Kandace Cleland

Executive Director

Kandace Cleland has 35 years of experience in teaching theater, musical theater and English literature. She graduated from Kent State University in 1998 with a BA in theater and an MAT in education and taught Theatre in the public school setting in Canfield, Ohio. She continues to write one act musicals and original holiday shows for Stage Left Players, and as a newly retired teacher, has fully immersed herself in teaching after school workshops in acting and design.

Jodine Pilmer

Resident Music Director

Jodine Pilmer has more than 45 years experience as a teacher and music director. She graduated from Westminster College with a Bachelor's in music and did graduate work at the University of Michigan. Ms. Pilmer writes the music for the Stage Left original series of childrens' musicals. She also serves as church organist and music director for the New Lisbon Presbyterian Church.

Jacob Ward

Visual Arts Coordinator

Jacob provides design insight and support to the Stage Left Players team. A native of Kensington, Ohio, Jacob has grown up at SLP since he was six years old, and has served on the creative teams for many of our productions including Stage Left Player's annual youth theatre summer camp. Jacob received a BA in Art and Theatre from the University of Mount Union and his Masters in Art Education for the Art of Education University. Jacob currently teaches Visual Art and Digital Photography at Clearview High School in Lorain, OH.

Christine Martin

Choreographer

Christine Martin has over 25 years of experience in teaching dance professionally in studio, theater and school settings. She studied ballet with Inna Stabrova, and holds several dance certifications, including Acrobatic Arts, Hip Hop Experience, Relative Motion Experience, and DancemED (health and injury prevention for dancers).

Christine has experience teaching multiple styles of dance to all ages, including ballet, tap, jazz, acro, baton, lyrical, hip hop, Irish step, and ballroom. She also has extensive experience in inclusive dance, teaching dancers of all abilities, including wheelchair dance and Special Olympics gymnastics.

Christine owns and operates the Leap of Faith Dance Studio at the Trinity Playhouse.

Paul Dahman

Acting and Improv Coach

Stage Left's Master Teacher, Paul Dahman, began dabbling in the ancient art of improv comedy after watching just one too many episodes of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" He started training seriously at the tender age of 19. He trained with Mainstage Improv in Columbus, before leading and training young padawans of his own for two years.

Paul interned with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC, a comedy school created, in part, by Amy Poehler. He trained more (because you always continue to learn) with Good Ghosts Improv in NYC. They performed exclusively at the COW Theatre in 2015. Moving back to Youngstown in 2016, he got involved in community theatre. In 2017 he joined and began to help teach improv to the members of The Dinner Theatre Rejects, the area's premier comedy group and talented padawans.

Paul serves as Transition SSA with Columbiana Board of Disabilities.

Daniel Huston

Lighting Design Consultant

Daniel Huston is a professional lighting designer and production manager based out of New York City. He has worked extensively in NYC and throughout the Midwest, designing and managing companies ranging from opera and theatre to dance and retail. Some highlights of his career include: Production Manager for J2 Spotlight Musical Theatre (off-Broadway), Production Manager and Resident Lighting Designer for the Ohio Light Opera, Lighting Designer for Spaeth Designs Inc. where he has designed display windows for most of the major department stores in NYC, and Resident Lighting Designer for Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theatre (NYC). In addition to his work professionally, he has taught at several colleges and universities across the country.

Will Flannigan

Web Admin & Storytelling Coach

Will made his stage debut in fourth grade. Since then he's made audiences laugh at his jokes in Phoenix, Tempe, Arizona, New York and Northeast Ohio. And stand-up comedy is just his hobby.

​Will has spent much of his career in media, working with some of the most notable news organizations in the world as a digital strategist, SEO and an audience engagement specialist.

During the COVID lockdown of 2020 he produced, directed and wrote for a comedy news show which was filmed entirely remotely.

Will studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Kent State University, helped coach young poets with the Wick Poetry Center and has guest taught for several multimedia and writing classes at Arizona State University.

He currently works as a Senior SEO Editor for The Wall Street Journal, and occasionally writes a column.

John Diddle

Lighting Designer / Director

John’s journey into the arts, specifically lighting design, began during Stage Left Players’ production of Breaking Up Is Hard to Do. From that initial experience, he discovered a profound passion for storytelling through light.

Since then, John has worked with SLP’s Lighting Consultant Daniel Huston to learn the art of theatrical lighting and develop design skills that he’s used to light dozens of productions.

Each project challenges him to explore new artistic possibilities, and he finds immense joy in collaborating with talented teams to bring stories to life. His lighting journey is a cornerstone of his artistic identity, showcasing his ability to craft atmosphere and emotion on stage.

John is an accomplished photographer and the owner of Hocus Focus