All of our classes and workshops are taught by professionals in their field. 

Jo Anne Lamun (Producer/Director)
(B.S. Northwestern University, M.A. University of Colorado) is producer and director of the Peanut Butter Players. Chosen by the Boulder Daily Camera as PACESETTER in the Arts and Entertainment, 1999, amd Channel 7's Everyday Hero in August of 2000. Listed in Who's Who of American Women, author of 10 children's musicals and veteran of 30 years of teaching experience with children in the theatre, Jo Anne is the producer director of all Peanut Butter Player productions, director of the Sum-Fun theatre workshops and drama instructor in camp and after school classes.

Don Wagner  (musical director)
Musical director of Barnum, Me For President, Peter Pandemonium, The Wiz, Bratrace, Seussical  and the Lunch Bunch Anne of Green Gables,  Snoopy!!!,Into the Woods, Jr.Annie, Once Upon a Mattress, Electric Sunshine Man, Secret Garden, Cinderella, Honk!, Don is an experienced accompanist and musician who teaches private music lessons, accompanies the voice classes at UNC, and accompanies and music directs numerous local community theatre groups.   He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from Cincinnati Bible College.  Don is Musical Director in summer workshops, and our summer performance,  teaches the musical portion of the Broadway Bound and Steppin' Out classes.

Karis Fox Shockley  (summer office manager, instructor)
Karis has been in every PBP production since the group's inception in Boulder in 1991, and has taken leading roles in most of them.  She is currently a CU student majoring in musical  theatre.  She teaches Song and Dance classes (Broadway Bound, Steppin' Out). She has been senior counselor in summer theatre workshops for the past five years and managed the office during Sum-Fun 2003 and 2004, 2005,2006.

Elisa Vasquez (instructor) currently works as an actress in the Denver area and is a veteran of numerous films, plays  and commercials.  She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Broadcasting and performed with Kidskits Conservatory and Denver Center Performing Academy, was Anchor/Reporter for the Metro State Student Newscast.. 

Aaron  Huey( stage combat instructor) Aaron has studied and taught martial arts for over 27 years and is a grandmaster Sabaku Budo.  He graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, has performed stunts live, on film and teaches stage combat all over Colorado.  His company, Fire Mountain Kids, uses experiential activities to teach children to develop their greatest potential.  Aaron is new to our staff in 2007 and will teach classes in stage combat and stunts.

Matt Peters (Broadway Jazz instructor, dance counselor for advanced workshops) began his theatrical career as a Peanut Butter Player,performed at and  graduated from Boulder High School and has performed in several shows at Boulder's Dinner Theater and Country Dinner Playhouse..  He was dance captain for Caribbean Cruise Lines for several years. He will soon be performing at the Arvada Center in La Cage Aux Folles.

Jennifer Carrier Hanna (dance instructor Broadway Bound, Steppin' Out, drama instructor acting classes) was a featured Peanut Butter Player for many years in summer and Lunch Bunch performances  and  a graduate of Boulder High School, where she performed in many musicals and and plays.  She attended the College of Santa Fe as a theatre major, graduated this spring from Shorter College in Rome, Georgia, with a Bachelor's Degree in Musical Theatre.  She has also performed at the Post Playhouse in Nebraska and Atlanta Lyric Theatre. 

***************Reviews*************
 

Voted "Best of Boulder" in Kids' Entertainment: 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004. (runner up in 2005,2006) and BEST DAY CAMP in 2006.

What the critics and parents say about the Peanut Butter Players...

"My kids may or may not be involved in theater when they grow up, but everything that they have learned here will help them in whatever they choose to do.  Thank you for giving them these skills."  (a 2005 Sum-Fun parent)

"...no group beats the Peanut Butter Players for instilling a love of show business, and for training children in the practical skills of speaking clearly, singing loudly and smiling." - Patrick Dorn, Boulder Daily Camera,

"The Lunch Bunch is a company of professionals, the cream of the crop (who) really know what they are doing." (Boulder Planet)

"...exceptionally talented."

"The entire cast displayed such professionalism that there was never the sense that this was yet another cute opportunity for kids to display themselves."

"I was as enthralled as any of the children."

"(PBP is) an ideal setting for a birthday party or a family social get together."

"...delightfully polished, lots of talent and exuberance."

"We'll have you back at our school next year.  This was the best school assembly program we have ever had."  (from a school principal regarding an all school presentation of Into the Woods, Jr.)

"Our family's summer was unforgettable because of "Seussical."  We all learned so much and I think it is the first acitvity that has "caught" (my daughter's) passion.  We will forever be grateful that you put on productions in which ANY child can participate."    (a happy Sum-Fun 2004 parent) 

"How did they do that in one week?!!  It blows my mind!"  (a parent of a summer workshop student - summer 2005)

"Absolutely awesome production of Beauty and Beast. I've never been to a children's production where the cast earned (and deserved) a standing ovation for a musical number in the middle of the show.  "Be Our Guest" was amazing." (audience member, not a parent - Sum-Fun 2006)

"All she can talk about is coming back and doing more next summer."
(cast member parent  - 2006)