PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE TEAM

Executive Director

Melanie Veazey brings over 30 years of arts leadership, performance, and training experience to Parkway Playhouse. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s BFA Musical Theater program, Melanie has founded and led two successful arts organizations—Impact Center for the Fine Arts in Connecticut and Impact on the Road, Inc. in Florida—providing quality arts programming to students and artists of all ages. As a performer, Melanie has appeared in national and regional TV commercials for Disney, Universal Studios, and Busch Gardens, as well as the ABC series “Equal Justice.” Her favorite theatrical roles include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Morticia in The Addams Family, and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie. She most recently played Mrs.Wormwood in Parkway’s 2025 production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical. Known for her collaborative approach, strategic vision, and commitment to community arts access, Melanie is dedicated and committed to strengthening Parkway Playhouse’s legacy while expanding innovative programming, deepening audience engagement, and supporting the next generation of artists.

Production & Facilities Manager

Mara is a technical theatre enthusiast and a North Carolina local. She graduated from McDaniel College in 2020 with a major in history and minors in theatre arts and Arabic. She has volunteered with Parkway since 2018 and has been on staff since 2023. She has a wide range of theatrical experience including: stage management, lighting design, sound design, and live sound mixing. She enjoys working with our local theater artists and wants to ensure we showcase professional theater to our rural community.

Technical Director

Carew Henry was born and raised in Burnsville, North Carolina into a community saturated with art. Carew attended UNCA and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Scenic Design. Now that they are back home, they have been using their skills and knowledge to elevate local theaters artistic experience for their guests and show-goers. Carew believes that the theater is a revolution and that by telling stories we are able to unite people despite their differences.

Education Administrator/Reading Is Alive Director amd Founder

Chelsea holds her BS in Theatre Education from Appalachian State University and her MA in Educational Theatre from New York University. She enjoys great books, cozy socks, and the sound of her children playing happily together (this is sometimes short-lived.)

House/Box Office Manager

Lily X Bartleson is pleased to spend another summer with Parkway Playhouse! Her past productions with this company include Bonnie & Clyde, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Working: A Musical, The Red Velvet Cake War, Ordinary Days, Matilda: The Musical, and Arsenic and Old Lace. She dedicates every moment on stage to her late mother.

House/Box Office Manager

Bethany is a lifelong lover of music, theater & art, and has been a resident of Western North Carolina for more than 25yrs. She enjoys singing, dancing, crocheting and spending time outdoors when she’s not at the playhouse.

Office Assistant

Renee Painter has spent her career as a music educator in both schools and churches. She graduated from Mars Hill University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Her career in music is marked by a passion for inspiring students and fostering creativity through the arts. Renee has been the Musical Director for many musicals, including West Side Story and Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man, which were recognized as top 6 performances in the Charlotte area Blumeys Awards. Renee joins our team as office assistant, but will most likely be seen hanging out at performances and rehearsals, too. Besides music, Renee enjoys spending time with her family and friends and soaking in the beauty of the mountain views where she finds peace and inspiration. She is excited to join the Parkway Playhouse team.

Grant Researcher & Writer

Karen is a recovering attorney with over 30 years of research, writing, editing, and administrative experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement Administration and English Literature from The University of Oklahoma, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Georgetown University. Karen also has an extensive theater background, with over 40 years’ experience in acting, directing, and stage management. She has appeared onstage at Parkway Playhouse in numerous productions since 2016 alongside her husband, Mike, a fellow actor and director. Karen is very excited to join the Parkway team in an entirely new capacity, and hopes to contribute to the Playhouse’s long legacy of quality entertainment and theater education!

Marketing Assistant

Lauren is a lover of music & the arts. She moved to Western, NC back in November of 2025 and has loved her time in the mountains. Outside of her work at Parkway Playhouse, Lauren does photography and loves spending time outdoors and with family & friends.

Dance Instructor and Program Administrator

 Sonya Monts has over twenty years’ experience in dance education. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College SC, then her K-12 Dance Licensure and Master of Art in Dance Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She is certified in Part One and Two Foundations in the Language of Dance, and earned her Certificate in Dance Education from the National Dance Education Organization. Classically trained from eight years of age, she has studied, choreographed, and performed numerous forms of dance. She owned her own independent studio; presented her research at state and national levels; mentored students into the National Honor Society of Dance Arts; and currently serves on the Dance Education in Practice editorial board. She has an article in press, “Integration of Dance Education in Musical Theater: A Means of Advocacy”. Sonya was named the National Dance Education Organization’s Outstanding Dance Educator – Independent Sector in 2016. Additionally, she has choreographed and collaborated on the production staff of several staged musicals, including Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, Lion King Jr., and Shrek. Dance continues to be a lifelong love and passion for Sonya, and she is honored to bring her excitement and creativity to Parkway Playhouse!

Voice Teacher/Vocal Coach  

Beth has worked extensively in musical theatre, on Broadway and in National tours. Beth starred on Broadway as Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, a role she also performed in the Vancouver, B.C. production and the National tour along side her husband, Gary Mauer. She was chosen by Harold Prince to star as Magnolia in his latest revival of Showboat in the First National Tour. She was also seen Off-Broadway in Jack Eric William’s Swamp Gas and Shallow Feelings as Sherlyn.

Other tours include: Christine in the Yeston/Kopit Phantom and The Sound of Music with Marie Osmond. Regional highlights include Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Claudia in Nine, and Sukey Tawdry in Three Penny Opera. Beth has been guest soloist with orchestras including the Pittsburgh Symphony with Marvin Hamlisch, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Anchorage Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Sarasota Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, the Long Beach Symphony, and the Maui Philharmonic. She also toured throughout Europe and performed at the Opera Comique in Paris.

Beth received her degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Ithaca College School of Music. She received a scholarship to study at the prestigious American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria and went on to receive first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. In addition to performing and teaching privately, Beth was on the  faculty at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she taught voice to musical theatre majors. Her students that have performed on Broadway and National Tours such as Les Miserables, Frozen, Hadestown, Pirates; a Penzance Musical, Leopoldstadt, School of Rock, Waitress, Christmas Story, Mrs. Doubtfire, Lion King, and Elf. Beth is married to Gary, a professional actor, and has one daughter, Eden, also a professional actor, and a son, Nick, who changes lives through his online fitness coaching. She is so excited to be here in WNC and is looking forward to working with the next generation of amazing performers!

Michaela Wright is a Mezzo-Soprano and voice teacher based in the Western Carolinas with deep roots in Central Florida. She is currently the alto staff singer at First Presbyterian Church in Asheville and is proud to have performed with companies including Opera Orlando, City Lyric Opera, Opera del Sol, Moon River Opera, Lyric Theatre Illinois, Opera Steamboat, Sinfonia da Camara, Jacksonville Masterworks Chorale, and Orlando Sings. She has also had the privilege of performing with orchestras such as The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, The Prague National Theatre Orchestra, The Solaria Players, The Villages Philharmonic, and The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to her work in classical music, Michaela has much experience performing musical theater. She has most recently been seenas Sarah in Company, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre in The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Rebecca in Weird Romance, and many others.

Wright has spent much of her professional career teaching voice, piano, and theatre. She has previously worked as a Teaching Artist for A Noteworthy Music Studio and Central Florida Vocal Arts, and she currently maintains a private all-level voice and beginner piano studio. She was pleased to complete her 4th year with CFVA’s Summer Institute, direct a “Theater for All” After-school camp in collaboration with Camp Boggy Creek and CFC Arts, and work with Wortham Arts as a Teaching Assistant. Recently, she has music directed several shows at Asheville Community Theatre and is active in teaching music there year-round.

Teaching Artist

Carla Keener brings a background in education and the arts to Parkway Playhouse. She was involved in the theatre arts program at Lees-McRae College and holds a degree in Middle Grades English Language Arts and Social Studies Education from Mars Hill University, as well as a master’s degree in Library Science from Appalachian State University. She has spent more than a decade working in public education and currently serves as the Media Coordinator at Blue Ridge Elementary School. Outside of work, Carla loves spending time with her family. She lives with her husband, Scott, and their cat, Oliver, and is the proud mom of three children and a delightful grandson, who keeps life busy and joyful.

Board President

Amy serves as Board President, providing strategic leadership, supporting strong governance, and partnering with executive leadership to advance the organization’s mission. In addition to her leadership role, she is passionate about stage management and the technical side of production, bringing creativity and dedication to every show.

What Amy loves most about Parkway is its ability to combine creativity with meaningful impact, especially through programs that support kids and young adults in the community. Outside of the theater, she enjoys photography, tackling new home projects, and spending time with her family — though most days, you can still find her at Parkway, her favorite place to be.

Amy Fitzgerald Buchanan

Ann Rizzuto

Amanda McCurry

Suzanne Gavenus

Erica Edwards

Christine Henry

Tammy Pittman

Erika Tyner

Olivia Williams

Wendy Holladay

Natasha Vidal

Bruce Chivala – Emeritus