The 2023-2024 season is Ms. Lam's second as Valley TLC's director. She is an active vocalist, pianist, and flute player in the Greater Philadelphia area. Prior to joining the Lower Merion School District, she taught for four years in the School District of Philadelphia. 

In addition to directing Valley TLC's productions, Ms. Lam teaches general music at Welsh Valley. She loves teaching general music as it allows her to be creative with what and how students learn in her space. Her class is open to any student interested in learning more about music and the ways in which it impacts our lives. 

One of Ms. Lam's goals for Valley TLC is to continue growing the program and make it accessible to all students at Welsh Valley. She works with teachers, administration, and student leaders to facilitate opportunities that celebrate student creativity and provide meaningful learning experiences. She hopes to showcase the breadth of talent present at Welsh Valley through the shows she directs. 

Ms. Lam holds a B.M. in Music Education (flute concentration) from Temple University, as well as a M.A. in Music and Music Education (voice concentration) from the Teachers College, Columbia University. Outside of the performing arts she enjoys painting, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones. She is deeply grateful for her family and community. Their unwavering support inspires her to keep growing as both a professional and learner. 

When Miss Seymour came to Lower Merion, she was working at Gladwyne and Penn Valley and was recruited to choreograph the annual musical at Welsh Valley that year: The Little Mermaid. She choreographed the following year as well, and then moved to Welsh Valley full time as a Challenge teacher during her 3rd year in the district.

From there, she started directing and producing at Welsh Valley, all while taking one annual musical into a fuller theater program (now known as Valley TLC, which is student-named) with field trips, charity work, young playwrights, fall plays and more.

Covid took a hit on everything, including the theater department. We are still rebuilding Valley TLC back to its full design as the post-years unfold.

In the year 2021-2022, Miss Seymour took a step back from the creative team and now serves at the producer of the program, by keeping things running behind the scenes, working on fundraising and other student benefits. Ms. Lam joined Welsh Valley and Valley TLC in the 2022-23 school year and has helped Valley TLC take on new heights with getting students involved in more facets of our productions. Ms. Lam and Miss Seymour continue to work together to look for more opportunities for students to get involved in the theater program.

A big goal Miss Seymour has for the 2023-24 school year would be to get the annual NYC trip back up and running. Field trips of this nature stopped with covid and haven’t restarted yet. This annual trip consists of a coach bus ride to NYC, a class with Broadway actors, lunch, and seeing a Broadway show! This has traditionally taken place in early May on a Wednesday.

On a personal level: Miss Seymour got her Bachelor and Master degree from West Chester University (and she served the university as Miss West Chester University in 2004). She serves Welsh Valley as a Challenge teacher by day. She is a bio mom to two children and travels around the tri-state area as a professional singer at night and weekends, normally with an hour-solo show of musical theater, classics, and pop music. Miss Seymour was an avid performer starting at the age of 9 and has played roles such as Mother in Ragtime, Reno in Anything Goes, Peter in Peter Pan, Mayzie and Gertrude in Seussical, Sally in Charlie Brown, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Louisa in The Fantasticks, and Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, just to name a few. She has put a pause on performing in full-musicals since becoming a mom in 2011. She hopes to perform in more semi-professional productions as her children become more independent. Miss Seymour loves to read novels, crochet, sing, dance, go to the beach, and play board games! She also loves to go out to eat with family and friends.

Mr. Leahy graduated from Radford University in Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts. Mr. Leahy moved to the Philadelphia area in 2021 after 12 years in Chicago, where he was performing improv and sketch comedy, leading filmmaking and improv workshops throughout the city and running summer camps for Chicago Public Schools. In 2022, he had the opportunity to join Welsh Valley and was thrilled to hear about Valley TLC and the great theater community at the school. Mr. Leahy is a huge hockey fan, loves his cat Queen Mimi and spending time with his newborn daughter, Luna, who was born in January of 2023.

My name is Lauren Babcock. I have been married to Mr. Babcock for 26 years and have an amazing son Jeffrey who is 23. I have been involved in acting/theatre, music my entire life. In my younger days I was an extra in When Harry Met Sally, Cadillac Man and Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure. After raising my son, Jeffrey I have been working in Lower Merion for the past 16 years. During this time, I had the pleasure of Co-directing the 5th Grade plays at Cynwyd alongside the amazingly talented Anne Sterner-Porecca . Some of the shows include The Wizard of Oz, Shrek, Dear Edwina, and Madagascar. This year I have had the pleasure of working on Beauty and the Beast as an assistant director. It has been another incredible journey for me working with such talented students and director Taylor Lam.

Coming soon!