Our Team
Courtney Lowe: President
The arts have always played a central role in Courtney Lowe's life. She spent her childhood in Virginia studying voice, taking dance classes, and going from one theatrical production to the next. She stepped back from performing while studying Public Relations and Psychology at Virginia Tech. While in college she continued her vocal training and began teaching private lessons of her own. She also met her husband and fellow HPCT Board member Matt. After graduation, Courtney accepted a position in Communications with State Farm Insurance in Charlottesville, Virginia. During that time she performed with the Ash Lawn Highland Summer Music Festival, along with some professional dinner theatre companies. She also started Sunshine Generation of Charlottesville, a children's performance group, as a way to stay connected to her love of the arts (and children). After a few short years, Courtney and Matt were relocated to North Carolina where Courtney assumed responsibility for the Company's media relations, legislative relations, and community relations efforts across the state. After the birth of her sons, Dylan and Christian, she made the decision to leave the corporate world to homeschool her boys and to teach Kindermusik and private voice and piano lessons out of their home. In 2011, her then 7-year-old, Dylan, expressed an interest in theatre. Courtney found an audition notice for HPCT's production of "Oliver!", took Dylan... and so began the relationship between the Lowe family and HPCT. Courtney joined the HPCT Board in 2014 and became the Vice-President in 2015. She has served as President since 2017. Courtney has directed, music directed, or appeared in over 125 community and professional theatre productions across Virginia and North Carolina. In addition to owning/operating Courtney's Voice & Piano Studio, she is a Travel Advisor with Magical Vacation Planner and is the Director/Music Director of HPCT's The Troupe. In August 2021, Courtney will be starting the middle and high school Theatre program at Phoenix Academy. Courtney believes in finding your passion and following it. HPCT is so much more than a "community theatre" to Courtney. It is her home. Filled with people she loves, sharing their passion for the arts and bringing a touch of magic to life.
Mike Lasley:
Vice President
Mike has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and a Master’s & Doctorate in Percussion Performance from UNCG. He has been teaching at North Carolina A&T State University since 2007. Mike has music directed and/or directed over 50 productions in the Triad. His first production with HPCT was our 1st annual production of “A Christmas Carol the Musical” in 2015. He immediately realized how special HPCT is and joined the HPCT Board of Directors in 2017. He spends much of his theatre life comfortably leading from an orchestra pit but has also been seen on stage.
“There is something special and magical about theatre that is difficult to articulate. Maybe it’s that when all the elements of good storytelling come together, we lose ourselves in the moment of the play and are transported away from our daily responsibilities and interruptions. When it happens, I find myself a kid again, lost in the happiness of my imagination. The arts and arts education are some of the most important parts of our lives at every age. As ‘A Christmas Carol’ reminds me each year, music and theatre have brought me ‘Families created by friendship as well as by birth.’”
Wilson Mericle: Treasurer
Wilson Mericle received his BA in Music from Davidson College and Masters in Library and Information Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). He is currently the Assistant Store and Textbook Manager for Elon University Bookstore. Wilson has been singing for most of his life and caught the theatre bug early on. Wilson started performing with community theatres in middle school when he played the dead bodies in “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Since then, he has performed in plays, musicals, and operas and never plans to stop. Wilson fell back into musicals, after a small break during grad school, when he met his husband Mike Lasley. With several gentle pushes, Mike convinced him to join the 2017 cast of “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” with HPCT. He has either performed in or worked behind the scenes for every HPCT production since. Wilson joined the Board of Directors in 2019 and has since taken over as Treasurer.
“HPCT is much more than a community theatre. It is a group that brings together diverse, passionate, fun, caring people and creates a true community. Wilson found a new family at HPCT and looks forward to making theatre magic for years to come.”
Linnea Bethany Coon: Secretary
Linnea Bethany Coon has been a teacher for over 15 years. She has been involved with performing arts her whole life; from taking dance to learning to play violin in 3rd grade, performing in her middle school musicals, and teaching voice lessons in the community. Linnea joined the board in February of 2020.
“The performing arts community is a great outlet for people of all ages and backgrounds. Being a part of the HPCT board allows me to help ensure that High Point and the surrounding communities have the best opportunities to not only perform but also be involved with the arts in their community!”
Eric Gagliardo
Eric Gagliardo got his sewing abilities from his grandmother and mother. He loves the joy that the costumes bring the cast. Eric became involved with HPCT when his niece began auditioning along with his nephew. Before his creations showed up on stage he found his happiness sewing outfits for friends and family. He is delighted to share his love of costuming with HPCT.
Graham Harrington
Graham Harrington joined the board in 2023. She is a High Point native who started working with HPCT in 2016. She is currently the Director of Finance and Human Resources at SE Logo Wear and Southeast Casino Parties in Winston-Salem. Graham graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in Finance. Outside of work and theatre, she enjoys music, baking desserts, and biking at Carolina Beach.
Oliver Helsabeck
A lover of theatre, music, and singing for all his life, Oliver was active in church choir, participated in musicals in high school, and directed two shows with a student group in college. But then he took a 25 year hiatus from theatre before auditioning for his first community theatre show, HPCT's "My Fair Lady" in 2017, thanks to the loving encouragement of his late wife, Susan, and musically-talented daughter, Elizabeth. At HPCT, Oliver discovered a creative outlet for his love of theatre, a second family, and another way of being in community. He happily joined the HPCT Board of Directors in 2018. A graduate of Appalachian State University and Duke University Divinity School, Oliver is Associate Minister for Congregational Care at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem.
“For me, participating in community theatre has shown me how vital and important the arts and freedom of expression are to our community as a whole. Through theatre, people from all across our communities can use their God-given talents to tell important stories, to provide joy and much-needed laughter, and to celebrate the human spirit. The arts reveal who we are, and maybe more importantly, who we can be.”
Matt Lowe
Matt Lowe's love of theater began in high school. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Communication Studies and Theatre. While at Tech, he met and fell in love with his neighbor, Courtney. After graduation, Matt began working for State Farm Insurance and he and Courtney married in 1999. In 2002, Matt and Courtney moved to the Triad and opened the Matt Lowe State Farm Insurance Agency. Matt became involved with High Point Community Theatre in 2011 when his son Dylan was cast in "Oliver!" He joined the Board of Directors in 2013 and has been designing and building sets and props ever since! Matt spends just about every weekend at Centennial Station drawing, cutting, hammering or painting...and he wouldn't want it any other way. HPCT has become a second family for Matt and his family and he feels very blessed to be part of such a special group.
Kristina Railsback
As an educator for close to two decades, Kristina loves sharing her passion for theater with children and teens. She has music directed and directed many youth shows for High Point Community Theatre over the past several years. She also has performed onstage with High Point Community Theatre and other organizations throughout the Triad. Serving on the board for the last six years, she is glad to be a part of HPCT's mission to educate the next generation of performers and reach out to our community. She strongly believes that arts are for everyone, and being involved in theater can enrich the lives of all young people. With an MA in Education, by day she teaches English and Literature to middle schoolers as well as teaching English as a Second Language to adults. Kristina also teaches private piano and voice lessons and coaches her school's speech club.
Maria Schnaith-Ivan
Maria’s love for the arts was instilled in her as a child through an appreciation for visual arts and theater productions. Her first venture on stage was in middle school, but it wasn’t until her children started performing that her love for theater was reignited. In the summer of 2022, her children participated in an HPCT summer camp and her family discovered the embracing, nurturing, and welcoming community of the organization, and never left. Since then, Maria has performed in several shows with her whole family and worked backstage. She joined the HPCT board of directors in June 2023. Maria is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. She grew up in Mexico and Brazil and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese fluently. When not at HPCT, Maria is a Talent Advisor for a company out of Winston-Salem, where she’s been since 2007. Maria is excited to contribute to an organization that aims to inspire and educate the current and next generation in the area of performing arts, making it accessible to everyone.
Ryan Schnaith-Ivan
Ryan became involved with HPCT through his children and their love for the stage. Their passion became a full-family affair with everyone getting out on stage, helping backstage, making costumes and sets, and simply being a part of the great community that HPCT is. Ryan has followed his children (and wife) onstage in multiple HPCT productions and loves being able to share that experience with his family. He has always had an affinity for the arts, being a visual artist as well as a percussionist growing up. Ryan graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and has since gotten Masters degrees in Counseling and in Educational Leadership. When not spending time at HPCT, Ryan is a high school counselor in Guilford County as well as a soccer and swimming coach. He enjoys being able to utilize his creative and artistic skills with an organization that cares deeply about its people and the community.
Kristi WIRTH
Kristi Wirth is the Manager of a retail store. She joined the Board of Directors six years ago after moving back to the area and performing in Oklahoma with HPCT. She helped start and is the Choreographer and financial coordinator for HPCT’s The Troupe. With over 40 years of dance experience she can typically be found choreographing and stage managing shows with HPCT.