Our Staff

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Erin Bakken


Erin Bakken   (Co-Director)  is the Executive Artistic Director of Valley Student Theatre! Erin has directed all of Valley Student Theatre’s productions ever since it was founded in 2019 and has directed East Granby’s various summer theatre programs since 2013. She also has directed the Granby Memorial High School and Middle School productions since 2024. Her favorite roles include Bea in Something Rotten, Paulette in Legally Blonde, Miss Honey inMatilda, Gertrude in Seussical, and Madame de la Grande Bouche in Beauty and the Beast.  A big thank you to the one and only Julie, her incredible creative team, this amazing group of kids who hold her heart, the Valley Student Theatre board of directors, and the parent volunteers for their support and hard work behind the scenes! Shout out to her husband Zach, her parents, and friends- you guys are the best.

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Julie Thouin


Julie Thouin (Co-Director) returns again this summer as co-director, alongside Erin, her longtime creative partner and best friend. Valley Student Theatre holds a special place in her heart, and it has become one of her favorite places to bring art to the stage. Previous directing credits include Les Misérables and SpongeBob SquarePants with VST and Be More Chill and The Little Mermaid with Opera House Players. Though she didn’t start performing until she was in college, Julie has always had a great love for musical theater. Some of her favorite roles include Marta in Company, Goat in The Robber Bridegroom, and Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda. In real life, though, her all time favorite title is Mama to her daughter, Penny.

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Taylor Mynahan


Taylor Mynahan (Choreographer) is a dancer of seventeen years, and a choreographer of five years. She is currently attending The Hartt School to receive a BFA in Musical Theatre. She has also trained at Toriography Dance Company on their competitive team, Joffrey Ballet School, and Broadway Dance Center. Her recent choreography credits include: Legally Blonde, Seussical Jr., The Little Mermaid, Grease, Les Miserables with VST, Descendents The Musical, and the “Hello My Name is…” cabaret at The Hartt School. Taylor’s past roles include Attina/Ensemble (dance captain) in The Little Mermaid with OHP, Squidward Q. Tentacles in The SpongeBob Musical with VST, Ensemble (dance captain) in Jesus Christ Superstar with OHP, Rizzo in Grease, and Ensemble (dance captain) in Be More Chill with OHP.

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James Thacher


James Thacher (Music Director) is thrilled to be returning to VST this summer after being involved with Something Rotten and Les Miserables. James is a performer, and a student currently studying music education. Favorite roles include Jeremy Heere (Be More Chill), Rocky (The Rocky Horror Show), and Combeferre (Les Mis) (Not the VST one) (that was Robbie Coolong).

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Sammy Barry


Sammy Barry will be going into her Senior year at the Maine College of Art and Design this fall. She has worked for, and performed in several different musicals every year from 2015 to now. The theater companies she has worked for include: Suffield Players, Opera House Players, and Valley Student Theater. She enjoys drawing, listening to Spotify at deafening volumes, and watching unhealthy amounts of Youtube everyday. Some of her favorite productions she has been a part of include: Aladdin Jr. at JFK Middle School, where she played the Magic Carpet, OHP's Bright Star, OHP's Hunchback of Notre Dame, VST's Les Mis, and VST's Something Rotten. The entire set and lighting cues are dedicated to her pets Ringo, Roo, and Cricket ... and Oscar. Kind of.