Acting
Max Hathaway & Abbi Aranda
✦ Many talents · one creative team
Meet the people behind the Starlight.
Our team brings together theatre, dance, vocals, music, performance, technology, creative production, and student engagement.
How we work
Our creative fields.
Team members collaborate across disciplines so performers receive connected coaching in storytelling, music, movement, and production.
Music / Singing
Max Hathaway, Samantha “Sammy” Reeves & Lainey Combs
Dancing
Emery Martin & Max Hathaway
Tech Team
Jaxx Ballew, David Hathaway & Max Hathaway
Specific roles
Every specialty has a purpose.
These are the specific Starlight Stageworks roles and the responsibilities each one brings to rehearsals, camps, and productions.
Musical Theatre Specialist
Oversees acting, storytelling, and character development.
Dance Specialist
Teaches choreography, movement, and stage presence.
Executive Vocalist
Leads vocal warmups, harmonies, and singing technique.
Performance Directors
Coach performers on confidence, expression, and stagecraft.
Music & Accompaniment Specialist
Assists with rehearsal tracks, music direction, and rhythm.
Associate Composer & Music Development Artist
Collaborates on original melodies, score development, and music for upcoming Starlight productions.
Creative Production Specialist
Helps with props, costumes, set pieces, and backstage coordination.
Technical Director
Oversees sound, lighting, projections, backstage operations, and technical rehearsals.
Student Engagement Specialist
Welcomes campers, leads games and team-building activities, and helps create a fun atmosphere.
Team biographies
Meet the team.
Get to know the artists, leaders, and technical specialists who help bring Starlight productions to life.
Musical theatre · music · performance
Max Hathaway
Max has loved singing and dancing since he could walk. His theatre credits include Ben in Descendants, Rooster in Annie, Karl in Freaky Friday, and Ryan in High School Musical 2. He leads Starlight’s acting, storytelling, music, performance, dance, and technical work.
Read the founder story →
Acting · performance
Abbi Aranda
Abbi is a longtime singer and actor who helps performers grow in confidence, expression, and stagecraft. Her credits include Camille in Junie B. Jones, and she earned Superior ratings as a vocalist at statewide contests.
Dance · choreography
Emery Martin
Emery has danced since age three and brings competitive-dance experience to the team. She has appeared in three Sequoyah Middle School productions and earned national-champion recognition at the Starbound Dance Competition.
Vocals · singing technique
Samantha “Sammy” Reeves
Samantha is a talented singer who loves working with children. She played Gabriella in Stage 405’s High School Musical 2 Jr. and leads Starlight performers through vocal warmups, harmonies, and singing technique.
Music · singing · composition
Lainey Combs
Lainey is an accomplished musician and performer. Her theatre credits include Moana, Junie B. Jones, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Freaky Friday, and Descendants. An excellent violinist, she earned a place in Symphonia Orchestra, part of Oklahoma Youth Orchestra. Lainey is collaborating on the scores for upcoming Starlight Stageworks musicals and is excited to join the team.
Student engagement
Reese Mayo
Reese has always had a passion for singing and has performed in Spotlight’s Beetlejuice. She welcomes campers, leads games and team-building activities, and helps every Starlight experience feel fun and inviting.
Technical direction
Jaxx Ballew
Jaxx is Starlight’s tech master. He loves everything technical and brings that enthusiasm to sound, lighting, projections, backstage operations, equipment, and technical rehearsals.
Creative production
David Hathaway
David—Max’s dad—brings professional technology experience and a background in high-school choir to Starlight. He supports directing, singing, props, costumes, set pieces, backstage coordination, and technical production.
Team roles and biographies adapted from the original Waves & Wonders “Meet Us” page.