meet
our team
At State 48 Theatre Company we truly believe in the concept of being a theatre “family”. We constantly strive to create a warm, accepting, welcoming, and inclusive environment for kids and adults. Theatre should be a safe space where people can feel comfortable and free to express in a creative way. Simultaneously, we are highly conscious and aware of boundaries and safety. We practice clean, wholesome, uplifting, and transparent communication both on and off stage. We also have a careful vetting process for anyone who comes on board our staff to work with your youth and adults. Safety is a top priority for us and we will always ensure that everyone involved with us feels respected, protected, and secure. Each staff member (directors, stage managers, teachers, choreographers, etc) complete thorough interviews, provide a finger print clearance card with government background check, and demonstrate a clear knowledge of our expectations of safety and appropriate teaching and directing styles. State 48 is and always will be a positive, uplifting, and safe place to experience and practice all aspects of the arts!
Karli Kemper
-Managing Director
-Music Director
-Composer
-Sound Designer
-Vocal Coach
Karli has been teaching, directing, and coaching in the musical theatre world for over 25 years! She has worked in private, charter, and public schools all over the east valley as well as in studios and for theatre companies throughout Arizona. She was proud to team up with Andrea to create State 48 Theatre Company in 2018. She has been working alongside her wonderful partners and teammates ever since, writing and directing many original works and producing and staging many shows and performances.
Karli holds a Bachelors in Music Education and currently directs Choir and Musical Theatre at the private school, Lumos Arts Academy. She is also team lead of the arts department there and is proud to call the school State 48’s theatre home. She partners with Halle Porter to run two show choirs through the theatre company and oversees the after school classes there as well.
Karli is also a proud wife to her amazing husband and partner,Justin, and mom to two wonderful boys, Jaxson and Ashton, who also love to sing and perform!
Andrea McFeely
-Artistic Director
-Theatrical Director
-Playwright
-Casting Manager
-Production Manager
-Acting Coach
Andrea McFeely earned her Bachelors Degree from USC in Film and Television. She also studied theatre at San Francisco’s renown American Conservatory Theater and at Saddleback College in Southern California. After working in Hollywood for many years, Andrea relocated to Arizona. Here, in addition to teaching high school theatre at GateWay Early College High School, Andrea has acted with different companies around the valley and has written and directed for youth and community theatres. Prior to starting State 48 Theatre Company, she founded the Tuscany Theatre Company in Gilbert where she directed both classic and modern Broadway plays and contemporary works with community theatre members. Over the last few years, she has directed Frankenstein, Leading Ladies, Merlin and Morgana, As You Like It, Murder at Sunset, The Scarlett Pimpernel, Villains, Much Ado About Nothing, Jekyll and Hyde, Sleeping Beauty, Hamlet, a Tragedy in Three Rings, Annie, Evita, Urinetown, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Picnic, The 39 Steps, I and You, Arcadia, and Pirates: A Love Story all around the valley and at different theatres including State 48. Andrea has written/adapted and directed many of these productions and teamed up with her creative cohorts at State 48 to turn many of her scripts into original musicals as well. Andrea has also written a number of workshop productions in conjunction with FUSE Performing Arts Center and Karli Kemper to include, Swing Kids, The American Dream, Disco Nights, and The Ties That Bind. Andrea is a private acting/audition coach and full-time educator. In her classes, actors utilize the improvisation exercises of Viola Spolin to unleash their creativity and the acting techniques of Stella Adler to bring their performances to big and truthful life. Andrea believes theater can be life-changing and wants to open the door to theater for anyone who wants to step through. With a small dose of courage, we can find our way to the stage, make great friends, gain new insights into ourselves and the world around us, improve our confidence, and build community roots.
Justin Kemper
-Operations Manager
-Technical Director
-Box Office Manger
-Set Designer
-Lighting Designer
Justin has worked alongside Karli and Andrea since the creation of State 48 to build and design the theatre company from the ground up. He most recently rebuilt the theatre and technical booth in our Lumos Arts Academy location in 2020, and continues to maintain the structural and technical aspects of the theatre.
When he isn’t building a set, designing lights, attending a production meeting, managing the company website and ticketing, or repairing an element of the theatre, Justin can be found screening custom tee shirts with his side business (Marshmallow Tees), trouble shooting technical issues at his regular job as an IT specialist for Preferred Home Care, or even appearing on stage himself in a community production (when he can find the time)!
Justin is happily married to Karli and grateful to be a dad to their two fabulous kids, Jaxson and Ashton.
Bryson Giles
Chantel powers
-Company Stage Manager
-Production Manager
Chantel Powers has worked with Andrea and Karli in theatre for years, as a theatre board president, performer, production manager, and stage manager, and made her directorial debut with Anne of Green Gables in 2019. Previous credits stage managing include, Urinetown (2016), Arcadia (2016), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2017), The (Possibly) True Tales of Little Red Riding Hood (2017), Hamlet, a Tragedy in Three Rings (2018), Jekyll and Hyde (2018), Much Ado About Nothing (2018), Villains (2018), The Scarlet Pimpernel (2019), and Frankenstein (2020), but she developed her initial passion for theatre while acting in Pirates: A Love Story in 2015. She currently spends her days engaged with academic personnel processes at ASU. Chantel has much appreciation for the opportunity to be able to fulfill her ongoing desire to create an adventure filled and bold life by trying something new. She is grateful to share life with incredible friends, and the love of Savannah, Maddi and Dennis. Col 3:12
delmy giles
-Company Stage Manager
-Parent Volunteer Coordinator
Delmy has been an integral part of the creation and duration of State 48 as a parent, volunteer, board member, staff member, and senior staff member. Delmy has most recently run the stage manager side of the company and has trained other State 48 staffers in stage management, front of house, ticketing, assisting, and more. She has also appeared on stage herself in the past in State 48’s original production of Pirates, a Love Story (Maggie/Pirate Lass), but she usually prefers to contribute behind the scenes and let her talented kids take the limelight. Her three children, Noah, Iris, and Carson, have appeared in dozens of shows and have performed in most all of the State 48 productions over the years. She also gives generous support to her husband, Bryson, who has created sound and music for all of the original musical productions created by the company!
When not working like mad backstage, Delmy enjoys reading, travel, dancing, and good music!
Deborah Giles
-Head of Wardrobe
-Costume Designer
Deborah is thrilled to continue working with State 48 overseeing costumes and helping with general aesthetics of the productions. Deborah has costumed for many years in Arizona, designing and constructing for local arts schools and school programs, including Lumos Arts Academy, The Learning Foundation and Performing Arts, Heritage Academy, New Horizon School for the Performing Arts, Mountain View High School, and more. She has also, over the years, costumed for neighboring theatre companies, including Actors Youth Theatre, The Tuscany Theatre Company, and The Southwest Shakespeare Company. Most recently she has designed and organized State 48’s very unique and elaborate costume space and dressing rooms and is excited to continue putting all these fantastic resources to use this season.
Deborah was a licensed hair dresser in her early career and still enjoys doing hair and makeup for her family members (and occasionally the theatre company), and she also enjoys crafting, decorating, and hosting and celebrating holidays. Above all, her greatest love in life is spending time with her family-and especially her 5 fantastic grandchildren who have all been involved in the theatre world as well.
Halle Porter
Jacki Beltran
Kailei Beltran
Samantha Merkley
-Director
-Music Director
-Choreographer
Sammi Merkley thoroughly loves being part of the State 48 family! She received her Bachelors in Secondary Choral Music Education and has been a junior high and high school choir, drama and dance teacher. In addition to having directed and choreographed with State 48 in the past, she has also directed multiple musical theatre productions at local junior high schools as well as choreographed and assistant directed throughout the valley. She loves working with kids and teens of all ages; she is inspired by their energy and determination, and she is committed to sharing her passion for the arts with all her students.
Spec Owens
-Director
Spec Owens has been involved in the theatre world for over 10 years. An Arizona native, they graduated from Highland High School’s theatre program titled “best senior” in their graduating class. They have enjoyed recently directing shows with State 48 such as: Bye Bye Birdie, Jekyll and Hyde, and The 39 Steps. Spec loves what happens creatively backstage just as much as what happens on stage and has a particular soft spot for painting sets. When they’re not running around the stage, Spec can be found happily engaged as a paraprofessional working with children to make school a safe and joyful place. Spec is also happily married to their wonderful spouse Espie (who appears on stage, too!) and together they are excitedly welcoming their first kiddo into the world.
Joseph Sullivan
-Director
Joseph is returning for his second season as both an actor AND director with State 48! Last year, in addition to starring in several original productions with the company-Jekyll and Hyde (Hyde), Epiphany (Duke Orsino), and Pirates, a Love Story (Malcolm Beecham)-he partnered with Erin Garner to direct the junior musical production of Guys and Dolls. He will be partnering with Miss Garner again this year to direct an original junior play, The Princess and the Pea.
Joseph has loved performing around the valley in shows outside of State 48 as well, and has been seen in: Into the Woods (Jack), Elf (Buddy), The Addams Family (Gomez), and Legally Blonde (Emmett). He can be seen onstage very soon in State 48’s Hamlet, a Tragedy in Three Rings (Hamlet), Lumos Arts Academy’s MacBeth (Malcolm), and Places Productions’ Les Miserables (Enjolras). In his free time he loves to write scripts and music!
Erin Garner
-Director
-Playwright
Erin has been a performing artist all over the valley since the time she could talk and has been with State 48 since it’s creation in 2018! She has not only starred in many productions with the company, but has worked behind the scenes on the creative and technical side, and last season teamed up with Joe Sullivan to co-direct and choreograph Guys and Dolls Jr! She is a highly valued member of the State 48 team and will be directing again this season, but will also be adapting A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a playwright!
Erin is a recent graduate of Desert Ridge High School and she is attending college this fall. Some recent and memorable stage roles for her include: Mercedes (The Count of Monte Cristo), Melanie the Choreographer (Epiphany), Inigo Montoya (As You Wish), Morgana (Merlin and Morgana), Phoebe (Murder at Sunset), Winnifred Banks (Step in Time), and many more. She will next appear in Hamlet, a Tragedy in Three Rings as Gertrude.
Stormy Mullis
Adisyn Montefour
Andrea Rovegno
Lexi Edwards
-Student Photographer
-Class Assistant
Lexi is fast becoming a State 48 veteran both on and off the stage. She has been taking photography in school for several years and has become one of the company’s show and character photographers. She also assists in the after school and summer program classes and workshops.
Lexi has appeared in many State 48 original and rented productions, including Villains (Belligerence), Bye Bye Birdie (Mrs. Merkle) Alice in Wonderland (Playing Card), As You Wish (Countess Rugen), Jekyll and Hyde (Assylum Attendant/Nun),
Epiphany (Annie), Pirates, a Love Story (Mrs. Rigsby), The Sword in the Stone (Palace Guard), and The Count of Monte Cristo (Madame Villefort). She will soon be seen in Hamlet, a Tragedy in Three Rings (La Bella Fortina & Rosencrantz) with State 48, and MacBeth (Duncan) with Lumos Arts Academy. Lexi will also be participating in her second year of the company’s traveling show choir, Thunderstruck. When she’s not busy with theatre, she likes spending time at home with her pets. She has one dog and three cats- Miley, Bo, Luke & Chico.
Ana Poje
-Student Photographer
Ana has been working with State 48 the last two years both on and off the stage and has enjoyed being able to take and edit character photos for many of the company’s productions! Ana is a junior at Lumos Arts Academy and studies photography in her elective classes there.
In addition to her skills as a photographer, Ana also performs in the company show choir and in Lumos Arts Academy’s Chorale choir as well. Recent theatrical productions she has been in include: Pirates, a Love Story (Ginger), Guys and Dolls Jr (Ange the Ox), Jekyll and Hyde (Lady Lydia), and Villains (Snowy White). She will soon be seen in Lumos Arts Academy’s production of MacBeth as Menteith, Murderer 1, and Apparition.