Lynn Zipfel Venhaus

Ever since she organized neighbor kids for 'Cinderella" in her Belleville backyard at age 7, Lynn Venhaus has been putting on shows. Minor in theater, major in mass communications at Illinois State University in 1976, where she gave classmates who founded the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago their first rave reviews in the student newspaper.

She credits the speech and drama opportunities at Academy of Notre Dame (last class to graduate ’72) and Assumption High School under legendary Don Bovingloh, as well as Father Allan Maes’ First Thing Monday Morning group summer shows at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, for spurring her desire to provide a year-round outlet for local talent in the region. Thus, the founding of Brass Rail Players in 2010 and Clinton County Showcase in 1991.

Lynn's byline has been familiar to area newspaper readers for 30+ years, and she currently writes entertainment reviews and features for the Belleville News-Democrat as a freelance correspondent. She works full-time in community relations staff at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park, and is a communications adjunct instructor. In her spare time, she lives for art.

In addition to being BRP’s executive director, she is on the board of directors of Arts For Life (St. Louis area community theaters) and the Belleville Philharmonic Society. She is an active member of the St. Louis Film Critics Association, serves on jury for St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase and St. Louis International Film Festival, and was chosen for the Sundance Film Festival volunteer work force last January.

Director highlights include: "Nunsense," Monroe Actors Stage Company (St. Louis Arts for Life Best Musical - Small Ensemble winner 2009, best director nominee, and MASC Patrons' Choice Award for Favorite Show); Clinton County Showcase (patrons' award-winning "West Side Story," "Guys and Dolls," "Fiddler on the Roof," "South Pacific"); “Anything Goes” at Mater Dei High School; and “The Wedding Singer” and “Guys and Dolls” the past two summers for BRP.

She’s directed for Kaskaskia College and Breese Junior Woman's Club, and will direct the Alan Ball comedy “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” at STLCC-Forest Park in February 2012.

Occasionally, she acts on stage, too. In June, she was part of “The Vagina Monologues” cast for a BRP-Violence Prevention Center benefit. Favorite roles include Lenya in Neil Simon's "Fools," M'Lynn in "Steel Magnolias," Penny and Grand Duchess in "You Can't Take It With You," and a Meyersville townsfolk in "The Flood."

As a show-tune lovin' drama queen, she enjoys every opportunity to creatively collaborate and share her passion for the theater. She is the proud mother of two grown sons, Tim and Charlie, who are used to carloads of costumes and mom’s crazy-busy life.