Nicki Poer

Biography

Nicki first served as a choreographer for The Sound of Music at Stage 212 in LaSalle, IL over 20 years ago and has not stopped since! By day she serves as the Director of Education & Outreach here at the Civic where she oversees many programs including the Academy of Theatre Arts. Nicki has directed many productions here at The Civic, including Shrek, The Hobbit, Peter Pan, Nuncrackers, The Night Before Christmas, James & the Giant Peach and was Director/Choreographer for The Magical Adventures of Merlin and for our world premiere of Sleepy Hollow, A Musical Tale. Nicki holds a BA in Theatre from Millikin University and her MFA in Acting is from the University of Montana. Also a performer, she was most recently seen in the Parish Theatre at Cindy Barnes in Hands On A Hardbody. Selected past stage roles include Eva Peron (Evita), Ado Annie (Oklahoma!), Mrs. Cratchit (A Christmas Carol), Irene Roth (Crazy for You), Prudie Cupp (Pump Boys and Dinettes), and one of her favorites, Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Twelfth Night). Nicki has also served as a makeup and wig/hair designer for numerous productions. Prior to her move to Kalamazoo in 2008, Nicki was Education Associate for Community-Based Programs at the Tony Award-Winning Hartford Stage and toured for two years with the Missoula Children's Theatre including a stint in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Nicki and her husband are both extremely proud to work in theatre; Brad is Theatre Professor at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek. They are proud residents of Kalamazoo along with their two energetic, musical young children and one loveable, old dog. . Nicki is stoked to finally put all of the choreography she created in her parents basement while watching MTV during the early 1980s to good use in this production.

"My work on this production is dedicated in loving memory of Thom Andrews and Greg Greenman "their positive influence lives and rocks on in all of us who knew them."