About Triumvirate Theatre
About ACIPA
About our volunteers

About Triumvirate Theatre
The Triumvirate Theatre, in the Peninsula Center Mall, is run under the umbrella of The Alaska Children's Institute for the Performing Arts (ACIPA), a non-profit corporation founded in 1998 to bring the benefits of theater to children. The performing arts teach young people important skills like responsibility and self confidence, and enrich the lives of those who attend productions in our community. Thousands of theatergoers have enjoyed our summer plays, including The Doll Collection, The Enemy Within, Little Nell, and Wait Until Dark. With the opening of the Triumvirate Theatre, Bookstore, and Gallery in Soldotna, Alaska, we established a permanent home for ACIPA’s children’s programming and community theatre productions. Generous sponsors such as KSRM Radio and Spenard Builders Supply made the opening of our theatre a reality. We are one of the very few performing arts groups in the state to operate our own facility. Since our grand opening in November of 2005, we have conducted concerts, play contests, and performed a series of highly successful productions including Dandelion Wine, A Christmas Carol, Baranov's Castle, Casta-Blanca, and the hilarious detective spoof, What's it Worth to Ya?

About The Alaska Children's Institute for the Performing Arts
The Alaska Children's Institute for the Performing Arts has been bringing the magic of theater to children for many years. Its focus on cooperative learning and real-life stage experience has proven to enrich children's lives and build their academic skills. With hands-on experiences like building sets, assembling props and other elements of theater production, children learn many practical skills. Additionally, staging their own show bolsters their self-esteem and delights audiences who attend to cheer them on and celebrate their accomplishments. Once limited to the Nikiski area, this great summer camp program has branched out to the Soldotna area in the Triumvirate Theatre in the Peninsula Center Mall. Thanks to the generous contributions of corporations and organizations and count-less hours on the part of volunteers, the ACIPA will continue to grow and make a difference in kids' lives on the Kenai Peninsula.

About our volunteers
President Joe Rizzo has been involved in theatre his entire life. He has written, directed and produced dozens of plays in Alaska, both in Southeast Alaska and here on the Peninsula. From intimate thrillers to musical extravaganzas including 2004's sensational Thanks for the Memories, Joe is a versatile and gifted playwright, director and songwriter. Joe also coaches the state champion Nikiski Drama/Debate/Forensics team. He has published both a novel for young people and several plays. His short play, Technical Difficulties, was selected for the Last Frontier Theater Conference held annually in Valdez, Alaska under the direction of Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Albee. Joe's hard work and dedication were recognized in 2003 when he was honored as a BP Teacher of Excellence.

Chris Jenness is a graphic designer and owner of Jenness Graphic Design. His larger projects include the 2004-2005 Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council Visitors' Guide as well as the cover of the 2005 Soldotna Visitor's Center Guide. Chris writes a weekly movie review for the Peninsula Clarion, and draws a weekly editorial cartoon for the Homer Tribune. He is a talented artist who has held solo art exhibitions in Kenai, Soldotna, Homer and Anchorage, as well as participating in the All-Alaska Juried Exhibition and the Anchorage Wild Salmon on Parade. His work was awarded Best In Show at the Peninsula Art Guild's 2005 Juried Show. He has produced advertising materials for ACIPA for several years, including posters that are now collectors' items. Set building and voiceover work are only two of the many other contributions Chris makes.

Carla Jenness is an English teacher at Nikiski High School whose theater experience began as a goose and continues today as she serves as stage manager, assistant director and dramaturge. She has been extremely influential in the work that ACIPA has been able to do in behalf of children and her personal creative stamp can be found on every major work produced by this theater organization over the last three years. In addition to her work in theater, Carla has been a newspaper reporter and a rancher in Texas. In addition to her teaching duties, she also is the yearbook advisor for Nikiski High and assistant coach of their award winning debate team. In 2002, Carla was awarded the Joseph B. Whitehead Educator of Distinction award.