CAPA Production Team
Payton Prince, Assistant Director & Choreographer
Payton has been trained by the best our area has to offer. Now her training continues at Brigham Young University, a nationally recognized musical theatre program. She’s had the fortune to be directed by tony award winner, Casey Hushion and share the stage with legends, David Ira Wood III and Andrea McArdle. Payton is represented by Terri Dollar and brings an amazing ability to relate to youth as well as grow talent in them. A gifted teacher, her visionary talent to stage musicals makes us fortunate to have her join us each summer as our choreographer and assistant director for CAPA Summer Stock Musical Theatre Camp.
Melanie Prince, Director
Melanie Prince has been teaching Acting and Musical Theatre for more than two decades. She earned her BA in theatre with emphasis in Acting and Musical Theatre from California State University Sacramento. Melanie led a Northern CA charter high school theatre program for three years and has also owned and operated a children's performing arts school in Nashville TN. She also spent three amazing years working with Estes Tarver at Moonlight Stage Company in Raleigh, but realizing the need for strong acting and arts programs in the Southwest Wake Region of North Carolina, Melanie founded Carolina Academy of Performing Arts, “ CAPA” in 2017. She is the Artistic Director, principal director of productions, and primary acting instructor of CAPA. CAPA boasts many students who are the top talent in their schools with some competing in Triangle Rising Stars and gone on to the Jimmy Awards in NYC.
Melanie has successfully placed students in musical theatre, and BFA acting collegiate programs as well as guided them to professional representation. Melanie is represented by Terri Dollar of KU Talent, a film actress and film acting coach. Melanie, her children, and students can be seen on the small and large screens. She has spent countless hours on commercial, television and major motion picture sets. Among her favorite director's credits are Newsies, Oliver and Les Miserables. Growing talent in others and helping her students to raise their ceiling and realize their dreams, is as rewarding to her as performing herself for they, “are such stuff as dreams are made on” (Shakespeare).
Melissa Romans was the Assistant Stage Manager and Prop Master for “Into the Woods.” She has enjoyed all her roles with CAPA and is grateful for her time spent with the talented CAPA kids and CAPA team.
Melissa Romans, Assistant Stage Manager and Prop Master
Angie has been acting since she was a child, eventually earning degrees in Theatre Arts and Sociology. She is represented by Terri Dollar with KU Talent Agency in Raleigh. Angie appreciates the intricacies of acting for film and acting for theatre and is passionate about each. Most recent acting credits include commercials for Duke Energy, Comporium, Hawk Law, Lexington Medical Center and multiple film projects for the North Carolina Museum of History, including their latest Quiltspeak Exhibit. She is most well-known for her role in You Never Know How Much Good You Do, a short film which has gone viral and international. Angie recently wrote and directed the documentary “Northeastern North Carolina’s Underground Railroad,” as commissioned by the Museum of the Albemarle. Angie has been writing and directing projects between acting gigs for the past 15 years, including 2017’s sold-out play “Finding Patience – The Story of Holly Springs,” which she will be directing again in 2022. Last year she gave a TEDx talk at Duke University about the power of Local History Theatre and Film. Angie believes that film and theatre can be used for good – to uplift, enlighten and inspire.
Angie Staheli, Marketing Manager & Public Relations
Michelle Yousik, Stage Manager & Crew Chief
Michelle began singing along with Olivia Newton John when she was little (she even had the same ONJ haircut for 3 years) to singing in her high school chorus, mixed show choir and in an a capella choir. Michelle played the violin all though elementary, middle & high school and learned to play the cello and viola when needed. She participated for three years in the dance team, performed as one of the brides in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", and sang during her HS graduation. Michelle attended San Jose City College in California and while there took art classes that have inspired her ever since. She has also sang at weddings and performed with a band or two through the years. Michelle uses improv's" Yes, and..?" rule, and it has led her to prop making, to set design & construction and to administration with CAPA where her daughters perform. Michelle believes "CAPA is Saving the Arts!"
Hajnalka Klieman has been making music her whole life. A classically-trained pianist, she has a BS in Biology and a master’s degree in music education. She enjoys wearing many hats as a preschool music teacher, teen choir director, and singer for church services, weddings, and funerals. Four of her five children participate in musical theater, and the fifth sings along with gusto at home while waiting for his two front teeth to grow in.
Hajnalka Klieman, Musical Director
Rachel Ward, Production Manager & Lightning Designer
Michelle Yousik is CAPA’s office administrator and was Stage Manager for casts 2/3 of “Into the Woods” master workshops. The entire Yousik family supports the program & they are proud to call CAPA home.
Rachel Ward spends 9 months of her year working as a Design and Technical Production Student at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She's a junior this fall 2021. This July she had the honor of returning to CAPA as the Production Manager of both “Into the Woods” and “Into the Woods Jr.” She is grateful to have the opportunity to work with Ms. Melanie and the rest of the amazing CAPA team.
Kasey Flowers is one of our costume designers for CAPA. She loves working with each and every one of the kids and seeing them grow throughout each production. Kasey is so thankful for CAPA for bringing such a wonderful theater program to our community and super grateful to be a part of an amazingly talented production team.
Kaleen grew up in sunny Tucson, Arizona where she learned to love music and the performing arts. She adores all things costuming especially in children’s theater. Kaleen would like to thank her amazing husband Kevan and all eight of their children for supporting her as she loses herself in the enchanting forest of “Into the Woods.”
Kaleen Holdaway, Costume Designer
Kasey Flowers, Costume Designer
Laura Manhardt, Set Designer
Vicki Earl, Non-Profit & Grant Advisor
Jeff Peters, Sound Engineer
Diane Helbling, Producer
