WELCOME
to the
 
 


TEACHERS & GUEST ARTISTS

Theatre Arts Center prides itself in the professional quality of the teaching staff for all classes and the summer Performing Arts Workshops

in NYC & Bucks County.

 

Below is a partial list of artists who are

 CURRENTLY on our roster OR worked for us in recent seasons past.

 

Selected BIO'S

 

Karen Mason

Karen Mason has starred on Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, and recording: and "has few peers when it comes to ripping the roof off with her amazing voice that knows no bounds!"  She was in the final Broadway company of HAIRSPRAY as Velma.  Most recently she appeared in the new Frank Wildhorn musical, WONDERLAND, as the Queen of Hearts.  Karen is a nine time MAC Award winner and has won the MAC Award for Major Female Vocalist of the Year for six consecutive years. She has also won the 2006 Nightlife Award for Major Female Vocalist and three Bistro Awards.  Ms. Mason originated the role of Tanya on Broadway in Abba's MAMMA MIA!, and was awarded a 2002 Drama Desk nomination as Best Actress. Her other leading roles include Norma Desmond in SUNSET BOULEVARD, which she performed to critical acclaim and standing ovations on Broadway and in Los Angeles for three years; Mazeppa in JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY; Rosalie in CARNIVAL (another Drama Desk nomination); plus featured roles in Broadway's TORCH SONG TRILOGY; and PLAY ME A COUNTRY SONG.  Karen won the Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance in AND THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND, and starred Off-Broadway in her own show KAREN MASON SINGS BROADWAY, BEATLES AND BRIAN. Her television appearances include the hit dramas ED and LAW & ORDER: SVU. Film credits include SLEEPING DOGS LIE and A CHORUS LINE.  Karen has headlined Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Feinstein's at The Regency, Rainbow & Stars, the Algonquin, Arci' Place, The Supper Club and The Ballroom in NYC; The Cinegrill and the UCLA/ASCAP Concert Series in Los Angeles; The Plush Room in San Francisco; and Davenport's in Chicago.

She has shared concert stages with Luciano Pavarotti, Rosemary Clooney, Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, Jerry Herman, and John Kander & Fred Ebb, among others. Karen has given concerts in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Brazil, Scotland, Tokyo and Osaka. Her starring symphonic performances include The New York Pops with Skitch Henderson, The Oklahoma Philharmonic with Joel Levine, the premier performance of The Chicagoland Pops, The Indianapolis Philharmonic, and the St. Louis Symphony with John McDaniel.  Karen will be the featured Guest Artist for the New Teen Cabaret Workshop in our 2007 workshop in Queens and for the Ensemble and Jr. Ensemble in Bucks County.

Dennis Deal, Music Director, NYC

Dennis Deal is a writer, musician and director working in legitimate theater, music and communications.  Recently he has produced 3 DVD’s for In The Classroom Media (I, Pencil; Plymouth: The Lesson of 1623 and Everyone’s Space with Scott Bakula (TV star of Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise), scored The Power of Choice, a biography of Nobel Prize economist Milton Friedman for PBS, and directed and arranged Mr. Bakula’s one-man musical show for Washington’s historic Fords Theater.

For the past 15 years Deal has sung bass with the mixed a’capella group, The Accidentals, winners of the National Harmony Sweepstakes and numerous Manhattan Concert and Cabaret awards.   Dennis has arranged over twenty albums of unrecorded theater music (Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein, etc.) for Ben Bagley’s Revisited Collection, featuring such notables as Alan Arkin, Nell Carter, Sandy Duncan, Georgia Engel, Ann Miller, Anthony Perkins, Lynn Redgrave, Chita Rivera and Katharine Hepburn.  Off Broadway he’s done musical recreations for CBS LIVE! at the Minetta Lane Theater and directed his own comedy The Bad and the Horrible at The Triad.  He co-wrote and directed the New York Fringe Festival production Tri-Sci-Fi and directed Attack of the 50 Ft. Walt Whitman at Mabou Mines.  But Dennis is mostly recognized for his award winning 50’s musical send-up, Nite Club Confidential, which he has directed Off-Broadway, on London’s West End and in Los Angeles.

shira-lee shalit,  Film & TV Acting

In May 2007, Shira-Lee Shalit was chosen by Steven Spielberg out of 12,000 directors, as one of 12 Finalists for the Fox/DreamWorks TV show, "On The Lot.” While on the show, Shira-Lee wrote and directed 3 films: Check Out, Beeline and Open House.  Shira-Lee’s feature film directorial debut was A-List, a comedy starring Daphne Zuniga, Sally Kirkland, Renee Taylor and Damon Shalit. A-List won the Audience Award at the 2007 Milan International Film Festival, the Gold Remy Award for Best Comedy at the 2006 Worldfest Film Festival in Houston, TX, and was selected for the LA Women's Directors Film Fest, the Miami International Women's Director's Festival, and profiled as one of the IFP East's Project Involve Awardees.  Born in South Africa, Shira-Lee grew up in Houston, Texas, where as a high school senior, she was awarded the prestigious Presidential Scholar of the Arts Award in Acting, and performed at the White House for the President. She also won the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Award.  Shalit graduated from NYU with a BFA in Acting, and received her MFA in Directing at Columbia University's Graduate Film Division. While at Columbia, Shira-Lee wrote and directed her first short film, Full Cycle, which was named a Finalist in the Student Academy Awards. In May 2008, Shira-Lee was hired to direct the powerful dramatic piece, Open Air, written and produced by David Paterson (writer/producer - Disney’s The Bridge to Terabithia.)

She is a faculty member at The New York Film Academy, where she teaches Acting for Film and Directing Actors. Shira-Lee is currently working on her next feature, a sexy screwball comedy.

Russell Ochocki, Show Director

 Russell began his stage career at the age of 10 as "Winthrop" in The Music Man With Forrest Tucker. He has appeared in over 60 productions including the National Tours of Can Can as "Boris," "Sohovik" in Damn Yankees, and "Barnaby" in Hello Dolly!. Regional productions include "Og" in Finian's Rainbow, "Hysterium" in ...Forum, and "Nathan" in Guys and Dolls, NY Premiers of: Pictures at an Exhibition, The Ventriloquist, and Roadside by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Russell also toured the world as "Garfield the Cat" and has written and directed shows for the famous feline at theme parks, National Tours, and other special events. His song "Discovering America" was used as a National Commercial for Embassy Suite hotels. Russell has served as a consultant for the National Symphony League and the Literacy in America Foundation for Family and Youth Projects. As a casting director he has consulted for several NY agencies. As a director and teacher he has conducted audition workshops and Musical Theatre performance workshops for young performers across the USA and Canada. Mr. Ochocki has directed over 100 productions for both youth and professional theater including Moby Dick the Musical for Cameron Mackintosh and Disney's Aladdin Junior For MTI's Broadway Junior Collection as well as the Garfield Family Concert show.  He will be directed the 2006 Bucks County Musical Theatre Ensemble in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, 2007 in JUST SO, 2008 in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and 2009 THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, all Premiers of MTI's Junior Version catalogue.

penny ayn maas, Musical Theatre / jazz

Penny is a Broadway veteran, having appeared in Cabaret, directed by Sam Mendes and choreographed by Rob Marshall; Crazy for You, Choreographed by Susan Stroman; and Damn Yabnkees, directed by Jack O’Brien and choreographed by Rob Marshall.  She has appeared in many roles at theatres throughout the U.S., including Cleveland Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Asolo, Charlotte Rep, Maine State Music Theatre, and the Tropicana in Atlantic City.     Film and TV audiences have seen Penny in The Stepford Wives, Another World, David Letterman, Late Show with Jay Leno, and the Kennedy Center Honors.  She has directed and choreographed at professional theatres and schools—a variety of shows ranging from Swingtime Canteen to High School Musical.  She is a sought after Guest Artist and choreographer at studios and theatre schools around the country.  Penny received her BFA in Music Theatre Performance at Illinois Wesleyan University.

SHANNON LEWIS, Theatre Dance / Jazz

Just returned from the National tour of A Chorus Line where she played Sheila.   Broadway: Curtains (U/S/ performed Bambi & Georgia); Sweet Charity (Ursula), The Look of Love; Contact (Standby/performed: wife, Girl in the Yellow Dress)  Fosse (I Gotcha); Candide (U/S/performed Paquette) and Crazy for You (Vera).  Encores! includes Sweet Adeline; Tenderloin; Damn Yankees (Lola u/s and Dance captain.)  Regional: Pippin (Fastrada) at Goodspeed and National Tour; Damn Yankees (Lola) at North Shore; A Chorus Line (Sheila) at TUTS; World premiere Carmen (Juanita) at La Jolla. Recordings: Fosse; Sweet Charity ;The Broadway Musicals of 1930; Candide; Tenderloin.  Film: Beyond the Sea; The Stepford Wives; Across the Sea of Time; Anything But Love. .  Commercials: E-Bay; Mohegan Sun, Trident.

 

Robbie Roby, Musical Theatre, Jazz

Robbie is currently on Broadway in BILLY ELLIOT.  He was Dance Captain/Swing for the original production of Hairspray: Las Vegas, performing with Tony Awardã winning actors Harvey Fierstein and Dick Latessa.  Robbie returned to Hairspray as the final dance captain and swing for the Broadway production.  He was cast as an original member in the US national tour of Starlight Express. As part of the show, Robbie was invited to perform at TUTS’ American Musical Theatre Awards for Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber and former President George Bush and his wife. Regional credits include: Beauty and the Beast (Michigan Opera Theatre, North Carolina Theatre, and the MUNY), Empire (Stamford Center for the Arts), Young Zombies in Love (NYCFringe), and South Pacific (Casa Manana).   In 2005, Robbie served as Dance Captain/Swing for the US national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Techincolored Dreamcoat, as well as Remount Supervisor for the second national company.    In 2006, Robbie became Dance Captain/Swing for the 1st national tour of Monty Python’s Spamalot. He can be heard on cast albums of Joseph and the Technicolored Dreamcoat and Carols for a Cure, Vol. 9 and 10.   He was seen in the world-premiere of Idaho, the 2008 award winner for best musical in the New York Musical Theatre Festival and also served as Audition Supervisor for the current Broadway-hit Billy Elliot.  He was featured in the 2009-2010 national tour of Fiddler on the Roof.

CORNELIUS JONES JR., 
Musical Theatre – Theatre Dance / African Dance

Cornelius Jones Jr. is a native of Richmond, VA.   In 1992 Cornelius auditioned and was accepted to study vocal music at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC.  While attending Ellington he became actively involved with The Duke Ellington Show Choir, Concert Choir, and the Teen Musical Theater Company.   He has performed at The White House for former President Bill Clinton; The World Earth Day Celebration with Kenny Loggins; and the 1994 Presidential Inauguration at The Washington Monument.  Cornelius has also appeared with Anita Baker, Stevie Wonder, and the late Ray Charles.  You may also remember him on-screen alongside Phylicia Rashaad, Ruby Dee, and Edward James-Olmas as "Bunky-The Burro" on BET's Storyporch, in it's Final Season in 1994.  He studied theater and music at Syracuse University and the University of The Arts in Philadelphia, PA.  In 1999, Cornelius was cast in The National tour of Smokey Joe’s Café, which he would later tour to Seoul, Korea alongside Broadway stars BJ Crosby and Ken Ard.  Other tours include A Chorus Line, The Wiz, and Big River.   In 2001, he landed his first Broadway show under the direction of Broadway’s famed director/choreographer Susan Stroman and native New Orleans’s jazz music icon Harry Connick, Jr. in Thou Shalt Not.  Next came the First National tour of Disney’s The Lion King for 2 ½ years, when he was invited to join the Broadway Company.  On Broadway, he has had the opportunity of performing the role of adult Simba and other roles in the show.  

 


STEPHANIE KLEMONS

Stephanie is currently serving as a Dance Captain, Swing and Carla understudy in the 2008 Tony Award Winning new musical, In The Heights. She began with the show Off-Broadway at 37 Arts where the cast all received Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Ensemble Performance.  She has appeared in two other Off-  Bway shows Automatic Superstar and Repo:the genetic Opera. She was in the cast of the 1st National Tour of Bombay Dreams. Other favorite credits include back-up dancing for Don Omar at Madison Square Garden and doing a commercial with Ciara on Nickolodean. Stephanie is also starting a not-for-profit called Katie's Art Project which brings art classes to children's wards in hospitals.  Stephanie was born in Colts Neck, NJ and graduated with a B.A. in Genetics and Micro Bio Research and a B.A. in Modern Dance from Rutgers University.

 

Angelo Fraboni

Angelo recently completed an Off Broadway run and national tour with Bebe Neuworth in Here's Jenny.  He originated the role of Teddy Slaughter in the Broadway hit, THE FULL MONTY.  On Broadway, he also appeared in Victor/Victoria (Blake Edwards, Director), Jerome Robbins' Broadway (Jerome Robbins, Director), Cats (Trevor Nunn, Director), and Dream (Wayne Cilento, Director).  Other New York appearances include three productions with the renowned Encore Series at City Center, and the National Tour of Spirit.  In regional theatre he has appeared at Cleveland Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Papermill Playhouse, and in the National and European tour of West Side Story, to name a few.  Film & TV roles include The Cosby Mysteries, Mighty Aphrodite, Thomas Crown Affair, Another World, Loving, and Guiding Light.  He is currently General Manager of the Off Broadway play, Burly Grimes, opening in the Spring of 2006 at the Dodgers Stages.  His daughter, Mia, is a long-time student at Theatre Arts Center, NYC.

 

Andrea Lynn Davis (Jazz & Theatre Dance, Bucks County Faculty) began dancing at the age of three under the direction of Susan Spadero and Fern Helfond with Le Ecole de la Dance, and has since trained under Susan Jaffe with Princeton Dance and Theatre, Heather Bach with Bach Ballet, and Elise Knecht with Knecht Dance Academy. Some of her past performance credits include The Nutcracker with the Donetske Ballet Company, Twelve Dancing Princesses with Bach Ballet Company, as well as many performances with Mercer Dance Ensemble. In addition to being a Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Ballet instructor for the past 7 years, her creative efforts include choreography, having worked on shows such as Smokey Joe's Café, Little Shop of Horrors, Nunsense ... Amen!, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella.  Andrea teaches at TAC in Bucks County.

BRYAN LESNICK (Vocal Technique, Audition Technique, Acting Bucks County Faculty) 
 is a singer, songwriter, performer and director. He has studied voice under renowned Broadway vocal coaches, Candace Goetz and Stephen Lutvak in NYC. Some of his past regional theatre credits include: Evita, Cabaret, Last Five Years, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Smokey Joe’s Café, A Chorus Line, and Footloose. As a director he has received critical acclaim for his work on Once On This Island Jr., 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty and an original Revue, Nostalgia. Bryan is recently starred in Brunch The Musical which made it’s off-Broadway debut in January ‘09. He is also work shopping music for Welcome Week, a new musical in NYC. Bryan is a private vocal coach in Bucks Co. His original music can be heard at Myspace.com/bryanlesnick.  Bryan teaches at TAC in Bucks County.

Michael O’Donnell

Michael is a veteran Broadway actor having performed in six Broadway musicals including Spamalot, where he had the privilege of working with acclaimed director, Mike Nichols and Monty Python member, Eric Idle.  Other Broadway credits include The Pajama Game with  Harry Connick Jr., The Roundabout Theatre’s revival of Cabaret, Wonderful Town, Lincoln Center’s Carousel and Victor/Victoria starring Julie Andrews.  Mr. O’Donnell is also a writer and director.  His first feature film comedy, Moving Mike, is currently being screened at film festivals across the country and abroad.

CATHY TUBOLINO (Tap, Bucks County Faculty)

is a native of Buffalo, New York.  She has been in the dance industry for more than 35 years as a teacher, choreographer and business owner.  She is the former owner of Theatrical Dance Arts Academy and is currently the director of Dance Expressions, a local dance competition held in the Delaware Valley.  Cathy has taught in many settings such as the Hartford Conservatory, Canisius College, and The Buffalo School for the Performing Arts, Karyn Kelly’s Professional Dance Center and other dance studios.  Cathy began the after school dance programs at Mary Mother of the Redeemer, St. Titus, Corpus Christi and Beth Or and co-founded “Happy Feet Productions”  teaching elementary school children the history of  Tap.  Cathy has trained with Karyn Kelly, Beverly Fletcher (Author of the Tap Dance Dictionary), Gus Giordano and Bruce Stegman, Tom Ralabata and Sammy Fiorella. She holds a B.A. degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and is also a graduate of the Dance Masters of America Teachers Training Program.  She has choreographed several national, regional and local winning dance teams as well as high school and college level musical productions: including “Guys & Dolls”, “George M” and “Hello Dolly”.  Cathy is currently dancing with members of “Tap Ties” at Moravian College where she studies with Nicole Hockenberry and Rochelle Haynes.  Cathy performed for the University of the Arts 60th Anniversary Alumni Dance Celebration.

Tony Gonzalez

Most recently Tony was seen on the 63rd Annual Tony Awards with the cast of "Mamma Mia!"  He has been with the "Mamma Mia!" family for the past four years.  He is currently the Dance Captain and Swing in the Broadway Company.  He has also been in companies of "We Will Rock You", "Joseph..." and "Saturday Night Fever".  Tony is thrilled to be a part of The Theatre Arts Center this summer (2009).  Originally from Mentor, OH, Tony's first choreographic endeavor was in the first grade when he created and performed an original solo piece to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl". He graduated in 2003 from Otterbein College in Westerville, OH with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Musical Theatre and Dance Concentration.  At Otterbein Tony was very privileged to work closely with Randy Skinner, Dan Knechtges and Stelle Hiatt Kane.  During his professional career Tony has enjoyed teaching with many musical theatre educational and outreach programs, namely, Camp Broadway where he has taught workshops as well as aided in a children's theatre program onboard numerous Royal Caribbean cruise ships.  

 

ROD KINTER,  Stage Combat

Since 1995, Rod has been the Resident Fight Director with New York City Opera and in that venue has staged fights for more than 25 productions and revivals. Along with seasonal mainstays such as "Carmen" and "Don Giovanni", Rod’s work has been seen in the New York premieres of "Dead Man Walking", and "Harvey Milk", and in the televised NYCO productions of "Porgy and Bess" and "Tosca". Regional opera credits include productions for The Glimmerglass Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Opera Festival New Jersey and The San Diego Opera. New York theatrical credits include: "The Jaded Assassin", Ohio Theatre; "Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy" (Starring Cory Feldman), East 13th Street Playhouse; "Hamlet", "Romeo and Juliet", "Comedy of Errors" and "Macbeth", American Globe Theatre; "Doctor Faustus", Tribecca Theatre Lab; "Macbeth", Chekhov Theatre Ensemble; "The Brothers Karamazov", Lincoln Center Directors Lab; and "Twelfth Night","Playboy of the Western World" and the critically acclaimed "Duellists: The Forgotten Champions" (for which he was Co- Creator),Theatre Ten Ten. Rod teaches stage combat in the Opera Studio program at Manhattan School of Music. He has also been a Fight Director or Guest Instructor for the Stella Adler Actors Conservatory, Rutgers University, Mannis School of Music, Summer Theatre Institute at Columbia, SUNY Rockland and SUNY New Paltz. In January of 2005, Rod was invited by the organizers to be a guest speaker at the International Opera Convention in an effort to promote the training of opera singers in the craft of stage combat.

 

DebRA Whitfield,  is an award-winning actress and director who has appeared on stage, screen and television in a wide variety of roles. Off-Broadway credits include Mrs. Hamilton in Alexander Hamilton: In Worlds Unknown, Olivia in Mr. Pim Passes By (The Mint Theatre),Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra (The WorkShop Theater)and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde (opposite Orson Bean). Regionally she has played Claire in Proof (Hartford TheaterWorks), Natasha in Rough Crossing (Virginia Stage Company), Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre Works) and the title role in Charley's Aunt with John Astin. She won Best Actress Awards for her work as Li'l Bit in How I Learned to Drive (Contemporary American Theatre Company), Sharon in The Adjustment (Florida Stage) and Sheila in Relatively Speaking (Dorset Theatre Festival). Television audiences have seen her as Chrissie Sommers on The Edge of Night and Ingrid Brice on As The World Turns.  Debra has a supporting role in the film, I Believe in America starring Jamie Harris.  In New York she has directed Absent Friends, First Lady and Duck Sauce Can Be Dangerous for The WorkShop Theater Company and Wasps and Certain Souls  for Algonguin Productions, an Endurance at the Greenwich Street Theatre. Her production of Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, won the Beaux Arts DaVinci Award for Best Revival in New York. Regionally she has directed To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday, The Memory of Water and Sherlock’s Last Case (The Depot Theatre), A Murder is Announced (The Dorset Theatre Festival), Brighton Beach Memoirs (Emelin Theatre) and Innocence (NJ Repertory Theatre). Her recent production of In the Belly of the Beast for Florida Studio Theatre just won the Sarasota Magazine Award for Best Play of 2008. Debra is a graduate of The London Shakespeare Studio. She has taught master Shakespeare classes both with founder David Perry and independently.

 
 Gary John La Rosa

GARY JOHN La ROSA has worked successfully as a theatre professional for over twenty-five years. A New York City native and UCLA graduate, his diverse career has brought him to four continents.

Formerly a performer, Gary John considers extended stints in Hollywood, Las Vegas, South Africa and New York to be highlights, culminating with Broadway and National tour appearances. 

Directing and choreographing as early as his student years, he discovered the reward in research and collaboration. As his desire to create and challenge himself grew, he decided to forego performing altogether. 

As a SDC director-choreographer, he has enjoyed working in dozens of venues including off-Broadway, regional theatre, industrial shows, dinner theatre and summer stock. A guest artist at many universities, he especially enjoys nurturing young talent.

Gary John spent six seasons as resident director-choreographer for Montclair Musical Theatre in New Jersey where his inventive revivals of classic musicals received much acclaim. While continuously employed as a freelance artist at theatres across the country, he is also currently developing several exciting original projects in NYC. When time permits, he conducts theatrical workshops and seminars in schools and universities, in addition to coaching privately.
 
Gary John frequently stages productions of Fiddler on the Roof, recreating the original Jerome Robbins direction and choreography. He considers himself part of the Fiddler… family having performed in the 25th and 30th anniversary productions on Broadway and National tour and having been involved in well over two dozen productions worldwide. It is an honor to carry on the "Tradition."

Over the years, Gary John has received the Kennedy Center ACTF, Clifton Webb, Phoenix, Judy, and Connecticut Critic’s Circle Awards along with two Loewe fellowships. He has received numerous nominations for the Kevin Kline, Robby, Ostrander, Perry, ACT and ariZoni Awards.

EMILY DAVIS, Acting Ensemble / Mask

Emily is a founder and Artistic Director of Messenger Theatre Company for which she has written and directed fig. a: The Heart, The Great God Money, Persephone, The Golden Apple: For the Fairest, The Daughters of Memory, The Adventures of Baba Yaga: Little Girl Stew and The Enemy. She also directed Macbeth, A Show About Magic, Burden of Proof and assisted Helena Kaut-Howson on Yerma (at the Arcola Theatre in London) and Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, as well as Mark Ravenhill on Nursery/School.  Emily has worked as an actor with Shenandoah Shakespeare, Mill Mountain Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Lime Kiln, Messenger Theatre Company and BAMcinematek. As a teaching artist, Emily has worked for BAM, New York Student Shakespeare Festival. TDF, City Lights Youth Theatre, American Globe Theatre, Roundabout, Theatre for a New Audience, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Arts Connection and Young Audiences/NY.  Emily trained at the Wright School in London and has an MFA in Directing from University of California, Davis.

 

Jen Nails
Acting & Musical Theatre:  Creating Character Thru Improv

Jen is an award-winning performer, director, teacher, and now a published author. She has been teaching improvisation and writing in New York City for the past seven years. She's performed her solo play, "Lylice" in festivals and theaters all over the world, most recently in NYC this past spring. As a writer, she has worked for Nickelodeon and the Oxygen Network, and she currently reviews books for Time Out New York. Her first novel, Next to Mexico, was
published in the fall of 2008.  She performs and teaches improv at the Peoples Improv Theater and the New York Film Academy.  Her solo play, Lylice in The Scotsman won the Four-Star Review at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2004).  She received the Best Director Award from the Emerging Comics of New York (2004), and a Best of New York mention in New York Magazine in 2003.  She was the Critics Pick performer in Time Out New York in 2002.  She has performed and directed at numerous theatre festivals both in the U.S. and Abroad, including the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, Gilded Balloon Theater (Scotland 2004), Uno Festival of Solo Performance (Victoria, BC Canada 2003), Single File Solo Festival (Chicago 2003), Chicago Improv Festival (2002, 2003), Harare International Festival of Arts (Zimbabwe 2001), Impro Festival (Amsterdam 2000), Kansas City Improv Festival (Kansas City, MO 1999) New York Improv Festival  (1999), Big Stinkin' Improv Festival (Austin, TX 1998), and the New York Fringe Festival (NYC 1997).  Many thanks to Robert Laconi for including her in this year's line-up of talented instructors.  Visit:  jennails.com

 

 

John O'Hara

John is a Philadelphia based actor and director. His credits include work at the Wilma Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Prince Music Theatre, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and a Barrymore nominated performance in ACT II Playhouse's production of HARRY CHAPIN: REMEMBER WHEN THE MUSIC. He can currently be seen, on billboards and commercials, as `Ralph', the face of Tunica Resorts Casino in Mississippi. He has been the resident playwright for TAC for eleven years--creating over twenty two original scripts for a company of young actors that never fail to inspire him. 

 

 

JIM OSORNO, Theatre Dance / Jazz

Jim lives in NYC. He has worked on BROADWAY shows, TV and feature film productions. He has choreographed for Music City’s CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR in Nashville, Baltimore SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS, USO International Troupe, Verizon, The Miss Orange Co. Pageant, Loyola Marymount University, Baldwin High School and the Maui Youth Theatre.   For many years, he has been a Creative Associate and Choreographer for BROADWAY BARES; an annual BC/EFA benefit that has raised over $5 million.  Returning to Baltimore, he choreographed the SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS’ 25th Anniversary show at the newly restored Hippodrome Theatre.

As an ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER, Jim has worked with TONY winner JERRY MITCHELL on the BROADWAY production of IMAGINARY FRIENDS and has worked with DISNEY, VERIZON, WARNER BROS., and the ST. LOUIS MUNY. HE has also served as DANCE CAPTAIN and SWING on Broadway, Touring, and regional productions. Most recently, Jim was Jerry Mitchell’s Dance Captain for the 1st National Touring Company of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.  In addition to JERRY MITCHELL, Jim has worked with GEORGE FAISON, WAYNE CILENTO, TWYLA THARP, MICHELE LYNCH, JODI MOCCIA, ROBERT LONGBOTTOM, LINDA HABERMAN, LUIS PEREZ, VINCENT PATTERSON, PATTI WILCOX, SERGIO TRUJILLO, RICHARD STAFFORD and HINTON BATTLE.

As a Performer, Jim has been seen on Broadway in NORA EPHRON’s IMAGINARY FRIENDS, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and the dance workshop of NEVER GONNA DANCE. He was involved in the creation of the Pre-Broadway RHYTHM CLUB.  He has toured with THE FULL MONTY, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, performed in TOMMY (Germany), danced on the great stage of RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL in both the CHRISTMAS and EASTER shows. JIM teaches at several private dance studios across the nation.  

 

 

 

Eric C. Dente

Eric is the founder of The Watermark Ensemble and a member of First Look Theatre Company at Tisch/NYU. Eric served as the Associate Artistic Director of The Denver Civic Theatre and for Compass Theatre Company. Directing Credits include: Julius Caesar, 1984, Waiting For Godot, Othello, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Three Men in Search of a Pair of Shoes, Apartment X, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Family For Sale and A Midsummer Night's Dream.  He directed the The 2005 & 2006 and 2009 NYC Theatre Arts Center Acting Ensemble in his adaptations of two Shakespeare comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Comedy of Errors and Canterbury Tales, respectively.  He and kc Keene wrote THE RE-ANIMATORS, which had its world premier with the NYC TAC Acting Ensemble in 2008.

 

 

James Vincent (Stage Make Up)

ACTING ENSEMBLE & MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANIES

 A native of Rhode Island, James Vincent started his makeup career as a student studying Theater and Women' Studies at Rhode Island College and Brown University. Over the years his passion for the art of makeup expanded to include training and product development positions for such companies as MAC, Urban Decay and Stila. James is the co-founder of the hip, niche makeup line Pretty Pretty and now focuses his career on the development of the line while working internationally in fashion, film, theater and editorial. His work has been seen on the cover of Paper and Atomic and in magazines including ID, Index, Prudence and Surface. His resume includes clients as diverse as designers Christopher Deane and Ben Sherman and celebrities Gina Gershon, Liv Tyler and Jane Fonda. He has been featured on numerous television shows as a beauty expert such as NBC Universal's Home Delivery and NBC's The Today Show.  Nylon magazine and WWD have named James as a "makeup artist to watch".

 


David DeBesse

Fight Direction credits include: Wonder of the World at Manhattan Theatre Club, (with Sarah Jessica Parker); Temporary Help at the Revelation Theater; The Phantom Lady, Romeo & Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing at The Pearl Theatre; Pericles at the Red Bull Theatre; the U.S. premiere of Lovers and Executioners at Arena Stage; Wait Until Dark at the Cape Playhouse; Oliver at North Shore Music Theatre; Imperfect Love at New York Performance Works; Heights at E.S.T., Deathtrap at the Monomoy Theatre; Twelfth Night at NY Classical Theatre; Forever Free at Theatre Works; Extremities at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. David has assisted Rick Sordelet on many productions, including Scarlet Pimpernel and Tom Sawyer on Broadway, The Prince and the Pauper at the Lamb's Theatre, Hamlet at NJ Shakespeare Festival (w/Jared Harris and Lili Taylor), Coriolanus and Hamlet at the Shakespeare Theatre and the film version of Hamlet starring and co-directed by Campbell Scott (and Eric Simonson).  David also works as a stunt coordinator for Guiding Light, and has directed and/or co-directed many fights for shows in which he acted. He has also taught stage combat at various institutions, including the Atlantic Theatre Acting School, the William Esper Studio, Long Island University at C.W. Post, and the School for Film & Television, the Neighborhood Playhouse and Yale University.

Some acting credit's include: New York: Broadway: Ensemble in Macbeth (starring Christopher Plummer and Glenda Jackson); The Acting Company: various roles in Romeo & Juliet; Off-Broadway: American Globe Theatre: Lysander in Midsummer Night's Dream.  Regional: Virginia Stage: Clifford in Deathtrap, Guildenstern in Hamlet; The Shakespeare Theatre: King of France in King Lear; Walnut Street Theatre: Sebastian in Twelfth Night; Caldwell Theatre: Yank in The Hasty Heart. Other:  Film:  Francisco in Hamlet (Campbell Scott as Hamlet).  David attended the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program under the direction of Bob Hobbs

 

Steven Smeltzer

Steven is currently on the faculty at AMDA in NYC.  He is a director, choreographer, teacher and performer.  He is directed and choreographed the 2008 National Tour of The Great American Trailer Park Musical. He recently returned from Ireland where he was directly and choreographing the Hot Mikado.  In New York he directed and choreographed revivals of Hair and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the later which was hailed by the composer Rupert Holmes who said it was his favorite Drood in over a decade and one of the top three productions ever.  For Theatre Arts Center in Bucks County he directed the 2007 world premier of Willie Wonka JR (Music Theatre International National Test Site Production).  In Europe he directed long running productions of Hair, The Golden Musical of Broadway (with Jennifer Lopez), and the Best of Broadway.  In Sweden he is a regular Guest Artist at Folk University in their Musical Theatre Program, where he has choreographed such productions as Godspell, Grease, Hair, Once on the Island, Jerome Robbins Broadway, Drood, and Michael Bennet—The Legend.  He has also taught musical theatre at NYU’s CAP21, Theatre Arts Center, Emory, Henry and Virginia Intermont College.  He is a Resident Director for Pucci Productions, mounting revues and industrials for Altlantic City Casinos, and industrials such as Bristol/Myers and KFC.  Other directing and choreography credits include Bucks County Playhouse, Alhambra Dinner Theatre, Surflight Theatre, Gallery Players, Michigan Ensemble Theatre and several theatres in Sweden.  Steven has a BFA from Florida State University and a graduate of the Burt Reynolds Institute for Theatre Training.

 

 

Our Guest Artist and Teaching staff are working professionals and maintain performing and directing commitments throughout the world.  Their participation at the Theatre Arts Center is always subject to change due to their busy schedules.

 

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