Who We Are

Trinda Crow, Executive Director
This is Trinda Crow's 40th year at Camellot Academy and her third year as Executive Director. Trinda has performed in productions at Starlight Theatre, Shawnee Mission Park and The Barn Players, as well as on the Camellot stage when she was a camper. She received a BA in communication studies/early childhood from UMKC. Trinda spent 22 years teaching and administering preschool in Kansas City and is currently The Art Department Chair for the high schools in the Wyandotte, OK School District. Trinda is also the mother of two Camellot graduates.

Marsha Oyer, Associate Director
Marsha Oyer brings her 15 years of Camellot experience to the position of Associate Director and afternoon camp director. Marsha received her Bachelor and Masters degrees in Music Education from KU and an administrative certificate from Baker University. She has been in education for more than 30 years. Marsha has performed at Starlight Theatre, The Lyric Opera, Shawnee Mission Park, Bell Road Barn Players, Wyandotte Players and The Renaissance Festival. She has also been the vocal director/accompanist for Shawnee Mission Park.

Vida Bikales, Board President
Vida Bikales was the Art Director at Camellot from 1972 through 1977, a board member and then became President of the board in 1991. Vida received a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the University of Kansas and was a cover artist at Intercollegiate Press before becoming a pharmaceutical sales rep for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in 1977. In addition to her work with Pfizer and Camellot, Vida is currently Secretary of the Board of Directors for The Barn Players. Vida also volunteers at the Jackson County Free Health Clinic.

Barbara Ludwig

We are very excited to be adding Barbara to our staff as our Senior Vocal teacher.  Barbara is from Shawnee and is a recent graduate from Baker University with a Bachelor of Music Education - Vocal degree.  She is an accomplished pianist and the accompanist for the Edgerton United Methodist choir.  Barbara plans on attending the University of Kansas in the fall working on a Masters in Music Therapy.

Dan O'Connell

Dan O'Connell has a degree in elementary and secondary education as well as a master's in theatre.  He currently teaches history and civics to Pembroke Hill 6th and 7th graders, and recently directed You Can't Take It With You  for The Barn Players.

He also has taught theatre at Sumner Academy and directed musicals for Baldwin City Theatre for several years.  He is married and has a nine year old daughter and a two year old son.  This will be Dan's second year at Camellot.

Erica Hudson

Erica is very excited to be back for her second year of teaching dance at Camellot and working on the production of Annie!  In addition to being a teacher, Erica also attended Camellot for four years as a camper.  Currently, she is a Sophomore at The University of Kansas, studying Public Relations and Marketing.  She is also a member of the Kappy Kappa Gamma Sorority. Erica has been dancing since she could walk.  She took dance lessons for 12 years, was on her highschool dance team, the Shawnee Mission East Lancer Dancers, and has been in many musicals. 

Britney Davis

After a year off, Britney will be joining our staff again in the dance department.

Larry Beekman

Larry Beekman has been teaching guitar at at Camellot Academy since 1999. In addition, he has taught guitar  at various colleges and music studios in the Kansas City area since 1975. He has a degree in Music Theory from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Hal Leonard Publishing Co. has published four books of his arrangements for finger-style guitar, including the popular Beatles for Classical Guitar. In addition, he has self published a two volume guitar method, How to Play the Acoustic Guitar, as well as Folksongs for Classical Guitar and An International Christmas. In addition to teaching, Larry performs regularly both as a soloist, and with his wife, Kathy Riegelman, in the flute and guitar duo "Evensong." For information about private lessons, please go to www.larrybeekman.com.

Shelly Hailey

Fred and Renee Zimmerman

Fred and Renee are music teachers for the Kansas City, Kansas school district, USD 500.  Fred teaches music for grades K-5 at Frank Rushton Elementary.  Renee teaches choral music grades 6-8 at Argentine Middle School.  The Zimmermans direct the All-City Children's Choir, which is an auditioned group of students from grades 4-8 in Kansas City, Kansas.  We welcome the Zimmermans to their first year of teaching our Junior Division at Camellot!

Susan Meier

Susan joins the Camellot Family this year in the administrative office.

John Bickers, Parker Elsloo and Kirby Buckley will be holding the positions of Office Hunks and Office Lovely, assisting the staff.