About Us

Here you’ll find our mission and vision, meet the team who makes it all possible, and get answers to some of the most common questions we receive.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create a supportive learning environment in which all students pre-K through 12th grade can feel the freedom to create, learn, and interact through performing arts.


Our vision

interACT Performance Academy was founded upon the need for a supportive environment for students to express themselves creatively, free of judgment. In today’s society, even art forms can become competitive at such a young age. Oftentimes, children are told they are “too old” to start a new interest, but we feel the exact opposite. The vision of this academy is to allow all students to express themselves and grow as people, as well as artists, even if they have no prior theatre experience.

As parents and educators, we feel students should be free to explore their character, take risks, and build self-esteem through structured, positive peer relationships. This tends to be overlooked in the public education classroom with the push for standards and testing mandates even though many educators would agree with this need. interACT gives the space for just such experiences.

The interACT Team

Where creativity sparkles, confidence blossoms, and every student shines—no prior experience needed.

  • Jami Weckstein Artistic Director, Wwner

    Jami Weckstein

    Artistic Director, Owner

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    BFA University of Southern Indiana
    MA of Education, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus
    Adv MA of Administration for Education, Bank Street College of Education

    Jami, with 20+ years of theater and teaching experience, has written, directed, and produced programs for students ranging from ages 5-19.

    As the founding director of the Greenville Theatre Club in Southern Indiana, she began her love of theatre through her studies at USI in Evansville, with a focus in stage management and directing. While in college she worked with the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, assisted in New York City (NYC) equity auditions, and worked as assistant to the artistic director for the New Harmony Theater in Southern Indiana. Upon graduation, she moved to NYC where she worked with the Tribeca Film Festival, Tribeca Theater Festival, Wife Swap (reality TV), Cedar Lake Dance Company, Vital Theatre Company, and various improv shows across the city. 

    Jami’s passion has always been in teaching so in 2006, she was recruited by the NYC Teaching Fellows to study education at Long Island University, Brooklyn. She received her Master’s of Education while teaching inner city public schools in Language Arts, Special Education, and Theatre. She had the opportunity to attend professional development across the city, including theatre sessions in performing arts high schools. She founded the Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice Theatre Club, as well as writing the theatre curriculum for this NYC high school. When moving back to Indiana, to be closer to family, she taught at Salem High School before joining the New Albany-Floyd Co School family. She has had the opportunity to teach grades K-12 through various experiences over the years, and holds a valid Indiana teaching license in Language Arts, Special Education, and Theater. Directing credits include Life’s What you Make It! (NYC), With Their Eyes (NYC), Cinderella and the Grand Ball (IN), The Mermaids’ Tale (IN), We are Monsters (IN), Journeys in Oz (IN), Only the Theatre for Me (Floyd Central main stage pre-show), Peter Pan’s Treasure (IN), The Greatest Snowman (IN), The Most Epic Birthday Party Ever (IN), and Leap Day (IN). She assisted in the direction of Newsies Jr at Highland Hills Middle School and looks forward to assisting with Shrek Jr as well!

  • Carol Willman Musical Theatre Director

    Carol Willman

    Musical Theatre Director

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    Bachelor of Music Education (BME) – OU
    Master of Music Education (MME) – OU
    Kodaly Certificate (Level 1) – OU
    Orff Certificate (Level 1) – Texas A&M (Commerce)
    Lifetime Texas Teacher Certificates
    Elementary (grades 1-6)
    All Level Music (grades K-12)
    State of Indiana Accomplished Practitioner Licenses
    Elementary/Primary Generalist
    Elementary/Intermediate Generalist
    Vocal and General Music (grades K-12)

    Carol has over 30 years of teaching experience. She has been the music specialist at Greenville Elementary since 2011 and recently retired from that position.

    At Greenville, she wrote scripts and compiled and taught the music for the annual Kindergarten Christmas program. She also helped prepare and rehearse each year’s Veteran’s Day and Indiana History programs at Greenville.

    Prior to her time at Greenville, Carol and her family lived in Texas. She taught preschool creative movement and music classes in Houston. She also taught private piano and taught 3rd grade, as well as elementary music in the Plano Independent School District.

    Carol has a passion for teaching music to children, and she finds great joy instilling a love for music in her students that she hopes will last a lifetime.

  • Heather Faith Musical Theatre Instructor

    Heather Faith

    Musical Theatre Instructor

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    Heather is excited to join the InterAct staff. She is currently a licensed elementary teacher for NAFC School System. She has worked with elementary aged children in a theater setting for many years.

    She helped her mother with her K-6 productions at SEJ when she was in high school. For the past ten years she has directed 8 shows (Boo Covid!) with 2nd to 4th graders at Grant Line Elementary in New Albany, Indiana. She has also worked with the RDA Musical Theater program and the Scribner Theater department in various capacities. Her school productions use musical selections from NAFCS’s corporation adopted music program and are original versions of classic fairy tales or other well known stories which she puts her own spin on. She can’t wait to bring her experience and expertise to InterACT!

  • Vivian Bulleit Musical Theatre Instructor

    Vivian Bulleit

    Musical Theatre Instructor

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    Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre (BA) – Loyola University - New Orleans
    Floyd Central High School Alumni (Floyd Central Theatre Arts)

    Vivian is a recent college graduate from Loyola University New Orleans with 12+ years of theatre experience.

    Vivian took many directing, theatre management, design, playwriting, dance, and acting classes to become a well-rounded theatremaker! Working alongside industry professionals to learn what is currently going on in the industry. Vivian has been nominated for Best Director from Broadway World for her production of Rabbit Hole (2018). She has also won Best Musical for her performance in 42nd Street (2016) & Newsies (2018) and the New Orleans Gay Appreciation Critics’ Choice Best Musical Award for Head Over Heels (2022). Vivian currently works at Derby Dinner Playhouse after being the Summer Camp Admin Assistant in 2022, and participated in the Actors Theatre of Louisville Teen Council. In her free time, Vivian works at her family’s ceramic shop making all sorts of delicate ceramics. Growing up locally, she has always had a love and passion for the performing arts. Vivian is thrilled to start working at InterAct Performance Academy and can’t wait to see where this new adventure will take her!

  • Julie Gross Technical Design Instructor Emphasis in Drawing and Painting

    Julie Gross

    Technical Design Instructor Emphasis in Drawing & Painting

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    Art Specialist at Greenville Elementary School from August , 2011 - March, 2021
    Offered Art classes for children from 2011 – 2018
    Currently employed at Georgetown Elementary School in Special Education

    As an Art Specialist at Greenville Elementary School, Julie always had a great passion for helping children explore their creative potential.

    She feels it’s very important to encourage her students to pour their own unique ideas into their artwork. She also feels that Art , ALL the Arts, such as music and theater, etc., are critical in a child’s development. The Arts help with developing communication skills, problem solving skills, social and emotional development, fine motor skills, and helps with self expression. The Arts can play a huge role in a child developing a healthy self esteem.

    Julie’s favorite Art mediums are drawing and painting, where she likes to put a focus on teaching how to draw lines, create highlights, and do shading to capture a realistic 3D effect.

    In 2011, Julie began teaching art at Greenville Elementary School, which she describes as some of the most amazing and joyous years of her life. Shortly after, she began offering art classes at Motion Studio in New Albany. From about 2012 – 2018, she offered painting and drawing classes in her home during summer breaks, which grew to be quite popular.

    Julie really enjoyed volunteering her time and talent with fundraising events. She did annual painting classes for the school’s PTO to help raise money for the school. She also loved doing face painting booths for the annual spring fundraiser, where she would train some of her former students to help assist with the face painting. She also worked with one of Greenville’s teachers, Tammy Kruer, in raising money for American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life by offering monthly painting classes at their school. Julie feels strongly about giving to the community around her and feels it is incredibly rewarding to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

  • Lexie Stites Musical Theatre Dance Instructor Intermediate and Advanced Dance Focus

    Lexie Stites

    Musical Theatre Dance Instructor Intermediate and Advanced Dance Focus

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    Pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre at Southeast Missouri State, Dobbins Conservatory
    Pursuing a BA in Dance at Southeast Missouri State, Dobbins Conservatory
    Floyd Central High School Alumni (Floyd Central Theatre Arts)

    Lexie is a 2021 graduate of Floyd Central High School where she performed in Newsies, Legally
    Blonde, Guys and Dolls and other FCHS shows.

    Lexie also served as dance captain, assistant choreographer and performed at the International Thespian Festival with the Floyd Central
    theater troupe. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre and a BA in dance. She
    has recently completed her 2nd year at Dobbin’s Conservatory where she has had the privilege
    of performing in Cinderella, SpongeBob, Fall for Dance, Spring into Dance and Art in Motion as well as serving as the Assistant Choreographer for Carrie the Musical. Along with all these incredible performance opportunities, she enjoys taking a variety of classes focusing on dance styles (musical theatre, ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, hip-hop, Fosse), acting styles, and vocal performance.

    Lexie has worked as a private dance instructor since she was 14 and loves working with kids of all ages. She has also worked for Stage One as a camp choreographer and as a choreographer for Stage One’s Kids4Kids Summer shows where she is currently choreographing Spamalot. She also had the privilege of choreographing 3 shows at Scribner Middle School. Her love for working with kids and helping them pursue their love for their arts and find their passion is what she hopes to bring to the InterACT Studio.

  • Joshua Presley Adcock Theatre Instructor Stage Combat

    Joshua Presley Adcock

    Theatre Instructor Stage Combat

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    Joshua Presley Adcock (he/him) is very excited to be joining the InterACT Team! Josh originally comes from New Orleans, LA and has now been living in Indiana for the past 2 years.

    Josh graduated from Chalmette High School in 2018 where he spent his time crafting his skills in the performing arts, such as theatre, show choir, and as a percussionist in marching band. Josh also spent some time at Holy Cross Community College pursuing a degree in Christian Theology. Josh has always had a life-long love of theatre and creating art. He hopes to continue to develop community engagement and empathy through the performing arts. Josh looks forward to teaching stage combat workshops at Interact Performance Academy this spring!

  • Heather Purlee Musical Theatre Assistant

    Heather Purlee

    Musical Theatre Instructor Assistant

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    Hello I am Heather Purlee. I am 22 years old and I am from southern Indiana. I am a fourth generation graduate from Silver Creek High School. I am an only child and I have been dancing since I was just two years old. I have worked with children in a number of ways since I was twelve years old. I have served at my church, babysat, nannied, been a gymnastics instructor, a camp counselor, and dance teacher. I have been in theater since I was a senior in high school. I know that may sound like a late start but I have acted through dance for many years. I have been in shows at Silver Creek, IUS and the Culbertson Mansion. I am so excited to work with the children at InterAct! 

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IS MY CHILD TOO YOUNG TO START THEATRE CLASSES?

In this short video, Interact Performance Academy’s founder and head instructor, Jami Weckstein, explains to parents how the performing arts can help develop skills and confidence in your child at any age.

FAQ