Staff

Shannon Sievert
Director

Hello! My name is Shannon Sievert and I am THRILLED to be taking on the role of Director for Drama Kids International of Tucson. I have my A.A.S in Theater & Entertainment Technology from Okaloosa Walton College, and my B.A. in Theater from Florida State University. While attending FSU, I was honored to be a member of the prestigious Flying High Circus.

I have been performing in some capacity for 28 years and have loved every minute of it! My dance training spans across all genres including ballet, lyrical, jazz, modern, hip hop, tap, and musical theater. I have 10+ years of vocal training and have sung with multiple award-winning choirs. I currently sing with the R.E.D Band, which was created to raise money to send care packages to Airman deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB. On the technical side of things, I have worked as a ground rigger, head lighting technician, lighting designer, and sound designer/engineer. I have also dabbled in costuming and scenic design. I have extensive directing and choreography experience with both children and adults. Regardless of whether I’m on stage or behind the scenes, I love seeing a show come to life!

From an early age, I knew I wanted to teach theater and instill a passion for the performing arts in others. I have been fortunate enough to teach musical theater, vocal performance, acting, improv, and circus arts to students ranging from 4-20 years old. Becoming a part of the Drama Kids family has allowed me to continue sharing my love for theater while teaching invaluable skills to today’s youth. I love spending time with my students and watching them grow! When I’m not working you can find me sewing, cooking & baking, gardening, binge-watching Harry Potter, or spending time with my husband, son, and our three dogs.

Alex Kaplan
Teaching Assistant

We are excited to have Alex Kaplan on board with us. Alex was a student at Live Theater Workshop for 7 years. In her last performance at LTW she played Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Alex has studied acting with Anna Risley who was a Saturday Night Live player and she is a student at Tucson High Magnet School where she passionately participates in their theater arts magnet program. In addition to performing at THMS, Alex is a regular cast member at the Roadrunner Community Theater in their Family Series. She looks forward to beginning her journey toward achieving a Bachelors of Fine Arts next year. Alex loves sharing her passion and excitement for theater with our Drama Kids students!

Dominique Pitman
Drama Teacher

Dominique enjoys working with elementary school children of all ages. She has a passion for helping children find their voices so they can shine in all aspects of their lives. After seeing how Drama Kid’s programs aligned
with her mission to support the community’s well-being with creative activities for children, she jumped in as a Drama Kids Instructor. She is excited to be able to bring theater into her Drama Kids lives and she looks forward to watching them grow and become the very best social and academic human beings they are capable of being.

Joey Salvoro
Drama Teacher

“Kumusta! I’m Joseph Salvoro! I’m excited to be teaching at Drama Kids International. I’m a University of Arizona student (Political Science) and have been involved in the arts since I was 5 years old. During high school I was involved in 4 major productions of Les Misèrables, Aida, Joseph, and The Technicolor Dreamcoat, and my favorite out of the bunch Miss Saigon – all lead roles might I add (humble brag). If I’m not teaching, you can find me writing or producing songs. I’m most excited to be teaching kids to develop real-life skills through the expressive ways of drama and theatre. I am looking forward to the start of our journey together here at Drama Kids International!”

Nic Holt
Drama Teacher

Hi, my name is Nic Holt. I graduated from the University of Arizona with my B.A. in Theatre Arts and have always had a passion for performing, improv, and everything fun and goofy. I grew up in Arizona and have been involved in many productions throughout high school, Pima Community College, UA’s Studio Series, and more. Theatre is so special because of the confidence and creativity it can spark in people; I’d love the  opportunity to spread that joy around. Some things I like to do in my free time are writing, rock climbing, playing with LEGO, and just being an all-around dork. I’m super excited to have some fun with Drama Kids and share the magic of creativity with as many children as possible!

China Young
Drama Teacher

My name is China and I’ve been performing since I can remember. I started dancing when I was 4 but caught the theatre bug in Kindergarten when I was in a production of Evita as a part of the Children’s Chorus (and humbly declared myself the understudy for Evita). I’ve been involved in theatre, both on and off stage ever since. I earned a BFA in Acting from Texas Tech University and an MFA in Contemporary Performance From Naropa University. I’ve been a member of the Tucson Performing Arts community since 2010 and currently serve as a Co-Managing Director for Winding Road Theater Ensemble. In addition to Winding Road, I’ve collaborated with Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre, Arizona Onstage, the Tucson Fringe Festival, and various local filmmakers. I also served as a teaching artist for Arizona Theater Company’s Summer Onstage Teen Conservatory program, as well as their ATCteen program, and look forward to teaching again with Drama Kids!

Sarah Chico
Drama Teacher

Hello! My name is Sarah Chico and I am from Marana, AZ. Performing has always been a huge part of who I am, and I have always loved the sense of freedom and identity that it allows me to feel! I was involved in choir and theater all throughout High School and there, I performed in many musicals such as “Les Miserables” (Fantine) and “Aida” (Aida). I have had many opportunities to compete regionally and nationally for musical theater and even had the chance to go to New York and participate in the Jimmy Awards in 2016 for my role in Aida. There, I was able to meet and work with many Broadway professionals and I was coached by Broadway actor, Gavin Creel in both vocal and acting! I am currently acting with a community theater company here in Tucson, Arts Express. I enjoy participating in community theater because there is no better way to come together then by creating art with each other! One of my favorite things about being in a theater environment is that it gives everyone a fun and safe place to express themselves which is something I am looking forward to in helping our Drama Kids students achieve!

Elisa Lopez
Drama Teacher

Hello! My name is Elisa and I am a U of A graduate with a B.A. in Studio Art. I’m am currently working towards my dream of becoming an art educator. As a child, I grew up in the theater/drama scene. This is why I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of  Drama Kids! I understand the importance of gaining confidence on a stage and how fun it is to grow through playing multiple characters. I look forward to supporting every child in my Drama Kids classes with developing both their inter and intrapersonal skills.