Meet Our Team

KEVIN ROGERS

Technical Director
​Kevin Rogers is currently in this ninth year at Bartlett High School serving as the head Forensics coach and the Technical Director for the Panther Playhouse, which in 2019, was awarded Outstanding Overall Production for Pippin. He graduated from Harding University BA in Theatre and Oral Communication. He serves as the District I Representative for the Tennessee High School Speech and Drama League.  In 2016, he was named a WREG News Channel 3 and Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Week. He was also the recipient of the 2017-2018 THSSDL Krider Award for Outstanding Speech and Drama Educator of the Year.
He is also a local theatre artist having been the lighting designer for productions at Germantown Community Theatre, the Harrell Theatre, and Desoto Family Theatre where he was nominated for an Allie Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

CHRIS STEELE

Assistant Director
Chris Steele has been teaching English at Bartlett for over 20 years and loves it.  She has a degree in speech and theatre and has enjoyed working with the students in the Panther Playhouse over the past few years.  Previous credits include: East Lynne (Show Girl), And Then There Were None (Vera Claythorne) and To Kill a Mockingbird (Miss Maude).   She loves to perform and direct.  “It is so much more fun to work with such amazing talent.”

KIRIE WALZ

Theatre Director
Mrs. Walz earned a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Memphis. After college, Mrs. Walz taught at Germantown High School for nine years, before coming to Bartlett High School.  In 2019, the Panther Playhouse's production of Pippin received the award for Outstanding Overall Production at the Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards and Mrs. Walz received the award for Outstanding Direction by a Teacher.  She has worked at several theatres in the Memphis area including Theatre Memphis and Playhouse On the Square. She has received Ostrander awards for Leading Actress in a Musical in the U of M's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and in Theatre Memphis' production of Annie Get Your Gun and was recently nominated for Best Featured Performer in a Musical for her role in Hairspray at Theatre Memphis.  Other favorite productions include Elegies: A Song Cycle, Big River, Assassins, Noises Off, Parade and Aida. Mrs. Walz currently teaches Intro to Theatre Honors and Standard at the Ninth Grade Academy,  as well as Production Workshop Honors, and Acting Honors at Bartlett High School.