Founding Company Members

Shannon Woolley Allison
Co-Artistic Director - Artist Development | Founding Company Member

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Shannon was a founding member of LFL in 2001. She oversees the development of the company and the execution of our mission in creating both performances and residencies that speak to the needs of those whose voices are unheard. Shannon performs, directs, and teaches for LFL. Some of her favorite experiences have been her one-woman show, Women Speak: IRAQ, directed by Kelly McNerney; 10 Years, 7 Stories, a retrospective performance of all of LFL’s original work; and her ongoing work in Kentuckiana classrooms using drama to explore topics such as the 1937 Louisville Flood, the Underground Railroad, and issues of peer pressure and discrimination. Shannon holds a BFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University, and an MA in Educational Theatre from New York University. For the last 15 years, she has free-lanced as an actor, director, and teaching artist, in addition to her work with LFL. She is proud to have contracted with The Leadership Program in NYC, City Lights Youth Theatre, StageOne Children’s Theatre, and Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. She is proud to be a roster artist for the KY Arts Council, and a member of Alternate ROOTS, The Network of Ensemble Theatres, The Alliance for Theatre in Education, and The Theatre Alliance of Louisville.

Trina Fischer
Co-Artistic Director - Sales & Promotions | Founding Company Member

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Trina received a B.S. in Performance Studies with a minor in Latin American Studies from Northwestern University after attending the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY. Subsequently, she spent a year in Santiago, Chile studying acting on a Fulbright grant. She has performed at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Manhattan Theatre Source, CenterStage NY, and worked with Bridgework Theatre, Necessary Theatre, Blue Apple Players, StageOne Children's Theatre and Pandora Productions. For seven years, she worked as a teaching artist with CUNY's Creative Arts Team in New York City schools, exploring social justice issues and helping develop literacy skills through interactive drama curriculums, and is on the Kentucky Arts Council's teaching artist roster. She specializes in "early learning through the arts," working with 4-7 year olds. During that time, she helped co-found Looking for Lilith. With Looking for Lilith, she has helped create, produced and/or performed in almost all of its original works, including producing and performing in their tours. She is a proud member of Alternate ROOTS and a certified Alba Emoting instructor. Favorite performances include: Marisol (New World Players), The Laramie Project (Pandora Productions), And Baby Makes 7 (Necessary Theatre), What My Hands Have Touched (LFL), Fabric, Flames and Fervor: Girls of the Triangle (LFL), and Body Awareness (LFL).

Jennifer Thalman Kepler
Co-Artistic Director - Community Outreach | Founding Company Member

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Jennifer manages LFL’s Community Outreach department including LFL’s award winning program, CHOICES: An Interactive Play on Cyberbullying and Suicide, The Faith Stories Project, in-school drama residencies, afterschool programs and summer camps. Jennifer is also an actor, director and playwright with the company. She has performed in Crossing Mountains, What My Hands Have Touched, Class of ’70, Fabric Flames and Fervor and Beyond the Blue Mountains. She is the co-playwright and director of Strangers/Extranjeras and has served as devising director for What My Hands Have Touched, and as devising/production director for CHOICES and Becoming Mothers. Jennifer holds an MA in Educational Theatre from New York University. While in NYC, Jennifer worked for five years as a freelance teaching artist, integrating drama into math and social studies curriculum, facilitating arts-based violence prevention programs and directing youth theatre. Jennifer has also spent a year in Guatemala where she served as a Young Adult Volunteer with the PC(USA). While in Guatemala, Jennifer led community building and self-esteem workshops for women as well as workshop planning training sessions with the leaders of the Presbyterian Women. From this experience, LFL’s Faith Stories Project was born. Jennifer also holds a Masters of Divinity Degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C.