Faculty and Staff

Claire Belden, a distinguished graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Ballet Pedagogy and a BS in Nonprofit Business, is an ACE-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. With over 500 hours of Yoga and Pilates certification, Claire's 30-year journey in dance also included cross-training in Pilates beginning at age 12. She has dedicated the past decade to her career in wellness while also performing professionally as an aerialist and dancer. Passionate about functional fitness and mental health, Claire empowers others to embrace their strength and achieve holistic wellness. She is thrilled to be in her 6th year working for OU’s Musical Theatre department fostering supportive classroom environments with hopes that each student builds greater confidence to grow into the healthiest and most empowered versions of themselves.

Contact Claire Belden: clairebelden@ou..edu

Karen knew that she wanted to be a dancer before she knew that you could actually make a living at it. Karen attended Oklahoma City University on a Dance Performance scholarship completing a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree. She then obtained her Master of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Modern Dance from the University of Oklahoma. Karen is a founding member of the Hartel Dance Group – an Oklahoma City based contemporary dance company, where she performs regularly. Additionally, she is a faculty member of the Summer Wind Youth Ballet program at OU. When she is not teaching, performing or auditioning, Karen enjoys running, yoga, tai chi, swimming, biking, knitting, reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her husband, Scott, and two daughters.

Contact Karen Boyd Bethel: karen.b.bethel-1@ou.edu

Michael D’Andre Childs received his degree in Musical Theatre from KD Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts in 2015. As an accomplished Director, Music Director, Choreographer, Actor and Entrepreneur, Michael has developed a professional reputation working with students across the United States.

His music directing credits include: Fiddler on the Roof at the University of North Texas; Chicken and Biscuits at Uptown Players, and Blues in the Night at Jubilee Theatre, among others. His directorial credits include: The Last 5 Years, Seussical, Sister Act, The Addams Family, and The Importance of Being Earnest. 

Michael is proud of his work as a teaching and performance artist with the Dallas Community Arts Program, promoting cultural awareness through Broadway inspired singing, acting and dance workshops and live vocal performances for underserved communities. 

Contact Michael: Michael.D.Childs-1@ou.edu

Paul is the director and co-writer of Igor Lipinski’s Piano Illusions which played the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2021, he received the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Professor of Excellence in the Arts Award from the University of Oklahoma. He teaches annually for Høyskolen Kristiania (Oslo, Norway) with additional residencies at Balletakademien (Göteborg, Sweden) the Danish Academy of Musical Theatre (Fredericia), the Joop van den Ende Academy (Hamburg), and the Stage School (Hamburg). He has lectured at the Music in Gotham American Musical Theater Conference (NYC), Song, Stage and Screen Conferences (Winchester and London), Musical Theatre Educators Alliance Conferences (Orlando and NYC) and Putting It Together: Teaching Musical Theatre in U.K. Higher Education (Bath). A graduate of Arizona State University (Tempe) and Wright State University (Dayton), he has also completed acting training with the Michael Chekhov Association. His articles on composer Hugh Martin and the musical Pal Joey were published in the journal Studies in Musical Theatre. He is also co-editor of the songbook: The Songs of Hugh Martin: From Broadway to Hollywood and The West End (Hal Leonard). Paul has worked on musicals across the United States from California to Maine, toured in Germany with Hair, and music directed the Toronto premiere of A Class Act. From 1994-2004, he music directed 24 productions for Music Theatre of Wichita and has served on the OU faculty since 1999.

Contact Paul Christman: pc@ou.edu

Rena is a Professor Emerita of voice, speech and dialects. She has taught at OU, Oklahoma State University and University of Kansas. She is a professional text and dialect coach, with over a 100 productions to her credit. She is a keynote and TEDx speaker on Empowering Women’s Voices; and the founder of Vocal Authority, helping politicians, attorneys, and CEOs use their voice in more commanding and authentic ways. She has an M.A. in Voice Studies from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, an M.F.A. in Directing. She is the author of four books including Voice and the Young Actor; Empower Your Voice: For Women in Business, Politics and Life; Her Voice in Law. She also teaches directing at the University of Houston on their summer MA for Theatre Teachers. Rena’s guilty pleasure is voicing video games and animation.

Lyn is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and has created shows for Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and Casa Mañana. A teacher and choreographer for three decades, Lyn is a Weitzenhoffer Endowed Professor specializing in tap, jazz and theatre dance styles. She was named the 2005 Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidential Professor of Excellence in the Arts by the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts. Lyn received her Master’s degree from the University of Texas in Directing. She has released ten instructional videos in tap for Cathy Roe Productions and her brand new book, "Creating Musical Theatre" includes great conversations with Broadway’s hottest Directors and Choreographers. In 2004, Lyn was honored with the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters Artistic Achievement Award.

Contact Lyn Cramer: lyncramer@ou.edu

Sam has been with OUMT team since 2021. He comes from Chicago where he worked professionally in the logistics and tech start up industries. In his freetime, he served as a freelance event coordinator, host and graphic designer for dozens of nightlife and Pride events across Chicago. In 2020, Sam was mentioned in TimeOut Chicago as one of “Chicago’s most notable LGBTQ+ figures.”  Sam holds a Bachelor's degree in Strategic Communication from Oklahoma State University. During his time at OSU, he worked with the admissions department as an admissions assistant and tour guide helping plan fundraising galas and recruiting fairs. He was also an intern with Saxum Communications and The Equality Network (now Freedom Oklahoma) and served as Oklahoma 4-H State President. Since 2022, he has served as an adjudicator for the Kelli O'Hara Awards and teaching assistant of fiber arts with Oklahoma Contemporary. In his free time, Sam enjoys volunteering, sewing, playing retro video games, and buying more books than he reads. As a native Oklahoman, he is happy to be back in Oklahoma to be closer to family (and Whataburger). 

Contact Sam Durbin: sam.durbin@ou.edu

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Scott graduated from Oklahoma City University with a BM and MM in Musical Theatre. His career has taken him to places across the USA as an actor and director. Some theatres of note are The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Stages St. Louis, Theatre by the Sea, Cape Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Merry Go Round Playhouse, Barnstormers Theatre, Media Theatre, New Bedford Festival Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, 11th Hour Theatre, and Florida Studio Theatre. Some productions of note are the NYC Premiere of the Jerome Kern musical, Cabaret Girl, The Metropolitan Opera premiere of War and Peace, and the regional premieres of Next to Normal and Tenderly - The Rosemary Clooney Musical. He can be randomly seen in the background on certain episodes of CSI, Las Vegas, or the illustrious and short-lived Nick (Lachey) and Jessica (Simpson) Variety Show. And for fans of the show Damages, yes, he is Luke Richards.

Scott continues to dabble in all facets of the business, having produced and directed Love, Love, Love - Celebrating the Beatles at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, directed and choreographed Forever Plaid at Theatre by the Sea and [title of show] at The Secret Theatre in NYC. Scott also recently directed Rent at the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University and A Year with Frog and Toad at Oklahoma State University.

Scott has since moved back to Oklahoma with his wife Lindsie, their son, Jed William, a rescue dog named Tallulah, and a rescue bunny, Moira Rose. He recently earned another graduate degree, this time a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the University of Idaho. He has taught on the faculties of University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Rider University, University of Central Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City University.

Contact Scott Guthrie: sguthrie@ou.edu

Associate Professor of Voice in the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre, Mandy Jiran is an active teacher, music director, and performer.

Mandy’s professional credits include Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Kansas City Starlight Theatre, Casa Mañana, Great Plains Theatre Festival, and the Main St. Theatre. She is a frequent soloist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, including co-starring with Tony nominee, Max Von Essen in the Philharmonic’s The Christmas Show. Her long relationship with the Philharmonic has afforded her the opportunity to sing under the direction of Maestro Joel Levine, current Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate, and frequent guest conductor, Jack Everly, the Principal Pops conductor of the Baltimore and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

She has worked on new musical theatre works with Adam Gwon, musical theatre writer with works produced Off Broadway, on six continents, and more than half a dozen languages, and Julia Jordan; the late Claibe Richardson, composer of the Broadway score The Grass Harp, showcasing legendary Barbara Cook, and Stephen Cole, and Broadway actor and new musical theatre lyricist, Scott Burkell.

Her music director credits include Legally Blonde and A Christmas Carol at the University of Oklahoma and numerous productions at the Sooner Theatre and Lyric Theatre’s Thelma Gaylord Academy. She has presented musical theatre workshops and master classes at the Orange County School of the Arts, Washington Thespians, Moonifieds, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has served on the faculty at OU since 2005.

Contact Mandy Jiran: mjiran@ou.edu

Originally from California, Mitzi LaBrie is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Science in Dance Management.  After graduation, she taught for the dance department at St. Gregory's University in Shawnee, Oklahoma under the direction of Liz Reiter. She took a hiatus from the fine arts to raise her three boys.

She’s worked for the Norman Public Schools as an Administrative Assistant and Financial Secretary for the Principal at Roosevelt Elementary. In 2022, she went back to her Alma Mater – OCU as an Academic Support Specialist, where she was able to utilize her arts management skills. She currently teaches dance at Premiere Dance in Norman. 
Mitzi has a passion for dance, teaching, and arts management, and is excited to be joining OUMT.

Contact Mitzi LaBrie: mitzid@ou.edu

Vince is a veteran of over fifty professional productions at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and Kansas City Starlight, including The Producers with Brad Oscar and Roger Bart, The Drowsy Chaperone with Emily Skinner, and Annie with Beth Leavel. He is the 2018 recipient of the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidential Professor of Excellence in the Arts. Vince has appeared as a guest artist with the Kansas City Symphony, the Cedar Rapids Symphony, and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, for whom he also directs the POPS Chorale. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Vince earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma City University.

Contact Vince Leseney: vleseney@ou.edu

Harold is an actor, adjudicator, director, music director, teacher, Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Senior Specialist. He directed the South African premieres of Violet (2018), Spring Awakening (Johannesburg/Pretoria, 2011), and Songs for a New World (2016) featured at the South Africa National Arts Festival. Harold’s director/music director and/or principal performance role credits include Anything Goes (Billy); Avenue ; Batboy; Carousel(Billy); Company(Larry); Dogfight, The Fantasticks!; The Full Monty; A Grand Night for Singing(Man 2); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2008, 2010); La Cage Aux Folles; The Music Man(Harold); My Fair Lady(Higgins); Oklahoma!(Curly); OKC Philharmonic's Christmas Show (Chorale); Pump Boys and Dinettes (Jackson); Smokey Joe’s Café; The Sound of Music (Capt. Von Trapp); Sunday in the Park with George; Sweeney Todd (Anthony); Thoroughly Modern Millie; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Panch); The Wild Party (Lippa version); and The World Goes Round. Harold has served on the faculty at the University of Washington, University of Connecticut, Connecticut College, AMDA, and Ball State University (Head of the musical theatre program for seven years). He has given presentations at the Fulbright International Convention, KCACTF Regions IV and VI, and thespian conferences. He has also served as guest artist/director/faculty at Tshwane University, Oakfields College, and the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Harold serves as Associate Dean with the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts and is a Weitzenhoffer Endowed Professor in Musical Theatre Performance with the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre. He has been part of the OUMT faculty since 2011 and was Interim Director for the School from 2016-2018. He earned his Doctoral and Master's degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Washington and was recently recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the School of Music faculty from his alma mater, Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.  Dr. Mortimer recently directed I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change in April 2021 for the OUMT Downtown Series as well as J.S. Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona for the OU School of Music in November 2021. In November 2023, he will be directing Stephen Sondheim's Assassins for the OUMT Downtown Series.

Contact Harold R. Mortimer: hrmortimer@ou.edu

Michelle Rambo has been teaching dance for 11 years, which includes styles of hip hop, jazz/funk, contemporary, jazz and tap. She has Bachelor’s degrees in Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma, and Kinesiology from East Central University (ECU).  Michelle became the artistic director for East Central’s Dance minor program and has been fortunate to choreograph for the well-known professional Race Dance Company in Oklahoma City. She has also choreographed national hip hop pom routines for McLennan Community College and the University of Oklahoma and was a guest artist at the Soul De Soul Dance Convention. Other teaching venues include the American College Dance Association at Southeast Missouri State University and Anderson Indiana University. Michelle’s talents have been showcased during the pre-game performance for the Oklahoma City Thunder and at Disney World in Orlando.

Contact Michelle Rambo: michelle.n.rambo-1@ou.edu

Michael is a pianist, musical director, and multi-instrumentalist from Norman, OK. Recent engagements include Music Director: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Pollard Theatre Company); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Songs for a New World; OUMT Freshman Showcase 2019 (University of Oklahoma); The Great American Trailer Park Musical; The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical; Christmas With The Crawfords; Scrooge in Rouge (The Boom, Oklahoma City). Associate Music Director: A New Brain (University of Oklahoma); West Side Story; Disney's When You Wish; Dreamgirls (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma). Michael holds a lecturer position as Staff Accompanist at the University of Oklahoma Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre. Michael has also worked at OU’s School of Music as accompanist for University Chorale, and Repetiteur for opera productions of Songs of Hope; Così fan tutte and The Golden Cockerel. Recently he performed as a featured piano soloist with the Vitam Musica Orchestra, and has performed as an orchestral pianist in the Norman Philharmonic and the Vitam Musica Orchestra. He also serves as music director, pianist, and "co-managing diva" for the Oklahoma City chapter of Opera On Tap. Michael has regularly performed as a keyboardist and vocalist in local bands such as the Damn Quails, ADDverse Effects, Bungalouski, Henna Roso, Biscuits and Groovy, and Carly Gwin and the Sin, and holds a weekly residency with “The Wednesday Band” at the Deli in Norman. He studied clarinet performance at the Boston Conservatory for a year, and completed a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Oklahoma in 2018.

Contact Michael Stafford: michael91stafford@ou.edu

Max is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s School of Drama, and the largest contributor to the OU fine and performing arts. In 1998, Mr. Weitzenhoffer provided the funding to begin the Weitzenhoffer Department of Musical Theatre at OU, a program that has quickly risen to become one of the most prestigious training grounds for musical theatre artists in the country. Mr. Weitzenhoffer is a highly acclaimed independent producer of over 50 productions in New York and London. His accomplishments include two Tony Awards, the 2001 Olivier Award (England’s equivalency of the Tony) for producing Defending the Caveman, (and a 2013 Olivier Award for Best Revival). He now serves as a visiting professor and consultant for the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.

Contact Max Weitzenhoffer: max.weitzenhoffer@ou.edu