Puffs Creative & Crew

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Director
Dek Ingraham
Dek Ingraham is a Pittsburgh-based director, actor, administrator, educator, and life-long student of theatre. Some of his most memorable projects include directing the North American premiere of Phil Willmott’s The Master’s Boy and associate directing the London premiere of The Guys by Anne Nelson. From 2006-2012 he served as a founding member and Managing Artistic Director of Phase 3 Productions. He is the creator of Prime Stage Theatre’s Second Stage series where he developed an evening of the speeches of John F. Kennedy to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination that now resides in the Kennedy Presidential Library. He held the position of Festival Director for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival from 2015 - 2021 where he has also served on the board of directors since 2010. Before joining the SSA community in July of 2021, he proudly served the arts community of the Pittsburgh region for 13 years as a staff member at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Dek studied Theatre at Marietta College and, after a 15-year hiatus, completed his undergraduate degree at Chatham University in 2020 where he now teaches as an adjunct professor of theatre. He holds an MFA in Directing and Theatre Pedagogy.
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Production Designer/Technical Director
Austin Davidheiser
Austin Davidheiser has worked as the technical director and resident designer for Shady Side Academy’s Hillman Center since 2010. During that time, he has designed lights, set and/or sound for over 20 student productions including two shows produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Austin has also been fortunate enough to mentor multiple students through their own set, light, sound, projection and prop designs for SSA productions in that time. During his time at the academy he has designed lighting for dozens of Hillman Series events and rentals including the Miss Pennsylvania Pageant for seven years. Outside of SSA Austin has worked with a broad range of theater and entertainment organizations including colleges, touring groups, summer arts programs, summer stock theaters, regional theaters, and event and production companies including nine summers spent as the Technical Director for the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. He designed lights and ran the load in crew for Kutztown University’s production of Lucky Stiff that was presented at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival regional competition and was fortunate enough to work on an international collaboration of Forget Herostratus with director Armen S. Khandikian when he made his American debut. Notable SSA productions include: Into the Woods (2015), Macbeth (2016), The Addams Family (2017), Oedipus (2018), Little Shop of Horrors (2019), Dream (winner of the 2019 Prime Stage Drama Award for Best Crew) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2020).
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Fight and Intimacy Director
Tonya Lynn
Tonya Lynn is a Pittsburgh, PA-based fight director, teaching artist, and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. As a fight director, her credits include well over 100 productions at Pittsburgh area theaters, universities, colleges, and schools. Her credits include West Virginia Public Theatre, Colonial Williamsburg’s Hallam Players, City Theatre’s Young Playwrights’ Festival, the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Prime Stage Theater, Carnegie Mellon University, Robert Morris University, Seton Hill University, Westminster College, and Allegheny College. She has served as fight director for Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks for over 15 years, and is a resident company member with the New Renaissance Theatre Company. As an educator, she has worked as an adjunct instructor in theatre at Point Park University and CCAC South Campus, and has been a guest artist for the University of Pittsburgh. Tonya has also worked as a teaching artist with Pittsburgh Public Theatre, City Theatre, Gateway to the Arts, and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
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Assistant Technical Director
Tron McConnell '71
Tron McConnell (Class of 1971) had been a member of stage crew (specializing in sound and lighting) when he was a student at SSA, and has been assisting with the fall play and winter musical productions at the Academy since 2008. He has worked on the productions of “Barnum”, “Guys and Dolls”, ”Kiss Me Kate”, “The Music Man”, “West Side Story”, “Grease”, “Into The Woods”, “Curtains”, “The Addams Family”, “Anything Goes”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, and last year’s production of “Pippin”. He finds that his engineering background is an asset for the design and construction tasks with which he is involved.
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Stage Manager
Ayli Davidson
Ayli Davidson (Form VI) has had an amazing time as the Stage Manager for the play. This is her fourth year participating in the theater program, but only her second in the play, and her first as stage manager. She is so thankful to Mr. Ingraham, DH, and Tron McConnel for their amazing support the past few years. She also wants to thank Georgia Horgan for all her help training her last year, and all the hard work everyone else has put in! Ayli hopes you all enjoy the show!
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Sound Design
Zach Kamenov
Zachary Kamenov (Form VI) is excited to be this years' Sound Engineer, compiling the sound cues for the show for the sound board operator to use. He has participated in drama programs for 9 terms since the summer of 2019. He enjoys building the set from day one to seeing the hard work in the performance in action. He has previously been the sound board operator, sound effects, and the second assistant stage manager in previous theatre performances. He hopes you enjoy this year's show: Puffs
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Assistant Set Designer
Parker Roscoe
Parker Roscoe (Form V) is thrilled to be a part of the design and creation process of this production. As the assistant set designer to Mr. Davidheiser, she helped make design and color choices, along with painting and building the set with the rest of the crew. This is her second performance at SSA, as she worked on the set in Pippin as well. She would like to thank Mr. Davidheiser, Tron McConnell, and Mr. Ingraham for teaching her about set design, and being amazing mentors to her, along with every student in cast and crew. Parker had a great time working with everyone on the play, and is looking forward to future projects.
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Build Crew
Trinity Brock
Trinity Brock (Form V) had a great time creating set pieces with others and learning from them through the production of the show. Trinity typically participates in sports, but her love for theater has developed thanks to SSA. She is thankful for all the people she has met in the cast and crew, as well as the welcoming environment they’ve created. Trinity would also like to thank all that have taught her throughout this process and all they have done to make this show happen. Finally, she thanks her family for their support and accommodations throughout this time. Trinity hopes everyone knows how much she is thankful for their help and that all enjoy the show!
Build Crew and Run Crew
Elle Caron
Build Crew
Lila Cox
Light Board Operator and Build Crew
Sam Davidheiser
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Sound Board Operator and Build Crew
Tommy Kann
Tommy Kann (Form IV) is very excited to join stage crew for Puffs this year. He is a sophomore, and it is his first time doing crew for a play, but he participated in stage crew for the musical last year. He participated in helping to build the set, as well as helping to paint. Tommy would like to thank Mr. Davidheiser and Mr. Ingraham for the opportunity, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Build Crew and Run Crew
Ada Lin
Build Crew
Tashari Morgan

Original Creative Team

Originally Produced Off Broadway by Tilted Windmills Theatricals
(John Arthur Pinckard / David Carpenter)

PUFFS was Developed in Part During a Residency with the University of Florida School of Theatre + Dance, Jerry Dickey, School Director

Originally Produced Off-Off Broadway by Stephen Stout and Colin Waitt