Faculty and Board of Directors

Karel J. Bouse, PhD

Dr. Bouse is the Executive Director of MASPA. She is the voice instructor and the Director of The Monroe Consort and the Monroe Area Opera.  Dr. Bouse received her Doctorate and Masters in History from the University of Maryland and her Bachelors in History from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Bouse is a native of the Washington D.C. area and grew up performing in plays, classical concerts and Gilbert & Sullivan operas at Sandy Spring Friends School and in college.  She studied voice and opera for 10 years with private teachers, most notably with former Metropolitan Opera coloratura Marilyn Cotlow. Betty Bullock, Carol Palca and Steven Crout were her primary coaches.  She also studied with former NATS President Martha Randall, and performed in opera workshops with Metropolitan Opera baritone Charles Williams at the Levine School of Music.

Prior to relocating to Tennessee with her husband in 1992 she performed in companies around the DC area including the Victorian Lyric Opera Company. She studied and performed legitimate theater and Stanislavski method with Prudence Barry at the Roundhouse Theater in Rockville, MD. She began teaching Classical Voice in 1998, and founded the Monroe Area School for the Performing Arts in August 2006. She is a member in good standing of NATS.

Robert Burleson        

Mr. Burleson teaches classical guitar. He is an accomplished performer and composer for the instrument.  He studied for 12 years with Lawrence Long at the Long School of Music.  He has participated in Master Classes with some of the top virtuosi of the Classical Guitar, including Dr. Lilly Ashfar, Muriel Anderson, Michael Chapdolone, Ed Steveson, Ana Vidovic, Ruben Romero and Mason Williams (the composer of “Classical Gas.”)  He is a member of the Knoxville/Oak Ridge Guitar Society and has acted as stage manager and photographer for many of the productions.

Marilyn Cotlow         

Ms. Cotlow is a member of the School’s Advisory Board. She studied for over 10 years with Metropolitan Opera tenor Hans Clemens before winning the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions in 1947, at which time she was awarded a contract with the Met as a principal coloratura soprano. She put her Met contract on hold for a year to perform the role of Lucy in Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Telephone” on Broadway after he created the role for her specifically.  When she returned to the Met she had the opportunity to sing on the same stage with legends such as Jussi Bjorling, Zinka Milanov, Rise Stevens and Leonard Warren.  Following the Met she performed extensively in Europe, and began teaching upon her return to the US. She has taught for 47 years in her private studio and also as an adjunct with the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and Catholic University in Washington D.C. 

Pamela Gilmore         

Ms. Gilmore is the Secretary of the Board of Directors.  She received her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Florida and worked as a Speech Pathologist for many years.  She is currently a Licensed Massage Therapist in Athens.  She has a great love for the performing arts, an interest in the community and a desire to help people attain their highest potential.  She is the Costume Designer for the Monroe Area Opera.

Dawn Mabius            

MASPA is fortunate to have Ms.  Mabius on the Board of Directors. Ms. Mabius received her Masters in Education Administration from Texas A&M University.  She is currently a trainer at Comcast in Knoxville.  She has outstanding organizational skills which are necessary to the School and the function of the Board.  She is also a participant in the Monroe Consort and the Monroe Area Opera.

Douglas H. Manley, PhD 

Dr. Manley is the Accompanist for the Monroe Consort and the Monroe Area Opera.  He is a skilled and innovative pianist who adds humor and depth to our productions.  Dr. Manley is currently on the Music faculty at Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, TN, and is the Music Director at Keith Memorial Methodist Church in Athens.  He received his Doctorate in Music from the Cincinnati Conservatory.

Larry Stein, EdD             

Dr. Stein teaches Drama and sits on the Board of Directors. He not only directs the Actors’ Studio and all theatrical productions, but also the Stage Director for the Monroe Area Opera.  He received his Doctorate in Education from the University of Tennessee and his Bachelors in English/Theater Arts from Tennessee Tech.  He has a long list of acted roles and directed productions to his credit.  He has spent 30 years with the City of Sweetwater Schools as a Teacher, Principal and currently as the Assistant Superintendent.  He sits on the Monroe County School Board. Dr. Stein performs with the Monroe Area Opera and the Monroe Consort.

Wilma Stein            

Ms. Stein teaches Piano.  She has played, accompanied and taught consistently over the past 50 years.  She received her Bachelors of Education at the University of Tennessee and has been an elementary school teacher for over 30 years.  She is a patient yet demanding teacher who focuses on the student progressing at his/her own pace.  She insists on mastery of the fundamentals, and works equally well with school aged and adult students. 

Meredith Willson       

Ms. Willson is on the School’s Advisory Board.   She is the Vice President for Public Relations for Citizens National Bank.  She received her Bachelors Degree in Journalism from the University of Tennessee.  Ms. Willson is invaluable to MASPA for her understanding of fiscal matters.  She is also extremely generous in her support of the School and her willingness to tell people about the School and its activities.