Production Staff

We like to surround ourselves with creative people who want to help kids fall in love with the arts. . .that’s the perfect combination for a whole lot of FUN! Here are just a few of the people leading the charge around here.

Adam Walsh

Director/Musical Director

Adam Walsh is a musician, composer, and teacher with a unique ability to connect with kids of all ages. With a strong desire to instill a love of music in his students, Adam sets out to create a learning environment parents will appreciate and kids will love. As a former children’s pastor, Adam has trained young musicians in the worship arts, taught songwriting, and recorded three albums of Bible memory verses. He’s written and edited curriculum for Group Publishing in Loveland, Colorado, He has performed in or musically directed over 25 shows, and is now, with his wife Courtney, the co-owner of The Studio. Adam has a B.S. in Music from Bradley University, is a father of three insanely entertaining kids, and loves games and puzzles of all kinds. 

Courtney Walsh

Director

Courtney Walsh is a published author, mixed media artist, theatre director and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. She has since written twenty-five novels and continues to spend far too many hours talking to herself. In addition, Courtney is also the author of two papercrafting books, Scrapbooking Your Faith and The Busy Scrapper.

Together with her husband, Adam, Courtney has written several full-scale musicals, including The Great American Tall Tales, Hercules, Grimm’s Fairytales and the latest hit, The Girls of Summer. She is passionate about using theatre to equip, encourage and inspire young people. Courtney has a B.S. in Theatre & and a B.S. in Journalism from Bradley University. She studied acting at Circle in the Square in NYC and is certain she could win a spot on The Worst Cooks in America. #domesticdisaster

Chelsea Gallivan

Resident Choreographer/Director of Dance

Chelsea Gallivan has been involved with The Studio since their first production in 2014.  Now as their Resident Choreographer, she is responsible for choreographing, teaching, and supervising all dance aspects at The Studio.  Her passion is to see her students make discoveries within their gifts and talents and find confidence in who they are as individuals, artists, and performers.  

She and her husband Shawn are singlehandedly supplying The Studio with future stars, with a daughter born for the stage—and the latest Studio Star arriving this past March!

Mariah Kramer

Director/Assistant Director/Social Media Manager

What can’t Mariah do? She’s the perfect combination of creative, collaborative and calendars, touting her love affair with directing, leading kids, and Air Table.

A graduate of Moody Bible College, she’s lead and assistant directed on teams, taught Sessions, built props, hung drops, spiked set pieces, and if we aren’t careful, we’ll find her in the catwalk somewhere adjusting lights or dropping chickens.

In a word? Mariah is indispensible. Vital. A blessing. 

Okay, maybe four words.

Lindsey Wirth

Costume Warehouse Manager/Assistant Choreographer

Lindsey began dancing 35 years ago and very early on developed a great love for ballet. She went on to study with Rockford Dance Company, Metropolitan Ballet, and Northern Illinois University to name a few. Some of her favorite roles include dancing as the Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and even Mother Ginger in the Nutcracker when she was pregnant with her first child. Lindsey has been teaching in the Rockford area for 20 years and enjoys teaching not only the discipline of dance, but the love of the art.

Outside of the dance world, Lindsey holds a Bachelors degree in Project Management and utilized it in the construction field for several years before switching to a full time stay at home mom. She is married and has 5 children.

Nancy Parlapiano

Production Administrator

Nancy is a wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Northern Michigan University with a major in speech and a minor in English. She has spent the last 32 years alternating between teaching, predominantly high school English, and being a stay-at-home when her children were young. Although she has recently retired from teaching, working with young people and showing them kindness and love is something in which she hopes to always be involved.

She loves being a grandma, reading, cooking, her cats, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. However, her deep and unshakeable faith and the love of her family is what keeps her grounded and is by far the most important thing in her life.

Tarah Curry

Production Administrator

Want to Join the Team?

Want to join our team? We’re always looking for awesome people to help us make our shows come to life. If you’re interested in becoming a part of a directing team, shoot an email to mariah@thestudiorockford.com!