Meet our team! 

LAURA CASWELL - Director of Education

Laura Caswell has been a part of Neptune for over a decade playing various roles on stage (including 5 witches!) as well as a director and choreographer. Laura trained in Musical Theatre in New York City and London, England earning a Masters in Performance through the University of East Anglia. She has also trained extensively in improv, puppetry, voice work, singing, dance, acting, and film and television. Laura has worked as an artist and educator at theatres all over the country. Working as a teacher in all forms of performance of all levels led to Laura taking over the role of Director of Education in 2017. She is excited to spend her eighth summer leading the Neptune Theatre School!

MADDIE MAITZEN – Theatre School Manager

Maddie has been involved with Neptune Theatre School for 5 years, starting as a student and YPCo member before becoming an instructor. She later joined the Theatre School Administration team as a Content Creator, Administrative Assistant, Songs for Seniors Program Coordinator, and Stage Manager. Maddie couldn’t have been more thrilled to take on the role of Theatre School Manager in January 2024! Maddie graduated from the Fountain School of Performing Arts with a Bachelor’s in Music - concentration in vocal performance. She is currently taking courses with Dalhousie University Continuing Education to earn a certificate in Human Resource Management. She loves performing opera, musical theatre, pop music and has a special interest in songwriting and post-production editing. 

SOPHIE WILCOTT - Acting Theatre School Manager (October 7th - December 1st)

Sophie Wilcott (they/she) is a Maritime-based, multidisciplinary theatre artist with a dedication to theatre for young audiences. They have collaborated with Neptune Theatre, Theatre Nova Scotia, Prismatic Arts Festival, Atlantic Repertory Company, Theatre New Brunswick, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company, The Voice Factory, Symphony New Brunswick, Connection Dance Works, and InterAction School of Performing Arts. In spring of 2023, they received a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theatre (Acting) and a certificate in Dance & Movement Composition from Dalhousie Fountain School of Performing Arts. Sophie is a recipient of the prestigious Dalhousie Chancellor’s Scholarship (2019-2023), the Fountain School of Performing Arts Undergraduate Scholarship (2019-2023), the Christine Zinck (Theatre) Scholarship (2022), and the Arts New Brunswick Scholarship in (2019 and 2022).

SARA COURTNEY - Curriculum Coordinator

Sara Courtney (she/they) is a multidisciplinary performer from Ponamogoatitjg (Dartmouth), where she works primarily in childcare. Sara is a former student of Neptune’s Theatre School and now works as an instructor (and loves it!). Sara has been working in children's theatre for over five years, directing, choreographing and stage managing youth productions around the HRM. In their spare time she loves painting, baking and doing fun crafts!

LUCAS ARAB – Education Content Creator

Lucas considers himself to be a "Professional Make-Believer" with the goal of creating immersive and visually intriguing storytelling spaces for all. He is a graduate student of the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University, where he studied stage design and technical theatre. Lucas has worked on the design team of several Neptune shows such as Dear Rita (Scenic Designer), Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead (Assistant Set Designer), The SpongeBob Musical and Little Women (Scenic & Projection Designer, Neptune YPCo). When Lucas isn’t designing, he usually taking audiences behind the scenes on social media or coaching his high school competitive improv team.