Theatre Faculty
Joan Bendix
Theatre Instructor
Joan studied piano and voice at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Joan has served as music director and performed on the keyboard/piano for musical productions in schools and theaters, including the Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theater, Chagrin Valley Little Theater, Mercury Theatre Company, Walsh Jesuit High School, and University School. She is currently Music Director at First United Church of Christ in Eastlake.
Joan loves teaching children and helping them find that spark of passion for music. She believes in guiding students to find their own voice and the confidence to participate in the community of theater and musical production.
Bri Clark
Theatre Instructor
Bri Clark graduated with a BA in Musical Theater and a MBA from Heidelberg University. She has participated in theatrical productions since she was a kid and continued on the play roles including Charlotte in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth in The Letter G, Pugsley in The Addams Family, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and many more! She also previously worked at Heidelberg University and Porthouse Theater as their Scenic Charge. Bri loves sharing her knowledge and passion for theater and arts and is so excited to continue chasing her dreams!
Kyra Cutsail
Theatre Instructor
Kyra Cutsail is a theatre artist, educator, and director originally from southern Delaware. She earned her BFA in Theatre Directing with a focus in Communications from Marietta College in 2023. After graduation, she spent several years getting to know the Cleveland community as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Cleveland and as an After School Coordinator with Open Doors Academy. She currently works in arts administration in Cleveland.
Kyra developed a passion for youth arts education while directing productions for the Summer Children's Series at Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. As a director, she aims to help young artists grow both on and off the stage, and loves watching students discover confidence in themselves, form meaningful relationships, and create life-long memories.
Merlynne Hancock
Theatre Instructor
Merlynne Hancock joined the Fairmount faculty in 1989 as a choreographer for the Youth Theatre and has taught a variety of children’s classes and camps, including Movin’ Together and Kreative Kids. For 35 years, Merlynne has choreographed productions at area schools, from elementary to college level. She started dancing at age 6, and studied under Bea Fried, Noreen Londregan, and Ernst Hillenbran. She graduated from Heidelberg College with a degree in Communication and Theatre Arts and French, with an acting/directing emphasis.
Solana Petrone
Theatre Instructor
Solana Petrone (she/her) has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Masters of Business Administration from Heidelberg University. Solana has spent most of her life in the Cleveland music and theatre community both on and off stage. Some of her favorite roles have been Violet Newstead (9 to 5: The Musical), Zuzu (Dance Nation), Jo March (Little Women), Malcolm (Macbeth), and Rosie (Mamma Mia).
Solana spent two and a half years as the Scene Shop Foreman at Heidelberg University, and loves to explore all aspects of the arts. She is thrilled to be part of the Fairmount Center for the Arts team!
Jasmine Renee
Theatre Instructor
Jasmine Renee is a multi-disciplinary artist born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated with a BFA in Dramatic Arts from The New School’s School of Drama. When Jasmine was a sophomore, she was first exposed to teaching during her course work at The New School. She taught elementary and middle schoolers in Harlem and was instantly hooked. She is excited to be in the classroom teaching again from what she has learned over the years. Favorite regional acting credits include: Dreamwalkers (Molly Walsh) with Shadow of the Run, Hamlet (Ophelia) with Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Teddy Bear Mountain (Maya) with Cleveland Play House.
Fiona Sackett
Theatre Instructor
Fiona Sackett (she/her) is a theater practitioner with a specialization in dramaturgy and working with the youngest performers. She has two Masters degrees, one in Early Childhood Education and one in Theatre Arts. Fiona has a deep love of working with children and helping them foster a love for theater and performance that they can take with them for their entire lives. She lives in Cleveland Heights with her husband and her two cats, Dr. Humphrey Katz and Beatrice.
Patti Susman
Youth Theatre Director
Patti is an honors graduate of Cleveland State University. She has a degree Dramatic Arts. She has been with the Fairmount since 1982, where she has directed over 80 productions. She has also taught dance, art and gymnastics. Patti was the first Youth Theatre Director at the Solon for the Arts and was also an Assistant Director and instructor for the Heights Youth Theatre.
Patti trained as a dancer with Dave and Shirley Morganstern. She was a member of the Morgan Dancers. She and her sisters performed throughout the Cleveland area. She began her acting career at the old Musicarnival Theatre, located in Warrensville Hts. Ohio. At age 13, she was selected as one of the youngest apprentices in the theatre’s history. She spent 3 summers working, in various capacities, on Broadway touring company productions, concerts and children’s theatre performances. It was at Musicarnival that Patti was given the opportunity to teach and direct theatre classes to younger students and that is when she decided that arts education was her passion, and she has pursued that passion ever since.
Cody Swanson
Theatre Instructor
Cody Swanson is a professional actor, teacher, stage manager, and fight choreographer. He has a BFA in acting with a minor in musical theatre from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also at the university, he studied stage combat. He is an advanced actor combatant with The Society of American Fight Directors, certifying in eight weapon disciplines. At school, some of his favorite roles include “Kiss Me, Kate” (Gangster #1), and “The 39 Steps” (Clown #1). Favorite regional credits include “Young Frankenstein” (Igor) at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, “Romeo & Juliet” (Mercutio) and “Measure for Measure” (Duke Vicentio) both with The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, “Assassins” (Sam Byck) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, and “Bus Stop” (Carl) at Big Dog Theatre. Cody also has credits with SmashUp Entertainment, Shadow of the Run, and The Cleveland Play House.
Cody has been teaching theatre in one way or another for over 10 years at various places including Laurel School, Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute, The Academy for the Performing Arts, and Beachwood Theatre Camp. He believes that learning is lifelong, and hopes to learn something new from his students every day. Cody will be teaching theatre and is on the Homeschool teaching team here at Fairmount.
Olivia Tassone
Music & Theatre Instructor
Olivia (Livvie) Tassone (She/They) holds a BA in Music from Ashland University and a MM in Piano from Kent State University. She is a collaborative pianist at Baldwin Wallace University and maintains an active schedule of freelance work.
Recently, she has musically directed Ragtime and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Near West, Anne of Green Gables at The Fine Arts Association and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Willoughby South High School. Some of her favorite credits as a Music Director include Hadestown: Teen Edition at Near West, Sweeney Todd and The Rocky Horror Show at Salem Community Theatre, and Young Frankenstein at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.
While not working, Livvie enjoys spending time with her husband, Gabe, and three cats; Gracie, Felix J. Mendelssohn, and Dillon Pickles. She also enjoys classic cinema and practicing doing make-up and nails on herself and her friends. Thank you Gabe for always being there and endlessly encouraging her.