Staff
Jason Paul Smith
Founder, Artistic Director
Jason Paul Smith started his career as actor, director, producer in 1980 having created the stage version of The Muppet Movie. Running 37 performances, it was witness by 39 stuffed animals, two adults, and one angry pre-teen. This memorable performance spawned an early career in the theater that included performances in every local theater, that means one, in Valley City, North Dakota. This eventually led him to earn a degree in Theater from the University of Minnesota.
His theater career has included a wide array of opportunities including, Barnaby Tucker in The Matchmaker, Frank ‘n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, and Flan Kitridge in Six Degrees of Separation. He also wrote, directed and starred in Consulting Mavis or How I Got My Ass Out of North Dakota and Remained Sane. Directing credits include Hello Dolly for the Lakeshore Players and Sunday in the Park with George for Crisis Point Theater.
Smith decided to land a job in corporate America. Working in the Marketing departments of three major corporations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he learned important marketing strategies and skills, from packaging and branding to marketing campaign strategy and event planning.
To get in touch with Jason Paul Smith, email him at jsmith@threecatproductions.com. For more information, please visit his website at jasonpaulsmith.com.
Rob Dorn
Co-Founder, Artistic Associate, Director of Cabaret Concert
Born shortly after curtain time and prone to dramatics from an early age, Rob acted out and WORE out all of his Magic Mirror Disney records and his prized original soundtrack to The Wizard of Oz. Growing up in a five acre wood, he learned to survive by staying inside and watching tv.
It is no surprise that he received an associates degree in art and design and a bachelors of fine arts in musical theatre. Both degrees proved useful as he has teeter tottered back and forth between his work onstage and in the art world.
His performance career has taken him throughout the United States in regional theatre, national tours and as a member of the vocal group, Three Hits and a Miss of which he was the founder and artistic director. He considers Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Patti Duke, Chet Baker, Leslie Ann Warren and Barbra Streisand among his influences.
Rob’s art career includes work as a graphic designer, web designer, illustrator and cartoonist. He has contributed to books, greeting cards, theatrical posters, logos, t-shirts and mugs. He considers W.W. Denslow, Charles Schultz, Edward Gorey and Creepy Magazine as influences.
Rob is an advocate for helping people like himself, deal with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder… if he could only remember to do so.
To get in touch with Rob Dorn, email him at robdorn@threecatproductions.com. For more information about Rob, please visit his website at robdorn.com.
Jacque Lueken
Artistic Associate, Executive Director of Education
Jacque is ecstatic to be working with Skokie Theatre and Three Cat Media to return to the Northern Suburbs in the world of theatre education! She worked with Apple Tree Theatre in their youth programming as a Director with TYA at Apple Tree Theatre (‘The Giver’ – 2008; ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry’ – 2009), Camp Director for Summer on Stage (2008 & 2009), Director with EBPAW (‘Bridge to Terabithia’, ‘Jungle Tales’) and was an EBPAW Teaching Artist. She received her BFA in Acting from Syracuse University and, upon graduation moved to Chicago to work with Steppenwolf Theatre Co as the Asst Coordinator for their summer acting intensive The School at Steppenwolf. Since being in the city, Jacque has served as the Education Assistant for Victory Gardens Theatre and Education Coordiator at Emerald City Theatre Co. She has worked as a teaching artist with numerous companies in the Chicagoland Area including Emerald City Theatre Co, the American Mosaic Project with American Theatre Company and After School Matters. She has also served as a Mentor with Redmoon Theatre Co’s Dramagirls Program and a Director (‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play’) and Teaching Artist with Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy.
To get in touch with Jacque Lueken, email her at jlueken@threecatproductions.com.
Barbe Marshall
Artistic Associate
Barbe Marshall has been directing theatre for twenty years. She is producer of Sample Night Live, an arts presenter serving Minneapolis, Minnesota. A resident of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Barbe found her voice as a director in San Francisco, where she worked with the American Conservatory Theatre, Magic Theatre, San Francisco’s Playwrights’ Center, Aurora Theatre, EXIT Theatre and Adda Clevenger School for the Performing Arts. In Minneapolis, she has worked with The Guthrie, The Xperimental Theatre, Chameleon, Hamline University Theatre, St. Olaf Theatre, Applause, Penumbra, Mu Arts, Red Eye Collaboration, Minneapolis Community and Technical College and the University of Minnesota. Directing credits include Ruhl’s “Eurydice,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Mee’s “Requiem,” “The Flies,” Ludlam’s “Medea,” “The Bacchae, “Look Back in Anger” and Mee’s “Orestes,” among others. Barbe teaches Meisner technique, Viewpoints movement work, and stage direction. Her stage work includes edgy, fast-paced, rock and roll musicals and re-interpretations of classics. Barbe was Development Director for Penumbra Theatre during their 4 year restructuring plan, when they retired nearly $600,000 in old debt, and during their New Era Campaign which secured more than $3 million. She is currently Director of Development for History Theatre, now in the final successful year of their Turnaround Plan to end the old debt and build a sustainable future. She keeps busy directing, consulting, speaking, and teaching. Barbe holds a BFA in Music Theatre from the University of Nebraska and an MFA in Directing from the University of Minnesota.
Emma Robertson
Summer Camp Director, Three Cat Education
Emma is delighted to be working with Three Cat Productions again this summer! She received her BFA in Acting/Directing at Northern Kentucky University and after some extensive globe-trotting moved to Chicago in 2010. She has worked as a teaching artist with Citadel Theatre, The Children’s Theatre Co., and Three Cat since she arrived in the Windy City.
Some of Emma’s acting credits include ‘Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I’, ‘Of Mice and Men’, ‘Darkside’, ‘A Perfectly Wonderful Evening’, and ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’. She is also a mentor and collective member of Ag47 here in Chicago, working with young women to amplify their creative voices.
Annalee Johnson
Marketing/Production Associate
A recent graduate of University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign’s Theatre Department, Annalee is thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with the brilliant minds of Three Cat. In doing so, she is proud to say she is validating her degree. Some of her recent theater credits include Stage Manager/Production Associate (The Stops) and Scenic/Prop Design (Savage in Limbo, Mud).
To contact Annalee Johnson, please email her at ajohnson@threecatproductions.com.
