Melanie Schmidt
“Your dream is realistic. It’s your I can’t that’s not realistic.”
Hello world! My name is Melanie. Nice to meet you!
I am theater producer, director and actor. Recently in Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Shrek the Musical. Recently at the 2021 MACT*Fest Competition produced and directed the award winning production, “How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party (In Fifteen Simple Steps), as well as produced and directed Hairspray, the Broadway Musical and Disney’s High School Musical on Stage. I earned my degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth in Theater and Film in 2014. Two years later I founded Stage and Spotlights Community Theatre in order to save a production after it was canceled and have been producing and directing ever since.
I am also a filmmaker, editor and love photography! I love traveling and creating content. I’ve been acting, editing and capturing videography/ photography for the last 15 years. Recently, working on Papi is a Queen (Drag Queen Web Series), Earth Beings (Short Film) and live events in the Twin Cities.
Celebrating diversity and inclusion are a priority to me. ✊🏾🏳️🌈
Hairspray 2017
You can’t stop the BEAT
Pictures of recent projects
Photographer
Meow Wolf, Las Vegas, 2022
Coggins, Inventor, Morris Person
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 2022
River Valley Theatre Company
Evil Queen, Camera Operator, Makeup Artist
“Guardian of Aegora” Feature Film, 2021
Theater Work
- Mary Poppins
Core Ensemble, Videographer
Prior Lake Players, 2023 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Coggins, Morris Person, Inventor
River Valley Theatre Company, 2022 - How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party
Director, Producer, Scenic
Stage and Spotlights, 2021 - Shrek the Musical (Gooden)
Producer, Tweedle Dee
River Valley Theater Company, 2019 - Acting and Monologue Training
Actor, (Workshop)
Self-Reliant Actor, 2019
Theater Work
- Grease the Musical Review (Kearcher)
Co-Director, Lady
Dylan Kearcher Entertainment, 2017 - Beauty and the Beast the Musical Review
Townsperson
Dylan Kearcher Entertainment, 2017 - Hairspray, The Broadway Musical
Director, Producer, Scenic
Stage and Spotlights, 2017 - Disney’s High School Musical
Director, Producer, Scenic, Thespian
Stage and Spotlights, 2016 - Black Coffee (David Coral)
Light Board Operator
Theatre in the Round, 2015 - A Thousand Clowns (Dona Freeman)
Lights, Scenic
Theatre in the Round, 2015
Theater Work
- Charlotte’s Web (Dunning and Gillis)
Narrator
Prior Lake Players, 2015 - The Farnsworth Invention (Lynn Musgrave)
Stage Manager, Lights, Scenic
Theatre in the Round, 2015 - Don’t Drink the Water (Ben Kutschied)
Stage Manager, Lights, Scenic
Theatre in the Round, 2015 - Black Tie (Liz Neerland)
Lights, Scenic
Theatre in the Round, 2015 - Importance of Being Earnest
Director
The Dudley Experimental Theater, 2014 - Damn Yankees (Ann Bergeron)
ASM, Hair & Makeup
Marshall Performing Arts Center, 2014
Film Work
- Mary Poppins Promo Video
Videographer, Editor
Prior Lake Players 2023 - How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party Promo Video
Videographer, Editor
Stage and Spotlights, 2021 - Gaurdian of Aegora | Feature Film
Evil Queen
Creativity Lies Within LLC, 2020-21
Film Work
- Papi is a Queen | YouTube Drag Web Series
Videographer, Editor
Papi is a Queen LLC, 2019 - Social Media Live Videos
Videographer, Host
Walt Life, 2019 - Shrek the Musical Promo Video
Videographer, Editor
River Valley Theatre Company, 2019 - Earth Beings | Short Film
Videographer, Editor, Sky 1 & 2
Film North, 2019
Film Work
- Hairspray Promo Videos
Director, Editor, Writer
Stage and Spotlights, 2017 - Disney’s High School Musical Promo Video
Director, Editor
Stage and Spotlights, 2016 - Theatre People Web Series | Season 3
Student
Theater People, 2015 - Professional Wireless Communications AD
Videographer, Editor
Professional Wireless Communications, 2015
Awards
Excellence in Acting
Stage and Spotlights Community Theatre was given two acting awards at the MACT*Fest competition in 2021 for How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party (In Fifteen Simple Steps).
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Arrowhead Award
Nominated for excellent service, leadership, event planning, videography and founding the first ever gender inclusive Sports Club, called the Quidditch Club.
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Kirby Leadership Certificate
Achieved cultural and leadership competency by fulfilling specialized coursework, attended several emerging leadership workshops and completed 500+ hours of volunteering.
