About
The Team
At EncoreSTL, we are a team dedicated to producing high quality theater and digital media productions. While we are performing artists and creatives, we are also educators and activists that aspire to use performance art and digital services as a tool to impact and transform our communities.
Executive Director- Effrem Grettenberger
Effrem Thomas Grettenberger is the founder and CEO for EncoreSTL. Effrem is originally from the great State of Michigan but relocated to Saint Louis about 5 years ago to pursue his dream of continuing to work in Theater. Thus, Saint Louis has become home and an ideal place for EncoreSTL to thrive. Effrem received his training from Albion College receiving a Bachelors's degree in Theater and History. His focus area was producing, directing, and acting, skills he has continued to nurture after relocating to Saint Louis after graduating. He found his niche originally working as a Case Manager for many of the finest youth programs in the City of Saint including Youth in Need, Kingdom House, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Saint Louis and Peters and Pauls. Eventually that work included youth theater programs as well such as Gitana Productions and TLT Productions as well.
Effrem’s love of the arts and desire to help his new community led to the founding of Encore! Theater Group. While Encore got its start a few short years ago, 2019 has been a bit more of a revival season seeing the company relocate to South Saint Louis, and with the introduction and expansion of our youth programs and digital platform EncoreSTL.
Effrem’s love of the arts and desire to help his new community led to the founding of Encore! Theater Group. While Encore got its start a few short years ago, 2019 has been a bit more of a revival season seeing the company relocate to South Saint Louis, and with the introduction and expansion of our youth programs and digital platform EncoreSTL.
Deputy Director- Alexa Seda
Alexa “Silky'' Seda is an emerging Urban Planner and Producer whose main focus is on fusing community and art-based development to revitalize neighborhoods. Alexa, a Chicago native, moved to St. Louis and pursued her master’s education in Public Health and Urban Design at Washington University in St. Louis and shortly joined EncoreSTL. She has combined both disciplines to make community impact through EncoreSTL’s services. Alexa believes that through arts-based programs, the greatest health impacts are gained. When she is not producing live shows and digital media, Alexa works on scriptwriting, environmental projects, and traveling with her significant other and pups Shyla & Jax.
Artistic Director- Benisha Dorris Williams
With us since our founding, Benisha Dorris has been involved in theatre since she was a small child. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University. She excels in all forms of art from stage plays to film. She has worked with the Encore! Theater Group, The Black Repertory, Metro Theatre and a few other theatre companies in the St. Louis area. She has performed major roles in a variety of productions such as “Smokey Joes Café”, “Little shop of Horrors”, “For Colored Girls”, and “Hair” just to name a few. Benisha continues to use her artistic ability to Entertain, Educate, and Instruct.
Social Media Manager-Micah Prophete-