Jessica Whitfield earned her BFA in Theatre from Drake University where she was an Irene Ryan nominee. She has trained locally with Richard Alan Nichols, Andy Garrison, and Heather Laird. She loves being a part of unique plays that make audiences think and feel. She has previously been in Striking Beauty and Beginnings from an End with KC Fringe Festival. She was on The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes on The Oxygen Network, and she is in Container Masters on episodes 5 and 9 on Tubi. She was in KC Melting Pot’s productions of Barbecue and Secrets & Lies. She has directed The Entertainer for Open Spaces and a children’s production of The Wizard of Zoz at OCTA. She is also a playwright and has had plays produced with The Barn Players, City Theatre of Independence, KC Public Theatre, and Potluck Productions.
R.H. Wilhoit made his Coterie debut as Pigpen in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Since then, he’s returned to the Coterie stage in Puffs and the revival of Electric Poe. He is a graduate of Drury University with a B.A. in Theatre Arts, and now makes Kansas City his home. Professionally, he’s been seen on many stages in town, appearing in Milking Christmas at The Living Room, The Play That Goes Wrong at New Theatre and Restaurant, Every Brilliant Thing at Spinning Tree Theatre, and Shakespeare In Love at Heart Of America Shakespeare Festival. When he’s not performing or teaching, R.H. is busy as an active founding member of The Confluence Theatre Company, producing experimental works.
Justen Willhite is a teaching artist, teacher, and playwright. He graduated from Ball State University in 2021 with a BS in Theatre Education, and is the Theatre Director for Antioch Middle School at North Kansas City Schools. Justen has also directed and assistant-directed productions for Ball State's mainstage season, the Burris Laboratory School, and throughout Liberty Public Schools. In his free time, Justen loves exploring stories through tabletop roleplaying games and writing plays!
Meredith Wolfe was born in Milwaukee, raised in Las Vegas, but found “home” in Kansas City. She has a BA in theatre performance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As an actor, Meredith has graced the stages of many local theaters including Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, The Coterie, Unicorn Theatre, and Kansas City Actors Theatre. As a teaching artist, Meredith has worked with Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s summer camps, The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, Mesner Puppet Theater, and is thrilled to be a part of the team here at The Coterie. When not teaching or performing, she can be found taking in the sights and smells at the Kansas City Zoo, playing Dungeons & Dragons, or lounging at home with her Wolfpack (spouse, two cats, and a dog).
Shelley Wyche has happily served as a Coterie Teaching Artist since 2003. Her classes have ranged from fairy tales with six year-olds to directing teenagers in Coterie performance camps. Shelley recently earned her Master's degree in Applied Theatre at University of London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has made theatre with children across the UK and South Africa. A professional actress, her Kansas City roles include Romeo and Juliet, The Giver, Our Town, Spring Awakening, Vincent in Brixton, and Amadaeus. As a child, Shelley got her brothers to act out stories with her by agreeing to play flag football first. She still throws a mean spiral, but she'll tell you that theatre is way more fun.
Pages
sponsors' spotlight
Businesses and organizations! Step into the Spotlight as a sponsor of The Coterie. You'll help us flip the switch of creativity and awareness in Kansas City's youth.
