Our Board of Directors shares their passion for Theatre Adventure with our supporters.
Genna Durante
President of the Board
Genna is a licensed psychologist near Burlington, VT, where she works with children, adolescents, and parents. She holds a doctorate degree in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Genna has been involved in Theatre Adventure since its inception in 2004 when she was invited to be a teacher for the first summer program. From the start, Genna could tell that Laura and Darlene had a vision for building a community that was inclusive, inspiring, and full of joy. Genna is so grateful to be part of the team that began to turn this vision into reality. Genna remained teaching at Theatre Adventure for five summers. An avid dancer, Genna enjoyed creating accessible choreography for Theatre Adventure’s musicals. After leaving the Brattleboro community to pursue graduate school, Genna supported Theatre Adventure from the audience and enjoyed watching the troupe members evolve creatively and build skills over the years. Genna is honored to return to the Theatre Adventure community as a Board Member.
Steven Kappel
Treasurer of the Board
Steve has had a career dedicated to trying to improve our State’s health care systems. He formerly worked for the Vermont Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office doing policy and financial analysis related to health care. His career has also included working for the Health Department; Blue Cross Blue Shield; the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration; and the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care. Steven spent ten years on the faculty of the Vermont Leadership Institution and also taught part time at University of Vermont. He is currently enjoying partial retirement working as a Health Policy Consultant, enjoying part time employment at a local bookstore, and volunteering as a board member of the People’s Health and Wellness Clinic in Barre whose mission is to provide medical and dental services to folks without health insurance. Steven has been an admirer and supporter of Theater Adventure since 2004, and believes that its work and mission are amazingly valuable. He is thrilled to join the Board.
When not working or volunteering, Steven can be found tinkering in his old Vermont farmhouse, which he has been reconstructing for thirty-five years. In Steven’s words “I’ve spent the last 30 years trying to solve two critical problems: how to make the health care system work better and how to keep the basement of an old farmhouse from flooding every spring. I’ve not managed to solve either one”.
Janice Wightman
Secretary of the board
I am a Nationally Certified American Sign language/English Interpreter. I have been working in this field for 28 years. I have been lucky enough to interpret in a variety of settings including several trips to other countries with students from American Universities studying abroad. They included time in New Zealand (studying Anthropology), Italy (studying Renaissance Art History), Australia/New Zealand (studying Rainforests), China (studying Feng Shui/Architecture)
I have lived in Montpelier/Barre VT, Townshend VT, Lebanon, NH and currently in Charlestown, NH. I am a freelance interpreter and I have done work in various settings including but not limited to Undergraduate and graduate level courses, Mental Health/Treatment programs (In and out patient), Medical situations-emergency room, post-op, surgery, birthing, Corporate business and city government, Graduations, funerals and weddings and of course performance interpreting.
When I am not working you will find me out in the woods somewhere on the back of a horse. I am hoping soon to start competing in Endurance riding, riding up to 50 miles at a time. I also love to dance. I competed in ballroom dancing for several years. And of course, I love to travel! I have my sights set on Norway and Greece. I have also been a volunteer Wish Granter with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Vermont for 28 years. I have granted over 55 wishes to kids living with life-threatening medical conditions.
In May of 2014, I was asked by a colleague to provide sign language interpreting services for the Theater Adventure spring show, “Deeper into the Jungle.” Every show I have interpreted leaves me feeling uplifted. Seeing the performers doing what they love leaves me with such a powerful feeling, I almost float out of the theater or when I leave the zoom performance. Theater Adventure is truly magical and from the beginning has always tried to be inclusive. When Laura approached me to join the board of directors I was honored and excited! I look forward to seeing what I can contribute to this amazing organization!
Ora Grodsky
Ora has consulted with organizations that work for social change for over 25 years. She’s a skillful facilitator, trainer and guide with a creative, empathetic approach, engaging groups to increase their alignment, optimism, and sense of direction. She co-founded Just Works Consulting in 2000.
Ora grounds her work in her deep commitment to racial, social, environmental and economic justice, and inner attention and healing.
Ora is married to Jonathan Rosenthal. They live near Boston, Massachusetts (USA) and are the parents of two amazing adult daughters and the caretakers of one feisty cat. She is the author of several white papers and a forthcoming book on transformational organizational consulting.
Julianne Kaplan
Julianne has been actively involved with Theater Adventure since 2008, working with numerous aspects of the organization as a teacher, volunteer, and board member. She has also worked as a personal care assistant and is a community advocate for inclusion. As co-chair of the Theatre Adventure Board of Directors Marketing and Community Outreach committee, Julianne has a love for sharing her passion for inclusion with her community.
Wendy Pauloo
Wendy spent most of her childhood as a member of a traveling troupe of young actors in South Orange NJ. Steeped in the teachings of Viola Spolin, a proponent of Creative Drama, she brought those passions to Northern NH and taught Creative Drama to children for over 30 years. Upon moving to Easthampton Ma, she became the Assistant Production Manager at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School, where the youngest of her 4 children was a student actor.
While still in NH she earned a BS in Human Services and worked with children and families in distress, formed a foster care program for high-risk children, and was a Support Services Coordinator and Domestic Violence Advocate at a Domestic Violence shelter for women and children.
Moving to Guilford Vermont she spent the next 8 years caring for her husband, Dan, who was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. During that time she met Melody Squires and through that friendship heard about Theatre Adventure.
She joined the Board of Directors towards the end of 2022 after seeing a few of the productions and being moved and amazed at the extraordinary skill. love, and passion of the actors and teachers. She is honored to be part of this life-changing theatre.
Melody Squires
Melody joined Theatre Adventure as an actor in 2016 and has been in eight performances. Melody is also a painter and through a National Endowment for the Arts grant was hired in the summer of 2019 as a painting instructor for the Theater Adventure summer program.
In 2019 when Theater Adventure became its own nonprofit organization, the Program Directors Laura Lawson Tucker and Darlene Jenson asked Melody to join the Board. In Laura’s words, “Melody is an amazing self advocate. She has lived with cerebral palsy her whole life. We thought that the board would be stronger and more honest with a board member who understands life from this perspective. We wanted Melody's voice on the board as a smart, thoughtful, and caring person and artist and also as a person who lives with cerebral palsy.” Melody’s committee assignments are Marketing and Fundraising. Melody is thrilled to be a part of a vibrant new Board of Directors and to learn all of the behind the scenes details that are so important in making the organization successful.