Production Team

Director of Performing Arts, 

Set & Technical Design

Courtney Fricke is so proud to be a part of the Wheaton North theatre team.  She has a lifelong love of live performances and believes there is a place for everyone in the wonderful world of theatre.  Mrs. Fricke loves how theatre can transport you to another world and hopes to be able to share some theatre magic with as many students as possible.  Mrs. Fricke joined Wheaton North in 2018 and is so proud of how the theatre program has grown.  She has a BA in Theater Design from Columbia College Chicago and a MA in Education from National Louis University.  Over the years she has participated in every area of theatre including set building and construction, design, stage management, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup.  Mrs. Fricke is thrilled to be the Director of Performing Arts and be able to lead our incredibly talented group of educators and students.  She would like to thank her husband Larry and three kids for all their love and support.  

Director

Jessi Lim has directed several Wheaton North productions, from Fall and Winter Plays to our annual Spring Musical. She is a  passionate and dedicated educator who also serves on the Illinois High School Theatre Festival leadership team. Ms. Lim is currently an English teacher at Wheaton North and inspires students' interest in theatre through her Intro to Acting course.

Director, Costume Designer

Cheryl Newman is thrilled to join the theater department as the costume designer. Mrs. Newman has been a theater kid her whole life. She has worked on over one hundred school, community and professional productions as costume designer, actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, director, props master, set designer, stage hand and even child wrangler. Just don’t ask her to do lights or sound. Mrs. Newman looks forward to teaching the crew how to sew, where the best thrift stores are, and how to help tell the story through the costumes.  

Lighting

Brian Theis has been involved in theater, both onstage and off, since he attended Oswego High School.  He continued working backstage at Lewis University where he expanded on his building and lighting skills.  Out of college, he spent a few years flying airplanes but ultimately was drawn back to the bright lights of theater.  He currently is the lighting director at Community Christian Church and has been the Lighting Designer for most of their shows including the annual production of “Let It Be Christmas”  Brian’s first production at Wheaton North High School was “Once Upon A Mattress” and he has enjoyed being a part of the team ever since. 

Choreography

Shane Alexander Brown is originally from San Francisco, California where he got his start dancing in the Nutcracker at San Francisco Ballet. Prior to moving to the Midwest Mr. Brown was a fulltime shows and parades performer at Walt Disney World, dancing on four properties, Disney Cruise Line, and Disneyland Paris. Mr. Brown has a BFA in Acting and Musical Theatre and received training through the Open Jar Institute and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Mr. Brown has worked across the country in regional theatre and two national tours. Favorite performances include A Little Night Music, Hello, Dolly!, West Side Story, Hairspray, and Mary Poppins. 

Director of Orchestras

Grace Mayell is originally from Wheaton, IL, attended Wheaton Warrenville South High School, earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wheaton College and a Masters Degree in Music Education at Vandercook College of Music.  She serves as the Director of Orchestras at Wheaton North High School.  She has enjoyed teaching grades 5-12 throughout her teaching career and feels extremely blessed by the community of CUSD 200.  Her commitments and responsibilities at Wheaton North High School include five levels of orchestras.  She has also taught Music Keyboarding and History of Rock and Music Theory.  She also serves as the Varsity coach for the Scholastic Bowl team , sponsor for the TRI-M music national honor society,  sponsor for the Asian Pacific Islander Alliance Club, and directs the pit orchestra.  She is an active musician, enjoys teaching at summer music camps, plays in ensembles in the community, and at church. Grace hopes that through her teaching at WNHS, she will give back to the community that helped her to become a lifelong learner.  She is extremely thankful to everyone who has been a part of her journey and desires to make a difference in the world through music education. 

Director of Bands

Kent Krause is in his eighth year as Director of Bands at Wheaton North High School.  His duties include directing all concert band ensembles, marching band, jazz ensemble and pit orchestra.  His teaching career began in his hometown of Minooka, IL and he has also taught in Danville, IL and Omaha, NE.  His ensembles have performed at the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Outback Bowl, and Carnegie Hall.  He is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in both Wind Conducting and Euphonium Performance.  Mr. Krause lives in Wheaton with his two sons. 

Head Speech Team Coach &

Art in the Park Coordinator

Art in the Park Coordinator