Our Teaching Team
ANNA KLEIN
Born and raised in Seattle, Anna developed a love for theatre at a young age, making
her performance debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the age of seven. She has
continued her love of theatre throughout her life and has since graduated from the
University of Redlands, earning honors degrees in English Literature and Theatre
Arts. She also received a semester diploma in Classical Acting in 2018 from the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Throughout Anna’s artistic career,
she’s worked as an actor, director, dramaturge, stage manager, and more, but has
found her true calling in theatre education. While working as an arts educator, Anna
has developed workshops in performance, intimacy direction, and classical text and
directed several youth productions, including The Phantom Tollbooth, Romeo and
Juliet, She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms, and The Tempest.
DJ BRIGGS
DJ Briggs has been working in the arts upwards of 10 years. Her work began as a child and as she grew so did her passion for theatre. Their background stems from youth theatre camps as a camper, councilor, and teaching artist. DJ has had a hand in all aspects of the craft, including acting, stage management, technical direction, carpentry, sound, lights, and now directing. They do it all! DJ has been with Stone Soup since the summer of 2022 after receiving their Bachelors of Fine Arts from Cornish. They strive to provide the support and encouragement that she received as a young artist in hopes to continue the growth and cultivation of the theatrical arts.
Beverly Poole
Beverly Poole has been a resident of Seattle and a lover of local theatre her whole life. She graduated from the UW in 2013 with a BA in theatre, and several years teaching already under her belt. She has continued to work around the city as an Actor, Director, and occasionally as a prop maker with REBATEnsemble, the Seattle Public Theatre, and Primrose players, among other companies, and can be seen practicing her craft in Murder Mysteries with the American Immersive Theatre. She joined up with Stone Soup Theatre in 2016, and has loved every minute of it since. Beverly loves improv, comedy, Shakespeare, myths and legends, and musicals (Especially with the youngest kids!), and loves passing on her expertise to every age group.
Ellen Dressler Smith
Ellen Dessler Smith started working with Stone Soup in the Spring of 2019. She is a local actor/ director who has worked on many stages around town including (but not limited to): Village Theatre, Seattle Musical Theatre, ArtsWest, Bainbridge Island Performing Arts, and is on the board of ReAct where she performed in School House Rock: Live! last fall for the 3rd time. She has toured schools around the country with Living Voices and Small Change Original Theatre. And works with The Criminal Justice Training Center, UW Medical Center, Effective Arts, and Life Center NorthWest as a scenario actor.
TIM TAKECHI
Tim has been a part of the Stone Soup Theatre family since 2008. His involvement has mostly come in the form of creating theatrical fun with kids outside during the hot summer months. When he isn’t doing Summer Stage, Tim can be seen onstage at various theatres across the Puget Sound region.
His acting credits include “Theatre Magic: And Other Things We Need” at Centerstage, “The Antipodes” at Short Order Theatre Company, “Goldendale” and “Handle with Care” at Burien Actor’s Theatre, “The White Snake” at ReAct Theatre, “The Pillowman” at Tacoma Little Theatre, “For Better” at Phoenix Theatre, “Waltz of the Toreadors” at Dukesbay Productions, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” and “Snow Falling on Cedars” at Bainbridge Performing Arts, and “Cannibal! The Musical” at Unexpected Productions. He has also worked extensively with Turbo Turkey Productions, a local sketch comedy troupe.
When he’s not doing theatre, Tim works as a nonprofit marketing/communications professional.Tess Berger graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 2020 where she received a BA in Theatre Arts and Business. In her time at university, she received a well-balanced theatre education including acting, directing, theatre history, dramaturgy, and more. Tess was the president of both the improv team and musical theatre club, where she got the opportunity to learn teaching skills in both. Tess has previously directed several children’s productions in her hometown of Oakland, California, including a musical variation on a Midsummer Night’s Dream. She loves working with children specifically because she believes theatre offers unique opportunities for each individual child depending on their needs — whether they are a natural performer or need help coming out of their shell, or anything in between. In addition to working at Stone Soup, Tess is also a graphic designer.
Zoe Stadler
Zoe is so excited to be teaching with Stone Soup. She deeply believes in power of theatre to connect children to a community of friends and their authentic selves. Previously, she assisted classes at Oregon Children’s Theatre, taught at various outdoor camps, and served on the student theatre board at her university. She is a graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Theatre Arts and a concentration in Educational Theatre.