DIRECTORS

"There is no use in trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had much practice, " said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." -Lewis Carroll

Caitlin Connaughton-Cross

Caitlin is currently the education director of the Durango Arts Center.  She is also a director of the Durango Performing Arts Company, resident group of the Durango Arts Center.  Originally from New York City , where she graduated from The School of Visual Arts, she grew up basking in the theatrical and magical energy that is New York City and falling in love with one broadway show, play, dance ensemble or opera after another.  She loves the theater and theater people and being able to nurture the talent of aspiring young performers is a dream come true. .

Denise

Almost immediately after graduating in Speech Communications from Brigham Young University, Denise discovered she couldn't speak that well and there wasn't anyone she really wanted to communicate with. She did, however, have a mean time step. After freelancing as a musical theatre choreographer for many years, Denise co-founded the Colorado Academy of the Arts in Fort Collins, Colorado . Denise now works as the Director of the Durango  Performing Arts Company, a resident group of the Durango Arts Center. Throughout the years Denise has choreographed and/or directed over 100 shows, taught and mentored thousands of children, developed many successful performing and outreach programs and consumed 8,356 pounds of chocolate. Denise has 1 husband, 6 children, 6 grand-children, 2 dogs, 4 cats and a cow (no, wait, we ate the cow). Her love of youth and the desire to help them awaken and inspire their artistic possibilities is the only worthy substitute for chocolate.