Spark

Thurayya UmBayemake is Spark's Actor - Teacher Coach. Her background includes a 20 year span of being a drama specialist, arts learner, advocate, and teaching artist. She formerly co-founded and ran Ma’Sue Theatre Company (in Ohio) that focused on African American stories. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama Studies from South Carolina State University, and a post-graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Akron. She is a member of The National Association of Black StoryTellers Inc, and elected 2025 Leadership Cohort of Southeastern Theatre Conference. 

Chelsey Mack is a Charlotte NC native and recent Columbia SC implant. She graduated from South Carolina State University Summa Cum Laude  with a degree in Elementary Education. Chelsey has a musical theatre background that spans over 12 years. She most recently was a member of the Orangeburg Part-time Players at the  Blue Bird Theatre of Orangeburg SC . In her spare time , Chelsey enjoys traveling , seeing shows , spending time with friends and family and trying new restaurants.

Melissa McCrary is a native of Charlotte, NC and moved to South Carolina to attend Winthrop University where she earned her B.A. in Dance with a minor in Science, then completed her K-12 teaching certification.  She also holds a Master of Education degree in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina and is completing coursework toward her Educational Doctorate degree in Education Leadership from the University of Phoenix.

Melissa began dancing at the age of 3 and taught dance in the SC Public Schools for the past 15 years at all levels from pre-kindergarten through high school.  In addition to teaching, Melissa has managed grants from the SC Arts Commission and the SC Department of Education to ensure quality, comprehensive, sequential arts education programs for the students she teaches.  Melissa also facilitates a graduate-level institute through the SC State Department of Education for novice visual and performing arts teachers to gain experience and insights into effective planning and management strategies to ensure their success in the profession.

Melissa is a long-time member of the South Carolina Dance Association and was named the 2020 SCDA Dance Educator of the Year.  She served in the 3-year presidential rotation from 2019-2022 and currently serves on the board of directors as the finance officer.  

While dance will always be her first love, arts integration has become Melissa’s new passion and teaching integrated lessons to students, co-teaching with academic teachers, providing professional development for academic teachers to effectively integrate the arts into their own classrooms, and expand the reach of the arts to more teachers and students throughout the state is her present career goal.

When she is not teaching dance or leading other teachers in professional development of some sort, Melissa enjoys teaching swim lessons at her local YMCA and traveling and spending time with her husband, Cameron, and their son, Jackson. 

Katie Mixon is an actor, theatre educator, and curious traveler. She serves as a Company Member and Educator with the South Carolina Shakespeare Company, an Actor/Manager for Elsewhere Shakespeare in Virginia, and was part of the founding conservation team at Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand. Katie hosted and produced Riverbanks Roundup, an animal education series at Riverbanks Zoo, and co-hosted and produced Expeditions for SCETV. A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Classical Theatre, she also holds a BA from the University of South Carolina. As a teacher and conservation advocate, Katie has worked in Australia, Thailand, Southeast Asia, and Central America. She is a big fan of Asian elephants, her dog Nigel, and collaborating with students and friends to create theatre.