Our Mission

​Michael Presser is the founder and President of Inside Broadway, a New York City based non-profit theatre company for youth now celebrating its 41st anniversary season.

Mr. Presser has worked extensively in the commercial concert and artist management fields, having served as a consultant to the Geneva Opera, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, The National Theater in Prague, Theatre des Westens in Berlin, Theatre Aachen and Gaudi Musicals, Cologne. He has also served such notable artists as Karl Richter, Carlos Montoya, Peter Nero and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

He was an active participant in New York City community affairs for over 30 years as a member of Manhattan Community Planning Board #5 and served as its chairman. He has also served in the Times Square Alliance, Mayor’s Midtown Citizens Committee, The Broadway Association and the Town Hall Foundation. He is the recipient of the 2000 Heart to Heart Award for service in the Times Square Theatre District and the 2005 Theatre Museum Award for the Arts in Education. He was also honored by the Broadway League and the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds for over 25 years of service to the Broadway industry.

Mr. Presser is a member of The Broadway League, Opera America, The Producers League of Theatre for Young Audiences, Inc. (PLOYTA); The New York City Arts in Education Round Table (AIE); Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York). A Philadelphia native, he is a graduate of Temple University and a member of The University Club of New York, and a long time resident of Greenwich Village in New York City.

Katie McAllister is a graduate of the University of Maryland and has been working in the teaching field for over 30 years in both the academic and arts and education forums. Katie began her work with Inside Broadway in the “Be the Artist” program at Donnell Library and joined the teaching artist staff of Inside Broadway shortly thereafter. As Program Director for Inside Broadway, Katie has used her experience as a teacher as well as a performer to shape Inside Broadway’s Teaching Artist Residency Programs to reflect both the artistic and academic needs of students in schools today, developing programming for students of all abilities. She has written the Study Buddies and Educator Lesson Plans for Inside Broadway’s productions of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Smokey Joe’s Café, The Melody Lingers on... The Music of Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers Broadway!. For Simply Elementary she wrote the book, lyrics and studyguide for the immigration musical Next Stop, America. Ms. McAllister is passionate about bringing arts services to students of all abilities and is the proud recipient of the 2007 Herbert Birch Friendship Award for excellence in Arts and Education for exceptional children.​​

​Hayden Kraus is a theatre artist and arts educator. He joined the Inside Broadway team in April 2022. Arts education has played a crucial role in Hayden's development and has helped him champion new tasks as a theatre professional. 

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Hayden previously worked as the Fine Arts Director at St. Mary Schools in Neenah, Wisconsin, where he oversaw all theatre production along with music and art education programs. He managed both the facility and served as the artistic director for all productions for the p3-12, private school system.

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In 2013, Hayden co-founded Zephyrs Community Theatre in Northeast Wisconsin that produces family-based productions each summer with over 200 participants in cast, crew, and orchestra. The program also included of a free student edition, which consisted of a full production along with special workshops for the students. 

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Previously to Inside Broadway, Hayden worked at Theatre Row, an off-Broadway theatre on 42nd Street, as the Stage Door Coordinator.

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Hayden is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, where he received his BFA in Design/Technology.

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haydenkraus.com

​Elisha Herring-Cooper is a graduate of the University of St Andrews, where she studied French and German. She also participated in a large variety of student-led productions, both onstage and offstage; highlights include roles as artistic director for Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, assistant producer for Sweeney Todd, and ensemble roles in several other productions.

Previously, she was the Executive Assistant at the Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater. 

​Claudia A. Tapler is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, where she earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts. The New York native began her journey as a lead teaching artist with Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA for three years. There Claudia honed her skills in lesson plan development, directing, TYA, and a commitment to D.E.I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) work. She currently attends NYU Steinhardt pursuing an M.A. in Educational Theatre for Colleges & Communities. Her ongoing dedication to the field of arts education and theatre has provided a strong background in teaching and performance. She is passionate about using theatre to enrich the lives of young people from diverse communities through creating and facilitating inclusive environments. As Inside Broadway’s Program Associate she continues to make impactful contributions to both the arts and educational sectors; shaping the next generation of artists and learners.

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