JH/HS Theatre Director

Brandon Langjahr is the Vocal Music Director here at Monroe Jr./Sr. High School where he directs all of the vocal ensembles at the Junior High and High School. He also directs the fall play and spring musical at the Jr. High/High School level. Originally from New Washington, Ohio, he graduated from Xavier University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education (2016). Before starting his career at Monroe High School, Mr. Langjahr was the K-8 music teacher at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School. Since he has started teaching at Monroe in 2018, he has taken our Chorale Choir to the state level 3x and consistently scored Superior and Excellent ratings. Beyond teaching, Brandon actively sings professionally in ensembles throughout Cincinnati like Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble and Calvary Episcopal Church Choir.

JH/HS Theatre Director

Michael Platt-Faulkner has enjoyed being a part of the theatre program at Monroe High School since 2020 production of Alice in Wonderland. After performing in many shows throughout high school and college, he took a hiatus from performing to attend medical school and complete his OB/GYN residency. His full time job is practicing medicine in Northern KY, but he has relished the opportunity to reinvigorate his passion for the arts over the past several years. As an actor, favorite roles have included Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Younger Brother in Ragtime. He has found his true artistic passion through directing and loves getting to work with our talented student actors, designers, and technicians.

JH/HS Theatre Director

Jessie Sherman has been part of the Monroe Theatre team since the 2020-2021 season. A graduate of Xavier University, where in addition to pursuing her teaching license and mathematics degree, she filled most of her spare time with theatre productions. She focused primarily on stage management and production, but has been known to venture onstage occasionally as well. Stage management credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Children of Eden, Ragtime, Pirates of Penzance, and Xanadu. You can typically find her just south of Monroe teaching mathematics at Lakota West High School and knee deep in spreadsheets! She is ever grateful for each season that she is able to rejoin the community at Monroe and continues to be inspired by the creativity and hard work of the students in this program.

Choreographer

Kristin McSwain was born and raised in California and moved to Monroe with her family in 2010. She is married to her best friend Daniel McSwain, and they have two teenage daughters, Isabella and Adisyn. Kristin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Fresno Pacific University with an emphasis in Performing Arts, along with her Teaching Credential from Chapman University. Kristin has taught dance for over 25 years in diverse settings including public schools, dance studios, musical theater programs, and churches. Most recently, in 2022, the McSwain family created and built City Dance Movement Competition, bringing together their love of performing and producing a positive family experience for dance studios in the competition setting. Kristin is beyond thankful for the opportunity to work with the Monroe community, and she is continuously amazed with the powerful talent and passion that is cultivated through Monroe High School year after year!

Tech Director

Tim Clark started Tim's National Lighting and Sound (TNLS) in 2001 while he was a Freshman at Middletown High School. He interned with Martin Lighting, where he worked for Lion King on Broadway and Blue Man Group. Some highlights of his career include Tony Williams Sunday Service Choir, Fall Out Boy, Tobin Mac, Annie, Charlie Brown, and Almost, Maine.

Tech Director

Sarah Meeker is a math teacher here at Monroe High School and has been teaching at Monroe for 27 years. She has been involved with the theatre program here since The Wizard of Oz in 2004. Ms. Meeker enjoys every minute running the lights and sound and working with the kids.

Costume Designer/Coordinator

John Faas is the former Executive Director of Richmond Civic Theatre and a lifelong theatre person who somehow keeps ending up in the right place at some very good times (his words, not ours). Before landing in Richmond, he served as Director of Development for Columbus Children’s Theatre, Vice President of Development for Dayton’s Human Race Theatre Company, and held development roles with Muse Machine, Victoria Theatre Association, and Dayton Opera—where he also moonlit as an assistant stage manager for three seasons, because in theatre you don’t so much “wear many hats” as you duct-tape them together and call it tech.

John earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from Wright State University, performing in productions such as Inherit the Wind, Parade, Carousel, and more—plus the kind of résumé moments you never forget, like being coached by Jason Robert Brown and working on States of Independence with Broadway director Tina Landau and composer Ricky Ian Gordon.

On the artistic side, John has music directed, conducted, played in pits, and helped bring a lot of joyful chaos to the stage—highlights include directing Zoot Theatre Company’s first-ever musical (The Rocky Horror Puppet Show), playing keyboards for Avenue Q at The Human Race, conducting The Drowsy Chaperone on the Victoria Theatre Broadway Series (starring Broadway’s Jana Robbins), and music directing the Dayton premiere of Spring Awakening. He’s also conducted Mame (one of his all-time favorites) and had the unforgettable experience of conducting his husband, Mike Embree, as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

In May 2018, John founded Act Two Costumes & John Faas Designs, LLC—where he combines fundraising savvy, backstage grit, and a deep love of storytelling to help performers look and feel their best. Two of his all-time favorite career moments: meeting Broadway legend Jerry Herman and the one-and-only Carol Channing.

Thespian Troupe 1709 Advisor

Devan Lee Norsworthy, a dedicated educator and accomplished theatre professional, holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts and an M.Ed. in Young Adult English Language Arts from Wright State University. Growing up in Franklin, Ohio, Devan’s early involvement in choral music and theatre laid the foundation for a lifelong passion. At Wright State, Devan participated in various theatrical performances and was a member of the Special Mixed Choir. After graduating, she further honed her craft as an alto in the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus and by performing in Dayton’s prestigious Future Fest Playwrights’ competition.

With 15 years of experience teaching high school English and Drama, Devan has been an important figure in the academic and artistic development of students. She has also taught Cincinnati State's CCP Composition Course for a decade, demonstrating a commitment to nurturing young minds across different educational settings. Devan’s theatre credentials are equally impressive; she has served as the Thespian Troupe 1709 Sponsor for 15 years and directed all of Monroe High School's plays and musicals from 2009 to 2014. Additionally, Devan brings 20 years of stage performance experience, including notable roles with La Comedia and Theatre IV’s Children’s Touring Company. Through a blend of teaching and performance, Devan continues to inspire and shape the world of theatre and education at Monroe High School.