Production Staff
Producer: David Tate Hastings
David Tate Hastings has been teaching theatre in Olathe for over 20 years. He has served as chapter director for Kansas Thespian and served the treasurer for the EdTA board of directors. His musicals at Olathe South have been nominated for numerous Starlight Theatre Blue Star Awards including outstanding overall production in 2003, 2007, 2013, 2014 and 2022. He won the Starlight Blue Star Award for Outstanding Direction for Hello Dolly in 2007 and the Outstanding Overall Production for 13 in 2013. His productions of You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, 13, Crush, Trap and Ghostlight performed on the main stage at the International Thespian Festival. For Kansas Thespians, Mr. Hastings also produced the all state musicals James and the Giant Peach and Bring It On for Kansas Thespians. both of these shows performed at the Kansas Thespian Festival and the International Thespian Festival. His Thespian troupe has received the Outstanding School Award from the Educational Theatre Association in 2013 and 2020. His program received the 2016 Best High School Program in the Midwest from Stage Directions magazine. Mr. Hastings has directed several shows at Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park, including Gypsy, Les Miserables (student edition), Urinetown, Peter Pan, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Back to the 80's. He has also been recognized three times as a master teacher at Olathe South, and has received an Educator Excellence award from the Olathe Schools Foundation. Mr. Hastings was inducted into the Kanas Thespians Hall of Fame in 2020. He studied theatre at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University, and has a bachelor’s degree in theatre/film and a master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas. His wife, Amy, is the math department co-chair at Olathe South. Amy and David have three children (Isaiah, Anna, & Noah).
Director: Edward Shafer
Edward Shafer has been the Director of Theatre at Olathe East High School in Olathe, KS since 2010. Prior to teaching at Olathe East, Edward taught for three years at Westlake High School in Waldorf, MD. He is also the Thespian Sponsor for International Thespian Troupe 5078. Edward has been Events Coordinator for Kansas Thespians since 2016 and currently sits on the Executive Board. During his time at Olathe East, the theatre program has been nominated for 123 Starlight Blue Star Awards including Outstanding Overall Production in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Since 2010, Edward has had 81 students qualify for the National Thespian Excellence Awards competition, with 30 of those students earing a Superior rating, and 3 receiving the National Thespian Excellence Award. In 2018, Edward was selected as the artistic director for the Kansas All-State Thespian Production of Bring it On, which performed at both the Kansas Thespian Festival and at the International Thespian Festival in 2019. Edward was awarded the "Heart of the Arts" award in 2020 by the Kansas State High School Activities Association for his ability to provide meaningful theatre opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Edward studied Theatre and Film at California State University Northridge and the University of Kansas where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Film and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. In 2012, Edward completed his master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Kansas. His wife, Meghann Shafer, teaches German at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, MO. They have two children, Hannah and Oliver.
Choreographer: Kelli Jo Swift
Mrs. Kelli Jo Swift s the theatre teacher at Lansing High School. Her musicals have received several Starlight Theatre Blue Star nominations as well as Jester Musical Award nominations and recipients. She is the Assistant Chapter Director for Kansas Thespians and assists with the Thespy program. Mrs. Swift choreographed and helped with their the all state production of Bring It On that performed at the Kansas Thespian Festival and International Thespian Festival.
Vocal Director - John Hollan
Meet our Vocal Director: John Hollan has more than 35 years’ experience as a vocal instructor, choral conductor, and professional musician. He served as Music Director and Conductor for Kansas Thespians all state production of Bring It On, which was selected as a main stage show for the International Thespian Festival. In addition to his musical projects, he works with numerous local high school theatre departments and professional theaters in the Kansas City Metro as a character stylist, makeup artist, and wig master.
Production Manager: Dustin Pence
Dustin Pence has been the Director of Theatre at Olathe North High School and Troupe Director for Thespian Troupe 3310 in Olathe, KS since 2010. He has been teaching theatre in Olathe since 2005. While at Olathe North, Dustin’s program has been active in the International Thespian Society at the state and international level, and participates in the Starlight Theatre Blue Star awards and the Johnson County Shooting Stars Program. Olathe North’s production of Bright Star won the Blue Star Award for Outstanding Overall Production in 2020 and Olathe North has received numerous Blue Star Nominations with Dustin as the director. Under Dustin’s tutelage, Olathe North students have excelled in the International Thespian Excellence Awards: over 65 students have received a superior score at the Kansas Thespian Festival, over 15 students at the International Thespian Festival, and three students have earned top scores in their category. Olathe North was also the first school to ever receive two of the coveted International Thespian Excellence Award Trophies. Dustin’s students have excelled in Johnson County Shooting Stars Program, bringing home Shooting Star Awards in Production and Design in 2022, 2020, and 2019.
Dustin also serves on the Kansas Thespians Board as the State Thespian Officer (STO) Advisor. The STOs are the student leaders and hosts for Kansas Thespians and the Kansas Thespian Festival. In this role he has helped to create a new selection system for the STO and helped guide five Kansas students to be International Thespian Officers. Dustin is also the Olathe Public Schools High School Theatre Facilitator. Dustin was named Kansas Thespians Region 2 Teacher of the Year in 2020, has received a Olathe Public Schools Foundation Educator Excellence Award, and has been named Master Teacher from Olathe North.
Dustin has a Masters of Arts in Theatre from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Theatre Education and History/Government Education from MidAmerica Nazarene University. His family is an important part of who he is as well. Krystal, his wife, is a medical social worker in the Advent Health System and his daughters Kennedy, Delaney, and Kelsey are all students in the Olathe Public Schools.
Dustin also serves on the Kansas Thespians Board as the State Thespian Officer (STO) Advisor. The STOs are the student leaders and hosts for Kansas Thespians and the Kansas Thespian Festival. In this role he has helped to create a new selection system for the STO and helped guide five Kansas students to be International Thespian Officers. Dustin is also the Olathe Public Schools High School Theatre Facilitator. Dustin was named Kansas Thespians Region 2 Teacher of the Year in 2020, has received a Olathe Public Schools Foundation Educator Excellence Award, and has been named Master Teacher from Olathe North.
Dustin has a Masters of Arts in Theatre from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Theatre Education and History/Government Education from MidAmerica Nazarene University. His family is an important part of who he is as well. Krystal, his wife, is a medical social worker in the Advent Health System and his daughters Kennedy, Delaney, and Kelsey are all students in the Olathe Public Schools.
Costumer: Libby Bradley
Libby Bradley is the resident costumer for Olathe East High School. Her work has been nominated for several Starlight Theatre Blue Star awards and won the award for Catch Me if You Can. No stranger to big costume shows, some of her favorites include Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and Anatasia. She is also the resident costumer for Mid-American Nazarene University and has costumed shows at Theatre in the Park, Leawood Stage Company, The White Theatre, MTKC and many others.
Accompanist - Jacob Ross Thomas
Jacob Ross Thomas is a pianist and composer who is currently studying for a masters in music composition at UMKC. He is an accompanist at KC Ballet and has played for numerous musicals around Kansas over the last 6 years, including Bring it On at the International Thespian Festival, Newsies at Theatre in the Park, and White Christmas with MTKC Pro.
Publicity & Community Relations Manager - Dana Davis
Dana Davis has worked for Olathe School District for 19 years. She’s taught theatre and been the director of theatre for Prairie Trail Middle School since 2004. She is sponsor to Junior Thespian Troupe 89200. Mrs. Davis helps lead, organize, and run the Kansas Junior Thespian Festival and has worked on the Kansas Junior Thespian Board for since 2017. She has her bachelor’s degree in Theatre from the University of Kansas and her master’s in Education from Avila University. She is married and has two children, Aidan and Addy.
