Ted Nowlin, President
Ted is a Graphic Designer at Horizon Hobby and lives in Monticello with his wife Kelly, and their twin boys, Preston and Payne. The whole family is involved in theatre one way or another. Ted began his acting career with MTA in 2011 in Dearly Departed. He has directed On Golden Pond, and plans on directing more plays in the future. He has been on the board for the past few years. He can be found at the theatre acting, directing, building sets or parking cars.

Katie Culpepper, Vice President
Katie currently works for Carle Clinic as an accountant and is married to Thurman, who also serves on the board. Together, they have three kids.  Katie got involved with MTA when her oldest son picked up acting in 2018. She has been involved with MTA’s summer youth musicals and summer kids workshops ever since, volunteering her time for the last several years especially since all 3 of her children have appeared in several MTA shows. Katie has co-produced several Summer Youth Productions such as Chicago – High School Edition (2021) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2022). Katie also directed her first MTA Summer Youth Production show last summer with Matilda the Musical (2023), and continued this past summer directing The SpongeBob Musical.

Janet Roy, Secretary
Janet has lived in Monticello for her whole life, minus the first 3 glorious years she lived in Cisco. She can’t act, she can’t direct but she loves watching theatre and helping out in the community. Known as Mom, Nana, friend and Insurance Agent at Loman-Ray in Monticello.

Payne Nowlin, Treasurer
Payne is a recent graduate of Illinois State University. He has enjoyed helping MTA for years, usually by parking cars and acting since he was in middle school. More recently as an actor and set builder for the Haunted House. Now as treasurer, he hopes to use his accounting degree to maintain the financial aspects of MTA.

Thurman Culpepper, Building Trustee
Thurman works in IT at Parkland and also at CU Woodshop Supply doing a little bit of everything from maintenance to IT to shop work. He has been involved in theatre by helping with sound and building sets for the summer musicals for the last 4 years and also built the set for Into the Woods at Monticello High School in 2021. Thurman has done some acting in college but prefers to stay behind the scenes. His main hobbies include spending time in his personal wood shop and playing games with his family. 

Colleen Kilian, Marketing Coordinator
Originally from Chicago, Colleen has made Central IL her home away from home for over 35 years and currently resides in Monticello with her husband Sean and sons Lucas, William and dog Sammi. Colleen is known in the area for her many years of coaching/officiating volleyball and day job as the Systems Administrator for the City of Champaign. However, she decided to bring her years of experience running a variety of different youth/professional programs to the theater when her son Lucas got involved with MTA. She credits MTA for Lucas’ love of the theatre going into his freshman year of High School by appearing in 3 MTA summer youth productions and deciding to major in Theatre at Parkland College, where he is currently a sophomore.

She decided to make her acting debut with Lucas in MTA’s 2023 production of Talk Radio and had since had a small role in 2024’s Summer Youth Production of The Spongebob Musical. She also has an occasional role as a background actor for the TV series Chicago Fire, appearing in 6 episodes so far this season.

Not wanting to leave anyone out, Colleen also got the rest of her family involved in MTA. William acted in the 2021 Summer Youth Production of Chicago – High School Edition and Sean helps with the lights and stage builds for several MTA productions. Colleen has also co-produced several Summer Youth Productions such as Chicago – High School Edition (2021), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2022), Matilda the Musical (2023), and The SpongeBob Musical (2024). 2025 will be an exciting year for Colleen and her family as her oldest son Cameron and his partner Jessica are expecting their first child this summer and she already has plans to get her first grandchild involved in the performing arts.

Gayvien Allen, At-Large Board Member
Gayvien has lived in White Heath for most of her life, attending White Heath Grade School and Monticello High School.

She became involved with the MTA when she attended a play featuring her cousin. Later, her son Kail auditioned for the Summer Youth Production of Matilda the Musical and secured his first role as Bruce. Encouraged by this experience, he auditioned for The Spongebob Musical and was cast as Patrick, igniting an excitement for acting. She has volunteered throughout the community and with the Summer Youth Production the past 2 years, especially loved being able to help put together the background and props for The SpongeBob Musical last summer.

When she’s not volunteering, she is mom to daughter Jayden and son Kail and runs an in-home daycare and works for the Ridings dealership. She looks forward to continuing to help out in the future while supporting her son while leaving the acting to him! She is excited about what the next few years will bring and is delighted to be part of the MTA board.

Eric Briggs, At-Large Board Member
Eric has lived in Monticello for a combined 8 years with his wife Renee, two children, Ashton and Delaney. Eric works as a District Sales Manager for NuTech Seed. He has volunteered for many years, coaching youth sports including both baseball and soccer. He has also had leadership roles in several community HOA’s including Secretary and Treasurer.  His daughter, Delaney played several different roles this past year in Monticello Theatre Association’s production of Spongebob the Musical. Eric volunteered some of his time to various roles during the production, including prop construction, parking cars and whatever else was needed.  He also had a brief cameo as a pirate in the production.  He has enjoyed the theater experience, and is looking forward to volunteering his time, management experience and insights with the MTA Board. In his free time, he enjoys reading, watching Formula One racing, listening to hard rock music, and spending time with his family. 

Taryn Eickmeier, At-Large Board Member
Taryn grew up in Woodstock, Illinois and has spent most of her life obsessed with music, dance, and public speaking.  Her greatest childhood memories include yearly trips to Chicago to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Nutcracker Ballet, and A Christmas Carol.  Her involvement with theater started early with the countless productions that came to life during family get-togethers and by middle school she wrote a murder mystery with a childhood friend.  Her favorite play is Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie.

She graduated the University of Illinois with a degree in Elementary Education, and previously taught for fifteen years.  She currently works at Studio 114 as a Licensed Nail Technician and absolutely loves it!

The greatest achievement and honor in her life, however, comes from her role as parent to Henry (7), Victoria (5), and Veda (10mo).  They challenged her in a number of ways, and she has found myself doing things she never imagined before having children, like cooking, watching Bluey, listening to Taylor Swift, and surviving on only a few hours of sleep. 

Pat Gleason, At-Large Board Member
Pat has lived in Monticello since 2008 with his wife Mandy and three children: Quinlan, Aiden, and Cora. He is currently self-employed as an independent insurance agent affiliated with Country Financial in Mt Zion, Illinois. Pat has served on several statewide, regional, and local community boards including Rural Partners, Mahomet Aquifer Consortium, Housing Authority of Piatt County, Monticello Planning and zoning Commission, and Goose Creek Township Library (Now Goose Creek Library District) where he provided financial over-site, contributed to strategic planning, partnership developments strategies and other various board related activities. He has served as a rec league coach in several capacities, parked cars for MTA, and volunteered for countless organizations that his family has been involved with. Pat’s children have been involved in 4 MTA production cumulatively, summer camps and he even participated in an MTA improvisational workshop a few years ago that he enjoyed immensely while also realizing he has no future in an improv career. Pat is excited to offer his volunteer and management experience and insights with the MTA Board.

Erich Schumacher, At-Large Board Member
Eric has lived in Monticello for ten years with his wife Melissa, and daughters Leah and Ellie. His daughter, Leah, played Erica in Monticello Theater Association’s production of Matilda the Musical last year. Eric works as an Educational Content Manager for the Office of Human Research Ethics at University of North Carolina. Previously, he worked as an Instructional Media Producer and Studio Manager at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois. Before that, he taught video production at Eastern Illinois University and Millikin University. Even before that, he was a news videographer at WCIA-TV and WHOI-TV. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Eastern Illinois University and a Master’s degree in Digital Storytelling from Ball State University. Eric made his stage debut as “The Witch Doctor” in Teutopolis Junior High School’s production of Lagooned! to mixed reviews. He played guitar in the live band for a production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Charleston Alley Theatre. He also made the chalkboard animation for Matilda the Musical at the Monticello Theater Association. In his free time, Eric enjoys reading, cycling, and writing about himself in the third person.

Gil Yohnka, At-Large Board Member
Gil is a retired Champaign Police Lieutenant and has lived in Monticello with his family for more than 25 years.  His wife Peg is also a MTA member and a frequent volunteer.  Gil became involved in community theater in 2011 and has since appeared in many shows in the Champaign area, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Anything Goes, Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, The Snow Queen and the Goblin, Miracle on 34th St, Les Miserables, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Legally Blonde, The Producers, Bleacher Bums and 1787.  Gil has also appeared on the MTA stage in Rumors, A Week in Mercy Falls, Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, The Foreigner and directed Stealing Home.

TBA, At-Large Board Member

TBA, Youth Board Member

Lana Ross
Lana was a long-time member of the Monticello Theatre Association. Lana remembers the day she found the Camp Creek Playhouse still smoldering from the fire which destroyed it in 1999. She was very proud of implementing the KIDS’ programs, beginning with the first workshops in 2011 which have led to a robust summer program for kids. Lana also served MANY years as MTA’s treasurer. Lana sadly left us on November 11, 2025, but the legacy she built at MTA and in community theatre will endure for years to come.

Carl Sebens
Carl is a long-time member of MTA, beginning with his first show in November of 1978. In addition to working with MTA, he has worked with Decatur’s Theatre 7 and Richland Community College. Favorite directing efforts include The Nerd, The Glass Menagerie, Steel Magnolias, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe. Favorite onstage credits include ‘Norman’ in On Golden Pond, and ‘Matthew Harrison Brady’ in Inherit the Wind.  He enjoyed assuming multiple personalities in the MTA production of Greater Tuna.