Justin Batten

Justin began working with mad Theatre when he was cast as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, a role which earned him Best Leading Actor in a Musical from Broadwayworld.com. He was then cast as Tom Collins in the three-week, sold-out run of Rent. He later joined the Board of Directors as the Marketing and Promotions Chair. When not performing or working on a production, Justin is the Senior Manager for a National Marketing Division at GEICO. In the rest of his spare time, Justin works internationally with cheerleading teams and coaches, and serves as a judge on multiple panels and competitions.

Dwayne Cline

Dwayne is thrilled to lend his T-square and desire to make art for mad Theatre of Tampa. His first task to assist with set drawings for mad Theatre’s Avenue Q production got him hooked and he has never looked back. Recently he evolved into his first acting debut in a cameo role as Helga in mad Theatre’s production of Cabaret, while also doing its set design and construction. Dwayne’s set designs for mad Theatre also include Nunsense, A-men!; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told; Rent; The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Next To Normal; and Company.

Cathy Hooten

Catherine A. Hooten has been an active member of the organization since its inception and has served as the President of the mad Theatre Board of Directors for over ten years. Cathy has worked on every mad Theatre production in one aspect or another, whether she has coordinated set building in her driveway, served as the box office for multiple venues before mad found a home at the Straz Center, or sewed swastika armbands for our recent performance of Cabaret. Cathy oversees each production with an eye for detail, a mind on the budget, and thousands of delicious baked treats for each cast across the years.

Erin Coalson

Erin has been a part of mad Theatre since its inception in 1999. Her first ever theatre experience was mad’s first production: Pippin. In that 18-year span, Erin has been involved in just about every production of mad’s while also attending college, getting married, and having 2 children. Her true passion is her family and her health coaching business, but when the opportunity arises to dance in a show, she does her best to make the time available. She is very proud to be a part of mad Theatre. What we bring to the stage is just the beginning of the impact. The lives touched before, during, and after a production behind the scenes are immeasurable. She has seen engagements on stage, tears of joy, sadness, grief and pain. The future is bright for mad, and she welcomes you to join us in the journey.

Justin Batten

AT-LARGE MEMBER

Justin began working with mad Theatre when he was cast as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, a role which earned him Best Leading Actor in a Musical from Broadwayworld.com. He was then cast as Tom Collins in the three-week, sold-out run of Rent. He later joined the Board of Directors as the Marketing and Promotions Chair. When not performing or working on a production, Justin is the Senior Manager for a National Marketing Division at GEICO. In the rest of his spare time, Justin works internationally with cheerleading teams and coaches, and serves as a judge on multiple panels and competitions.

Dwayne Cline

Dwayne is thrilled to lend his T-square and desire to make art for mad Theatre of Tampa. His first task to assist with set drawings for mad Theatre’s Avenue Q production got him hooked and he has never looked back. Recently he evolved into his first acting debut in a cameo role as Helga in mad Theatre’s production of Cabaret, while also doing its set design and construction. Dwayne’s set designs for mad Theatre also include Nunsense, A-men!; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told; Rent; The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Next To Normal; and Company.

mellissa doell

AT-LARGE MEMBER

Melissa has been performing with mad Theatre since their 2004 production of Ragtime. To date, Melissa has been part of over 10 mad Theatre musical productions, including: Reefer Madness!, Quilt, Batboy, Zanna Don’t!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Spelling Bee and sold out performances of Avenue Q as Kate Monster and Rent as Maureen. In addition, Melissa has also performed in several cabarets/fabarets and more recently with mad Theatre’s outreach charity program. Melissa holds a bachelor of arts in Musical Theatre from the University of Tampa and has studied with national tour casting directors such as Bob Cline and Dave Clemmons in New York City. She has also been involved with various theatres within the Tampa community for over 15 years and has cherished each unique and special experience. mad Theatre has always been like a family and she is proud of the professional pieces of art created with each production.

micheal c. silvestri

AT-LARGE MEMBER

Michael is the newest addition to the Board and is the Chair of Corporate Sponsorship and Fundraising.  He is better known “onstage” for his roles in mad Theatre’s productions of “Disaster”, “It Shoulda Been You”, and “9 to 5”.  A student of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NY, he is a three-time nominee for Best Actor in a Musical for Creative Loafing’s annual “Best of the Bay” awards and two-time Star Award winner for the annual Theatre Grapevine Awards.   When not on stage, Michael is a senior consulting analyst for Liberty Mutual Insurance where he is actively involved with the LGBTQ, Women’s, and Active and Retired Servicepersons’ employee resource groups.  Although the stage is his first love, Michael enjoys writing poetry and essays and is currently working on that all-elusive best seller, two screenplays, and a musical!