YouthFest 2025 Adjudicator

Meet the theatre professional offering thoughtful feedback and guidance to this year’s YouthFest performers. With a background in directing, acting, and arts leadership, our adjudicator helps young artists grow through expert, supportive evaluation.

YouthFest 2025 Adjudicator

YouthFest is all about celebrating the creativity, passion, and talent of young performers... and having an experienced, supportive adjudicator is key to that journey. We’re proud to introduce the 2025 YouthFest Adjudicator, who brings a wealth of theatre knowledge, leadership, and a genuine commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists.

Steven Butler
Adjudicator – YouthFest 2025
Director | Actor | Advocate

Steven Butler brings a deep commitment to theatre and youth engagement through his work as Convention Manager for the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) and as a board member for the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). With a background in both performance and leadership, he has served as Executive Director of the Florida Theatre Conference and Artistic Director of the Sarasota Players. He is also the founder of Actors’ Warehouse in Gainesville, Florida... a company that proudly represented the U.S. at the Mondial du Théâtre in Monte Carlo.

Steven’s passion for elevating young voices in the arts makes him an ideal adjudicator for YouthFest 2025. Participants can look forward to insightful, encouraging feedback grounded in years of experience and a heartfelt belief in the power of theatre to inspire and transform.

Napoleon Douglas
Adjudicator – YouthFest 2025
Actor | Singer | Entrepreneur

Napoleon Douglas is an international actor, vocalist, and producer who holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Drake University and an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship from Southern New Hampshire University. He is the artistic director for Pyramid Theatre Company, Iowa’s only Black theater, and vice-chairman of the board of directors for City Voices, a community centered music education program. Napoleon’s extensive stage credits include the world premiere productions of Mr. Holland's Opus (Louie, Dance Captain; Ogunquit Playhouse) and BRUCE (Joe Alves & Carl Gottlieb Cover; Seattle Repertory Theatre). Other notable roles include Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar (Arvada Center), Jimmy “Thunder” Early in Dreamgirls (Playhouse on the Square – Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Winner), Simba in Hong Kong’s The Festival of the Lion King and principal roles in Bright Star, 5 Guys Named Moe, Miss Saigon, Romeo & Juliet, Sister Act, Superior Donuts, and Hairspray. His film credits include Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Hulu); Oscar Micheaux (Cannes Film Festival, France; Urban Film Festival, New York – BET Selection). Napoleon is a resident performer at NOCE Jazz & Cabaret in Des Moines, where he also manages Cabaret & Private Event Programs. As a former Isiserettes Drill & Drum Corps member, Napoleon had the honor of performing in President Barack Obama’s 2009 Inauguration Parade in Washington, DC.

Kathy Pingel
Adjudicator – YouthFest 2025
Director | Dramaturg

Kathy Pingel - Until her retirement in 2015, Kathy was the Director of Education and Youth Programming at the Des Moines Community Playhouse. At the Des Moines Playhouse, Kathy directed over 50 productions including Anne of Green Gables, Holes, Cinderella, Biloxi Blues, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and Sound of Music. Kathy has adjudicated at the state, regional, national and international levels for the American Association of Community Theatre, has taught AACT’s Adjudication Workshop at the national festival and has served as dramaturg for AACT’s NewPlayFest. In 2016 she and her husband, Ron Ziegler, won the Cloris Leachman Award for best direction of The Hobbit. Kathy is currently a freelance director with credits in Iowa, Washington, Florida, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Ansbach, Germany.

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