from the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, to the Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Most recently I played Tanya in Mamma Mia at Paly. In April, I was awarded Judge's Choice and First Place for Musical Theatre Dance at the California State Thespian Festival. I study ballet at Dance Visions and I am an Assistant Teacher at the studio. Voice, piano, and guitar lessons have provided a strong musical foundation for me. When not performing in a show, I may be found singing with my band. I fully understand how impactful theatre camp can be for students and I’m thrilled to volunteer with Paly Theatre Camp 2023.

Mikhail “Misha” Beggs (he/him) is a student at Palo Alto High School, going into 11th grade. He’s been in theater and the performing arts since elementary school, and is pursuing professional acting for the stage and screen. Misha is especially interested in the topics of screen acting and the business of film. At Paly, he has been involved in the school’s theater shows, thespian club, and more. In his free time, you can find him writing, creating and watching films, and to the annoyance of teachers, connecting every school assignment back to theater and film. Misha’s excited for the chance to work as a camp counselor at Paly and meet you all!

Hi! My name is Aashi Agarwal and I am a rising sophomore. I've been participating and committed to theater for 2 years, with 3 years of prior experience through school shows. I am in an advanced theater class and have explored film and musical theater acting in the past. Passionate about the performing arts, I am dedicated to singing, dancing, and acting. While I find great joy in expanding my own knowledge with theater, my passion lies in sharing that knowledge. I've worked as a camp counselor for 4 years at a camp that explores theater and self determination. Working with 1st-5th graders for awhile has allowed me to understand how their brains work. Additionally, I used my passion with dance to teach dance to 5-12 year olds and approach my role as a mentor with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on their lives.

Hey! I'm Reina Ferrante, a rising junior here at Paly. I've been part of every production in my time here. I'm in our advanced theatre and stage tech classes here at Paly, and they have been an incredible learning experience, pushing me to grow as a person and artist. I'm primarily a member of our lighting department, most notably a designer for Radium Girls, and occasionally stage managing like in this year's One Acts. I'm a relatively new theatre-goer seeing a total of 5 shows thus far, yet despite that, I have been starstruck at just how powerful theatre can be, and I want to share that feeling and passion I feel in the theater with as many people as I can. This program has done so much for me, from phenomenal learning experiences courtesy of our wonderful theater and staff to the phenomenally loving theatre community I call home. I can't wait to inspire and teach a thing or two by being a counselor at our first-ever summer camp.

Hi, I’m Ellie Edmonds! I’m a rising junior, and I've been a part of Paly Theatre since my freshman year! I’ve acted and been a part of Paly Theatre’s stage tech class, and you will typically find me as a part of the lighting team regarding tech. Theatre has become such an important part of my life over the past few years and I'm so excited to get to work with others to share it. I am of the belief that theatre can help a lot with things like teamwork and self-confidence. It was such a welcoming and fun environment for me. I’m so excited to work with you all this summer!

Hi! My name is Matthew Arradaza and I’m a rising senior at Paly. I’ve been doing Theater for nearly 8 years now and it has easily become one of the most valuable parts of my life. I’ve gained experience as an actor, writer, director, and technician throughout the years. Recently some productions I’ve participated in here at Paly theater include Mamma Mia! And Radium Girls. In the past, I’ve participated in youth theater summer camps as well as served as a counselor for my middle school’s summer theater program in Fairfax, VA. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent working with theater and have been amazed how these types of summer programs can provide amazing insight and foundations for young creative minds. I’m super hyped to share this passion that I have with new students!

Hi there! My name is Anna van Valkenburg, and I'm a rising junior. I've been part of Paly Theatre since freshman year, and I've enjoyed experimenting with different roles in acting and in tech. By acting, directing, writing, and doing tech for shows such as Peter and the Starcatcher and Radium Girls, and Hay Fever, and One Acts, I've learned that the magic of theatrical productions is that they tell stories that immerse and awe audience members thanks to the labors of love from technicians and actors alike, and I hope to help teens and kids achieve that indescribable feeling by helping them foster a strong community. I will also encourage experimenting with different roles in order to find out what campers are passionate about by creating a no-pressure environment where they can make mistakes and learn from them. I'm excited to help kids find joy in theatre!

Hey everyone! I’m Eloise Leila Dumas and I’ve been involved in theatre since 8th grade. When I first started, I felt like I would never catch up to the skill and experience levels of my peers who had seemingly been doing theatre all their lives, but now I couldn’t imagine not being a part of Paly Theatre; I feel consistently valued and enriched by my peers and the theatre staff. I’m now on not only Paly’s theatre board, but also the California-wide thespian board, which works with theatre programs in schools across the state. I owe all of my success and happiness in theatre to the wonderful experiences I’ve had as a Paly thespian, and I am always happy to talk about my journey in the program, or to give some advice to any hopeful thespian. I’m super hyped to meet the next generation of theatre at our camp!

Hi! My name is Aether Yun (they/them) and a rising junior at Paly! I started acting in plays when I was in elementary school, and I've continued doing theater passively until fully committing to Paly theater my freshman year-- and it has been an amazing experience so far! I started high school as an actor, but in sophmore year started exploring the technical side of theater more. I've costume designed for one-acts, as well as lighting designed for 2 shows. I've been in lighting crew for a year and a half at Paly, and costumes for Mamma Mia! where I helped with hand making 3 of the costumes. I also have the honor of serving as Student Technical Director for Paly's Thesbian Club for the coming school year! I've also had experience tutoring at middle schools and around my neighborhood, and some informal experience as a camp counsler. Paly theater has been an amazing and welcoming experience for me-- it's brought me a unique sense of fun, community, and friendship that I wouldn't be able to find elsewhere, and I can't wait to share that with as many people as possible. I hope to see you this summer!