STAFF

Tyler Olsen-Highness, Executive Director
​Pronouns: He/Him/His
​Tyler Olsen-Highness is a theater artist, producer, director, administrator, and teacher who knows how to get things done, connect people, and lead adventures. An outgoing leader, he is the founder of the non-profit Dangerous Productions and has produced over 70 artistic and community inspired projects in the past seven years. He is especially proud of the development of HOPE NEWS, a youth-created positive news broadcast out of Frogtown, featuring youth interviews of people doing amazing work in our community. He has produced work of, by, and for the community of Frogtown for six years. Tyler served the Victoria Theater project for 7 years as a project manager, events producer, advisory board member, board chair and member of the executive, building, and fundraising committees before becoming executive director in 2019. He believes the organization has the chance to build the arts center of the future---a center for the neighborhood to share, celebrate, and question. When he isn’t creating art or leading change, Tyler enjoys outdoor adventures, music, theater, and time with his wife Amy, dog Marigold, and cat Kitty.

Sydney Latimer, Community Coordinator
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Sydney Latimer (Divinewords) is a queer interdisciplinary artist, writer, and activist from the TwinCities, MN. As a poet and visual artist, they have worked with The Last Poets, Ursula Rucker, Eyedea & Abilities, Brother Ali, The Guerilla Girls, and Barry McGee (Twist). Since 2015, Sydney has been developing a new experimental Afro-Gothic surrealism project called “Divine’s Toxic Tea Party”, which is best described as the exploration of post-apocalyptic dreamscapes in the unsettlingly creepy landscape of the uncanny valley. Outside of their accomplishments in performance and visual arts, Sydney is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, a former contributor for the Huffington Post, a three-time marathon finisher, Tough Mudder NoCalFinisher, and has been recognized several times over the years for their outstanding achievements in the arts and community activism for social justice and LGBTQ+ rights.

Chava Rey Curland, Communications Manager
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Chava Curland (pronounced HAH-vah) is an interdisciplinary artist; a theater director and producer, mask and puppet maker, arts administrator, painter, and performer. She has previously managed communications for Technical Tools of the Trade and the Germanic-American Institute as well as for her own theater company, See-Saw Theatre Lab. As a director, Chava has presented work at or with the Open Eye Figure Theatre, 20% Theater Company, Gadfly Theatre Productions, and the MN Fringe, and she has held professional residencies at the New Victory Theater (NYC) and Ithaca College. As a puppeteer and mask artist, she has designed and performed for over 20 productions with local companies In The Heart of the Beast, Mad Munchkin Productions, Classical Actors Ensemble, and more. She lives in Frogtown with her husband, and can often be found at the Frogtown Farm with their Corgi-Australian Shepherd, Ruby.