Coleen Kehl – Executive and Artistic Director
Coleen Kehl is the Executive and Artistic Director of Stoughton Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. and Stage Works Projects, Inc. She has studied dance since 1953 at her family's studio, the Kehl School of Dance, Wisconsin Ballet Company, Stone-Camryn Ballet Chicago, Gus Giordano Jazz Company, Joe Tramaine in Los Angeles, Gelsey Kirkland, Barishnikov's partner, has trained at the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters since 1962 and with a multitude of world renowned dance educators and performers throughout the country. Coleen danced with Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo as "Clara" in The Nutcracker Ballet and with the Wisconsin Ballet Company under the direction of Tibor Zana. The Kehl Family has the oldest dance studio in the country now celebrating 130 years of dance training. She teaches master classes in classical ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, hula and musical theater. Coleen's diverse musical theater background includes acting, dancing, singing, direction, and costume design with organizations in Madison, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. Coleen has choreographed full-length ballets such as The Nutcracker, Drakula and Peter Pan Ballet, regional and national award-winning competition pieces for the past 20 years as founder of the Stoughton Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. Dance Company and many theatrical productions including Brigadoon, West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Music Man, Wizard of Oz, Bye Bye Birdie, The Mikado, Once Upon A Mattress, Fiddler On The Roof, Pump Boys & Dinettes, 42nd Street and Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, and The Sound of Music. 2009 brings a celebration of 40 years of teaching and choreographing.

Nancy Cox - Music Department
Nancy is an accomplished vocal and piano teacher. She has a degree from the University of Minnesota and studied piano pedagogy at Edgewood College. She has done extensive work with various local theater groups with Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, Brigadoon, Anything Goes, and Once Upon a Mattress. She is experienced in classical, pop, musical, and standard vocal repertoires.

Jessica Cseter - Dance Department
Jessica's dance training began in Menomonie, Wisconsin at the Artistic Dance Academy and En Avant School of Dance in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and the Eau Claire School of Dace. Her studies included Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical and competitive dance teams. She was the National Dance Alliance All-American from 2001 to 2003. Also, in 2003 she was the the United Performing Arts National Champion in the Jazz/Funk division. She has taught and choreographed for the Menomonie High School Varsity Team and Durand High School Dance Team as well as UW-Stout. 

Britton Gandy Dance Department
Originally from Janesville, WI., Britton began her dance training at the age of two and a half under the direction of Cheryl Schmidt.  At the age of 15, she joined the Rockford Ballet Company’s production of the Nutcracker and began taking lessons at The Dance Department, under the direction of Ted Jackson. She was the National Dance Alliance All-American 1996.  From 1997 to 1999 she was a member of the Midwest Movement Dance Company also under the direction of Ted Jackson.  During that time, she traveled all over the country performing,  competing and taking classes from well-renowned choreographers such as Ray Leaper, Mia Michaels, Alex Mango and Wade Robson.  Britton was a member of Attitudes from 2001-2004, an award winning performance company and competition team under the direction of Tanya Adkins.  She has trained in New York City at the Broadway Dance Center with Tony award winning choreographer Michelle Assaf and at Lou Conte, the studio of the Hubbard Street Dancers in Chicago.  She began her teaching career in 1997 at Dance Attitudes, Beaujangles,  and Mirror Image Dance Academy.  Britton is ecstatic to be part of the Stoughton Center for the Performing Arts, and looks forward to passing along all of her knowledge and experiences to others.

Alyssa Gunsolus- Dance Department
Alyssa started her training at the age of 3 with the Stoughton Center for the Performing Arts under the direction of Coleen Kehl. By the age of 10 she had started pointe work and ballet training with Jill Kragie, and by the age of 12 she was a member of the SCPA Senior Dance Company. The summer of her 8th grade year she was asked to accompany Mrs. Kragie and other to attend a summer intensive with the Iowa Dance Theater in Ames, IA. At 14, Alyssa had the amazing opportunity to audition for the Joffery Ballet School summer intensive program in NYC. She was accepted into the intermediate level. The next three years she continued to attend this summer intensive and attained one of the highest levels in the company training program. There she trained with world-renowned artists such as Zelma Bustillo, Cheyhoun Ozoy, Deborah Dawn and Dorthy Lister. During the school year Alyssa competed with the Senior Dance Company at various dance conventions and competitions in Chicago and Atlanta. Ms. Gunsolus has also performed StageWorks Productions Nutcracker and Peter Pan Ballet. She has also trained under Madison Ballet Director, W. Earle Smith and has performed ballets, with the Madison Ballet, such as The Nutcracker Ballet and Cinderella. Alyssa is currently attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she is double majoring in Dance and Biology. She hopes to graduate and attend medical school. She is excited to be back at her home studio as a teacher and wants to first and foremost thank her mom, Vicki, for all her love and support as well as Coleen Kehl for all that she has done to get me where I am today.

Nicole Irwin - Business Manager
Nicole joined the Stoughton Center for the Performing Arts staff in July 2008. She graduated with honors from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Arts Administration and a Dance minor. Nicole has stage managed a number of Viterbo University productions, including "The Seven Deadly Sins" and " Copenhagen." She was also a performer and choreographer for "Platinum Edition," Viterbo University's nationally renowned performing ensemble. Nicole has choreographed for grade school and high school productions and has taught dance to ages 3 to 21. Additionally, she has completed a vast amount of grant work, including the Wisconsin Arts Board Creation and Presentation grant, which resulted in almost $40,000 in funding for the Viterbo Fine Arts Center.

Jay Lechler - Music Department
Jay attended the University of Wisconsin – Sheboygan, Maricopa County College in AZ, and graduated from Madison Media Institute in 2008 He has been teaching all levels of guitar and piano for the many years. In addition to his work at SCPA Jay has also taught at the Bridget McCarter Dance Academy in Gilbert, AZ. Jay is a dynamic and dedicated teacher with the ability to teach various styles of music education and theory. In his spare time he enjoys composing music of an assortment of genres.

Jim McCulloch - Drama Department
Jim received a BFA in Directing from UW-Whitewater in 1994. He has taught creative dramatics and acting classes throughout Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Most recently he was an artist in residence in the Oxford/Pakview school district. His directing credits include Charlottes Web, Cinderella, James and the Giant Peach, House of Blue Leaves, and A Tuna Christmas. Jim is also co-founder of Royal Oak Productions, a theater company that specializes in performing original, interactive murder mysteries as well as children’s theater productions. 

Kathryn Mohs - Music Department
Kathryn received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at UW-Madison. She has performed with StageWorks Projects, Inc, Madison Opera, Philharmonic Chorus, UW concert Chorus, and internationally with solo performances in Italy and Austria.

Sara Willcutt- Dance Department
Sara trained at many Twin Cities dance studios including Zenon Dance Company, Ballet Arts, Stage Door Dance for Performing Arts, The FIRM, Dance Spectrum, the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, and the Universiaty of Wisconsin Madison Dance Program. She danced for the Faribault high school dance team, a team that has taken 1st place in the state competition most every year since 1997. She danced with and was a captain on the Augsburg College Dance Team. She has stayed on to coach 4 years. Sara Started the Ascending Star Dance Team in 2004 and was the director and dancer 3 years. Sara taught for Just for Kix summer camps and hosted workshops with the Augsburg Dance Team. She has danced professionally for various events and was a member of the 2007 Swarm Performance Team. Sara is the Owner of Ascending Star Dance, an Internet Dance Magazine. Her goal is to connect dancers and give them the opportunities and training to succeed. Currently Sara dances with the Diamond Dancers form the Milwaukee Brewers.