Stage Left Players Children's Theater Camp
Trinity Playhouse, 234 E Lincoln Way, Lisbon, OH 44432
About
Stage Left Players Children's Theater Programs offers classes, workshops, and live performances that include children's plays, improv comedy, storytelling, and lighting design. The program also includes a multi-week children's theater camp every summer, an annual youth theatre summer camp, and after school workshops in acting and design. Participants can also take part in dance, inclusive dance, wheelchair dance, and Special Olympics gymnastics as part of the program’s activities.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Multi-week children's theater camp every summer
Stage Left Players Children's Theater Programs is part of a non-profit arts organization that offers classes, workshops, and live performances year-round and performs several children's plays each season. The organization hosts storytelling events that are similar to a mic night, with true stories told by the individuals who lived them. It impacts the lives of thousands of children through a robust children's theater outreach program and has been a cornerstone of the local arts community since it was established in 1992.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Kandace Cleland; Resident Music Director Jodine Pilmer; Visual Arts Coordinator Jacob Ward; Choreographer Christine Martin; Acting and Improv Coach Paul Dahman; Lighting Design Consultant Daniel Huston; Web Admin & Storytelling Coach Will Flannigan; Lighting Designer/Director John Diddle; and board members Kari Beil (President), Carolyn Slaven (Vice President), Leslie Ward (Treasurer), Aimee Tenzek (Secretary), Kari Lankford (Board), Robin Tener (Board), and Christine Duster (Board). Kandace Cleland has 35 years of experience in teaching theater, musical theater, and English literature and holds a BA in theater and an MAT in education from Kent State University. Jodine Pilmer has more than 45 years of experience as a teacher and music director, with a Bachelor's in music from Westminster College and graduate work at the University of Michigan. Jacob Ward holds a BA in Art and Theatre from the University of Mount Union and a Masters in Art Education from the Art of Education University. Christine Martin has over 25 years of experience teaching dance professionally in studio, theater, and school settings, studied ballet with Inna Stabrova, and holds certifications including Acrobatic Arts, Hip Hop Experience, Relative Motion Experience, and DancemED. Paul Dahman trained with Mainstage Improv in Columbus, interned with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, and trained with Good Ghosts Improv in New York City. Daniel Huston is a professional lighting designer and production manager based in New York City who has worked extensively in New York City and throughout the Midwest. Will Flannigan has worked with notable news organizations as a digital strategist, SEO and audience engagement specialist, studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Kent State University, helped coach young poets with the Wick Poetry Center, guest taught multimedia and writing classes at Arizona State University, and works as a Senior SEO Editor for The Wall Street Journal. John Diddle has worked with Lighting Consultant Daniel Huston to learn theatrical lighting and has lit dozens of productions.
The mission of Stage Left Players is to provide a safe space for nurturing performers, directors, designers, artists, makers, storytellers, and writers of all ages and abilities who work together to transform and inspire the community, with the guiding idea of “Transforming. Inspiring. Creating Community Through the Arts.” One parent described the program as “providing safe, educational, entertaining, and supportive productions year after year” and “a great place for kids who love to perform,” noting that “the result is a new generation of theater lovers.” Audience members have also commented on the storytelling events and live shows, calling the storytelling “an absolutely wonderful time” and describing Stage Left Players as “a gem in the middle of downtown Lisbon” with “fun for all the family.”
Last updated July 3, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Multi-week children's theater camp every summer
Stage Left Players Children's Theater Programs is part of a non-profit arts organization that offers classes, workshops, and live performances year-round and performs several children's plays each season. The organization hosts storytelling events that are similar to a mic night, with true stories told by the individuals who lived them. It impacts the lives of thousands of children through a robust children's theater outreach program and has been a cornerstone of the local arts community since it was established in 1992.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Kandace Cleland; Resident Music Director Jodine Pilmer; Visual Arts Coordinator Jacob Ward; Choreographer Christine Martin; Acting and Improv Coach Paul Dahman; Lighting Design Consultant Daniel Huston; Web Admin & Storytelling Coach Will Flannigan; Lighting Designer/Director John Diddle; and board members Kari Beil (President), Carolyn Slaven (Vice President), Leslie Ward (Treasurer), Aimee Tenzek (Secretary), Kari Lankford (Board), Robin Tener (Board), and Christine Duster (Board). Kandace Cleland has 35 years of experience in teaching theater, musical theater, and English literature and holds a BA in theater and an MAT in education from Kent State University. Jodine Pilmer has more than 45 years of experience as a teacher and music director, with a Bachelor's in music from Westminster College and graduate work at the University of Michigan. Jacob Ward holds a BA in Art and Theatre from the University of Mount Union and a Masters in Art Education from the Art of Education University. Christine Martin has over 25 years of experience teaching dance professionally in studio, theater, and school settings, studied ballet with Inna Stabrova, and holds certifications including Acrobatic Arts, Hip Hop Experience, Relative Motion Experience, and DancemED. Paul Dahman trained with Mainstage Improv in Columbus, interned with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, and trained with Good Ghosts Improv in New York City. Daniel Huston is a professional lighting designer and production manager based in New York City who has worked extensively in New York City and throughout the Midwest. Will Flannigan has worked with notable news organizations as a digital strategist, SEO and audience engagement specialist, studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Kent State University, helped coach young poets with the Wick Poetry Center, guest taught multimedia and writing classes at Arizona State University, and works as a Senior SEO Editor for The Wall Street Journal. John Diddle has worked with Lighting Consultant Daniel Huston to learn theatrical lighting and has lit dozens of productions.
The mission of Stage Left Players is to provide a safe space for nurturing performers, directors, designers, artists, makers, storytellers, and writers of all ages and abilities who work together to transform and inspire the community, with the guiding idea of “Transforming. Inspiring. Creating Community Through the Arts.” One parent described the program as “providing safe, educational, entertaining, and supportive productions year after year” and “a great place for kids who love to perform,” noting that “the result is a new generation of theater lovers.” Audience members have also commented on the storytelling events and live shows, calling the storytelling “an absolutely wonderful time” and describing Stage Left Players as “a gem in the middle of downtown Lisbon” with “fun for all the family.”
Last updated July 3, 2026.
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