Workshop Instructors

Deborah Schee – Education Director

Deborah holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Minnesota and has spent over 20 years working in the Training and Educational Development field. She combines this experience with her 30+ years of Community Theater acting to create a fun, engaging atmosphere for students.  As Education Director, she guides the curriculum direction for Lyric Arts and works strategically to create best-in-class theater education opportunities for all ages.

Deborah is also a workshop instructor at Lyric Arts and has taught many children’s classes over the past several years including; American Girl, Box Car Children, Stinky Cheese Man, Pee Wee Pirates and many more. Deborah can be seen frequently on the Lyric Arts stage and has also performed at several theaters in the Twin Cities including; Off Broadway Musical Theater, CROSS Community Players, Morris Park Players, Stages Theater Company, The Eden Prairie Players and Top Hat Theater. Some of her favorite Lyric Arts productions have been; Annie Get Your Gun,Steel Magnolias, Bridge to Terabithia, Plaza Suite, A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas, Nick Tickle Fairy Tale Detective and Mr. A’s Amazing Maze Plays.

Laura Bidgood

A director, stage manager, musician, and spoken word artist, Laura has showcased her artistic talents in numerous theaters and groups around the Twin Cities including, Minnesota Public Radio, The Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, Chameleon Theatre Circle, Morris Park Players and the Dakota Valley Symphony. Laura is one half of the writing/performing duo that created the Minnesota Fringe Festival hits, Take a Left at the Giant Cow; a Beginner’s Guide to North Dakota and Boys Don’t Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses. She is also a member of the storytelling group, the RockStar Storytellers. Laura is delighted to be working with Lyric Arts! Previous directing credits with Lyric Arts include Little Shop of Horrors, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Ghost Chasers!, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Why Do Heroes Have Big Feet.

Kathy Boecher

Kathy Boecher has been teaching drama at all age levels for 30 years.  She is currently semi-retired, but continues to be active as a performer, playwright, director, costumer, stage manager, make up artist and instructor at many different venues in the Twin Cities.  She worked for one summer with the Cirque du Soliel as a dialect coach.  Last year she published her memoirs “Stages” and is currently producing a children’s production of an original musical, “Such a Time as This.”  She is also a forensics coach for the middle school at King of Grace School.  Her philosophy encourages building self confidence through the dramatic arts and focusing on every detail of that art.

Michael Bruckmueller

Michael holds an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Minnesota Duluth.  He has been teaching improvisation for over a decade to preschoolers and executives alike.  Michael is currently a cast member of Comedysportz Twin Cities, where he works as both a performer and an instructor.

Kym Chambers Otto

Kym Chambers arrived from New York about two years ago where she had been working as a professional actor for eight years. Kym has toured with the Broadway shows Cats, The Wizard of Oz, and Cinderella. She has also worked at many prestigious regional theaters across the country including North Shore Music Theater, Kansas City Starlight, Atlanta Theater of the Stars, and Casa Manana. Kym hold a Masters Degree from New York University in Musical Theater Vocal Performance and a BA from St. Olaf College in Speech/Theater Secondary Education.

Lisa Denninger

Lisa has been a professional actress for over 20 years, and has been working with children of all ages for just about as long. She has performed at a variety of Twin Cities theaters including Park Square, Theatre in the Round, Shakespeare and Company, The Refreshment Committee, The Mystery Cafe, and The Plymouth Playhouse where she performed in How to Talk Minnesotan for 4 years. Most recently she appeared in the role of Doris in The Miracle on 34th Streetat Lyric Arts along with her husband and two children. Lisa has a BA in Child Development from Concordia University, and is a strong supporter of the importance of arts in education for children and youth.

Barbara Hynes-Tomczyk

Barbara Hynes-Tomczyk (Barb H-T) has spent the last thirty years teaching and directing over fifty theatre productions.  She’s currently working as a freelance director and teaching artist in and around the Twin Cities.  Barb’s educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and graduate work in Acting, Directing and Theatre.  Barb’s passion for theatre began when she was fifteen years old and continues to this day.