Fort Salem Theatre Board of Directors

Board of Directors

 
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Kyle West,
President

Kyle West works full time as Fort Salem Theater’s Executive and Artistic Director in addition to his seat on the Board of Directors. Kyle has decades of event management experience, directing everything from intimate destination weddings to large-scale musicals. His professional work experience has spanned many industries, including everything from operations manager of a multi-million-dollar residential building company, senior editor of BroadwayWorld.com, Broadway/touring/regional theatre marketing manager, manager of an arts education and non-profit dance program, and military finance advisor for Grand Canyon University and Anthem College. In his youth, Kyle bartended, scooped ice cream, managed retail (The Body Shop, American Eagle Outfitters), and performed as costumed Yogi Bear and Nickelodeon’s Rugrats Live characters. Kyle’s first full time job was working various jobs at an amusement park, where he appeared in their popular commercial for nearly 10 years.

Kyle is passionate about arts accessibility, and opportunities for artists of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

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Dennis J. Clark,
Vice President

Dennis J. Clark is a New York native, born and raised in the center of the state in New Hartford, NY.  He received a BA from the State University of New York at Geneseo in Music – Vocal Performance, Musical Theatre and Communications.  After college, Dennis relocated to New York City and pursued acting full time.  He has worked as an artist from New York to Florida to California and everywhere in between.  As a performer, Dennis has been involved with the creation of world-premiere musicals and original cast productions. 

He has performed, directed and choreographed all over the United States for regional theaters, touring productions, outdoor amphitheaters and various other venues.  Dennis is an accomplished teacher, as well as a singer, dancer, actor, director, and choreographer.  He has privately taught and directed for Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA and Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills.  Dennis is a proud member of Actors Equity, the professional union of stage actors, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.  Most recently he finished his term as Artistic Director of the Ritz Theatre in Sheffield, AL.

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Jared West,
Secretary/Treasurer

Jared West is thrilled to be part of the Capital District theatre community and join the board for Fort Salem Theater. He has previously served on a theater board in Mesa, Arizona, acted as President of HOA boards in Phoenix and in Dallas, and has spent a lot of time both onstage as a performer and behind the scenes as a music director or pianist. He has a BA in Russian from Arizona State University and an MA in Slavic Languages and Literature from University of Washington. Professionally, Jared has been in the leadership development space for the past 8 years with American Airlines, and currently serves as the Talent Development Manager for Khoros.

Onstage, Jared was most recently seen in A New Brain (Roger) and A Man of No Importance (Sully O’Hara), and behind the keys for several shows in the Dallas area, including Ebenezer Scrooge, White Christmas, AIDA and Gypsy. Other favorite roles are Ragtime (Younger Brother), Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson) and Cabaret (Cliff). At Fort Salem Theater, he has performed in The Diary of Anne Frank (Otto), Pride & Prejudice (Wickham/Collins), and Bright Star (Daddy Murphy.)

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Lon Barrera,
Member at Large


Lon Barrera is a Dallas-based actor/director who most recently was featured as Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone and directed Legally Blonde. Lon works as a Director of Project Management for BCD Travel, but relies on that job only to fuel his passion, which is the theatre.  Lon has directed a wide variety of productions from Proof and Falsettos to Disaster! The Musical and Dogfight. Some other favorites include Xanadu and A New Brain. As an actor, beyond his favorite (Drowsy), Lon has been lucky enough to play Aranow in Glengarry Glen Ross, Andre in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Herr Schultz in Cabaret, Brian in The Shadow Box and both Albin and Georges in La Cage Aux Folles (in separate productions, of course).  Lon is very excited to sit on the board of Fort Salem Theater and looks forward to the incredible creativity that will come from this adventure.

Susi Thomas,
Member at Large

Susi made her professional debut at the age of 12 at Ashcroft Theater in the UK. She then went on to earn her BA in Dance from the University of Surrey, where she worked as a professional dancer and choreographer. Later, Susi set up her own Dance and Theatre company, Charlie's Works, in London and was always kept busy with product launches, fashion shows and reviews for renowned companies such as Tommy Hilfiger and British Airways. Since her arrival in the States she has choreographed and produced shows for the likes of Adirondack Childrens Troupe, Salem Central School, Salem Courthouse, Fort Salem Theater, Queensbury High School, Long Trail School (Dorset Vermont) and Broadway Upstate (Glens Falls, NY).

In Salem, Susi is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, an owner of the upcoming Jacko’s Corner, and creator of The Susi Shoes Dancers, who are made up of a diverse crowd of enthusiasts who dance and perform for community events, whose goal is to touch the lives of young people and to get shoes and any necessary items gently and gracefully on the right hands and feet, and to always ensure that youth who cross their path stand tall with confidence and pride.

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Kim Marie Billins,
Member at Large


Kim Marie Billins is the creator and host of one of Texas’ most popular weekly cabaret series and a proud member of Actors Equity whose theatre credits include Aida (Aida), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Muzzie), Sistas: The Musical Off-Broadway, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Sister Act (Deloris Van Cartier). Most recently, Kim was seen singing onboard the Celebrity Equinox cruise ship. With a passion for health and fitness, Kim is the co-owner of Fit Sis, a female-focused fitness and beauty consulting agency.

Courtnie Harrington,
Member at Large

Courtnie Harrington grew up and graduated from high school just down the road from Fort Salem in Greenwich, NY. Courtnie moved on to attend SUNY Adirondack where she earned her Associates’ Degree in Business Administration before attending the Institute for American Musical Theater in New York City (Class of 2019). While attending school full-time, she worked the usual actor-friendly jobs such as barista-ing and serving. Courtnie returned to Upstate NY “for a few weeks” in March of 2020, and then chose to stay to continue her theater career closer to home. She worked professionally as an administrative assistant until accepting a full time Associate Banker postion with Trustco Bank, where she is currently employed.

Before moving to the city, Courtnie performed with many theater companies in the Capital Region, including Schenectady Light Opera Company, HomeMade Theater and Glens Falls Community Theater. In NYC she worked with Hudson Classical Theater on Pride and Prejudice (Lydia Bennet/ Hair Designer), Antony and Cleopatra (Iris), and Sense and Sensibility (Charlotte Palmer/ Hair Designer), which closed just a week before the shut down in NYC. Some of Courtnie's favorite roles include Alice Murphy (Bright Star), Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Kayla Charter (Solstice: A New Work) and Marcy Fitzwilliams (I Love You Because). Since Fort Salem's reopening, Courtnie has served as an actor, director, stage manager, hair designer, and light designer on numerous productions, and was named an Artistic Associate of Fort Salem Theater in April of 2022. She is so glad to have found a home and a family in Fort Salem Theater and looks forward to supporting the organization as it continues to grow and thrive.

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Heather Fallon,
Member at Large


A graduate of Arizona State University, Heather Fallon is a proud member of Actors Equity, having not only performed in many productions over the years, but also experiencing the other side of the table as an Asst. Director and Music Director. In addition to several years as a genetics researcher at the Scottsdale Mayo Clinic, and many years in the non-profit blood banking industry, Heather spent years as an elected Member-at-Large for Greater Phoenix Mensa, heading several committees, including organizing and running their annual Regional Gathering.

Heather has a great affection for the Northeast, as her husband, Tony, was born and raised in CT, and the first time he brought her back to meet all his family, she fell in love with the area. They owned a vacation/rental property in Sharon, CT, for several years, and are delighted to have yet another reason to spend time in this beautiful part of the country as often as possible! Heather is honored to have the opportunity to combine her passion for theatre with her love of the beautiful communities of the Northeast!

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Donna-Lynn Greene,
Member at Large

Donna-Lynn Greene has thirty years experience in the public school system, where she specialized in special needs education on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Along with her husband, Donna-Lynn is also a small business owner with decades of business leadership in various industries, including: elderly care, vacation home rentals, house cleaning, deli services, and arcade/amusement parks. Theatrically, Donna-Lynn has designed and sourced stage properties and costumes for plays and musicals across New England since 1998.