Current Staff & Board
Connor Thomas Rhoades - Artistic Director
Connor has been a part of the southeast Michigan theatre scene for over 15 years. With over 60 credits, both onstage and off, Connor is thrilled to serve Horizon Performing Arts as its Artistic Director. Connor studied Educational Theatre and Communication at Eastern Michigan University and has worked with Horizon Performing Arts since its inception. Some of Connor’s favorite onstage credits include Merrily We Roll Along (Charley Kringas), The 25th…Spelling Bee (William Barfée), Avenue Q (Nicky, Bad Idea Bear, and Others), and Into the Woods (The Baker). As a Director, some of his favorite credits include Gypsy, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Pippin, and Fiddler on the Roof. In 2018, Connor received the BroadwayWorld Regional Theatre Award for Best Director of a Musical for his work on The Wizard of Oz with Horizon Performing Arts. Connor is ecstatic to be given this opportunity and looks forward to continuing Horizon’s unique mission.
Brynn Arnall - Executive Director
As a lifelong theatre lover, Brynn Arnall is thrilled to serve as the Executive Director for Horizon Performing Arts. Originally from Western Pennsylvania, Brynn completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and graduated in May 2021 with a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Michigan State University. She has been actively involved in the performing arts since the age of 3 and fell in love with theatre after seeing her brother in a production of The Wizard of Oz. At Horizon, Brynn has been on stage in The Music Man (Marian Paroo), Into the Woods (The Baker’s Wife), and Pippin (Catherine) and backstage in shows such as Merrily We Roll Along and The Complete Works…Shakespeare [abridged]. Some of her other favorite credits include Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Guys and Dolls (Miss Sarah Brown), and Sister Act (Nun). Brynn is passionate about all aspects of theatre and hopes to apply her breadth of knowledge to Horizon Performing Arts and its community. Brynn is also the founder of Horizon Rising Stars and directed the inaugural production, James and the Giant Peach Jr., in April 2024.
The Board:
Hannah Haigh
President
Melissa Stewart
Vice President
Michelle Smith
Treasurer
Danielle Ferguson
Secretary
Vheena Villareal
Member At Large
Kaitlyn Cross
Marketing
The Founders:
Horizon Performing Arts was founded by Brandon Garcia Waldenmayer, Reilly Conlon and Dr. Linda Venable in May 2017.
After years of working together on a variety of different youth and educational theatre productions, Co-Founders Linda, Reilly and Brandon met at a Bob Evans Restaurant one morning with Linda’s husband, Jim Boehk, and decided to create Horizon Performing Arts. Horizon Performing Arts was created to be a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization that serves anyone who wants to grow and connect with their community through the performing arts. From those who are hoping to make theatre their career to those who just want to be involved in a community theatre production, Horizon Performing Arts was created to serve and educate all.