Franco Weaver is a multi-disciplinary artist living in Seattle, Washington. Growing up, he utilized theatre, visual arts, and dance classes to develop a performance-art mindset. While receiving his BFA in Musical Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts in 2023, Franco was an intern for the Village Theatre Kidstage as a costume designer as well as a teaching artist with Intiman Theatre's K-6 summer program "South End Stories". During his senior year at Cornish, Franco collaborated with radio artist and activist Noelani Tonaltzin to create "Play Date"; a senior thesis about letting go of judgement or perfection and allowing ourselves to play with music, art, dance, writing, and puppetry.

Since graduating college, Franco has performed in various theatres in the Seattle area as an actor and dancer, as well as a costume and props designer for both youth and main-stage theatres. Franco is pleased to be a teacher at MMPA, putting his patience-driven teaching style to work. Franco's favorite thing about teaching is that he continues to learn every day.

Harrison Lurie (he/him) is a recent graduate from Whitman College with a degree in music (Jazz guitar/production and technology). Born and raised in West Seattle, his passion for performing arts began at a young age, and he has been singing, acting, and jamming out ever since.

On the side, he has always been an avid player of tabletop RPG games like Dungeons and Dragons, and has spent countless hours sharing his love for the game with everyone!

He has taught drama, music, and games for many years, and plans to pursue a master's in education. Harrison wants to help others use music and drama as a path for learning, just as he did.

Jaelin (she/her) was born and raised in Los Angeles, California but has been in Seattle since fall of 2021. She has been working with kids since early high school as a theatre director, improv coach, and dungeon master and has found a deep love for the combination of children and structured creativity. In her free time, Jaelin enjoys making music and playing dungeons with friends.

Dejha Colantuono (she/her) was born in New York City to Jazz musicians, Dejha absorbed the intricate sounds surrounding her. Her earliest exposure to melody, feel and rhythm developed organically in the bohemian environments of NYC Jazz clubs, concert halls and in the comfort of her family’s lofts where her parents often had “house concerts” and her mother taught vocal jazz workshops regularly. She emulated the sounds of some of the greatest composers of classic, experimental and improvisational Jazz, eventually discovering and connecting with rock n roll and more contemporary popular music.

Dejha is a skilled songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, but her most arresting talent is her remarkable voice, described as both raw and uplifting. Dejha plays bass, piano/keyboards, and guitar and has evolved her signature dynamic vocal style - capable of moving from a bold sensual growl to a warmer, delicate, soulful touch. She has amassed a sizable music catalog, fronted multiple bands, launched a music production company, toured extensively, and has appeared as a guest artist on many projects. Her style ranges from soul to rock, pop to R&B, Punk to New Wave, finding inspiration in artists spanning genres; most indelibly being her mother, Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist and educator, Jay Clayton.

Dejha cut her teeth in the Seattle music scene performing in bands by age 15. She went on to study at Cornish College of the Arts as a vocal Jazz major where she honed her craft as she established her presence as a musical tour de force in the Pacific Northwest rock scene of the 90s.

Being a yoga instructor in NYC for the past 7 years, Dejha has a deep background in mindful creativity, which is incorporated in her approach to teaching music. She aims to support her students in finding their own musical voice with a foundation in mindfulness and presence of heart.

Stellar Bigatel (they/he) is a twenty-year-old musician and artist, who originally started out as a student at MODE ten years ago. They are now happy to be working as a teaching artist for MODE, running improv and DND classes. 

Stellar was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and has been involved with the arts since they were very young, including visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and more! They have been working with kids since they were a teenager, and have always enjoyed it. They are currently attending Seattle Central, studying English. On the side, they continue to dabble in visual arts, and are hoping to start a band with their friends soon!

Sophia Hume(she/her) is a multi-styled dancer. She has been trained in everything, from ballet and hip-hop to jazz. She is a senior at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences and will head off to college next year. She is passionate about dance and all the fantastic things dance can bring to a space. She has been dancing since she was three years old and has loved every second. She focuses on having fun and enjoying the movement she is partaking in. The dance room is a space to let all your energy go and to express yourself through movement. Outside of dance, she loves hanging out with her friends, traveling with her family, and hanging out with her dog, Dave.

Priya Hendry (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate artist currently pursuing a degree in Drama Performance and Law, Societies, and Justice at the University of Washington. She is deeply passionate about the accessibility of arts education and believes that theater has the power to make and change worlds. Her classroom centers joy, community, and the belief that creativity requires “failure” far more often than “success.” Outside of performing, teaching, and going to school, she loves to read and spoil her cat, Pumpkin. 

Leah Natale (she/her) is a professional musician, producer, educator, and director. She has released three well-received albums including “My Someday,” which was recorded with a 10-piece jazz orchestra, Swing Easy, a collection of jazz standards, and Second Set, recorded with Ambience Jazz, her regular band specializing in classic jazz, Brazilian and other Latin genres. Leah is a two-time nominee for Earshot Magazine’s Vocalist of the Year, and she is the 2013 winner of the Seattle/Kobe Femail Vocalist of the year. She has studied with Paul Sills the co-founder of Second City and was a founding member of Act Now Improv in Madison, Wisconsin. She also founded the Horizon Youth Performing Arts Program in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Brad is a musician from Seattle with 23 years experience playing guitar and performing in most genres. He has been giving freelance music lessons for four years with students of all age groups. He lived in Madrid, Spain from 2018 to 2020 and played extensively in all styles including, flamenco, jazz, country, blues, rock, rockabilly and surf guitar.  He continued giving guitar lessons while living abroad which was a valuable learning experience as a music teacher.   He also grew up in a large musical family which includes his great grandfather Paul Tutmarc who is credited as the inventor of the first electric bass, the Audio Vox Bass Fiddle in 1932. His son, my grandfather Bud Tutmarc also had a lifelong music career as an accomplished steel guitar player that included the recording of over twenty five albums in the genre of Hawaiian steel guitar.

His teaching philosophy is based mostly on the idea of song oriented learning. It's important to listen to the student, and make sure they are playing the songs they want to play. I feel students maintain their enthusiasm for the instrument when they are able to measure their progress through learned songs. This simultaneously teaches them chords and the fundamentals of music theory without overly technical theory exercises and ideas.

Kelley is a native of Washington state and has been performing since the age of 8. With a deep-rooted passion for the performing arts, she has trained in musical theater, performance drama, contemporary, and ballet dance. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to perform at renowned venues such as the Paramount and Moore Theater, Meydenbaurer Theater, the former Key Arena, the Kirkland Performance Arts Center, and the Pantages Theater.

Kelley has taken on a variety of roles throughout her career, including Tracy Turnblad (U/S) in Hairspray, Little Becky Twoshoes in Urinetown, and the Witch in Once Upon A Matress. These roles have allowed her to showcase her exceptional talents and versatile abilities as a performer.

In recognition of her outstanding vocal abilities, Kelley was a Soprano vocalist finalist in a masterclass taught by Franc D'Ambrosio, known for his roles in the Godfather movies and on Broadway. This experience further solidified Kelley's vocal prowess and fueled her passion for honing her skills.

Kelley's talents have not gone unnoticed on the big screen either. She was a Seattle finalist on the hit TV show The X Factor on Fox Television and appeared on the Ruby Show, gaining recognition and acclaim on a national scale.

Outside of her artistic pursuits, Kelley is a graduate of Bellevue University and is currently pursuing a degree in Social Work. She envisions combining her passion for teaching and education with her love for the performing arts, creating a safe haven for her students to explore their creativity and find solace on stage.

Kelley's journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication, immense talent, and desire to make a difference in the lives of others. With her infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy, she is set to make a lasting impact on the Mode Music family and the wider performing arts community. In her free time, Kelley enjoys aerial arts, drawing, painting, writing short plays and stories, reading, and playing Dungeons and Dragons in character. (of course)

With her diverse range of skills and experiences, Kelley brings a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge to her role at Mode Music. She is excited to share her passion for the arts and to inspire others to explore their own creative potential.

Kelley's passion for social justice and human rights is evident in her altruistic nature. She is a fierce proponent of equality and fairness, and she strives to make the world a better place for all. With a mission policy of philanthropy and a deep-rooted desire to provide care wherever it is needed, Kelley is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Whether it's through her work in social work or her endeavors in the performing arts, Kelley seeks to uplift and empower those around her. She believes in the power of art and creativity to inspire change and create a more inclusive society. Her commitment to teaching and education is driven by her belief in the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of creating safe spaces for individuals to express themselves.

Kelley's passion for social justice extends beyond her professional endeavors. In her personal life, she actively engages in community service and actively supports various causes and organizations that align with her values. She believes in the power of collective action and understands that change begins at the grassroots level.

Kelley's dedication to making a difference in the world is not only admirable but also serves as an inspiration to those around her. Her unwavering commitment to using her talents and skills for the betterment of society is a testament to her character and values. As she continues her journey with Mode Music and pursues her MSW, Kelley is poised to create a lasting impact and contribute to a more just and compassionate world.

Lizbett values boldness, creativity, connection, joy, and transparency. She has an academic background in women of color feminisms, liberatory arts practices, and community and social change. Dr. Benge works with young, foster care systems-involved people, facilitating arts-based social-emotional learning projects and experiential political education.

Lizbett has taught mixed media expressive arts courses for 8 years, performing arts classes for 7 years, and is a Kennedy Center Arts Integrated Teaching Artist. She loves being part of creative processes and learning with people.

In October 2022 Lizbett initiated the first phase of her decade-long science-fiction community-based abolitionist circus dinner theatre experience. Her upcoming projects include creating queer feminist burlesque + wrestling + performance art experiences and launching Starstuff, a global arts pop-up festival.

Claira Eastwood (she/her) is a teaching artist, actor, and stage manager based in Seattle. She is a current graduate student at Seattle Pacific University working towards her Masters in Teaching.

Her work is primarily process-based with a special focus on social-emotional learning and overall wellness. Her favorite classes to teach are improv and anything creative play based.

Aside from being the Arts Enrichment Coordinator for and Teaching Artist with Mode Music and Performing Arts, Claira also teaches with the Seattle Children’s Theatre and does spoken word poetry throughout the Seattle area.

Nathaniel Lee (he/him) is a 4th year at the University of Washington studying Education and Drama. He started performing in theatre in the 11th grade, quickly finding a passion for it.

He's performed with local production companies such as University of Washington Stage Notes (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Redmond Academy of Theatre Arts (A Chorus Line & Sweeney Todd), and Ballyhoo Theatre (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever & Ride the Cyclone).

Nathaniel strives to become a high school drama teacher in order to provide a safe and encouraging space for students to fall in love with theatre.

Outside of MMPA, Nathaniel also teaches classes at the Redmond Academy of Theatre Arts, having taught acting and stage combat. He also works for the UW Huskies Football Team as a video worker. He is so grateful for such an amazing opportunity to work with MMPA!

John has been playing the drums since 1999. He started out playing rock music in high school, and since then, he has played in various bands and open jam sessions in the Seattle area. One of his most memorable musical experiences was hosting community jam sessions in Tecate, México in 2016.

He is fluent in Spanish, which he studied at the University of Washington and the University of Salamanca in Spain, and taught for about five years at bilingual immersion schools in Seattle and Tacoma.

Some of John’s favorite musical genres are death metal, surf rock, and psychedelic cumbia. In addition to being a music educator, he is also a visual artist and enjoys painting murals and building sculptures.

Andie Ades (they/she) is a musician hailing from Kent, Washington and based in Central Seattle. She has been singing since she could talk and storytelling since she learned to write.

They are a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, where they studied vocal performance and creative writing. From singing in operas, theatrical productions, choirs and acapella groups, to performing with rock n roll bands, jazz bands, and producing independent synthpop projects—Andie has experience with a broad variety of music and is thrilled to share her knowledge and love for music with the brilliant and brazen younger generation.

Outside of singing and composing, Andie makes collage art, embroidery and enjoys reading short fiction.

Olivia (she/her) has been acting since the age of 9 and is currently studying performing arts at the University of Washington. She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon where she attended high school and participated in shows such as Fiddler on the Roof and CLUE.

In her free time she is an avid enjoyer of fashion, music, and crafting. She has a deep love of creativity as well as personal expression through art. One day she hopes to start a therapy program that uses acting and performing arts to help young adults.

Her teaching style is tailored to each group depending on what best fits their learning styles. She finds it important to highlight the concepts of why we create art and what makes a "good performer" all doing what she loves.

Veronique was introduced to the piano at the age of 7. She was born and raised in Marseille, France. She was trained classically and attended her city conservatory from 11 to 17 years old. She moved to Seattle at age 22 as an Au Pair to become fluent in English.

Veronique eventually met her husband Chris Littlefield, a professional, local musician. She’s always been passionate about early childhood education and taught preschool for the last 20 years. As well as continuing to play the piano as an adult, she learned to play the ukulele and enjoys singing in French, English and Portuguese.

She is currently tutoring French to students of all ages and is passionate about teaching, connecting with her students, and finding ways to teach each student (young and old) in their best learning styles.

Jared's love of music began in elementary school, always jumping at the opportunity for a solo, or auditioning for honor choir. His interests shifted to drums and percussion in middle school, where he found a position in his church's youth group band for a few years. Jared transitioned back to choir in high school. He joined honor choir, all state choir, and spring musicals, and eventually found a love for songwriting, which led him to Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Jared was able to take private voice, guitar, and piano lessons, enhancing his abilities in both songwriting and playing parts in studio sessions. In 2010, Jared graduated with a degree in Music Business, with an emphasis on Songwriting. He released his debut album, The Maiden Voyage, two years later. In 2014, Jared signed an independent publishing deal with Catch This Music. Between 2015 and 2020, he was performing between 100 to 150 tour dates a year, building towards dreams of owning his own studio and space. His newest releases include The Last Gemini in 2017 and This Week-Last Year in 2020.