In June of 2005, after years of directing in academic, community and professional theatre, Mark became the Artistic and Managing Director for The White Theatre and CenterSeason at the Jewish Community Center.
Originally from New York City, Mark attended St John’s University, Ottawa University and the University of Kansas. After finishing school, he studied acting and directing at the famed LaMama ETC in New York City. LaMama ETC is an experimental Theatre where actors and directors from all over the world are given the opportunity to study, create, and develop their craft with gifted artists. That was an experience that changed his life.

Returning to the Kansas City area, he began his teaching career, sharing his love of theatre with students of all different ages. He landed the Director of Theatre job at Shawnee Mission South High School where he created one of the most vibrant theatre programs in the midwest.  While teaching, he was also able to direct for many of the theatres throughout the Kansas City area, including 17 productions for The Theatre in the Park. This led him to the Jewish Community Center which has a long history of creating quality theatre dating back to the prestigious Resident Theatre.

Mark has been honored multiple times for his work in theatre. He has received a Best of Kansas City Theatre award for his production of A Chorus Line, Best Director for the musical Cabaret, Best Director  for the Theater League's production of Nunsense and Best Director for OCTA’s production of Nunsense.
Mark also received a Demmi award and the Founders award from The Theatre in the Park. The Barn Players honored him with a Best Director and Best Production award for his production of Company. Greenroom publications honored him as Best Director for his production of Into the Woods. In 2003, Mark's production of The Fantasticks was honored at the International Thespian Conference as one of the top ten productions in the country.  Mark has directed over 350 productions and views each production as a way to hold up the mirror to what is around us in order to make the world a better place.

Greg has been involved at The Theatre in the Park since 1996, first as an actor in Footloose, The King and I, Big River, et al, and more recently as a Director. Legally Blonde will be Greg’s ninth production to direct at The Theatre in the Park.  He has directed the Theatre in the Park's productions of Godspell, Fame, West Side Story, Grease, Footloose, The Wedding Singer,  All Shook Up, and Aida.   All Shook Up won the 2010 Demmi Award for best show. 

Greg has a Master’s degree in Speech and Theatre Education from Pittsburg State University and is currently the Theatre and Speech teacher at Pittsburg High School. He is on the Board of Trustees for the “Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation”, a revitalization and restoration organization. He lives in Pittsburg, Kansas with his wife Angie, nine year old daughter McKenna, and eighteen month old daughter Marley.  Greg is very excited to direct Legally Blonde.

After taking a short hiatus from theatre, Tammy Ruder re-entered the world of theatre when her children started performing. Instead of just dropping the kids off, she stayed and helped. She and her children have been involved in 16 productions together since their start in 1999 with Wyandotte Players production of Oliver!

Tammy has been a part of The Theatre in the Park for the last 11 years. She started with Peter Pan (2000) as the "mom in charge" or "head mom". She progressed to Stage Manager for Mame (2001) and The Wizard of Oz (2004). She was Assistant Director for Gypsy (2005) and 42nd Street (2008). For The Theatre in the Park she has directed The King and I (2006), The Music Man (2007), Disney's High School Musical (2009) and Annie (2010).

She has filled many different roles for theatrical productions at many different theatres and high schools around town: director, assistant director, stage manager, actress, set designer, costumer and props coordinator. Additional directing credits include The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz. Tammy is the Executive Producer and Director  of the Jewish Community Center’s KC SuperStar, an “American Idol” style competition for  high school students in the Kansas City area.  

David Tate Hastings teaches drama at Olathe South High School.  He is also the Olathe School District's Theatre Facilitator and a state board member for the Kansas Thespian Conference.  David has directed over 50 school productions as a teacher in Olathe and in Lawrence.  His musicals at Olathe South have been nominated for numerous Starlight Theatre Blue Star Awards including outstanding overall production in 2003 and 2007.  He won the Starlight Blue Star Award for Outstanding Direction in 2007.  David has been involved with The Theatre in the Park since he was 17 years old.  He has worked as an actor, scenic carpenter, assistant director and director at the Park.  Last summer, he directed the student edition of Les Miserables at Theatre in the Park.  David earned his undergraduate degree in theatre/film and his master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas.

Tim is thrilled to return to The Theatre in the Park, after having been away for over 25 years. A native of Kansas City, he appeared on the Park stage in the shows Applause, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and A Chorus Line.  He also served on the creative staff as Choreographer for Oklahoma!, and West Side Story  (Theatre in the Park's highest attended show in history!)  Other performance credits include The Will Rogers Follies, My One and Only European Tour, 42nd Street European Tour, Funny Girl, Peter Pan, Fiddler on the Roof, Pageant, and Chicago. As a Director/Choreographer, credits include: Tapestry, The Wizard of Oz, Gypsy, Christmas Dreamland (Writer), Grease, The Fantasticks, The Wonder Years, a Tuna Christmas, Snoopy!!, Peter Pan (National Tour), Crazy For You (Best of Denver Award), Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, One Life to Live, Babes In Hollywood, Ray Bradbuy’s Dandelion Wine, A Grand Night For Singing, Oliver!, West Side Story, Brigadoon, The Music Man, Fiddler On The Roof… among others. He has worked with Big League Theatricals, The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Theatreworks National Touring Theatre, Rockwell Productions, ABC Television, Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix, and many others. He is a past Artistic Director of American Musical Theatre of San Jose and the Millbrook Playouse, and currently serves as the Producing Artistic Director of The Theatre in the Park. Tim would like to encourage everyone to experience as much live theatre as you can possibly stand both at TTIP and EVERYWHERE! 'Cause actually… art really DOES make life better.