Board of Trustees

  • Alyse Baron – President
  • Jeff Bethard – Vice President
  • Lauren Hurwitz – Chief Financial Officer
  • Barbara Kuntz – Marketing Director
  • Donna Mavros – Trustee, Parliamentarian
  • Matt Cabrera – Trustee
  • Gantry Wilson – Trustee
  • Tereza Sparks – Trustee
  • Naomi Sognefest – Trustee
  • Phil Lisle – Advisor

Margie King – Our Founder

“Without a doubt, MTAOC has changed the lives of each of the young stars who have become a part of our family.”

Margie was the guiding light behind MTAOC since its inception. The success of the company over its forty plus year life span was founded on her vision, creativity, talent, and joy in helping young performers find confidence and success through the vehicle of musical theater. Though she passed away in 2024, her legacy with MTAOC endures!

Margie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in vocal performance, with minors in theater and piano from the University of Denver. She appeared in many opera and musical theater productions including 122 performances of “The Sound of Music,” leading roles with both Denver’s and Irvine’s Saddleback Civic Light Orchestras. She was also a frequent church soloist. Her early career was as one of the famous Continental Airlines “Sky Goddesses” where she developed a passion for working with people.

Shortly thereafter she became a certified instructor with the Yamaha Music Education Center where she created the Rainbow Singers children’s musical theater program. When the franchise was sold, she rallied the involved parents and formed MTAOC as founding Artistic and General Manager, Producer, and in the early years, costumer, choreographer, musical director, accompanist, set designer/builder, and general jack-of-all-trades. The group’s first production of “The Sound of Music” featured a cast of eight children, seven girls and a last minute recruit of a young boy to play the Captain Von Trapp role. Within two years they were teaching over 100 children in three separate age groups, each performing their own major productions, complete with costumes, sets, sound, and lights. One of the group’s greatest recognitions was being selected as the chorus for the Broadway touring company of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” for a three-week run at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Margie also served as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for Chapman University where she created and managed the prestigious Student Ambassadors Program for many years. For Margie, there was no reward greater than watching a shy newcomer to MTAOC blossom under our training as they experience success in the spotlight, regardless of the size or importance of their role.