Karen Hughes Beacom
Artistic Director, Vocal Instructor, Stage Director, Conductor
Karen has been teaching for the Soo Theatre since its inception in 2005 and produced and directed the first fully staged production with orchestra in 2006. This local production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel led to the creation of the Soo Opera and the beginning of an annual summer season the following year. A 2003 Upper Midwest finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Karen also placed first in the Classical Singer Emerging Artist competition in Philadelphia in 2005. Karen has performed dozens of leading roles in opera and musical theater, with performances in the United States and abroad.
Karen holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor’s Degree in Harp Performance from DePauw University. Karen also attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City where she received training in acting, singing and dance where she met and trained under Metropolitan Opera Mezzo-soprano Ariel Bybee. In addition to maintaining a private voice and harp studio, Karen is the Director of Music at Little Stone Church on Mackinac Island, Founder and Director of the Soo Youth Theatre Program, and served as an adjunct professor of music at Lake Superior State University for 18 years.
David Bean
Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn Baritone, Tuba – Online Instruction Only
David earned his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Performance Degrees from Illinois State University. He retired in June of 2015 after 36 years of teaching, with 32 in the Morrison, Illinois school system. Mr. Bean has been active in the Illinois Music Education Association throughout his career, holding positions of District 8 President, All-State Honors Band Chair and State President. He was honored by the Illinois chapter of Phi Beta Mu National Band Fraternity as the 2015 Outstanding Bandmaster of the Year. He is a member of the American School Band Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education. Mr. Bean is an active guest conductor and clinician throughout Illinois and Iowa.
While teaching at Morrison High School, Mr. Bean toured with the high school band to Washington D.C., Orlando, New York City, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto Ontario, St. Louis and San Francisco earning honors in numerous festivals and Division 1 ratings in IHSA large group festivals. He has more than 20 former students who are either active music teachers, performers or work in the music industry.
In addition to conducting and teaching, Mr. Bean is an active performer. He held the principal clarinet chair in the Clinton (Iowa) Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years until his retirement from the symphony in September of 2018. Mr. Bean has performed with the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra, Sauk Valley Festival Orchestra, the Quad-City Wind Ensemble, Sauk Valley College Band and Orchestra, The Sterling Municipal Symphonic Band, Dixon Municipal Band, Bettendorf (Iowa) Park Band and the Maple City Band of Geneseo. He also performs frequently with chamber groups and in area churches.
David and his wife Ann relocated to the upper peninsula of Michigan in October 2018 where they live on the shores of Lake Superior near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They have one daughter, Laura who works for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois.
Dottie Case
Strings Instructor, Director of Youth Orchestra & New Horizons
Dottie has been an established teacher and performer in the Eastern Upper Peninsula and surrounding area for the past 20 years. She maintains an active private studio in piano, violin and viola. She is the founder and director of the Soo Theatre’s Advanced Youth Orchestra, as well as the New Horizons Adult String Orchestra. Several of her students have gone on to study music at the University level.
Dottie is an active chamber musician, attending several clinics and workshops per year, and plays viola and violin for the Sault Symphony Orchestra, the Soo Opera, and the newly formed Northern Accent Chamber Orchestra. She holds interdisciplinary degrees in Humanities and Fine Arts Studies from Lake Superior State University with Concentrations in Music and Theatre and a Master’s Degree from California State University – Dominguez Hills in Humanities
with a Music Concentration. She recently retired from LSSU after almost a decade spent teaching Humanities and Music courses.
Lizz Perron
Piano Instructor, Adaptive Piano Instructor
Lizz Perron is a Rudyard native that spent a significant amount of time at the Soo Theatre-working the front desk, taking classes, and singing in various productions. She graduated Western Michigan University with a degree in music therapy in 2013. After finishing her internship and passing her board certification, she’s worked in Ohio and Indiana for the past 10 years as a music therapist where she developed her skills in working with groups and individuals in schools, day programs, homes, and private practice facilities. She also taught adaptive, pre-piano lessons, and lead mommy and me groups, finding her passion in working with early childhood. She is excited to be back in the U.P and to get started bringing her experience to the Soo Theatre.
Tabi Scheffler-Gonzalez
Vocal Instructor, Musical Theatre Instructor, Stretch & Tone and Lyrical Dance Instructor
Tabi Scheffler-Gonzalez is an American Mexican with professional training in Musical Theatre from the Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama in England. She recently graduated at the top of her class with diplomas in Singing, Acting, and Dance. Tabi has previously taught HIIT classes online and has also taught stretch and tone classes as well as exercises and sequences in ballet classes. She has worked with both youth and adults.
Tabi has a wealth of performance experience in singing, musical theatre and dance and most recently joined the opera chorus at Soo Theatre for the summer production of Tosca. She is excited to work with individuals of all abilities and to create a space that allows people to pursue their passion for musical theatre. She will tailor classes to each student focusing on their individualized programs, whether you are looking to fine tune your strengths or further develop your weaknesses in singing, acting through song, flexibility, or dance. She wants to promote individuality and make stronger all-around performers.
Betty Struble
Piano Instructor
began her music career with piano lessons at age six. At twelve she played the organ for her brother’s wedding. She accompanied the high school band and vocal students for scholarship auditions. A scholarship allowed her to attend Interlochen Fine Arts Academy. Betty earned an MA degree in education from Michigan State University with a minor in Fine Arts. While teaching elementary school, she taught at church music camp during summers. Playing music at church led to playing in a praise band, playing piano for a gospel group, creating a trio named Tribute, and playing pipe organ for church services, weddings, and memorial services.
In the summer of 2002, Betty was a member of a festival choir that traveled to England to sing in several churches and cathedrals. Her trio, Tribute, also played at those concerts. Betty has been involved in community theatre as a music director, rehearsal pianist and pit orchestra member in several small towns in both peninsulas of Michigan. After retiring from classroom teaching and moving to the U.P., Betty taught elementary music for six years. She also continued accompanying high school students for solo and ensemble. Betty currently plays for two churches and teaches piano private lessons and in groups.
Maggie Twining
Education Director, Strings Instructor, Orchestra Director
has been an active strings teacher for over 20 years and holds a BA in Music Education from NMU. Maggie has been active in chamber music, performing, and is the Education Director at the Soo Theatre. She teaches violin, viola, cello, and string bass at the Soo Theatre and Algoma Conservatory in Sault, Ontario.
Maggie has recently helped develop a more elaborate orchestra system at the Soo Theatre to include all levels of ability for both youth and adults. This includes the early and intermediate levels of SYO for youth and an intermediate level of New Horizons Adult String Orchestra. In addition, she is the founder and co-director of the Chamber Music Camp at Soo Theatre, she organizes the Chamber Music for Soo Opera and coordinates Faculty & Friends Recitals at the Theatre.
As Education Director, Maggie coordinates with faculty and staff to oversee private lessons, scheduling, summer camp offerings, and implementing group classes for all ages, birth through adults, in addition to coordinating master classes and other opportunities to encourage and develop student potential and growth. Maggie plays with the Sault Symphony Orchestra and is also the founder of Northern Accent Chamber Orchestra, a newly formed group which debuted in February 2020.
