As co-founder and Artistic Director of PYTMI, Megan Wright brings a wealth of professional experience as a versatile actor, director, and teaching artist, recently earning her second Master’s Degree in Teaching Artistry. Her talents effortlessly span classic, contemporary, and musical theatre, transitioning smoothly from actress to director, both on stage and in film. Passionate about teaching students of all ages and abilities, Megan demonstrates the transformative power of the performing arts in building confidence, enhancing learning, and fostering joy. Megan believes strongly in creating theatre with EVERYONE and works daily to make her rehearsal space as INCLUSIVE and professional as possible. Megan works very hard to make certain that PYTMI is a place for EVERYONE. Above all, she is a proud mom to Adler, Idris, and Emery.

Email Megan: megan@pytmi.com 

Sophia Esch is the Managing Director of the Professional Youth Theatre of Michigan. She is an actor, singer, dancer, director, dramaturg, producer, production manager, and educator with over 13 years of experience in the industry and more than 6 years of teaching experience. Sophia holds a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from Oakland University with concentrations in directing and on-camera acting. She has worked on and offstage at theatres across Metro Detroit and beyond, including performances at the Apollo Theatre, Carnegie Hall, and with the National Endowment for the Arts.

In addition to her leadership at PYTMI, Sophia is pursuing her MFA in Theatre with a concentration in Theatre Management at Wayne State University, where she also serves as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Office of Promotions & Outreach for the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance. She is a facilitator with Shakespeare in Prison, helping to bring healing and transformation through theatre to incarcerated individuals. She gratefully thanks her loving husband Zack and her beautiful children, Valentin and Valencia, for their endless support and inspiration.

Sheila Waters Fucci , a native of Worcester MA. , studied dance at the Honey Felicetti Dance Studio. She attended Springfield College where she performed with The Frank Hatchett Dancers. She earned her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music and came to Connecticut via Nutmeg Summer Theater then taught for the UConn Theater Department. She has performed, Choreographed and Directed for Community Theaters throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, including Manchester Musical Players, Little Theater of Manchester, Producing Guild, Montage, Simsbury Theater Guild, Thomaston Opera House, Nth Players and numerous High Schools and Middle schools. She was affiliated with the Warner Theater from 2004 – 2016 serving in numerous productions in the capacity of director, choreographer, costumer and performer. The Manchester Arts Council (CT) and St John’s Xavarian High School (WA) have recognized Sheila for her contribution to the Arts. She was nominated and won Best Choreographer for her work in “The Producers” at LTM for 2011, and received “Teacher of the Year 2011” from The Warner Theater Center for Arts and Education. Sheila was a faculty member at WTCAE 2008-2016 and Deborah’s Dance Workshop in Torrington from 2005-2016. She also taught at Connecticut Theater Dance, Inc. and UConn’s Waterbury Branch Ollie Program. Excited to have found PYTMI, she has been involved in the last season of performances including the 50’s Showcase, and teaches Tap, Musical Theater Jazz, and Movement for the Actor.

Sierra Tennyson (she/her) is a Teaching Artist and Choreographer in Southeast Michigan. She is currently working towards her MFA in Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young with a concentration in Dance and Theatre Teaching Artistry at Eastern Michigan University. Sierra has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Siena Heights University and danced collegiately on the Siena Heights University Sideline and Competitive Dance Team. Her passion areas in theatre include Directing and Shakespeare. Her dance specialties include Tap, Musical Theatre, and Pom, however, she loves anything dance and theatre related. Sierra hopes to instill and share her passion for the arts with young people and help them learn to express themselves through art-making.