Staff

Lisa Wagner-Carollo - Founding Director

Lisa Wagner-Carollo is the Founding Director of Still Point Theatre Collective. She founded the company in 1993, motivated by a strong desire to combine ministry and theatre. Ever since, she has toured the country and overseas with Haunted by God: The Life of Dorothy Day. Among other productions, Wagner has also performed in and produced (for Still Point), the internationally toured Points of Arrival: A Jean Donovan Journey, a play that explores the life and commitment of one of the four North American church women killed in El Salvador in 1980. She is currently touring the United States and overseas with Strong Women, Haunted by God and Deep Listening (death and dying). Lisa also works as a facilitator in Still Point's outreach programs. Her education includes a B.S.E. from Emporia State University. Recently, she completed her certification as a spiritual director at Siena Center in Racine, Wisconsin and has recently begun a spiritual direction practice in the Chicago area.

Awards: Outstanding Recent Graduate, Emporia State University, 1997

Seeds of Hope Award, Wheatridge, 2009.

Dena Hawes, Ph.D. - Executive Director

Dena has worked for nonprofits, international non-governmental agencies and universities for seventeen years. She earned a Bachelor's degree from Indiana University, a Master of Fine Arts degree from University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Masters and Doctoral degree from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University. From 2001-02 she was a Professional Development Fellow with the Institute for International Education doing Conflict Resolution and Security research in the Republic of Georgia. She is a visual and performance artist, a world record holder, and the author of a book entitled Why Art Matters: Artists and Peacebuilding, VDM Verlag, 2009, a book chapter entitled "Suzanne Lacy: Oakland Projects", Artistic Bedfellows: Histories and Conversations in Collaborative Art Practice, Eds Holly Crawford, Rowman & Littlefield, 2008, and has also published several journal articles and poetry. She began her position at Still Point Theatre Collective in September, 2011, is very pleased to be working with such an excellent staff who are passionate about our agency's important and necessary work with vulnerable and underserved populations.

Ben Gray - Grants Coordinator

Ben Gray has worked as Still Point's Grants Coordinator since 2010. Ben has been involved in Non-profit Arts Administration for many years as a fund raiser, producer and facilitator. He has worked for The Jazz Institute of Chicago, the Velvet Lounge and the Candlestick Maker. He is currently Development Director for Experimental Sound Studio and is an active musician around the city of Chicago.

Judith Hardin - Administrative Staff, Facilitator

Judith Harding, Facilitator and Administrative Staff: A writer / performer whose credits include Sesame St and Blue Man Group, Harding makes original works for theatre and performances with folks of all ages with special needs, and loves every minute of it.

Tory Flack - Associate Facilitator, Intern

Tory Flack is a 2010 graduate of the University of Iowa with degrees in English and Theatre Arts, and is so grateful to be a Still Point Intern and co-facilitator with the Imagination Workshop. At night she balances out all the SPTC office work by acting, stage managing, and doing all sorts of fun backstage stuff at Corn Productions, where she is a company member.

Steve Grossman - Senior Facilitator, Director

Steve has an M.A. in Theater and Film, and has directed scores of amateur and professional productions. In 1966, he was founding director of the Creede Repertory Theatre in Creede, Colorado. He has been a Peace Corps volunteer and staffer, a screenwriter and journalist, and has taught at universities in Kansas and Missouri.

Melissa Cline - Booking Agent, Director, Supporting Actor

Melissa Cline, a native of Mississippi, is a new revolutionizing actress, commercial model, and performance coach of Chicago. She is known for her alluring vulnerability on stage and her commanding simplicity on film. First recognized by the Mississippi Arts Commission as a two time poetry state Champion, she has continued her love of language and performance. Melissa received her BFA Acting degree from Northern IL University and spent part of her education in Moscow, Russia studying at the world renown school of The Moscow Art Theatre. There she continued her movement and voice training, studying not only acting techniques, but partner acrobatics, and even Russian Fencing as well. Melissa's love for language has collided with her unique style of movement work in which she has created a fresh style of performance. Poetry In Motion combines the elements of language, rhythm , and voice, which then ignites the movement of the body. Melissa gives a "new light" to female roles in America and around the world. Melissa serves as a Director and Actor for Still Point Theatre.

Gail Gallagher - Supporting Actor

Gail Gallagher graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in theatre performance and theatre management in May of 2010. She has been involved in projects that combine theatre and social justice work since her freshman year of college. She performed the one woman show My Name is Rachel Corrie as her senior project. She enjoys working the the Imagination Workshop and acting in the Still Point production, Strong Women. She is also a composer and improv piano player and has performed with improv groups around the city.

Sara Fisher - Senior Facilitator

Sara is so grateful to be a part of Stillpoint Theatre Collective, through working with the wonderful and talented adults with Developmental Disabilities Drama Class at El Valor, as well as the incredibly inspiring and supportive members of Stillpoint. Her training includes the Circle In The Square Theatre School's Summer Musical Theatre Intensive, Dance and Theatrical Training in Boston and Pennsylvania, Second City's Summer Musical Immersion, and currently studies Improv at the Improv Olympic Theater.

Christine Smith - Senior Facilitator

Christine Smith has worked in theater since 2003 when she joined Forecast Productions, a theater company based out of Minneapolis, and toured around the nation with their shows. Since then, she's directed, acted and facilitated theater programs and workshops throughout her home state of New Mexico. Since moving to Chicago in 2009, she has studied improv at iO and Second City and is an ensemble member of One Group Mind. She has been with Still Point since March of 2011 where she works with the women inmates of Lake County Jail in Waukegan with the Persephone project.

Anita Dacanay - New Project Resource Coordinator

Anita Dacanay grew up in rural Ashtabula County and graduated from Wright State University's Professional Actor Training Program in 1988. She moved to Chicago where she lived and worked as an actress, performance artist, and arts educator for 13 years. She is currently living in Shaker Heights, Ohio with her husband and two children. She teaches Performing Arts classes for adults with developmental disabilities through the Cuyahoga County Board of D.D.. Anita is proud and happy to have worked with Still Point Theatre Collective in various capacities since 1993.

Dannis Matteson - Intern, Volunteer Facilitator

Dannis is currently earning an MA in Theology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and has a BA in Cultural Anthropology and German Literature. She most recently spent 3 years working in the field of health care justice as an advocate for the uninsured in Rochester, NY where she is originally from. Dannis is passionate about social justice and is a strong believer in the impact theater has on social change. She was fortunate to intern at the Stuttgarter Staatstheater as well as the Berliner Ensemble in Germany where her interests in drama and literature inspired her to pursue social justice efforts.

Ashley Moret - Intern, Volunteer Facilitator

Ashley Moret is a senior at DePaul University. She will be graduating with a major in Sociology and a minor in Theatre Arts. Ashley has been involved in Chicago theater and with non-profit organizations the past several years. She has a passion for theater and social justice and even more, theater for social justice and is so happy to be part of Still Point now. She looks forward to forming human connection and learning from others these next months.

Jacob Kaufman - Administrative Volunteer

Jacob Kaufman, is a graduate of Simpson College in Indianola, IA with degrees in Theatre Arts and Women's Studies. He has a background in performance, directing, and makeup and costume design. Since starting with Still Point Theatre Collective as an intern, he has become the Assistant to the Directors, Touring Manager, and currently works as the Administrative Support Coordinator. In addition to his administrative work with the Collective, he is a facilitator of the Persephone Project at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago and also at Lake County Jail in Waukegan. His previous work with the Collective has included working as a facilitator of the Imagination Workshop at the New Horizons Center and Esperanza Community Services, as well as facilitating Sisters Rising. Performance and design credits include work with Theatre Simpson, Tallgrass Theatre, the Des Moines Metro Opera, O.N.E., Girly Q. Burlesque, Ties and Tassels Productions, the 1901 Club and others.

Ben Leven - Volunteer Facilitator

Ben Leven has been happily volunteering for Still Point for two months. Ben enjoys the work very much. Ben works part time at NBC as a Production Assistant and as a free lance Martial Arts Instructor.