There Will Be Light (IN PERSON) Creative
Book and Music
Preston AdamsPreston is a graduate from the University of Northern Colorado with his Bachelor of Music in Opera Performance. He is an Artistic Instructor and Program Lead with BackStory Theatre and has been an involved local theatre performer with various community theatre projects throughout Colorado for many years. This is Preston's first produced script and score and is based directly on his own lived experiences and the experiences of his friends and family.
Music
Kelly Bidstrup-GrahamKelly graduated from MSU Denver with a BA in Music and minor in marketing, she is currently attending CU Boulder for her masters in Theater. Kelly works as a teacher at the Early College of Arvada and director of their Timbergriffen Theater Company. Kelly is a composer, performer, music director and the founder of the Co. New Musical festival where There Will Be Light was featured and workshopped last year along side her show Not Just Anything. Kelly's main connection to There Will Be Light, is her experience as a teacher, living through the devastating loss of one of her theater students.
Stage Director
Kathryn GourleyKathryn graduated from the University of New Mexico, earning a Bachelors of Arts with an emphasis in Musical Theatre. She moved to Colorado in 2010 and has been active in the Denver theatre community ever since as an actor, stage manager, and director with several local companies. Kathryn dealt with bullies and depression throughout her youth, and connects with the daily struggles of finding light as a teenager when you are trying to figure out who you are and what makes you truly strong. This is her first production with Backstory Theatre.
Choreographer
Michaela LambMichaela attended MSU Denver and received a BA in Theatre with a minor elementary education. She has been seen in several shows in and around Denver and looks forward to stepping back into theatre after this long break. Her choreography has previously been seen with BackStory's Youth Theatre and she is excited to choreograph adults for the first time! She is a fierce LGBTQ ally and wants to use dance and movement throughout this show to capture the emotional journey this show takes you on, and make sure it perfectly complements this important story.
Music Director
Anna WagnerAnna received dual Associate of Fine Arts degrees in Theatre and Music from Riverland Community College in Austin, MN, before studying theatre at Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN. She grew up in the theatre and though she primarily works as an actor, singer, and musician, she has worn many hats for many theatre companies throughout her life. Anna is a survivor of sexual assault and falls onto the LGBTQ spectrum. She is thrilled to bring these important stories to life with this talented group of artists.
Producing Director
Mary WilkieMary attended University of Northern Colorado with a focus in Theatre Arts and has a BA in Communications from MSU Denver. She is Executive and Artistic Director for BackStory Theatre and has over fifteen years' experience instructing youth theatre, visual arts, and STEM curriculum. She is a strong advocate for inclusivity and collaboration in local arts. Mary is LGBTQ and a suicide survivor. She believes it is our duty to create space at the table for all voices and perspectives.
Our Creative Team
There Will Be Light is a labor of love. The team is deeply connected to the themes of the show and the need for powerful, open conversations about mental health, LGBTQ acceptance, and inclusion of difference. When we open our hearts to new perspectives, we begin to see we have more that connects us than divides us. Thank you for participating in the conversation and for supporting local theatre as we find new ways to move forward and collaborate on artistic projects!