Craig Hertel has directed over 25 UIL one-act plays–including six State Champions. He is currently the Chair-Elect of TTAO, and has served as chair of UIL’s OAP Advisory Committee. He has been a Contest Manager and judge many times, including being a Contest Manager and a Judge for the State Meet. He has directed many times at the college level (including ACTF), for summer camps and for community theatre. He has also been a UIL Academic Coordinator for many years, guiding his school to 15 State Academic Championships.
Dr. Carrie Klypchak currently serves as the Director of Theatre Graduate Studies and an Associate Professor of Acting and Directing at Texas A&M University-Commerce. She is also a member of the award-winning Capital T Theatre in Austin. Dr. Klypchak is a New York, conservatory-trained professional actor, a professional and collegiate director, an active teaching artist, and a published performance scholar. In 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2019, she was honored to serve as an OAP State Meet judge; in 2013, she was also named the University Educator of the Year by T.E.T.A. Dr. Klypchak currently serves as the Past Chair of the Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials organization. She has participated in the UIL OAP system as an actor, director, clinician, and judge and considers it a privilege to be a part of this important educational experience.
Yvonne J. Phillips-Dupree is a veteran of education who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from UCLA with a concentration in acting. She is currently retired from the Houston Independent School District after having dedicated many years of tireless service. Previously, she taught theater arts at Ross Sterling Senior High School for over 20 years and competed at the U.I.L. One Act Play State Meet five times. She has directed professionally at the Encore Theater, the Ensemble Theatre and the Fade to Black Theater Festival in Houston, Texas.
Mandy Epley is currently pursuing her PhD in School Improvement at Texas State and holds a masters degree in Education Administration from Lamar and a BFA in Acting and Directing from Sam Houston State University. Mandy serves Comal ISD as the Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Initiatives and Programs. She taught high school theatre for 16 years. Her productions qualified for Region multiple times and her students performed at the state meet in 2009. In addition to acting and directing professionally, she has served as a Camp on the Coast director at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Artistic Director of Inception Theatre. In 2012, Mandy was named Texas Educational Theatre Association Educator of the Year, in 2009, Brandeis High School Educator of the Year, Northside ISD High School Educator of the Year, and KENS5/SACU Excel Award winner. She is a K-12 theatre program consultant for Enhance the Arts and is one of the authors of the Maestro Theatre Publications, LLC. Teacher Resource for Theatre Education. Mandy is also a guest instructor for workshops and clinics across the state.
Carla Schumann – TTAO Communications Director-Elect
Carla Schumann, Director of Fine Arts for Comal ISD, taught high school theatre for 26 years. Her love for OAP began in her own high school years and continues still today. She has competed at every level from zone losses to two 5A state appearances in 2011 and 2012. Carla values the educational experience of UIL. Carla is currently serving on the Texas Theatre Administrators board, UIL OAP Advisory, TTAO Standards and Practices and the Greater New Braunfels Arts Council Board. Carla teaches workshops across the state of Texas for school district professional development for theatre programs, serves as an adjudicator and a contest manager.
Karen holds a MA in Theatre Arts from the University of Houston and a BS in Drama/English Lit from East Texas State University. She spent 10 years directing OAP at the high school and Jr. High levels in Hillsboro, TX. She is currently the professor of Drama at Panola College. She is also a UIL OAP Certified Contest Manager. “OAP is an incredible contest with incredible directors and students. It is amazing and it is a privilege to judge the work of Texas Theatre Students.” She is the Communications Officer for ATHE 2-year group and served on the College Board’s, Field of Study for Drama committee as a 2-year institute member. Karen was the recipient of the 2019 TETA Founders Award. Karen is enthusiastic and passionate about Texas Educational Theatre and believes nothing is more important than to be an advocate for secondary and higher-ed performing arts programs. “I believe the future of theatre is brighter than ever and will do all I can to promote its importance in not only our student’s growth, but for educators and citizens as well.”
Larry Carpenter – TTAO Treasurer-Elect / Historian
Larry Carpenter serves as the Director of Fine Arts for Waco ISD where he oversees 90 teachers and multiple programs from PK-12. Prior to the DoFA position, Larry was Director of Advanced Academics, Elementary Campus Principal, Secondary Assistant Principal and Theatre, Speech and Debate instructor. He has been a member of the AO and TTAO organization since 2010, having served on the Standards & Practices Committee the past three years. He is an adjudicator and contest manager through the organization. As a nominee for Treasure/Historian elect, Larry feels his years of experience managing a three-quarter million dollar budget and his wealth of experiences makes him a highly qualified candidate for the position.
Kelsey Kling – Board of Directors – Director-at-Large
Kelsey first experienced One-Act Play as a high school student in West Texas. She went on to earn a BFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University and an MA in Theatre History and Directing from Texas State. Kelsey is a member of Actors’ Equity and has earned several awards and nominations for her work on Austin-area stages. She has taught at the middle school, high school, and university levels, and has also directed professionally in Austin. Currently she serves as the Fine Arts Coordinator at Texas Education Agency and is on the Board of Advisors for Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) and the Standards and Practices Committee for Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials (TTAO). This marks her 13th season as an adjudicator, and she has been honored to judge at every level of competition, including 2A (2016), 5A (2018), and 6A State (2021).
Phillip Morgan – Board of Directors – Director-at-Large
Dr. Morgan is humbled to serve as an adjudicator for today’s one-act play contest. He has served as a student competitor, teacher, department chair, playwright, clinician, college instructor and K-12 administrator for fine arts programs. Dr. Morgan is a lifetime member of TTAO, adamantly advocating the impact of participation in the UIL OAP contest, and is honored to serve its students. Phillip holds degrees in Theatre Arts (A.A. & B.F.A.), Business Communications (M.A.), and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. In his tenure as a critic judge, he has been honored to adjudicate multiple District, Bi-District, Area and Region level contests, as well as the TAPPS State One-Act Play Contest twice in 2014 and 2020, and the UIL State One-Act Play contest three times (2015 – 2A, 2016 – 1A, & 2020 – 4A). Professionally, Dr. Morgan is in his 10th year as a fine arts administrator, currently serving as Director of Fine Arts for the Waxahachie Independent School District. Phillip was the 2018 recipient of the TETA Founders Award and has served on the State Board of Directors for TxETA and TTAC. He is a previous officer on the TTAO Standards & Practices Committee. Dr. Morgan is honored to have learned his love of the theater and the UIL contest under his mentor, professor and friend, Ray Karrer.
Phillip Taylor has a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from the University of Houston and a BS from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Houston. As a director, he advanced to the UIL One-Act Play State Meet in 2011, 2012, 2013, & 2015 winning the State Championships in 2012 and 2013. He taught high school and middle school in conferences 2A, 3A, and 4A, and 5A. He sponsored several other UIL Academic Events and coached students to the State Meet in Prose, Poetry, Persuasive Speaking, CX Debate, and the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition. He has conducted various theatre/speech workshops and OAP clinics for middle school and high school programs around the state. He also served as a TAPPS One-Act Play Regional & State Judge. He is an active member of TETA and has served on the convention staff in previous years. Currently, as the Administrative Supervisor of Fine Arts for Austin ISD, he oversees various fine arts programs and initiatives that directly support 130 campuses.
Rachel Harrah – Board of Directors – Director-at-Large