STAY TUNED for the GUEST ARTISTS for VTF 2024!
John Cariani,
Saturday Night Keynote
John Cariani is a Tony Award-nominated actor and an accomplished playwright. He made his Broadway debut in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof and received an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Motel the Tailor. He originated the role of Nigel Bottom in the Broadway hit, Something Rotten! and received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for his performance. He originated the role of Itzik in The Band’s Visit, winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Musical, and recently appeared as Stuart Gellman in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s acclaimed revival of Caroline, or Change.
Most people know John from his role on NBC’s long-running drama, Law & Order, on which he played Forensics Tech Beck for five seasons. He also had recurring roles on CBS’ Numbers and on IFC’s The Onion News Network.
As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, opened Off-Broadway in 2006, and has since become one of the most popular plays in the United States and around the world. The play has received over 5000 productions to date and has been translated into over a dozen languages. It’s also the most frequently produced play in North American high schools, outpacing classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Crucible, and Our Town.
A darker cousin to Almost, Maine, John’s third play, LOVE/SICK, is a huge hit in Mexico City, where it has been made into the recently released film, Enfermo Amor. The play will soon be touring Spain with Spanish television star Esther Acebo.
Saturday Night Keynote
John Cariani is a Tony Award-nominated actor and an accomplished playwright. He made his Broadway debut in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof and received an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Motel the Tailor. He originated the role of Nigel Bottom in the Broadway hit, Something Rotten! and received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for his performance. He originated the role of Itzik in The Band’s Visit, winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Musical, and recently appeared as Stuart Gellman in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s acclaimed revival of Caroline, or Change.
Most people know John from his role on NBC’s long-running drama, Law & Order, on which he played Forensics Tech Beck for five seasons. He also had recurring roles on CBS’ Numbers and on IFC’s The Onion News Network.
As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, opened Off-Broadway in 2006, and has since become one of the most popular plays in the United States and around the world. The play has received over 5000 productions to date and has been translated into over a dozen languages. It’s also the most frequently produced play in North American high schools, outpacing classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Crucible, and Our Town.
A darker cousin to Almost, Maine, John’s third play, LOVE/SICK, is a huge hit in Mexico City, where it has been made into the recently released film, Enfermo Amor. The play will soon be touring Spain with Spanish television star Esther Acebo.
Ayesis Clay, Friday Evening Keynote
Ayesis Clay is a distinguished educator, multidisciplinary theatre artist, and keynote speaker. Her critically acclaimed solo show, Sculpting Clay or How I Became Mother of Unicorns was featured as the opening keynote for EdTA’s 2022 National Theatre Education conference in Los Angeles. With over 19 years in education, she has written and developed curricula for public and charter schools, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, and many local and regional theatre companies. Ayesis held several school and district leadership positions in Prince George’s County Public school (20th largest school district in the nation) including Theatre department chairperson, and Chairperson for the PGCPS Theatre Advisory Board, as well as Co-Founder and Co-Director of the PGCPS Honor's Theatre Ensemble.
Ayesis Clay is a distinguished educator, multidisciplinary theatre artist, and keynote speaker. Her critically acclaimed solo show, Sculpting Clay or How I Became Mother of Unicorns was featured as the opening keynote for EdTA’s 2022 National Theatre Education conference in Los Angeles. With over 19 years in education, she has written and developed curricula for public and charter schools, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, and many local and regional theatre companies. Ayesis held several school and district leadership positions in Prince George’s County Public school (20th largest school district in the nation) including Theatre department chairperson, and Chairperson for the PGCPS Theatre Advisory Board, as well as Co-Founder and Co-Director of the PGCPS Honor's Theatre Ensemble.
Brooklin Green, Fri./Sat. Late Night Keynote
Brooklin is a Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Consultant and Professor. She teaches workshops across the U.S. Her students are constant success stories from their comedy competitions to their developed professions. Brooklin has a BA in Theatre & MA in Communication & Leadership through Gonzaga University. She currently teaches communications at the University of NC Wilmington, UMO, & Coastal Carolina Community College.
She also consults comedy writing as punch up for various comedians and writers across the US and has written several local commercials for radio and TV. She is a graduate from the world-famous Chicago’s Second City Conservatory. Brooklin has appeared on A&E television’s Documentary “The Laugh Track” and Nick at Nite’s, “Funniest Mom in America 3” She has performed in “Tony & Tina’s Wedding” Chicago’s longest running off Broadway comedy show in history. She has worked with Comedy professionals like the talent coordinator for the David Letterman Show, Improvisational legends like David Shepard (co-founder of The Second City and Canadian Improv games) and Linda Hagen (Founding member of Spolin players ‘The g-ma of improv’). She has appeared in festivals all over the U.S like, the Improv Olympics, Chicago’s Improv Festival, and Funny Women Festival. Brooklin also produced an all women stand-up comedy show. To contact, go to : www.brooklingreen.com.
Brooklin is a Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Consultant and Professor. She teaches workshops across the U.S. Her students are constant success stories from their comedy competitions to their developed professions. Brooklin has a BA in Theatre & MA in Communication & Leadership through Gonzaga University. She currently teaches communications at the University of NC Wilmington, UMO, & Coastal Carolina Community College.
She also consults comedy writing as punch up for various comedians and writers across the US and has written several local commercials for radio and TV. She is a graduate from the world-famous Chicago’s Second City Conservatory. Brooklin has appeared on A&E television’s Documentary “The Laugh Track” and Nick at Nite’s, “Funniest Mom in America 3” She has performed in “Tony & Tina’s Wedding” Chicago’s longest running off Broadway comedy show in history. She has worked with Comedy professionals like the talent coordinator for the David Letterman Show, Improvisational legends like David Shepard (co-founder of The Second City and Canadian Improv games) and Linda Hagen (Founding member of Spolin players ‘The g-ma of improv’). She has appeared in festivals all over the U.S like, the Improv Olympics, Chicago’s Improv Festival, and Funny Women Festival. Brooklin also produced an all women stand-up comedy show. To contact, go to : www.brooklingreen.com.
Amanda Haddock
Amanda is the Artistic Director of Actors Repertory Theatre at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and a Director and Creative Consultant for Fever Originals. She has recently worked on Genie's Secret Bazar, The Little Mermaid, Sleepy Hollow, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition. She has appeared in Giant Spoon's Back to the 90's in Las Vegas, The Banyan Family House at the Electric Forest Music Festival in Michigan, and directed and produced a featured performance with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Prior to that she reprised her role as Madame Martine for the final installment in The Cabaret Trilogy with TBD Immersive in Washington, DC. Her solo performance in the 2019 Capital Fringe show, Nothing Broken, was met with popular acclaim and her work in Ambien Date Night garnered a Best Performance Honor at the 2015 Capital Fringe. Other local stage credits include, Imagination Stage's, S.P.I.E.S as Pat, Theater Alliance's Night Falls on the Blue Planet as Claudia and DC Dead and ATL Dead as Brookland. Amanda is also an award-winning filmmaker, taking home festival awards for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Writing, Best Production Design, and Best Actress, among others. Amanda studied Theatre & Drama at Indiana University and continued her training at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Amanda is especially adept at large-scale immersive activations, close contact immersive improv, devised theater, and self-producing.
Amanda is the Artistic Director of Actors Repertory Theatre at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and a Director and Creative Consultant for Fever Originals. She has recently worked on Genie's Secret Bazar, The Little Mermaid, Sleepy Hollow, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition. She has appeared in Giant Spoon's Back to the 90's in Las Vegas, The Banyan Family House at the Electric Forest Music Festival in Michigan, and directed and produced a featured performance with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Prior to that she reprised her role as Madame Martine for the final installment in The Cabaret Trilogy with TBD Immersive in Washington, DC. Her solo performance in the 2019 Capital Fringe show, Nothing Broken, was met with popular acclaim and her work in Ambien Date Night garnered a Best Performance Honor at the 2015 Capital Fringe. Other local stage credits include, Imagination Stage's, S.P.I.E.S as Pat, Theater Alliance's Night Falls on the Blue Planet as Claudia and DC Dead and ATL Dead as Brookland. Amanda is also an award-winning filmmaker, taking home festival awards for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Writing, Best Production Design, and Best Actress, among others. Amanda studied Theatre & Drama at Indiana University and continued her training at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Amanda is especially adept at large-scale immersive activations, close contact immersive improv, devised theater, and self-producing.
Aretta Baumgartner
Aretta Baumgartner is a puppeteer, actor and vocalist. A professional puppeteer since 1992, she’s proud to be the Education Director of the world-renowned Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, the largest non-profit dedicated to the art of puppetry in the United States. She’s a member of the Teaching Artist Alliance and has served as a Guest Artist for twenty state Thespian festivals (c/o Educational Theatre Association) and at International Thespian Festival. Aretta is an Attending Professional on the Dragon Con Puppetry Track, served as President of the Board of Directors of the Puppeteers of America (2019-2022) and creates original puppetry-infused work with her puppetry partner through their company ONE DOUBLE-O FOUR EIGHT, work that can be seen at festivals from coast to coast. Aretta has worked all over the U.S. and in Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada and Honduras. She is proud to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards and the Educational Theatre Foundation and as a Board member for ART Station. She performs regularly in puppetry, theatre productions and as a backing vocalist. Aretta is dedicated to using puppetry as a tool to unlock potential, passion and story in every human she meets. www.puppet.org
Aretta Baumgartner is a puppeteer, actor and vocalist. A professional puppeteer since 1992, she’s proud to be the Education Director of the world-renowned Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, the largest non-profit dedicated to the art of puppetry in the United States. She’s a member of the Teaching Artist Alliance and has served as a Guest Artist for twenty state Thespian festivals (c/o Educational Theatre Association) and at International Thespian Festival. Aretta is an Attending Professional on the Dragon Con Puppetry Track, served as President of the Board of Directors of the Puppeteers of America (2019-2022) and creates original puppetry-infused work with her puppetry partner through their company ONE DOUBLE-O FOUR EIGHT, work that can be seen at festivals from coast to coast. Aretta has worked all over the U.S. and in Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada and Honduras. She is proud to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards and the Educational Theatre Foundation and as a Board member for ART Station. She performs regularly in puppetry, theatre productions and as a backing vocalist. Aretta is dedicated to using puppetry as a tool to unlock potential, passion and story in every human she meets. www.puppet.org
Arne Johnson
Arne Johnson is the Technical Director for Hollins Theatre, Hollins University; Roanoke, Virginia. He’s designed and constructed scenery for 35 years and earned his MFA in Studio Art with emphasis in sculpture.
Workshops Offered:
Sketching and visualizing for Scenic Design- Through sketching we can visualize, develop and communicate scenic designs. In this workshop we will work on sketching scenic elements from different angles and compile them in relation to one another to create and communicate designs. Available during Workshop Session
Arne Johnson is the Technical Director for Hollins Theatre, Hollins University; Roanoke, Virginia. He’s designed and constructed scenery for 35 years and earned his MFA in Studio Art with emphasis in sculpture.
Workshops Offered:
Sketching and visualizing for Scenic Design- Through sketching we can visualize, develop and communicate scenic designs. In this workshop we will work on sketching scenic elements from different angles and compile them in relation to one another to create and communicate designs. Available during Workshop Session
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Blake Babbit
Filmmaker & Director of Outreach at AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Blake is a story-driven creative leader with 10+ years of experience in both corporate and independent environments. Demonstrated skills in writing, directing, filming, editing, and producing short form, promotional, and feature-length content - alongside extensive corporate leadership and project management experience, overseeing multi-million dollar revenue-generating strategy in the performing arts space. In addition to being a storyteller who can turn complex ideas into simple, visually impactful narrative, also an expert public speaker and masterclass teacher.
Filmmaker & Director of Outreach at AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Blake is a story-driven creative leader with 10+ years of experience in both corporate and independent environments. Demonstrated skills in writing, directing, filming, editing, and producing short form, promotional, and feature-length content - alongside extensive corporate leadership and project management experience, overseeing multi-million dollar revenue-generating strategy in the performing arts space. In addition to being a storyteller who can turn complex ideas into simple, visually impactful narrative, also an expert public speaker and masterclass teacher.
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Brigid Tamas & Zeke Blottner
Brigid is a second year VCUarts student pursuing a BFA in Scenic Design. She has past experience constructing and painting sets for multiple productions, as well as a background in performance and devised theatre. Zeke is a VCU college student pursuing BFAs in Lighting and Set Design. He’s designed for small shows such as MLM is for Murder, The Firebugs, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Bright Star. He’s worked on the construction team for VCU shows such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde, as well as strike team for the Touring productions of Wicked, and Dear Even Hanson. He is currently working for Brok Decor International, a Dutch live event scenic design company. Workshops Offered: Stuff in a Box: Speedy Scenic Design - This workshop is designed to teach students to use the fundamentals of design and create small scenic shoebox sets in a very quick time period of time. Available during Workshop Session Stagecraft: Basic Scenic Construction - This workshop is designed to teach students on the basics of scenic construction, including reading plans and basic carpentry skills. Available during Workshop Session |
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Candace Decker
Candace Decker has performed her one-woman cabarets throughout the mid-west and east coast. An award-winning actress for her work on Chicago stages, she is a NY Cabaret Symposium Fellow, an Indiana Arts cabaret grant recipient, Wisconsin Laird Foundation artist grant recipient, and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read, Waukesha Reads and Menomonee Falls Reads cabaret artist. She holds a B.A. in theatre from James Madison University and is a proud Virginia State Thespian, who attended First Colonial High School. Fun fact!: Candace received the Virginia State Thespian Conference Scholarship and First Place Acting award for state many conferences ago. This is her 7th year as a guest teaching artist, where she has taught improv workshops, adjudicated Individual events (Thespys) and co-taught cabaret workshops with Ryan Cappleman. Candace recently appeared in Southern Baptist Sissies as Moms with Chicago's Pride Films and Plays, has several upcoming cabarets this year and will be appearing as Marmee, in Little Women-The Musical, on a Milwaukee stage this spring.
Workshops Offered:
Recipe for a Cabaret- Co-taught with Ryan Cappleman. Create a cabaret from scratch! Award winning cabaret artists Candace Decker and Ryan Cappleman will show you how to choose a theme, songs and develop through line to develop a cabaret. Bring sheet music to workshop your songs. Available during Workshop Session
Candace Decker has performed her one-woman cabarets throughout the mid-west and east coast. An award-winning actress for her work on Chicago stages, she is a NY Cabaret Symposium Fellow, an Indiana Arts cabaret grant recipient, Wisconsin Laird Foundation artist grant recipient, and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read, Waukesha Reads and Menomonee Falls Reads cabaret artist. She holds a B.A. in theatre from James Madison University and is a proud Virginia State Thespian, who attended First Colonial High School. Fun fact!: Candace received the Virginia State Thespian Conference Scholarship and First Place Acting award for state many conferences ago. This is her 7th year as a guest teaching artist, where she has taught improv workshops, adjudicated Individual events (Thespys) and co-taught cabaret workshops with Ryan Cappleman. Candace recently appeared in Southern Baptist Sissies as Moms with Chicago's Pride Films and Plays, has several upcoming cabarets this year and will be appearing as Marmee, in Little Women-The Musical, on a Milwaukee stage this spring.
Workshops Offered:
Recipe for a Cabaret- Co-taught with Ryan Cappleman. Create a cabaret from scratch! Award winning cabaret artists Candace Decker and Ryan Cappleman will show you how to choose a theme, songs and develop through line to develop a cabaret. Bring sheet music to workshop your songs. Available during Workshop Session
Christopher & Kelly Spalding
Christopher Spalding was born and raised in Virginia where he received his BFA in Musical Theatre from the prestigious Shenandoah Conservatory. After college he embarked on a successful theatre career that took him all over the US including multiple national touring productions and Broadway. He then transitioned into the ballroom world where he met his wife and dance partner, Kelly Bartlett. Together they won 3 North American Titles and 1 World Title. In 2013 they opened their school, The Fort Wayne Ballroom Company, and have continuously won top teacher and top studio awards around the world. In 2018 he made his return to the theatre world when he founded Summit City Music Theatre, a professional theatre company producing family-friendly musicals and plays in NE Indiana.
Workshops Offered:
Ballroom, (Both- Latin and Swing) Dance for the Stage - Learn the basics of Ballroom, Latin and Swing dances that are most commonly used onstage. Available during Workshop Session
Musical Theatre Dance (Christopher) - Build your dance vocabulary and get more comfortable with choreography and dance auditions. Available during Workshop Session
Intro to Tap Dance (Kelly)- learn the basic skills and common combinations of Tap Dance. Taps not needed. Hard soled shoes preferred. Available during Workshop Session
Christopher Spalding was born and raised in Virginia where he received his BFA in Musical Theatre from the prestigious Shenandoah Conservatory. After college he embarked on a successful theatre career that took him all over the US including multiple national touring productions and Broadway. He then transitioned into the ballroom world where he met his wife and dance partner, Kelly Bartlett. Together they won 3 North American Titles and 1 World Title. In 2013 they opened their school, The Fort Wayne Ballroom Company, and have continuously won top teacher and top studio awards around the world. In 2018 he made his return to the theatre world when he founded Summit City Music Theatre, a professional theatre company producing family-friendly musicals and plays in NE Indiana.
Workshops Offered:
Ballroom, (Both- Latin and Swing) Dance for the Stage - Learn the basics of Ballroom, Latin and Swing dances that are most commonly used onstage. Available during Workshop Session
Musical Theatre Dance (Christopher) - Build your dance vocabulary and get more comfortable with choreography and dance auditions. Available during Workshop Session
Intro to Tap Dance (Kelly)- learn the basic skills and common combinations of Tap Dance. Taps not needed. Hard soled shoes preferred. Available during Workshop Session
Chrissy Carter
Hello! I grew up in new Kent county, Va. I am an alumni of New Kent High School (class of 2016). In high school I was a proud theatre kid. I studied theatre at JMU and graduated in 2019. Since graduating I found a love of education! I love using my theatre skills to be a dynamic and fun educator.
Workshops Offered:
Possible Paths - Using Theatre, Doing Theatre, or Loving Theatre in Your Post-High School Plans - A workshop that discusses ways in which theatre can be used in students post high schools lives in non-traditional ways. This is a great opportunity for students who love theatre but may not want to pursue it professionally to decide how they can channel their love of the arts into a fulfilling career or higher education. From picking a major, a college, or a job - let’s talk about how to make your passion for theatre into the next step. Available during Workshop Session
Hello! I grew up in new Kent county, Va. I am an alumni of New Kent High School (class of 2016). In high school I was a proud theatre kid. I studied theatre at JMU and graduated in 2019. Since graduating I found a love of education! I love using my theatre skills to be a dynamic and fun educator.
Workshops Offered:
Possible Paths - Using Theatre, Doing Theatre, or Loving Theatre in Your Post-High School Plans - A workshop that discusses ways in which theatre can be used in students post high schools lives in non-traditional ways. This is a great opportunity for students who love theatre but may not want to pursue it professionally to decide how they can channel their love of the arts into a fulfilling career or higher education. From picking a major, a college, or a job - let’s talk about how to make your passion for theatre into the next step. Available during Workshop Session
Cici Sigmund
CeCi Sigmund is the director of Bella Voce Studios has been teaching vocal technique to students in Loudoun county since 2007. She has been performing in the DC Sketch Comedy and Improv Scene since 1995. She is a performer with Last Ham Standing, and has worked with ComedySportz DC, Off the Cuff, Venus Envy and Gross National Product Comedy Group.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Musical Improv Games- Learn Basic Musical improv Games to be used for team performances. Combine Improv basics with your musical skills to bring a new Denison to your Improv team!! Available during Workshop Session
Advanced Musical Improv Games- Build and expand upon your basic musical improv game skills! Learn the rules to nail more complex musical games with your improv team! Available during Workshop Session
CeCi Sigmund is the director of Bella Voce Studios has been teaching vocal technique to students in Loudoun county since 2007. She has been performing in the DC Sketch Comedy and Improv Scene since 1995. She is a performer with Last Ham Standing, and has worked with ComedySportz DC, Off the Cuff, Venus Envy and Gross National Product Comedy Group.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Musical Improv Games- Learn Basic Musical improv Games to be used for team performances. Combine Improv basics with your musical skills to bring a new Denison to your Improv team!! Available during Workshop Session
Advanced Musical Improv Games- Build and expand upon your basic musical improv game skills! Learn the rules to nail more complex musical games with your improv team! Available during Workshop Session
David Steinmetz
David Steinmetz has over 35 years of professional experience as a Technical Director in the entertainment industry and education. A lifelong love of learning and building has propelled David to transform vision into reality for a wide variety of client’s time and time again. Some of his professional credits include Tony Award winning theaters and national tour, dance, opera, theme parks, corporate meetings, product launches, and displays. National and international credits include touring acts, conventions, trade-shows, and church conferences. David holds a BFA from Otterbein University (1993) and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana (2005). He is also a journeyman member with IATSE Local 346. David is currently the Technical Director / Associate Professor at Shenandoah Conservatory.
Workshops Offered:
So You Want to be a Technical Director? - In this workshop we will explore the process and some of the skills required to be a Technical Director in the theatre industry. Activity for this session will be creative problem solving... a TD's specialty. Available during Workshop Session
Scenery and Rigging for the Stage - In this session we will explore some tips and tricks for building scenery for the stage as well as the some of the best practices for rigging scenery to fly. Available during Workshop Session
Building Scenery on a Budget - We all work with budgets in the process of mounting our shows. Unless you are very lucky… we are never in a position in which we have too much money. So we are going to explore some alternative solutions to common challenges and the process of value engineering and its pitfalls. Available during Workshop Session
CNC Router Technology - For more than a decade it was my dream to own a CNC router to use in building scenery. In 2009 I made the dream a reality and built my own 4’ x 8’ CNC router. We will talk about some of the ways to use a CNC router in scenery construction, how to purchase one, and an introduction to how to build your own CNC router. Available during Workshop Session
3D Printing - We will also take a look into ways a 3D printer can up your game building scenery and props. Some of the topics we will examine file set up, printer set up, material choices, and common pitfalls. Available during Workshop Session
All of these workshops are presented by David Steinmetz, Matt Hapeman, and Austin Stiles (student).
David Steinmetz has over 35 years of professional experience as a Technical Director in the entertainment industry and education. A lifelong love of learning and building has propelled David to transform vision into reality for a wide variety of client’s time and time again. Some of his professional credits include Tony Award winning theaters and national tour, dance, opera, theme parks, corporate meetings, product launches, and displays. National and international credits include touring acts, conventions, trade-shows, and church conferences. David holds a BFA from Otterbein University (1993) and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana (2005). He is also a journeyman member with IATSE Local 346. David is currently the Technical Director / Associate Professor at Shenandoah Conservatory.
Workshops Offered:
So You Want to be a Technical Director? - In this workshop we will explore the process and some of the skills required to be a Technical Director in the theatre industry. Activity for this session will be creative problem solving... a TD's specialty. Available during Workshop Session
Scenery and Rigging for the Stage - In this session we will explore some tips and tricks for building scenery for the stage as well as the some of the best practices for rigging scenery to fly. Available during Workshop Session
Building Scenery on a Budget - We all work with budgets in the process of mounting our shows. Unless you are very lucky… we are never in a position in which we have too much money. So we are going to explore some alternative solutions to common challenges and the process of value engineering and its pitfalls. Available during Workshop Session
CNC Router Technology - For more than a decade it was my dream to own a CNC router to use in building scenery. In 2009 I made the dream a reality and built my own 4’ x 8’ CNC router. We will talk about some of the ways to use a CNC router in scenery construction, how to purchase one, and an introduction to how to build your own CNC router. Available during Workshop Session
3D Printing - We will also take a look into ways a 3D printer can up your game building scenery and props. Some of the topics we will examine file set up, printer set up, material choices, and common pitfalls. Available during Workshop Session
All of these workshops are presented by David Steinmetz, Matt Hapeman, and Austin Stiles (student).
Destiny Martinez
Destiny Martinez graduated from VCU in 2021 with a BFA in theatre with a concentration in stage management. She also has owned her own photography business since 2018. She currently serves as a photography teacher at New Kent High School and is so thrilled to be able to learn with and inspire the next generation of artists!
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Stage Management-If you have ever had an interest in learning more about what a stage manager does in a theater - then this workshop is for you! Destiny Martinez shares what skills are required and how to implement them effectively in order to make sure the show always goes on! Some topics that will be discussed are: Production Hierarchy, Roles and Qualities of a Good Stage Manager, Theatre/Headset Etiquette, Stage Management Duties, Forms, & Problem Solving followed by a Q&A! Available during Workshop Session
Intro To Headshot Photography - If you ever had an interest in learning more about how to take your own headshots, from what to wear, to the lighting and taking the photo itself; then this workshop is for you! Destiny Martinez shares more information on headshot photography with simple and more advanced gear. Some topics that will be discussed are: shooting headshots in any location, shooting photos inside or outside, in sun or the shade, posing & more, followed by a Q&A! Available during Workshop Session
Destiny Martinez graduated from VCU in 2021 with a BFA in theatre with a concentration in stage management. She also has owned her own photography business since 2018. She currently serves as a photography teacher at New Kent High School and is so thrilled to be able to learn with and inspire the next generation of artists!
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Stage Management-If you have ever had an interest in learning more about what a stage manager does in a theater - then this workshop is for you! Destiny Martinez shares what skills are required and how to implement them effectively in order to make sure the show always goes on! Some topics that will be discussed are: Production Hierarchy, Roles and Qualities of a Good Stage Manager, Theatre/Headset Etiquette, Stage Management Duties, Forms, & Problem Solving followed by a Q&A! Available during Workshop Session
Intro To Headshot Photography - If you ever had an interest in learning more about how to take your own headshots, from what to wear, to the lighting and taking the photo itself; then this workshop is for you! Destiny Martinez shares more information on headshot photography with simple and more advanced gear. Some topics that will be discussed are: shooting headshots in any location, shooting photos inside or outside, in sun or the shade, posing & more, followed by a Q&A! Available during Workshop Session
Erica Helm
Erica Helm has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American College Dance Festival Association, and in the Dance Education Division of the Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In 1999, Helm received an Artie Award from the Shenandoah Arts Council, recognizing her contributions to the artistic community of this region. She has received several awards from Shenandoah University, including the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Wilkins Award.
As a member of the Shenandoah Chamber Dance Company, she performed throughout the Shenandoah Valley region as well as in Washington, D.C. and on tour to Trinidad. She also danced for the Honolulu City Ballet, appearing in classical and contemporary repertoire as well as performing as a guest artist with Ballet Hawaii and the Hawaii Opera Theatre. As a member of stillMOVING dance company, she was engaged in a teaching and performance residency at the Harvard Center for the Arts in Boston in 2001.
Erica Helm has choreographed for The University of Hawaii Dance Theatre, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Opera Americana in Alexandria, Virginia, East Carolina University and for dance companies and madrigal ensembles in Hawaii and Texas. Her works have been presented in several Washington, D.C. venues, including the Jack Guidone Theatre, the Austrian Embassy and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as on tour in England, Spain, Scotland and China. Her choreography has also been selected by adjudication for the Annual Choreographers’ Showcase held at the Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, Maryland, and the Choreographer’s Showcase produced by the Reston Arts Council.
Workshops Offered:
English Regency Waltz - Do you love the beauty and elegance of Pride & Prejudice and other Jane Austen stories & films? Learn to waltz in the style of the English Regency period, where dancing, fashion and social graces were essential evidence of social position & eligibility for matrimony! A fun period dance class for those interested in working with theatre productions. All levels. Available during Workshop Session
Erica Helm has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American College Dance Festival Association, and in the Dance Education Division of the Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In 1999, Helm received an Artie Award from the Shenandoah Arts Council, recognizing her contributions to the artistic community of this region. She has received several awards from Shenandoah University, including the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Wilkins Award.
As a member of the Shenandoah Chamber Dance Company, she performed throughout the Shenandoah Valley region as well as in Washington, D.C. and on tour to Trinidad. She also danced for the Honolulu City Ballet, appearing in classical and contemporary repertoire as well as performing as a guest artist with Ballet Hawaii and the Hawaii Opera Theatre. As a member of stillMOVING dance company, she was engaged in a teaching and performance residency at the Harvard Center for the Arts in Boston in 2001.
Erica Helm has choreographed for The University of Hawaii Dance Theatre, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Opera Americana in Alexandria, Virginia, East Carolina University and for dance companies and madrigal ensembles in Hawaii and Texas. Her works have been presented in several Washington, D.C. venues, including the Jack Guidone Theatre, the Austrian Embassy and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as on tour in England, Spain, Scotland and China. Her choreography has also been selected by adjudication for the Annual Choreographers’ Showcase held at the Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, Maryland, and the Choreographer’s Showcase produced by the Reston Arts Council.
Workshops Offered:
English Regency Waltz - Do you love the beauty and elegance of Pride & Prejudice and other Jane Austen stories & films? Learn to waltz in the style of the English Regency period, where dancing, fashion and social graces were essential evidence of social position & eligibility for matrimony! A fun period dance class for those interested in working with theatre productions. All levels. Available during Workshop Session
Genese Gee-Schmidtke
Genese Gee-Schmidtke (she/hers) is an educator, and performing arts professional at the College of Charleston. A teacher of the fine and performing arts for over 11 years now, and students ranging from K-12 to adult collegiate learners, she is eager to step back into the classroom at the College of Charleston for both Theatre and Dance. Genese has founded a fine and performing arts program called OurCornerArts. Its motto is “Connectivity, Community and Creativity.” Through this program students discover their inner truths and actively display their positive creativity through productions and workshops for CHANGE and community awareness. When not at CofC, she is a company administrator for Annex Dance Company, a modern professional dance company in Charleston, SC. In all aspects of the performing arts, Genese hopes her students and patrons of the dance company are able to see her passion and discover their own for the stage.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre for CHANGE Practices and Techniques - Through trial and error from practices and techniques learned through Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed I have created and cultivated workshops for CHANGE. Participants will learn about the processes I've utilized to start conversations, create spaces for calls to action, and help be a part of a sustainable change within our society. The class will consist of both discussion and exercises. Available during Workshop Session
Genese Gee-Schmidtke (she/hers) is an educator, and performing arts professional at the College of Charleston. A teacher of the fine and performing arts for over 11 years now, and students ranging from K-12 to adult collegiate learners, she is eager to step back into the classroom at the College of Charleston for both Theatre and Dance. Genese has founded a fine and performing arts program called OurCornerArts. Its motto is “Connectivity, Community and Creativity.” Through this program students discover their inner truths and actively display their positive creativity through productions and workshops for CHANGE and community awareness. When not at CofC, she is a company administrator for Annex Dance Company, a modern professional dance company in Charleston, SC. In all aspects of the performing arts, Genese hopes her students and patrons of the dance company are able to see her passion and discover their own for the stage.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre for CHANGE Practices and Techniques - Through trial and error from practices and techniques learned through Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed I have created and cultivated workshops for CHANGE. Participants will learn about the processes I've utilized to start conversations, create spaces for calls to action, and help be a part of a sustainable change within our society. The class will consist of both discussion and exercises. Available during Workshop Session
Gordon Hensley
Gordon holds a BS and MFA in theatre, has been a college professor since 1999, and is a Fulbright Scholar. He also works as a freelance teaching artist, and as a teaching artist for Mehron makeup.
Gordon has worked professionally in the national and regional arenas for companies including Barter Theatre, Paramount, and Theatre IV. He successfully completed Dick Smith’s professional makeup course and has currently worked makeup and wigs on 18 national Broadway tours.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Straight Stage Makeup - All actors need to know how to do their own makeup. In this workshop, Gordon explains tips for the application of “straight” makeup for the stage. Topics include color selection, application, highlight and shadow, finishing techniques, health & safety, and removal. National Core Arts Standards CR, CN. Available during Workshop Session
Coming of Age - Learn Age Makeup for Theatre - Age makeup is more than a few lines on the face! In this workshop makeup artist Gordon Hensley demonstrates theatrical makeup for aging. Topics include shadows, highlights, creating a three-dimensional wrinkle, texturing, finishing techniques, health & safety, and removal. National Core Arts Standards CR, CN. Available during Workshop Session
Gordon holds a BS and MFA in theatre, has been a college professor since 1999, and is a Fulbright Scholar. He also works as a freelance teaching artist, and as a teaching artist for Mehron makeup.
Gordon has worked professionally in the national and regional arenas for companies including Barter Theatre, Paramount, and Theatre IV. He successfully completed Dick Smith’s professional makeup course and has currently worked makeup and wigs on 18 national Broadway tours.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Straight Stage Makeup - All actors need to know how to do their own makeup. In this workshop, Gordon explains tips for the application of “straight” makeup for the stage. Topics include color selection, application, highlight and shadow, finishing techniques, health & safety, and removal. National Core Arts Standards CR, CN. Available during Workshop Session
Coming of Age - Learn Age Makeup for Theatre - Age makeup is more than a few lines on the face! In this workshop makeup artist Gordon Hensley demonstrates theatrical makeup for aging. Topics include shadows, highlights, creating a three-dimensional wrinkle, texturing, finishing techniques, health & safety, and removal. National Core Arts Standards CR, CN. Available during Workshop Session
Gregg Stull
Gregg Stull, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Producing Director of UMW Theatre, and Professor of Theatre, earned an M.A. (1986) in theatre from the University of Maryland after receiving a B.A. (1982) in dramatic arts from Mary Washington College.
Stull has served as the managing director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., as a panelist for the Ohio Arts Council, an evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the arts and humanities transition team prior to the inauguration of Bill Clinton. An expert on social justice and the arts, Stull was the executive director of The NAMES Project and directed two international displays of the entire AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall.
Gregg Stull, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Producing Director of UMW Theatre, and Professor of Theatre, earned an M.A. (1986) in theatre from the University of Maryland after receiving a B.A. (1982) in dramatic arts from Mary Washington College.
Stull has served as the managing director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., as a panelist for the Ohio Arts Council, an evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the arts and humanities transition team prior to the inauguration of Bill Clinton. An expert on social justice and the arts, Stull was the executive director of The NAMES Project and directed two international displays of the entire AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall.
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Gretta Daughtry & Kearston Scott-Dillard
Gretta Daughtrey (she/her)(Lighting Designer and System Integrator) works as a System Integrator for Barbizon Lighting, specifying lighting and lighting control systems. With over 15 years in System Design, Gretta has followed the transition from incandescent to LED technology and the controls advancements needed to realize the potential of new fixture technology. In addition to system design, she does production design for several Central Virginia theatre companies, area schools, and the City of Richmond Festival of Arts. Ms. Daughtrey is also the Vice-President of the IES Richmond Section. Kearston Dillard-Scott, a native of Suffolk, VA, has been studying and practicing the art of lighting for the last 22 years. She graduated in 2003 from Randolph (Macon-Woman's) College with a B.A. in Theatre and spent the next 13 years in the Hampton Roads area, primarily with the Virginia Opera in Norfolk, VA as their Lighting Supervisor. In the realm of theatre, she has vast experience with not only lighting, but also projections, sound, and video. She has also worked on various film projects in the Hampton Roads area to include Art Direction and Stunt Coordinator and has been designing for dance schools for many years. She prides herself in being a master lighting programmer, with experience in lighting programming on various consoles and in a large number of professional venues. In 2016, she transitioned to Alexandria, VA and began working for Barbizon Lighting in 2017. She was promoted to Outside Sales in April of 2018 and has dedicated herself not only to helping various spaces enhance their lighting but also educating individuals in various aspects of lighting. Besides being a wife and a mother, she enjoys video games and doing art with her large number of Sharpie markers. Workshops Offered: What is a Lighting Control System? It's not just the light board anymore. - Let's talk about the wires in the walls and how it is all connected. Explore a career field in lighting system design and gain knowledge to assist with general troubleshooting. Available during Workshop Session Color Mixing with Light - Let's get hands on and play with some RGB+ LED fixtures. See how color selection can impact what we see on stage and learn about the difference in additive and subtractive color mixing. Available during Workshop Session |
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Holly Johnson
Holly joined Fourth Wall after ten years in college admissions, where she specialized in working with young performing artists and their families, as well as executing recruitment and audition events. With a focus on the unique abilities and strengths of each student, Holly is passionate about helping families navigate the college search and application process, as well as educating communities about access to higher education. Originally from Binghamton, NY, Holly holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (percussion) from Shenandoah Conservatory as well as a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Shenandoah University. She lives in Stephens City, VA with her husband (Nan) and feline colleagues Sophie, Atticus, and Malcolm. When not working with families, Holly can most often be found with her nose in a book.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre in College? What You Need to Know! - In this session, Holly of Fourth Wall College Consulting will offer a brief overview of the college admissions/audition timeline and processes. Available during Workshop Session
Help Guide Your Students Toward Theatre Degrees - In this session, Holly of Fourth Wall College Consulting will offer guidance and advice for teachers/directors/mentors who are helping to support students pursue theatre in college. Available during Workshop Session
Holly joined Fourth Wall after ten years in college admissions, where she specialized in working with young performing artists and their families, as well as executing recruitment and audition events. With a focus on the unique abilities and strengths of each student, Holly is passionate about helping families navigate the college search and application process, as well as educating communities about access to higher education. Originally from Binghamton, NY, Holly holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (percussion) from Shenandoah Conservatory as well as a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Shenandoah University. She lives in Stephens City, VA with her husband (Nan) and feline colleagues Sophie, Atticus, and Malcolm. When not working with families, Holly can most often be found with her nose in a book.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre in College? What You Need to Know! - In this session, Holly of Fourth Wall College Consulting will offer a brief overview of the college admissions/audition timeline and processes. Available during Workshop Session
Help Guide Your Students Toward Theatre Degrees - In this session, Holly of Fourth Wall College Consulting will offer guidance and advice for teachers/directors/mentors who are helping to support students pursue theatre in college. Available during Workshop Session
Ian Claar & The Noble Blades
The Noble Blades are dedicated to serving as the greater Washington, D.C. area’s premier professionally trained and community-based stage combat troupe. We promote the education and production of safe, historically accurate and compelling storytelling through dramatic conflict, consent and stage combat throughout the community and the arts.
Ian Claar is a lighting designer and staged violence/intimacy choreographer and has been involved in theatre and the performing arts for over 15 years. He has a degree in Design and Technical Theatre from Christopher Newport University, is an Advanced Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and is the Managing Director of the Noble Blades, stage combat troupe.
Workshops Offered:
Introduction to Stage Combat - This class mixes lecture and on-your-feet work that gives a small overview and taste of modern staged violence. Covering a brief history of stage combat and stunt performance, we examine what theatrical combat can look like, teach some basic unarmed technique, and provide context and examples for weapons props used in the field. Available during Workshop Session
Basics of Theatrical Intimacy - This class will look at how theatrical intimacy is handled in the live entertainment industry. Walking through process, practices, and how consent based, and trauma-informed practices go into choreographing, rehearsing, and ultimately performing scenes of intimacy. (Note: Theatrical Intimacy is defined here as physical acts telling the story of heightened emotional states, including intimate gestures such as hugs or caresses, kissing, etc. ) Available during Workshop Session
The Noble Blades are dedicated to serving as the greater Washington, D.C. area’s premier professionally trained and community-based stage combat troupe. We promote the education and production of safe, historically accurate and compelling storytelling through dramatic conflict, consent and stage combat throughout the community and the arts.
Ian Claar is a lighting designer and staged violence/intimacy choreographer and has been involved in theatre and the performing arts for over 15 years. He has a degree in Design and Technical Theatre from Christopher Newport University, is an Advanced Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and is the Managing Director of the Noble Blades, stage combat troupe.
Workshops Offered:
Introduction to Stage Combat - This class mixes lecture and on-your-feet work that gives a small overview and taste of modern staged violence. Covering a brief history of stage combat and stunt performance, we examine what theatrical combat can look like, teach some basic unarmed technique, and provide context and examples for weapons props used in the field. Available during Workshop Session
Basics of Theatrical Intimacy - This class will look at how theatrical intimacy is handled in the live entertainment industry. Walking through process, practices, and how consent based, and trauma-informed practices go into choreographing, rehearsing, and ultimately performing scenes of intimacy. (Note: Theatrical Intimacy is defined here as physical acts telling the story of heightened emotional states, including intimate gestures such as hugs or caresses, kissing, etc. ) Available during Workshop Session
Ivy Cole
Ivy is a singer/actress/voice over artist from NJ. She began her vocal training with internationally recognized vocal coach Mr. Robert Edwin (ASCAP) and continued to train classically at Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick, NJ, under the expertise of former Opera singer Mrs. Valorie Goodall, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance. She continued her education with private classes and study in the Meisner and Adler techniques in Acting and in Voice-over production and received her Kodaly Certification from the Potomac Arts Academy at George Mason University in 2014. She is a graduate of Liberty University having obtained her Master of Arts in Music and Worship Studies in 2020. As a performing artist, she has performed in Europe and in many areas of the East Coast, including sharing a stage with the late Rosemary Clooney and Debbie Boone at the Valley Forge Music Fair. Her work includes experience in musical theater, opera, concerts, comedy and drama, and various film. She has been a director, musical director, dialect coach, and choreographer for various productions as well as a stage manager, Drama Instructor, Modeling and Television Instructor and general go-to gal. Ivy has performed in and around the DC/NOVA area since 2013, receiving numerous nominations and awards for her performances. Favorite roles include Louise in “Always Patsy Cline," Amalia in "She Loves Me," and the challenging role of Becca in David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Rabbit Hole." On film, she can be seen as Nimue in Growth Media Productions series "Shotgun Mythos," and as Michelle in Christian Walk Alive's movie "Masquerade," among a few others. Ivy has also recently released her first single, "Broken," as a solo artist with HalfKing Productions. She has been teaching for over 20 years and has her own studio (www.ivyelizabethstudios.com), coaching many individuals and groups within multiple organizations and age levels. She loves every minute she spends with her students. Ivy looks forward to sharing her love and passion for the arts to all she comes into contact with.
Workshops Offered:
Auditioning for Musical Theatre: Character Matters - In the "Auditioning for Musical Theatre: Character Matters" workshop, participants will learn tips and techniques necessary to land the role they are after in a Musical, understanding that the voice is not the only thing that matters. Participants will come prepared with a song to perform as an audition and receive tips and guidance as to how to make their audition stand out amongst the many. Available during Workshop Session
Musical Theatre and Your Voice - In the "Musical Theatre and Your Voice" workshop, participants will come with prepared songs for tips and guidance on understanding their voice within a piece of music in the style of the show. What is the best sound for your voice? What category of Musical Theatre do you fit in? Where are you best suited? Finding their strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome the obstacles. Available during Workshop Session
Finding Your Character Within a Role - In this workshop, participants will learn basic tips and ideas for analyzing a character and finding their own characterization within that role. Scene Study and/or monologue work included. Participants may bring material they are struggling with or who want more work on characterization. The importance of voice and movement, in regards to characterization, are touched on in this as well. Available during Workshop Session
Ivy is a singer/actress/voice over artist from NJ. She began her vocal training with internationally recognized vocal coach Mr. Robert Edwin (ASCAP) and continued to train classically at Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick, NJ, under the expertise of former Opera singer Mrs. Valorie Goodall, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance. She continued her education with private classes and study in the Meisner and Adler techniques in Acting and in Voice-over production and received her Kodaly Certification from the Potomac Arts Academy at George Mason University in 2014. She is a graduate of Liberty University having obtained her Master of Arts in Music and Worship Studies in 2020. As a performing artist, she has performed in Europe and in many areas of the East Coast, including sharing a stage with the late Rosemary Clooney and Debbie Boone at the Valley Forge Music Fair. Her work includes experience in musical theater, opera, concerts, comedy and drama, and various film. She has been a director, musical director, dialect coach, and choreographer for various productions as well as a stage manager, Drama Instructor, Modeling and Television Instructor and general go-to gal. Ivy has performed in and around the DC/NOVA area since 2013, receiving numerous nominations and awards for her performances. Favorite roles include Louise in “Always Patsy Cline," Amalia in "She Loves Me," and the challenging role of Becca in David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Rabbit Hole." On film, she can be seen as Nimue in Growth Media Productions series "Shotgun Mythos," and as Michelle in Christian Walk Alive's movie "Masquerade," among a few others. Ivy has also recently released her first single, "Broken," as a solo artist with HalfKing Productions. She has been teaching for over 20 years and has her own studio (www.ivyelizabethstudios.com), coaching many individuals and groups within multiple organizations and age levels. She loves every minute she spends with her students. Ivy looks forward to sharing her love and passion for the arts to all she comes into contact with.
Workshops Offered:
Auditioning for Musical Theatre: Character Matters - In the "Auditioning for Musical Theatre: Character Matters" workshop, participants will learn tips and techniques necessary to land the role they are after in a Musical, understanding that the voice is not the only thing that matters. Participants will come prepared with a song to perform as an audition and receive tips and guidance as to how to make their audition stand out amongst the many. Available during Workshop Session
Musical Theatre and Your Voice - In the "Musical Theatre and Your Voice" workshop, participants will come with prepared songs for tips and guidance on understanding their voice within a piece of music in the style of the show. What is the best sound for your voice? What category of Musical Theatre do you fit in? Where are you best suited? Finding their strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome the obstacles. Available during Workshop Session
Finding Your Character Within a Role - In this workshop, participants will learn basic tips and ideas for analyzing a character and finding their own characterization within that role. Scene Study and/or monologue work included. Participants may bring material they are struggling with or who want more work on characterization. The importance of voice and movement, in regards to characterization, are touched on in this as well. Available during Workshop Session
James Morrison
James is a professional Lighting and Projection designer based in DC. His work has been seen at the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, NextStop Theatre, Creative Cauldron, Rorschach Theatre, Riverside Theatre, Ravel Dance, Illinois Shakespeare Theatre, Heartland Theatre, and Clinton Area Showboat Theatre to name a few.
Workshops Offered:
Programming Topics on the ETC EOS - An introduction to intermediate look at programming topics on the ETC EOS lighting console. Available during Workshop Session
Intro to Projection Mapping with Isadora - Interested in projection design or exploring projection software outside of qlab? In this workshop we will explore the projection design workflow through the Isadora projections software. Available during Workshop Session
James is a professional Lighting and Projection designer based in DC. His work has been seen at the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, NextStop Theatre, Creative Cauldron, Rorschach Theatre, Riverside Theatre, Ravel Dance, Illinois Shakespeare Theatre, Heartland Theatre, and Clinton Area Showboat Theatre to name a few.
Workshops Offered:
Programming Topics on the ETC EOS - An introduction to intermediate look at programming topics on the ETC EOS lighting console. Available during Workshop Session
Intro to Projection Mapping with Isadora - Interested in projection design or exploring projection software outside of qlab? In this workshop we will explore the projection design workflow through the Isadora projections software. Available during Workshop Session
Jeremy Smith
I have been attending the conference annually since I was in 8th grade. I became a First Responder at 15, working with the National Ski Patrol in Blue Knob, Pennsylvania. After graduating high school, I joined a local fire department and got my National EMT certification. I brought the Backstage First Aid workshop to conference a few times now.
Workshops Offered:
Backstage First Aid - For when "we'll just jury rig it", or "3 hours of sleep" turn out to be a bad idea backstage. This workshop will take participants through a few different methods of handling common backstage injuries, as well as offering suggestions for methods to prevent them in the first place. Available during Workshop Session
I have been attending the conference annually since I was in 8th grade. I became a First Responder at 15, working with the National Ski Patrol in Blue Knob, Pennsylvania. After graduating high school, I joined a local fire department and got my National EMT certification. I brought the Backstage First Aid workshop to conference a few times now.
Workshops Offered:
Backstage First Aid - For when "we'll just jury rig it", or "3 hours of sleep" turn out to be a bad idea backstage. This workshop will take participants through a few different methods of handling common backstage injuries, as well as offering suggestions for methods to prevent them in the first place. Available during Workshop Session
Joey Long
Joey Long is an actor, writer, and producer of several award-winning short films, including “A Purgatory Story”, which won numerous awards at festivals across the globe, qualified for an Academy Award, and currently sits at 2 million views on YouTube. His latest film, titled “Adam”, recently premiered at North Hollywood Cinefest, where it took home the prize for Best Cinematography.
In 2022, Joey co-founded Cosmic Pomegranate (CPOM), a film & television production company, with his creative partner Nik Dodani. In spring of 2023, CPOM enters pre-production on it’s first feature film: “Falling Star”, written by Nik & Joey, starring Nik and Joey, with Nik set to direct, and Joey serving as creative director.
Workshops Offered:
For Your Voice in Film- Gonna give the kids a blueprint for how to start their artistic, creative career today instead of waiting for the right time/place/gadget/permission/set of circumstances. Use the people, places, and things you have available to you and make the best thing you can now. Rinse and Repeat. Who needs movie studios and TV networks when you have Youtube, TikTok, Vimeo and Instagram? Some of this will be a lecture, but most of it will be a back and forth dialogue with them to see what kind of things they're interested in pursuing. Once everyone is pumped up on the idea of making stuff, I'll have volunteers come up and we'll film something, watch it, discuss, etc... In a word, I want these kids to leave the workshop feeling EMPOWERED. Available during Workshop Session
Joey Long is an actor, writer, and producer of several award-winning short films, including “A Purgatory Story”, which won numerous awards at festivals across the globe, qualified for an Academy Award, and currently sits at 2 million views on YouTube. His latest film, titled “Adam”, recently premiered at North Hollywood Cinefest, where it took home the prize for Best Cinematography.
In 2022, Joey co-founded Cosmic Pomegranate (CPOM), a film & television production company, with his creative partner Nik Dodani. In spring of 2023, CPOM enters pre-production on it’s first feature film: “Falling Star”, written by Nik & Joey, starring Nik and Joey, with Nik set to direct, and Joey serving as creative director.
Workshops Offered:
For Your Voice in Film- Gonna give the kids a blueprint for how to start their artistic, creative career today instead of waiting for the right time/place/gadget/permission/set of circumstances. Use the people, places, and things you have available to you and make the best thing you can now. Rinse and Repeat. Who needs movie studios and TV networks when you have Youtube, TikTok, Vimeo and Instagram? Some of this will be a lecture, but most of it will be a back and forth dialogue with them to see what kind of things they're interested in pursuing. Once everyone is pumped up on the idea of making stuff, I'll have volunteers come up and we'll film something, watch it, discuss, etc... In a word, I want these kids to leave the workshop feeling EMPOWERED. Available during Workshop Session
Kate York
Kate York (she/her) is the Director of Production at Boston's Boch Center, an iconic, multi-venue institution hosting more than 200 performances and 650,000 patrons each year. Before leading the Boch Center's production management team, Kate worked at DC's Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts; toured venues across the country as an Equity stage manager; and worked in production and operations capacities for the campaigns of President Joe Biden, Governor Ralph Northam, and Hillary Clinton. Other favorite credits include production management for Cirque du Soleil, locations for the feature film I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and operations management for A Capitol Fourth. Kate is a proud graduate of South Lakes High School (Troupe 4709), holds her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, and graduate degree in Live Entertainment Production from UMiami's Frost School of Music.
Workshops Offered:
Movies & Presidents & Fireworks, oh my! Technical Production Outside of the Theatre- Explore career opportunities in technical production with a guest artist who’s been in the room where it happens. Participants will discuss how stage and production management translate to Hollywood, presidential campaigns, live televised events, circus, and more. This session will be led by guest artist Kate York, a seasoned tech professional, who will speak from her experience in each of these genre. Participants should come prepared with questions for a Q & A session and something to write with! Available during Workshop Session
Production Management Monopoly- Have you ever wondered what it is like to create a Broadway show? How much does it cost? What could possibly go wrong before opening night? There’s no better way to find out than a good, old-fashioned board game. Available during Workshop Session
Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: What is it Like to Work on Broadway National Tours?- Did you know that Hairspray does a show in a different theatre every single night? Or that touring actors get no rehearsal before performing in a new space? Wondering what it’s like to travel to a new city every week? Then this workshop is for you. We’ll chat about how Hamilton makes its way to a theatre near you – and share all the the behind-the-scenes secrets about life on the road. Participants should come prepared with questions for a Q & A session and something to write with! Available during Workshop Session
Kate York (she/her) is the Director of Production at Boston's Boch Center, an iconic, multi-venue institution hosting more than 200 performances and 650,000 patrons each year. Before leading the Boch Center's production management team, Kate worked at DC's Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts; toured venues across the country as an Equity stage manager; and worked in production and operations capacities for the campaigns of President Joe Biden, Governor Ralph Northam, and Hillary Clinton. Other favorite credits include production management for Cirque du Soleil, locations for the feature film I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and operations management for A Capitol Fourth. Kate is a proud graduate of South Lakes High School (Troupe 4709), holds her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, and graduate degree in Live Entertainment Production from UMiami's Frost School of Music.
Workshops Offered:
Movies & Presidents & Fireworks, oh my! Technical Production Outside of the Theatre- Explore career opportunities in technical production with a guest artist who’s been in the room where it happens. Participants will discuss how stage and production management translate to Hollywood, presidential campaigns, live televised events, circus, and more. This session will be led by guest artist Kate York, a seasoned tech professional, who will speak from her experience in each of these genre. Participants should come prepared with questions for a Q & A session and something to write with! Available during Workshop Session
Production Management Monopoly- Have you ever wondered what it is like to create a Broadway show? How much does it cost? What could possibly go wrong before opening night? There’s no better way to find out than a good, old-fashioned board game. Available during Workshop Session
Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: What is it Like to Work on Broadway National Tours?- Did you know that Hairspray does a show in a different theatre every single night? Or that touring actors get no rehearsal before performing in a new space? Wondering what it’s like to travel to a new city every week? Then this workshop is for you. We’ll chat about how Hamilton makes its way to a theatre near you – and share all the the behind-the-scenes secrets about life on the road. Participants should come prepared with questions for a Q & A session and something to write with! Available during Workshop Session
KB saine
KB Saine is a director, author, educator, and theatre historian with over two decades of experience. KB served for six years as the producing artistic director of Sycamore Rouge in Petersburg, VA; and has worked with Greenbriar Valley theatre, Vintage Theatre Company, and Buckhannon Community Theatre in West Virginia; Theatrelab, Richmond Triangle Players, theatre iv/theatre gym, the Barksdale Theatre, Firehouse Theatre Project, Theatrevirginia, Dogwood Dell and Sparc in Virginia; and the Dallas Theatre Center in Texas. Her favorite past productions under her direction include the Glass Menagerie, Orlando, Everybody, Topdog/Underdog, The altruists, Stop Kiss, The odyssey, Fair and Tender Ladies, The Crucible, Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings, Steal Away, and Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet, among many others. Her professional service includes extensive work with the Black Theatre Network (the national organization of black theatre professionals, academics, and practitioners), where she is honored to serve as a past president. She is the current director of the contemporary theatre studies program at Shepherd University.
Workshops Offered:
Professional Auditions- A how-to discussion about preparing yourself and your complete audition package for the professional audition. Learn how different auditions are structured and managed, how to read an audition call to see if it’s for you, and how to professionally communicate with different directors. Available during Workshop Session
Beyond Wilson: Monologues for People of Color- This session will be a working dialogue about roles available for young actors from the Global Majority that move beyond A Raisin in the Sun and the works of August Wilson, with specific examples & reading lists provided. Students in the workshop may have the opportunity to share the monologues they’re currently using & to solicit individual recommendations for potential audition and competition monologues. Available during Workshop Session
KB Saine is a director, author, educator, and theatre historian with over two decades of experience. KB served for six years as the producing artistic director of Sycamore Rouge in Petersburg, VA; and has worked with Greenbriar Valley theatre, Vintage Theatre Company, and Buckhannon Community Theatre in West Virginia; Theatrelab, Richmond Triangle Players, theatre iv/theatre gym, the Barksdale Theatre, Firehouse Theatre Project, Theatrevirginia, Dogwood Dell and Sparc in Virginia; and the Dallas Theatre Center in Texas. Her favorite past productions under her direction include the Glass Menagerie, Orlando, Everybody, Topdog/Underdog, The altruists, Stop Kiss, The odyssey, Fair and Tender Ladies, The Crucible, Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings, Steal Away, and Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet, among many others. Her professional service includes extensive work with the Black Theatre Network (the national organization of black theatre professionals, academics, and practitioners), where she is honored to serve as a past president. She is the current director of the contemporary theatre studies program at Shepherd University.
Workshops Offered:
Professional Auditions- A how-to discussion about preparing yourself and your complete audition package for the professional audition. Learn how different auditions are structured and managed, how to read an audition call to see if it’s for you, and how to professionally communicate with different directors. Available during Workshop Session
Beyond Wilson: Monologues for People of Color- This session will be a working dialogue about roles available for young actors from the Global Majority that move beyond A Raisin in the Sun and the works of August Wilson, with specific examples & reading lists provided. Students in the workshop may have the opportunity to share the monologues they’re currently using & to solicit individual recommendations for potential audition and competition monologues. Available during Workshop Session
Leslie Scott-Jones
Leslie M. Scott-Jones is a African-American southern woman from Virginia, encompassing all that entails. She studied theater education at VCU and Theatre Administration at Howard University. Leslie has been writing, acting and directing since her teens. The world premiere of her first play, which she wrote, produced and directed, Desire Moments was part of the 2014 Capital Fringe Festival. She has gone on to write several plays, novellas, and short stories which can all be found on Amazon. Book Ends, her first full length novel, hit the shelves Valentine’s Day Weekend 2016.
Leslie has been active in Charlottesville community theater for over ten years. In 2009 she played Emilia in Shakespeare’s Othello at Four County Players. In 2010 she played Esther in Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage at Live Arts, was part of an ensemble improv cast in a devised piece called Child Bearing Hipsters and No Sex Please, We’re British at Play On!. From 2011 to 2015 Leslie worked mostly on devised theater and staged readings, pausing in 2012 to direct For Colored Girls… by Ntozake Shange at Play On!.
She became the Artistic Director of the Charlottesville Player’s Guild, an all Black theatre company in 2016. In 2019 she played Queen Gertrude in her own adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet called Hambone. Under the leadership of Dr. Andrea Douglas, the Executive Director of the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center which the Guild calls home, CPG has embarked on a mission to produce all ten of August Wilson’s Century Cycle. Leslie has starred in Fences playing the part of Rose, directed Jitney, stage managed The Piano Lesson and produced Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson. She played Louise in Seven Guitars by August Wilson which ran in November 2017 with UVa.’s Drama Department. In 2019 she directed The Royale by Marco Ramirez at Live Arts. Not limiting herself to fiction, Leslie has written reviews and thought pieces for CNN, Cville Weekly and Vinegar Hill Magazine as well as writing a contributing essay for a study guide to Ifa Bayeza’s work Benevolence for the 2019 Penumbra Theatre Festival.
Workshops Offered:
Directing in the Black Aesthetic - In this workshop, participants will come with prepared scenes/plays for tips and guidance on understanding incorporating the Black aesthetic into work for artists of color. Finding their strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome the obstacles.
Advocacy/The Black Theatrical - The Black Theatrical looks at themes, subjects and stories of plays within the Black Theatrical cannon in order to have a nuanced discussion about Black art and life.
Leslie M. Scott-Jones is a African-American southern woman from Virginia, encompassing all that entails. She studied theater education at VCU and Theatre Administration at Howard University. Leslie has been writing, acting and directing since her teens. The world premiere of her first play, which she wrote, produced and directed, Desire Moments was part of the 2014 Capital Fringe Festival. She has gone on to write several plays, novellas, and short stories which can all be found on Amazon. Book Ends, her first full length novel, hit the shelves Valentine’s Day Weekend 2016.
Leslie has been active in Charlottesville community theater for over ten years. In 2009 she played Emilia in Shakespeare’s Othello at Four County Players. In 2010 she played Esther in Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage at Live Arts, was part of an ensemble improv cast in a devised piece called Child Bearing Hipsters and No Sex Please, We’re British at Play On!. From 2011 to 2015 Leslie worked mostly on devised theater and staged readings, pausing in 2012 to direct For Colored Girls… by Ntozake Shange at Play On!.
She became the Artistic Director of the Charlottesville Player’s Guild, an all Black theatre company in 2016. In 2019 she played Queen Gertrude in her own adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet called Hambone. Under the leadership of Dr. Andrea Douglas, the Executive Director of the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center which the Guild calls home, CPG has embarked on a mission to produce all ten of August Wilson’s Century Cycle. Leslie has starred in Fences playing the part of Rose, directed Jitney, stage managed The Piano Lesson and produced Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson. She played Louise in Seven Guitars by August Wilson which ran in November 2017 with UVa.’s Drama Department. In 2019 she directed The Royale by Marco Ramirez at Live Arts. Not limiting herself to fiction, Leslie has written reviews and thought pieces for CNN, Cville Weekly and Vinegar Hill Magazine as well as writing a contributing essay for a study guide to Ifa Bayeza’s work Benevolence for the 2019 Penumbra Theatre Festival.
Workshops Offered:
Directing in the Black Aesthetic - In this workshop, participants will come with prepared scenes/plays for tips and guidance on understanding incorporating the Black aesthetic into work for artists of color. Finding their strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome the obstacles.
Advocacy/The Black Theatrical - The Black Theatrical looks at themes, subjects and stories of plays within the Black Theatrical cannon in order to have a nuanced discussion about Black art and life.
Lindsay Lancaster
Lindsay Lancaster is an American choreographer & teacher living & working in New York City. Currently serving as Head of Dance at The Institute for American Musical Theatre in Manhattan. Before that, a Los Angeles based professional dancer, studio teacher, & convention faculty member. Lancaster has worked with artists such as Mel B (Spice Girls), Melody Thornton (Pussycat Dolls), & Taryn Manning to name a few. Some of Lancaster's TV credits include: X-Factor, Dancing with the Stars, & America's Got Talent.
Workshops Offered:
Commercial Jazz on Broadway- Commercial Jazz on Broadway is a dance class that explores commercial dance and it's importance in today's Broadway world. This class includes a warmup and choreographed dance fit for all levels. There is always space for questions and sharing.
Lindsay Lancaster is an American choreographer & teacher living & working in New York City. Currently serving as Head of Dance at The Institute for American Musical Theatre in Manhattan. Before that, a Los Angeles based professional dancer, studio teacher, & convention faculty member. Lancaster has worked with artists such as Mel B (Spice Girls), Melody Thornton (Pussycat Dolls), & Taryn Manning to name a few. Some of Lancaster's TV credits include: X-Factor, Dancing with the Stars, & America's Got Talent.
Workshops Offered:
Commercial Jazz on Broadway- Commercial Jazz on Broadway is a dance class that explores commercial dance and it's importance in today's Broadway world. This class includes a warmup and choreographed dance fit for all levels. There is always space for questions and sharing.
Mackenna Goodrich
Mackenna Goodrich (she/her) is an actor-director-choreographer-playwright-dramaturg (so many hyphens!) from Phoenix, Arizona. BA Drama from Kenyon College, Class of 2020. Currently, she is the Artistic Assistant for The 24 Hour Plays and the Assistant Dramaturg for The Road Theatre Company's Under Construction 2. Her written work has been a part of the Stagefemmes Alumni One Act Festival, the Bad Play Festival, the Arizona Young Playwrights' Festival, and The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues. She spent the pandemic playing The Sims 4, which a type of experimental theatre if you think about it really hard.
Workshops offered: The 24 Hour Play Festival
Friday 2-4 pm Meet & Greet for all who wish to participate
Sat 9 am -12 pm optional office hours to review/edit plays
Session # 5 & 6 : Blue vs. Gold track rehearsals
5:45 pm Gold Track Performance
8:30 pm Blue Track Performance
Mackenna Goodrich (she/her) is an actor-director-choreographer-playwright-dramaturg (so many hyphens!) from Phoenix, Arizona. BA Drama from Kenyon College, Class of 2020. Currently, she is the Artistic Assistant for The 24 Hour Plays and the Assistant Dramaturg for The Road Theatre Company's Under Construction 2. Her written work has been a part of the Stagefemmes Alumni One Act Festival, the Bad Play Festival, the Arizona Young Playwrights' Festival, and The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues. She spent the pandemic playing The Sims 4, which a type of experimental theatre if you think about it really hard.
Workshops offered: The 24 Hour Play Festival
Friday 2-4 pm Meet & Greet for all who wish to participate
Sat 9 am -12 pm optional office hours to review/edit plays
Session # 5 & 6 : Blue vs. Gold track rehearsals
5:45 pm Gold Track Performance
8:30 pm Blue Track Performance
Madelyn Paquette
Madelyn Paquette (she/her/hers) is a creative producer and a proud alum of The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals. She is the Managing Producer at Moxie Arts NY, and the co-host of Talk This: It’s Dangerous to Podcast Alone.
Workshops offered: The 24 Hour Play Festival
Friday 2-4 pm Meet & Greet for all who wish to participate
Sat 9 am -12 pm optional office hours to review/edit plays
Session # 5 & 6 : Blue vs. Gold track rehearsals
5:45 pm Gold Track Performance
8:30 pm Blue Track Performance
Madelyn Paquette (she/her/hers) is a creative producer and a proud alum of The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals. She is the Managing Producer at Moxie Arts NY, and the co-host of Talk This: It’s Dangerous to Podcast Alone.
Workshops offered: The 24 Hour Play Festival
Friday 2-4 pm Meet & Greet for all who wish to participate
Sat 9 am -12 pm optional office hours to review/edit plays
Session # 5 & 6 : Blue vs. Gold track rehearsals
5:45 pm Gold Track Performance
8:30 pm Blue Track Performance
Mariangela Saavedra
Mariangela Saavedra grew up in Virginia Beach and has been working in Theater for 26 years, in cities across the country such as, Chicago Illinois, Washington DC, Wilmington North Carolina and Philadelphia Pennsylvania, just to name a few. Before founding Casabuena Cultural Productions in Philadelphia, she was the Founder and Artistic Director of The Starving Artists Theatre Ensemble in Wilmington, and The Storytellers Theatre Company in Chicago. She has worked for the Tony Award winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and was the Director of Drama and Voice at Cape Fear School of the Arts in Wilmington. She currently teaches theater classes at Allens Lane Art Center, and directs plays for several community theaters in North West Philadelphia.
Workshops Offered:
Drama of a Song - Session begins with a brief discussion about Musical Theater and Opera as Art forms. Talk about how even though opera is sung in different languages the message is conveyed by the Artists actions, staging and emphasis of the lyrics while being sung. Theater games will be played using song lyrics as a warm up. Then students will use popular song lyrics to work up small scenes to present at the end of the session in spoken word. (No Singing required) Students will examine the different aspects of the song they have been assigned and the message it is conveying in order to present it as a dramatic/comedic scene. Character development and line interpretation skills will be exercised, as well as staging skills to keep the message of the song complete and successfully conveyed to the audience.
Doth the Force Be With You: Exploring Theatre Genres - Do modern Sci-fi and Shakespeare really blend when it comes to performance and translation to the stage? The Workshop begins with a brief discussion about Genres in storytelling and play writing. Then we will use some Shakespearean lines to play some modern theater games. Finally the class will split into pairs or small groups and use script text from Ian Doescher's critically acclaimed William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy- that blends our favorite Sci-Fi Story with Elizabethan England. They will stage the scenes with basic Blocking, dramatic emphasis, and dialect to then present to the group at the end of the session.
Mariangela Saavedra grew up in Virginia Beach and has been working in Theater for 26 years, in cities across the country such as, Chicago Illinois, Washington DC, Wilmington North Carolina and Philadelphia Pennsylvania, just to name a few. Before founding Casabuena Cultural Productions in Philadelphia, she was the Founder and Artistic Director of The Starving Artists Theatre Ensemble in Wilmington, and The Storytellers Theatre Company in Chicago. She has worked for the Tony Award winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and was the Director of Drama and Voice at Cape Fear School of the Arts in Wilmington. She currently teaches theater classes at Allens Lane Art Center, and directs plays for several community theaters in North West Philadelphia.
Workshops Offered:
Drama of a Song - Session begins with a brief discussion about Musical Theater and Opera as Art forms. Talk about how even though opera is sung in different languages the message is conveyed by the Artists actions, staging and emphasis of the lyrics while being sung. Theater games will be played using song lyrics as a warm up. Then students will use popular song lyrics to work up small scenes to present at the end of the session in spoken word. (No Singing required) Students will examine the different aspects of the song they have been assigned and the message it is conveying in order to present it as a dramatic/comedic scene. Character development and line interpretation skills will be exercised, as well as staging skills to keep the message of the song complete and successfully conveyed to the audience.
Doth the Force Be With You: Exploring Theatre Genres - Do modern Sci-fi and Shakespeare really blend when it comes to performance and translation to the stage? The Workshop begins with a brief discussion about Genres in storytelling and play writing. Then we will use some Shakespearean lines to play some modern theater games. Finally the class will split into pairs or small groups and use script text from Ian Doescher's critically acclaimed William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy- that blends our favorite Sci-Fi Story with Elizabethan England. They will stage the scenes with basic Blocking, dramatic emphasis, and dialect to then present to the group at the end of the session.
Marietta Hedges
Marietta Hedges is an actress, director and theater professor at Catholic University. She has performed both nationally and internationally in London, Shanghai, New York, The SF Bay Area, Baltimore, Virginia and in Washington, DC. Her solo show, Selma ’65 by Catherine Filloux, premiered at La MaMa in New York and then toured the country. It was name “one of fourteen productions to change the,” World by American Theater Magazine in 2014. Marietta Hedges performed the role of Karen in the film, Money Matters, winner of the HBO urban film screenwriting award.She narrated the documentary Ripples and Reflections which appears on the All Arts channel. She has directed shows in San Francisco, and Washington DC. Marietta co-created and ran the MFA acting program at Catholic University and recently co-created their new BFA acting program.
Workshops Offered:
Boal and Bogart Merge: Combine the Bogart's Viewpoints with Boal's Theater of the Oppressed - Come have fun exploring movement through the Viewpoints work of Anne Bogart and Theater of the Oppressed work of Augusto Boal. Through games and exercises you'll explore how to use movement in character creation.
How to Rehearse Your Monologue: A Solid Technique to get Your Monologues Audition Ready - Don't take chances with important auditions. Learn a solid, step by step rehearsal process, specifically for monologues that ensures your monologue will be audition ready.
Marietta Hedges is an actress, director and theater professor at Catholic University. She has performed both nationally and internationally in London, Shanghai, New York, The SF Bay Area, Baltimore, Virginia and in Washington, DC. Her solo show, Selma ’65 by Catherine Filloux, premiered at La MaMa in New York and then toured the country. It was name “one of fourteen productions to change the,” World by American Theater Magazine in 2014. Marietta Hedges performed the role of Karen in the film, Money Matters, winner of the HBO urban film screenwriting award.She narrated the documentary Ripples and Reflections which appears on the All Arts channel. She has directed shows in San Francisco, and Washington DC. Marietta co-created and ran the MFA acting program at Catholic University and recently co-created their new BFA acting program.
Workshops Offered:
Boal and Bogart Merge: Combine the Bogart's Viewpoints with Boal's Theater of the Oppressed - Come have fun exploring movement through the Viewpoints work of Anne Bogart and Theater of the Oppressed work of Augusto Boal. Through games and exercises you'll explore how to use movement in character creation.
How to Rehearse Your Monologue: A Solid Technique to get Your Monologues Audition Ready - Don't take chances with important auditions. Learn a solid, step by step rehearsal process, specifically for monologues that ensures your monologue will be audition ready.
Mark Rogers
Mr. Rogers is the Performing Arts Specialist for Loudoun County Public Schools. During his 20 years in the classroom he directed over 75 productions that included multiple VHSL championships, Cappie Awards and VTA awards. As an actor he has worked in 45 of the 50 United States and abroad in Great Britain. Mr. Rogers has a vast background in Film & Television that includes acting, directing and producing films. Among his many accomplishments in film, he was the director of the award winning Cappie All-Star Film SENIORITIS.
Workshops Offered:
Acting for TV/FILM - Hitting Your Mark for the Camera - What is the difference between stage acting and film acting? In this workshop you will learn the acting basics for the screen test and screen auditions for Film & TV.
Mr. Rogers is the Performing Arts Specialist for Loudoun County Public Schools. During his 20 years in the classroom he directed over 75 productions that included multiple VHSL championships, Cappie Awards and VTA awards. As an actor he has worked in 45 of the 50 United States and abroad in Great Britain. Mr. Rogers has a vast background in Film & Television that includes acting, directing and producing films. Among his many accomplishments in film, he was the director of the award winning Cappie All-Star Film SENIORITIS.
Workshops Offered:
Acting for TV/FILM - Hitting Your Mark for the Camera - What is the difference between stage acting and film acting? In this workshop you will learn the acting basics for the screen test and screen auditions for Film & TV.
Martha Louden
Martha Louden is chapter director for West Virginia Thespians and a professional member of EdTA. With a B.F.A. in theatrical design from Ithaca College and an M.A. in theatre education from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as many years as an educator and work in community theatre, she has extensive experience in costuming and sewing. Martha has been teaching workshops nationally for state and international thespian festivals.
Workshops Offered:
Sewing for Dummies: Costuming 101 - Are you or your students struggling with basic sewing tasks for your costuming needs? You’ll learn basic hand-sewing skills and create a takeaway to prove it.
What’s In Your…Emergency Costume Kit? - Ever had to deal with a costume malfunction backstage during a performance? Find out some simple fixes and the tools to make it happen and see how to use them. With these, you’ll always be prepared!
Martha Louden is chapter director for West Virginia Thespians and a professional member of EdTA. With a B.F.A. in theatrical design from Ithaca College and an M.A. in theatre education from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as many years as an educator and work in community theatre, she has extensive experience in costuming and sewing. Martha has been teaching workshops nationally for state and international thespian festivals.
Workshops Offered:
Sewing for Dummies: Costuming 101 - Are you or your students struggling with basic sewing tasks for your costuming needs? You’ll learn basic hand-sewing skills and create a takeaway to prove it.
What’s In Your…Emergency Costume Kit? - Ever had to deal with a costume malfunction backstage during a performance? Find out some simple fixes and the tools to make it happen and see how to use them. With these, you’ll always be prepared!
Matthew Allar
A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew Allar is a scenographer based in Williamsburg, Virginia. An Associate Professor of Theatrical Design, Matthew is the resident Scenic Designer for The College of William & Mary. Recent work includes production design for the New York premier of East 14th and Joseph Haydn's Le Pescatrici for the Zempleni Music Festival, Tokaji, Hungary. Additional scenic design work includes productions of Shakespeare's R and J (Michael Sexton, dir.), All My Sons (Victor Pappas, dir.), Arcadia, Hair (Elizabethtown College) A Lie of The Mind, Marat / Sade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cabaret (Cornell College), Top Girls (Albright College), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Three Sisters, Songs For A New World (Eastern Univ.) and The Pillow of Kantan (Muhlenberg College) as well as the New York premiers of several works including Samuel IV, Playing House, and the Peccadillo Theatre Company's revival of All God's Chillun Got Wings. As a lighting designer, credits include the recent NYC productions of Baby With The Bathwater, Dancing at Lughnasa, You Never Can Tell and Studio 42's annual The Starving Artist's Ball. Additional credits include design work, both here and abroad, for several television networks including MTV, VH1, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, and Noggin. A former Associate Director of Design for the New York Television Festival, and co-founder of both M.A.D. Inc., and Cabana Creations LLC, Matthew's education includes Muhlenberg College, The University of London, and New York University. Matthew has taught at Cornell College, Elizabethtown College, and Nazareth College and is a Member United Scenic Artists #829
Workshops Offered:
Wizard Wands and Hobbit Sticks - Learn how to craft authentic looking, stage props cheaply and easily from commonly found items. Every participant will craft their own prop to take home and dazzle their friends!
A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew Allar is a scenographer based in Williamsburg, Virginia. An Associate Professor of Theatrical Design, Matthew is the resident Scenic Designer for The College of William & Mary. Recent work includes production design for the New York premier of East 14th and Joseph Haydn's Le Pescatrici for the Zempleni Music Festival, Tokaji, Hungary. Additional scenic design work includes productions of Shakespeare's R and J (Michael Sexton, dir.), All My Sons (Victor Pappas, dir.), Arcadia, Hair (Elizabethtown College) A Lie of The Mind, Marat / Sade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cabaret (Cornell College), Top Girls (Albright College), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Three Sisters, Songs For A New World (Eastern Univ.) and The Pillow of Kantan (Muhlenberg College) as well as the New York premiers of several works including Samuel IV, Playing House, and the Peccadillo Theatre Company's revival of All God's Chillun Got Wings. As a lighting designer, credits include the recent NYC productions of Baby With The Bathwater, Dancing at Lughnasa, You Never Can Tell and Studio 42's annual The Starving Artist's Ball. Additional credits include design work, both here and abroad, for several television networks including MTV, VH1, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, and Noggin. A former Associate Director of Design for the New York Television Festival, and co-founder of both M.A.D. Inc., and Cabana Creations LLC, Matthew's education includes Muhlenberg College, The University of London, and New York University. Matthew has taught at Cornell College, Elizabethtown College, and Nazareth College and is a Member United Scenic Artists #829
Workshops Offered:
Wizard Wands and Hobbit Sticks - Learn how to craft authentic looking, stage props cheaply and easily from commonly found items. Every participant will craft their own prop to take home and dazzle their friends!
Nelson Barre
Dr. Nelson Barre is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Roanoke College. Nelson will be participating in college auditions and giving our scholarships to select students if they are a good fit for Roanoke.
Dr. Nelson Barre is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Roanoke College. Nelson will be participating in college auditions and giving our scholarships to select students if they are a good fit for Roanoke.
Nicole Smith
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology with an emphasis in Stage Management. Her career in Stage Management took her from her hometown in Arizona to both Washington D.C. and New York. Nicole worked with Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland, Sitar Arts Center in Washington DC, The Juilliard School in New York, and Theatreworks USA where she traveled across the United States. It was her work in New York that brought her to CATF for the first time in 2012 and introduced her to Company Management. After three summers at CATF, Nicole moved back to Arizona where she worked with the Arizona Theatre Company as their Assistant Company Manager for a season. From 2015 to 2018, Nicole served as the Housing Coordinator in the Company Management department at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, working on over 33 productions, as well as the Stage Manager for the Rogue Valley Symphony & the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. In 2018, Nicole returned to Shepherdstown as a full-time staff member at CATF and Adjunct Professor of Stage Management at Shepherd University. She also serves as a Board Member for the Shepherdstown Visitors Center & a member of the Jefferson County NAACP.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology with an emphasis in Stage Management. Her career in Stage Management took her from her hometown in Arizona to both Washington D.C. and New York. Nicole worked with Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland, Sitar Arts Center in Washington DC, The Juilliard School in New York, and Theatreworks USA where she traveled across the United States. It was her work in New York that brought her to CATF for the first time in 2012 and introduced her to Company Management. After three summers at CATF, Nicole moved back to Arizona where she worked with the Arizona Theatre Company as their Assistant Company Manager for a season. From 2015 to 2018, Nicole served as the Housing Coordinator in the Company Management department at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, working on over 33 productions, as well as the Stage Manager for the Rogue Valley Symphony & the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. In 2018, Nicole returned to Shepherdstown as a full-time staff member at CATF and Adjunct Professor of Stage Management at Shepherd University. She also serves as a Board Member for the Shepherdstown Visitors Center & a member of the Jefferson County NAACP.
Rachel Rubin Ladutke
Rachel Rubin Ladutke is a NJ playwright. Her works include 8 full-length plays, 3 musicals, and numerous shorter pieces. Excerpts from several of her plays appear in monologue and scene anthologies.Rachel attended Wheaton College and spent a semester at the National Theater Institute. She ran an AEA Showcase company, TwinFish Productions, in NYC for six years, during which time she produced and directed a dozen shows, some of which she also wrote. She holds an M.A. in Theater from Hunter College/C.U.N.Y. She served as the Editor of InSight For Playwrights, a monthly marketing newsletter, from 2003 to 2014. She founded and facilitates a twice-weekly virtual writing group, Writing Sprints. Over the course of the pandemic, Rachel coordinated virtual readings of works by Brian Friel, Tony Kushner, and Eugene O'Neill. She also participated in #Enough2022, a nationwide presentation of plays by teenage playwrights on the topic of gun violence, presented by over 60 groups on April 20th, 2022 (the 23rd anniversary of Columbine). Zoom theatre has been an inspiring experience for Rachel, as she has developed and revised three full-length scripts through workshopping online. She has established relationships with performers and playwrights from all over the U.S. Wanting to provide opportunities for other playwrights to have the same benefits, she organized States of Play, a weekly virtual reading series running from January through December of 2022. Each Wednesday, States of Play presents plays by female+ playwrights, each set in a different state of the U.S. (plus Puerto RIco and D.C.) States of Play is now evolving into a workshop for new scripts and actor-led readings. Rachel is currently working on THE WAY HOME, the third part of a trilogy which begins with THE WICKHAM WAY (premiered by Teaneck New Theatre in the summer of 2022) and continues with THE WAY FORWARD (which had a well-received premiere staged reading in November of 2022). She is a member of the Dramatists' Guild, the National Play Exchange, the Playwrights' Center, and the International Centre for Women Playwrights (Board Member). https://RachelWrites67.wixsite.com/website.
Workshops Offered:
Playwriting Fundamentals - For student playwrights on the basics of choosing and developing an idea for a short play.
The Joy of Research (Dramaturgy) - For theatre teachers OR student playwrights on the process of researching plays in production. This may involve new plays during the writing process, or producing new works.
Directing the New Play- In this workshop, students will have the opportunity to engage with excerpts from unpublished plays as directors, actors, and audience. In an educational setting, young theatre artists may have an opportunity to engage with brand new scripts. This can provide them with additional perspective on how a show takes shape. Together we will explore the characters, dialogue, events, and structure of several new scripts. We will also cover important topics such as rights and revisions.
Rachel Rubin Ladutke is a NJ playwright. Her works include 8 full-length plays, 3 musicals, and numerous shorter pieces. Excerpts from several of her plays appear in monologue and scene anthologies.Rachel attended Wheaton College and spent a semester at the National Theater Institute. She ran an AEA Showcase company, TwinFish Productions, in NYC for six years, during which time she produced and directed a dozen shows, some of which she also wrote. She holds an M.A. in Theater from Hunter College/C.U.N.Y. She served as the Editor of InSight For Playwrights, a monthly marketing newsletter, from 2003 to 2014. She founded and facilitates a twice-weekly virtual writing group, Writing Sprints. Over the course of the pandemic, Rachel coordinated virtual readings of works by Brian Friel, Tony Kushner, and Eugene O'Neill. She also participated in #Enough2022, a nationwide presentation of plays by teenage playwrights on the topic of gun violence, presented by over 60 groups on April 20th, 2022 (the 23rd anniversary of Columbine). Zoom theatre has been an inspiring experience for Rachel, as she has developed and revised three full-length scripts through workshopping online. She has established relationships with performers and playwrights from all over the U.S. Wanting to provide opportunities for other playwrights to have the same benefits, she organized States of Play, a weekly virtual reading series running from January through December of 2022. Each Wednesday, States of Play presents plays by female+ playwrights, each set in a different state of the U.S. (plus Puerto RIco and D.C.) States of Play is now evolving into a workshop for new scripts and actor-led readings. Rachel is currently working on THE WAY HOME, the third part of a trilogy which begins with THE WICKHAM WAY (premiered by Teaneck New Theatre in the summer of 2022) and continues with THE WAY FORWARD (which had a well-received premiere staged reading in November of 2022). She is a member of the Dramatists' Guild, the National Play Exchange, the Playwrights' Center, and the International Centre for Women Playwrights (Board Member). https://RachelWrites67.wixsite.com/website.
Workshops Offered:
Playwriting Fundamentals - For student playwrights on the basics of choosing and developing an idea for a short play.
The Joy of Research (Dramaturgy) - For theatre teachers OR student playwrights on the process of researching plays in production. This may involve new plays during the writing process, or producing new works.
Directing the New Play- In this workshop, students will have the opportunity to engage with excerpts from unpublished plays as directors, actors, and audience. In an educational setting, young theatre artists may have an opportunity to engage with brand new scripts. This can provide them with additional perspective on how a show takes shape. Together we will explore the characters, dialogue, events, and structure of several new scripts. We will also cover important topics such as rights and revisions.
Rachel Rhoades
Rhoades has worked as an applied theatre and drama in education practitioner, teacher, and researcher with young people from Grade 1 to the graduate level for 14 years. Most recently, Rhoades served for two years as Assistant Professor of Applied Theatre at Brock University in Ontario where she taught undergraduates training to be drama educators in schools and theatre artist-educator-advocates in community settings. Rhoades engaged in multiple collaborative projects with the Niagara Folks Arts Multicultural Centre, including a partnership with Niagara PRIDE utilizing Forum Theatre in the Centre’s LGBTQ Inclusion Campaign with Social Issues Theatre for Community Engagement students. Rhoades has also led professional development trainings on anti-racist and cross-cultural drama pedagogy for a variety of education audiences, including the Dramatic Arts Department at Brock University, the Niagara Catholic District School Board, and community children’s theatre company, Carousel Players. Rhoades trained teacher candidates in the Masters of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education on integrating drama education techniques in cross-curriculum praxis to prepare candidates for working in diverse Toronto K-12 schools. Rhoades directed and facilitated devising projects in public schools, youth-serving community organizations, and through her own doctoral research with marginalized youth. Rhoades served as Education Programs Manager for The Boch Center (previously named Citi Performing Arts Center/The Wang Center) and as an AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow with Citizen Schools, both in Boston. Rhoades trained high school youth in acting techniques and directed five of their original performances, as well as directing performances in drama residencies at ten public elementary and middle schools. Rhoades received acting training in London from the British American Drama Academy and continued performing as a member of Playback Theatre companies and an improvisation troupe in Boston.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre for Justice- Learn Theatre of the Oppressed techniques as a way to analyze and to collaborate to plan action on current social issues of urgency and importance to you!
Rhoades has worked as an applied theatre and drama in education practitioner, teacher, and researcher with young people from Grade 1 to the graduate level for 14 years. Most recently, Rhoades served for two years as Assistant Professor of Applied Theatre at Brock University in Ontario where she taught undergraduates training to be drama educators in schools and theatre artist-educator-advocates in community settings. Rhoades engaged in multiple collaborative projects with the Niagara Folks Arts Multicultural Centre, including a partnership with Niagara PRIDE utilizing Forum Theatre in the Centre’s LGBTQ Inclusion Campaign with Social Issues Theatre for Community Engagement students. Rhoades has also led professional development trainings on anti-racist and cross-cultural drama pedagogy for a variety of education audiences, including the Dramatic Arts Department at Brock University, the Niagara Catholic District School Board, and community children’s theatre company, Carousel Players. Rhoades trained teacher candidates in the Masters of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education on integrating drama education techniques in cross-curriculum praxis to prepare candidates for working in diverse Toronto K-12 schools. Rhoades directed and facilitated devising projects in public schools, youth-serving community organizations, and through her own doctoral research with marginalized youth. Rhoades served as Education Programs Manager for The Boch Center (previously named Citi Performing Arts Center/The Wang Center) and as an AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow with Citizen Schools, both in Boston. Rhoades trained high school youth in acting techniques and directed five of their original performances, as well as directing performances in drama residencies at ten public elementary and middle schools. Rhoades received acting training in London from the British American Drama Academy and continued performing as a member of Playback Theatre companies and an improvisation troupe in Boston.
Workshops Offered:
Theatre for Justice- Learn Theatre of the Oppressed techniques as a way to analyze and to collaborate to plan action on current social issues of urgency and importance to you!
Rebecca Crocker
Rebecca is a Ferrum College alum (’02) and graduated with a M.F.A. in Acting from The Theatre School at Depaul University. She has spent the past few years working with community theatres in northern Virginia. She recently moved back to the area with her family and is thrilled to join the faculty this fall as an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts. Rebecca thanks her husband, Eric Crocker (’02) and family for their support and looks forward to working with everyone this Fall.
Workshops Offered:
Actor Turned Costume Designer - How to get started designing costumes. Looking to dive deeper into the world of costuming? All levels of experience are welcome. No equipment or prepared pieces needed. Come to learn and try some new things out!
Rebecca is a Ferrum College alum (’02) and graduated with a M.F.A. in Acting from The Theatre School at Depaul University. She has spent the past few years working with community theatres in northern Virginia. She recently moved back to the area with her family and is thrilled to join the faculty this fall as an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts. Rebecca thanks her husband, Eric Crocker (’02) and family for their support and looks forward to working with everyone this Fall.
Workshops Offered:
Actor Turned Costume Designer - How to get started designing costumes. Looking to dive deeper into the world of costuming? All levels of experience are welcome. No equipment or prepared pieces needed. Come to learn and try some new things out!
Richard Breen
Breen, a professor of theatre and co-chair of the theatre department, began teaching at Averett in 1996. In this time, he has directed over 40 shows at Averett and been an integral part in the development of the department. While at Averett he has taught Acting, Directing, Voice and Diction, Stage Management, and Theatre History. He has been a professional actor for 40 years with 5 National Tours as well as many Regional Theatre Credits. He is looking forward to the weekend and the workshops. He is an alumnus of Averett, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1981. He earned his Master of Fine Arts from Western Illinois University.
Workshops Offered:
Get Out of the Chair and Act- Often times students get stuck in auditions, especially in some instances, sitting in a chair, which does not help an auditionee stand out. This workshop will review best practices for presenting monologues in an audition setting.
Breen, a professor of theatre and co-chair of the theatre department, began teaching at Averett in 1996. In this time, he has directed over 40 shows at Averett and been an integral part in the development of the department. While at Averett he has taught Acting, Directing, Voice and Diction, Stage Management, and Theatre History. He has been a professional actor for 40 years with 5 National Tours as well as many Regional Theatre Credits. He is looking forward to the weekend and the workshops. He is an alumnus of Averett, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1981. He earned his Master of Fine Arts from Western Illinois University.
Workshops Offered:
Get Out of the Chair and Act- Often times students get stuck in auditions, especially in some instances, sitting in a chair, which does not help an auditionee stand out. This workshop will review best practices for presenting monologues in an audition setting.
Richard Dunham
Richard Dunham is a scenic and lighting designer who has previously designed/taught at the University of Central Florida, Stephens College, Vanderbilt and SUNY at Stony Brook. He was the lead scenic/lighting designer and Head of Design for The University of Georgia for nineteen years before coming to Radford University. He is active in the national leadership of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Design and Technology) and is a Fellow of the Institute. He currently serves on the Grants and Fellowship Committee (chairing it from 2008-2017). He is a former Board Member and was Co-Commissioner of the USITT Lighting Commission from 1998 to 2006.
Richard's professional credits include numerous regional and stock productions throughout the East Coast. Notable credits include: the Brunswick Music Theatre (Maine State Music Theatre), The Disney Institute, Music Theatre North, The Dunes and Okaboji Summer Theatres, The Springer Opera House and Atlanta Lyric Theatre. He has also designed scenery and lighting for a number of New York regional and Off and Off-Off Broadway theatres including: Circle Repertory Theatre, Theatre Three, Broadhollow Productions, The Jean Cocteau Rep., and Directors' Theatre.
He is author of two well-received lighting texts, Stage Lighting: The Fundamentals (2nd Edition) and Stage Lighting: Design Applications and More, as well as a number of feature articles and reviews for theatre trade publications. He was editor for Practical Projects for Teaching Lighting Design (2nd Edition) Edition) and an advising editor to Projects for Teaching Scene Design and two of his articles have won Herbert D. Greggs Awards from Theatre Design and Technology (TD&T). In addition to performance venues, he also designs architectural and landscape lighting through his design practice of Dunham Design Associates. Within this area he has earned the LC Lighting Certification (LC) and holds memberships in IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) and IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers).
Workshops Offered:
Lighting Paperwork ....Why it Matters - An introduction to lighting design paperwork ...why we have different lighting schedules, how to create and use them. Setting personal styles for both hand-produced and computer produced paperwork.
Richard Dunham is a scenic and lighting designer who has previously designed/taught at the University of Central Florida, Stephens College, Vanderbilt and SUNY at Stony Brook. He was the lead scenic/lighting designer and Head of Design for The University of Georgia for nineteen years before coming to Radford University. He is active in the national leadership of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Design and Technology) and is a Fellow of the Institute. He currently serves on the Grants and Fellowship Committee (chairing it from 2008-2017). He is a former Board Member and was Co-Commissioner of the USITT Lighting Commission from 1998 to 2006.
Richard's professional credits include numerous regional and stock productions throughout the East Coast. Notable credits include: the Brunswick Music Theatre (Maine State Music Theatre), The Disney Institute, Music Theatre North, The Dunes and Okaboji Summer Theatres, The Springer Opera House and Atlanta Lyric Theatre. He has also designed scenery and lighting for a number of New York regional and Off and Off-Off Broadway theatres including: Circle Repertory Theatre, Theatre Three, Broadhollow Productions, The Jean Cocteau Rep., and Directors' Theatre.
He is author of two well-received lighting texts, Stage Lighting: The Fundamentals (2nd Edition) and Stage Lighting: Design Applications and More, as well as a number of feature articles and reviews for theatre trade publications. He was editor for Practical Projects for Teaching Lighting Design (2nd Edition) Edition) and an advising editor to Projects for Teaching Scene Design and two of his articles have won Herbert D. Greggs Awards from Theatre Design and Technology (TD&T). In addition to performance venues, he also designs architectural and landscape lighting through his design practice of Dunham Design Associates. Within this area he has earned the LC Lighting Certification (LC) and holds memberships in IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) and IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers).
Workshops Offered:
Lighting Paperwork ....Why it Matters - An introduction to lighting design paperwork ...why we have different lighting schedules, how to create and use them. Setting personal styles for both hand-produced and computer produced paperwork.
Rob Batarla
Rob Batarla grew up in Virginia Beach and graduated from First Colonial High School and the College of William and Mary. He has been acting and directing for theaters in the Washington DC Metro area for over 20 years. He has been a guest artist at several Virginia Thespian Festivals over the last decade and is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at The Studio Theater in DC.
Workshops Offered:
How to Audition Professionally - Students will learn all aspects of a professional audition. From what monologue to select, what to wear (what not to wear), what to say and how to engage, students will walk away feeling confident for their next audition. Through a fun and interactive class, students are encouraged to have a monologue to practice with (although if they don't it is okay).
Find Your Stage Presence - Do you get nervous on stage or speaking in front of others? Are you someone who wants to be a performer but doesn't always feel comfortable under stage lights? Through fun games, ice-breakers, random craziness and just having a great time - all in a safe space - students will start to feel like the stage is the place they belong! Our Guest Artists will guide you through ways to get comfortable in any performance space, and in front of any audience, big or small. Leave your hang-ups outside and come in and truly see yourself as the actors, speakers, performers, and stars that you are! This class is really geared for students who get nervous and do not feel comfortable being in front of others...but really want to!
Rob Batarla grew up in Virginia Beach and graduated from First Colonial High School and the College of William and Mary. He has been acting and directing for theaters in the Washington DC Metro area for over 20 years. He has been a guest artist at several Virginia Thespian Festivals over the last decade and is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at The Studio Theater in DC.
Workshops Offered:
How to Audition Professionally - Students will learn all aspects of a professional audition. From what monologue to select, what to wear (what not to wear), what to say and how to engage, students will walk away feeling confident for their next audition. Through a fun and interactive class, students are encouraged to have a monologue to practice with (although if they don't it is okay).
Find Your Stage Presence - Do you get nervous on stage or speaking in front of others? Are you someone who wants to be a performer but doesn't always feel comfortable under stage lights? Through fun games, ice-breakers, random craziness and just having a great time - all in a safe space - students will start to feel like the stage is the place they belong! Our Guest Artists will guide you through ways to get comfortable in any performance space, and in front of any audience, big or small. Leave your hang-ups outside and come in and truly see yourself as the actors, speakers, performers, and stars that you are! This class is really geared for students who get nervous and do not feel comfortable being in front of others...but really want to!
Rob Baumgartner & Elaine Capella
Rob’s original musicals include: The Jungle, Adam Lives, Date of a Lifetime, Alone World, What the Moon Saw, Under Construction, The Hole, Radiant Ruby and Lullabies. Rob has served as an assistant to composers Galt MacDermot, Debra Barsha, and Rob Reale. He was lucky enough to work beside Mr. MacDermot on the 2008 Broadway revival of his musical Hair. Rob is musical director and orchestrator for the upcoming revival of Inner City. Rob is a graduate of the Musical Theater Writing MFA program at Tisch School of the Arts.
Workshops Offered:
Musical Theatre Audition Technique- First impressions are critical, and your first impression takes place the moment you walk in the door at the audition. In this workshop we will discuss how to cut your music and present it to an accompanist, enter the audition room and introduce yourself, choose the best material to showcase you, as well as tips about what makes a great performance. Come prepared with a 32-bar cut audition song, preferably with a track if not, a capella will do! There’s no need to be nervous about your college or professional audition… we got you!
Personalizing your Audition Material for Musical Theatre- Whether it’s upcoming auditions for theater school, meeting agents or trying to break into the business through open castings, we want to help you personalize your work and let your unique personality shine through. Join us to learn audition techniques and how to best prepare. We’ll focus on identifying the important given circumstances of your song, what does your character wants to achieve, and who you are speaking to. Come prepared with a song, if you would like to be coached.
Rob’s original musicals include: The Jungle, Adam Lives, Date of a Lifetime, Alone World, What the Moon Saw, Under Construction, The Hole, Radiant Ruby and Lullabies. Rob has served as an assistant to composers Galt MacDermot, Debra Barsha, and Rob Reale. He was lucky enough to work beside Mr. MacDermot on the 2008 Broadway revival of his musical Hair. Rob is musical director and orchestrator for the upcoming revival of Inner City. Rob is a graduate of the Musical Theater Writing MFA program at Tisch School of the Arts.
Workshops Offered:
Musical Theatre Audition Technique- First impressions are critical, and your first impression takes place the moment you walk in the door at the audition. In this workshop we will discuss how to cut your music and present it to an accompanist, enter the audition room and introduce yourself, choose the best material to showcase you, as well as tips about what makes a great performance. Come prepared with a 32-bar cut audition song, preferably with a track if not, a capella will do! There’s no need to be nervous about your college or professional audition… we got you!
Personalizing your Audition Material for Musical Theatre- Whether it’s upcoming auditions for theater school, meeting agents or trying to break into the business through open castings, we want to help you personalize your work and let your unique personality shine through. Join us to learn audition techniques and how to best prepare. We’ll focus on identifying the important given circumstances of your song, what does your character wants to achieve, and who you are speaking to. Come prepared with a song, if you would like to be coached.
Robyn Berg
Robyn Berg is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Radford University, where she teaches in the Performance Area. A Chicago native, Robyn also spent many years in New York City and Nashville as an actor, director, professor and teaching artist. She holds a BA in Theatre Performance from Bradley University (where she also studied abroad in London) and an MFA in Acting from the University of Florida (which provided her the opportunity to perform Lysistrata in Greece).
Favorite acting credits include Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s Julius Caesar (alongside NFL legend Eddie George), the title role in Walk to Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story, Treasure Island with Manhattan Children’s Theatre, Romeo & Juliet and Amadeus (opposite Tony nominated star Robert Cuccioli) at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, A Christmas Carol, Night of the Living Dead and Alice in Wonderland at The Hippodrome in Florida, and The Merchant of Venice with Chicago’s Tinfish Theatre. She has also appeared on screen in multiple commercials, industrials and independent films.
As a director, Robyn was honored to receive the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Excellence in Directing Award for Shrek at Lipscomb University, where she also directed Death of a Salesman, The Servant of Two Masters and Leading Ladies. Other experiences at the helm are Almost, Maine, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, The Diary of Anne Frank and Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat at Radford University, Proof at Belmont University.
Robyn is currently enrolled in the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with YogaRenew and will soon be a certified Yoga Instructor with Yoga Alliance.
Workshops Offered:
Yoga & Meditation for Artists- Take a relaxing but invigorating yoga class geared towards the artist aesthetic and lifestyle.
Robyn Berg is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Radford University, where she teaches in the Performance Area. A Chicago native, Robyn also spent many years in New York City and Nashville as an actor, director, professor and teaching artist. She holds a BA in Theatre Performance from Bradley University (where she also studied abroad in London) and an MFA in Acting from the University of Florida (which provided her the opportunity to perform Lysistrata in Greece).
Favorite acting credits include Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s Julius Caesar (alongside NFL legend Eddie George), the title role in Walk to Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story, Treasure Island with Manhattan Children’s Theatre, Romeo & Juliet and Amadeus (opposite Tony nominated star Robert Cuccioli) at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, A Christmas Carol, Night of the Living Dead and Alice in Wonderland at The Hippodrome in Florida, and The Merchant of Venice with Chicago’s Tinfish Theatre. She has also appeared on screen in multiple commercials, industrials and independent films.
As a director, Robyn was honored to receive the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Excellence in Directing Award for Shrek at Lipscomb University, where she also directed Death of a Salesman, The Servant of Two Masters and Leading Ladies. Other experiences at the helm are Almost, Maine, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, The Diary of Anne Frank and Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat at Radford University, Proof at Belmont University.
Robyn is currently enrolled in the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with YogaRenew and will soon be a certified Yoga Instructor with Yoga Alliance.
Workshops Offered:
Yoga & Meditation for Artists- Take a relaxing but invigorating yoga class geared towards the artist aesthetic and lifestyle.
Roger Riggle
Roger Bennett Riggle has been a professional makeup artist for 34 years in the fields of television, video production, theatrical design and special effects. Roger is an airbrush specialist for creating characters and full-body works of art for special events.
Workshops Offered:
Special Effects creations with Airbrush - Airbrush demonstration creating a Zombie and a Skeleton.
Basic and Aging Makeup for the Stage - How to look great on the stage in beauty and how to create realistic aging.
Roger Bennett Riggle has been a professional makeup artist for 34 years in the fields of television, video production, theatrical design and special effects. Roger is an airbrush specialist for creating characters and full-body works of art for special events.
Workshops Offered:
Special Effects creations with Airbrush - Airbrush demonstration creating a Zombie and a Skeleton.
Basic and Aging Makeup for the Stage - How to look great on the stage in beauty and how to create realistic aging.
Dr. Ronda Scarrow
Dr. Ronda Scarrow is the Theatre Program Coordinator, Theatre Education Coordinator, and EdD Assistant Professor of Theatre Education at Longwood University. Dr. Rhonda is coming with a team of students as well as staff to share what the theatre department is like at Longwood.
Workshops Offered:
Much Ado About Something - Workshop for high school students that will bring Shakespeare to life with singing and dancing. Yes, Williams sings and dances. Come prepared to work and be directed. Great tips for the Shakespearean Actor. (Professor Speas and Dr. Scarrow.)
A Bird's Eye View Into a Day at Longwood - A hands- on workshop of typical day of a Longwood theatre student. We will begin with a warm-up, one on one conversation with Longwood students from every concentration, and end with a special invitation to visit our campus and shadow our students for the day. Much more in between. 9Scarrow, Sweet, Vlasto, Cardella, O'keefe, Cobb, and Tait.)
Skittles Bring Lights to Life - Lights brings everything to life on stage even skittles but there is much more. If you are interested lights this is the workshop for you. See what lights can do for the actor, props, the set, and much more. (Cobb and Chapman.)
Dr. Ronda Scarrow is the Theatre Program Coordinator, Theatre Education Coordinator, and EdD Assistant Professor of Theatre Education at Longwood University. Dr. Rhonda is coming with a team of students as well as staff to share what the theatre department is like at Longwood.
Workshops Offered:
Much Ado About Something - Workshop for high school students that will bring Shakespeare to life with singing and dancing. Yes, Williams sings and dances. Come prepared to work and be directed. Great tips for the Shakespearean Actor. (Professor Speas and Dr. Scarrow.)
A Bird's Eye View Into a Day at Longwood - A hands- on workshop of typical day of a Longwood theatre student. We will begin with a warm-up, one on one conversation with Longwood students from every concentration, and end with a special invitation to visit our campus and shadow our students for the day. Much more in between. 9Scarrow, Sweet, Vlasto, Cardella, O'keefe, Cobb, and Tait.)
Skittles Bring Lights to Life - Lights brings everything to life on stage even skittles but there is much more. If you are interested lights this is the workshop for you. See what lights can do for the actor, props, the set, and much more. (Cobb and Chapman.)
Ryan Cappleman
Ryan Cappleman is a critically acclaimed performer, award winning choreographer, long time musician, and beloved teaching artist. He wears all of his hats on the professional, collegiate, and high school levels, working with performers all over the country. Favorites include Scarecrow in Oz, Pooh-Bah in The Hot Mikado, Woof in Hair, choreographing Hairspray five times, and performing Off Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre.
Workshops Offered:
Nailing the Dance Audition- For dance, develop skills to be confident and comfortable in auditions, pick up tips and tricks to help memorize choreography, and apply new concepts in a mock dance audition. 5678!
Recipe for a Cabaret- Co-taught with Candace Decker. Create a cabaret from scratch! Award winning cabaret artists Candace Decker and Ryan Cappleman will show you how to choose a theme, songs and develop through line to develop a cabaret. Bring sheet music to workshop your songs. Available during Workshop Sessions:
Ryan Cappleman is a critically acclaimed performer, award winning choreographer, long time musician, and beloved teaching artist. He wears all of his hats on the professional, collegiate, and high school levels, working with performers all over the country. Favorites include Scarecrow in Oz, Pooh-Bah in The Hot Mikado, Woof in Hair, choreographing Hairspray five times, and performing Off Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre.
Workshops Offered:
Nailing the Dance Audition- For dance, develop skills to be confident and comfortable in auditions, pick up tips and tricks to help memorize choreography, and apply new concepts in a mock dance audition. 5678!
Recipe for a Cabaret- Co-taught with Candace Decker. Create a cabaret from scratch! Award winning cabaret artists Candace Decker and Ryan Cappleman will show you how to choose a theme, songs and develop through line to develop a cabaret. Bring sheet music to workshop your songs. Available during Workshop Sessions:
Sam Anctil
Sam Anctil is an actor, writer, and director attending Marymount Manhattan College. He has spent the last four years living in New York City studying acting and filmmaking. His most recent project as the Director of Photography was a finalist of the Student World Impact Film Festival, and currently works with Spacestation Productions in Brooklyn. He is very excited to be teaching at the VA Thespian Festival for his second year!
Workshops Offered:
Know the Rules and When to Break Them: The Basics of Improv - In this class I will teach the most baseline rules of Improvisational comedy. Once we know the rules, we get to break them! This class will teach improv games, warm-ups and structure.
Walk, Sit, and Stand with a Purpose: Movement for Actors - Movement is the very first thing an audience sees about you character before your very first line, so your body needs to be informed by your character. This class will teach some good practices in stretching and warming up your body, and what to look for when building a character.
Sam Anctil is an actor, writer, and director attending Marymount Manhattan College. He has spent the last four years living in New York City studying acting and filmmaking. His most recent project as the Director of Photography was a finalist of the Student World Impact Film Festival, and currently works with Spacestation Productions in Brooklyn. He is very excited to be teaching at the VA Thespian Festival for his second year!
Workshops Offered:
Know the Rules and When to Break Them: The Basics of Improv - In this class I will teach the most baseline rules of Improvisational comedy. Once we know the rules, we get to break them! This class will teach improv games, warm-ups and structure.
Walk, Sit, and Stand with a Purpose: Movement for Actors - Movement is the very first thing an audience sees about you character before your very first line, so your body needs to be informed by your character. This class will teach some good practices in stretching and warming up your body, and what to look for when building a character.
Sam Oz Stone
Film and Tv, Theatre, Voiceover. With over 24 years in the industry, credits include "The Box", "As the world turns", "Dora the Explorer", "Rock The Paint", "National Lampoons Snatched" and many others. Also in his time, Sam has done over 70 national commercials both on camera as well as voiceover! Graduate and now educator at The Institute For American Musical Theatre!
Workshops Offered:
Art of the Breath - BE PRESENT!! In today's world it is so hard to just BE present! As an artist its almost impossible. At The Institute for American Musical Theatre, The art of the breath is taught to our students through their 2 years of training which helps and guides them to find the present moment and act in it. Developed by IAMT's Director and Head of Acting Michael Minarik, the art of the breath allows actors to approach their work from a place of honesty and soul bound truth. Join me as we explore what it means to "get on your breath"!
Film and Tv, Theatre, Voiceover. With over 24 years in the industry, credits include "The Box", "As the world turns", "Dora the Explorer", "Rock The Paint", "National Lampoons Snatched" and many others. Also in his time, Sam has done over 70 national commercials both on camera as well as voiceover! Graduate and now educator at The Institute For American Musical Theatre!
Workshops Offered:
Art of the Breath - BE PRESENT!! In today's world it is so hard to just BE present! As an artist its almost impossible. At The Institute for American Musical Theatre, The art of the breath is taught to our students through their 2 years of training which helps and guides them to find the present moment and act in it. Developed by IAMT's Director and Head of Acting Michael Minarik, the art of the breath allows actors to approach their work from a place of honesty and soul bound truth. Join me as we explore what it means to "get on your breath"!
Sarah Heddins
Sarah Heddins is a Professional Actress who relocated to Philadelphia after earning her BFA from the University of Houston. A few of her favorite roles from the past include: Patty in "The Secretaries", Mary Girard in "The Insanity of Mary Girard", Marlene in the Philadelphia premiere of "Trigger Warning", Hal in "Proof", and Laertes in "Hamlet". She is excited to return to the Virginia Thespian Festival after being a guest artist back in 2020 just before the pandemic started. When not on stage you can find Sarah behind the microphone co-hosting and co-producing the podcast Deadtime Storiez her bestie Stephanie C. Kernisan.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Stage Combat - Students will learn basic unarmed (hand-to-hand) stage combat skills applied in a scene. Students will start with introductory techniques, movement exercises, and safety instruction. They will then be given a short piece of choreography and break into pairs to execute and practice the learned techniques. Students will layer the choreography into a scene of their creation to present at the end of class for feedback and critique. The focus will be on the development of the technique, accuracy, and safety while also telling a complete story.
Finding your Stage Presence - Do you get nervous on stage or speaking in front of others? Are you someone who wants to be a performer but doesn't always feel comfortable under stage lights? Through fun games, ice-breakers, random craziness and just having a great time - all in a safe space - students will start to feel like the stage is the place they belong! Our Guest Artists will guide you through ways to get comfortable in any performance space, and in front of any audience, big or small. Leave your hang-ups outside and come in and truly see yourself as the actors, speakers, performers, and stars that you are! This class is really geared for students who get nervous and do not feel comfortable being in front of others...but really want to!
Sarah Heddins is a Professional Actress who relocated to Philadelphia after earning her BFA from the University of Houston. A few of her favorite roles from the past include: Patty in "The Secretaries", Mary Girard in "The Insanity of Mary Girard", Marlene in the Philadelphia premiere of "Trigger Warning", Hal in "Proof", and Laertes in "Hamlet". She is excited to return to the Virginia Thespian Festival after being a guest artist back in 2020 just before the pandemic started. When not on stage you can find Sarah behind the microphone co-hosting and co-producing the podcast Deadtime Storiez her bestie Stephanie C. Kernisan.
Workshops Offered:
Intro to Stage Combat - Students will learn basic unarmed (hand-to-hand) stage combat skills applied in a scene. Students will start with introductory techniques, movement exercises, and safety instruction. They will then be given a short piece of choreography and break into pairs to execute and practice the learned techniques. Students will layer the choreography into a scene of their creation to present at the end of class for feedback and critique. The focus will be on the development of the technique, accuracy, and safety while also telling a complete story.
Finding your Stage Presence - Do you get nervous on stage or speaking in front of others? Are you someone who wants to be a performer but doesn't always feel comfortable under stage lights? Through fun games, ice-breakers, random craziness and just having a great time - all in a safe space - students will start to feel like the stage is the place they belong! Our Guest Artists will guide you through ways to get comfortable in any performance space, and in front of any audience, big or small. Leave your hang-ups outside and come in and truly see yourself as the actors, speakers, performers, and stars that you are! This class is really geared for students who get nervous and do not feel comfortable being in front of others...but really want to!
Sarah Moore
Sarah Moore is the VCU theatre department’s Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Sarah is passionate about the arts and is thrilled to support the collaborative theatre community at VCU and in her hometown.
Sarah holds a BFA from VCU’s Painting & Printmaking Department and is a co-founder of Studio Two Three, Richmond’s non-profit artist workspace and communal print shop. Sarah served on the Studio’s board for many years, and she still teaches intaglio classes and is available for one-on-one printing sessions.
Sarah also has over a decade of experience in the service industry as a bartender, manager and small business owner. Sarah and her husband built their own food truck and catering company, Mean Bird, from the ground up. Sarah wore many hats in her four years as a small business owner including Branding and Marketing Manager, Administrative Coordinator, Event & Wedding Planner, and fried chicken slinger.
Sarah lives in Northside Richmond with her husband, two kids, and two dogs.
Sarah Moore is the VCU theatre department’s Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Sarah is passionate about the arts and is thrilled to support the collaborative theatre community at VCU and in her hometown.
Sarah holds a BFA from VCU’s Painting & Printmaking Department and is a co-founder of Studio Two Three, Richmond’s non-profit artist workspace and communal print shop. Sarah served on the Studio’s board for many years, and she still teaches intaglio classes and is available for one-on-one printing sessions.
Sarah also has over a decade of experience in the service industry as a bartender, manager and small business owner. Sarah and her husband built their own food truck and catering company, Mean Bird, from the ground up. Sarah wore many hats in her four years as a small business owner including Branding and Marketing Manager, Administrative Coordinator, Event & Wedding Planner, and fried chicken slinger.
Sarah lives in Northside Richmond with her husband, two kids, and two dogs.
Tammy Honesty
Tammy is a scenic designer, scenic artist, and educator currently based at West Virginia University's School of Theatre & Dance as an Associate Professor She is a native Ohioan with a B.A. degree in Theatre from Wilmington College of Ohio. Tammy earned her Master of Fine Arts in Scenic Design from West Virginia University. Tammy is an active member of United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) at both the regional and national level. Tammy recently served as the Vice President of Education & Training. Currently, she is the chair of USITT's Women in Theatre Affinity Group. Being involved in the various facets of USITT has helped her become a better educator, designer, and professional. Tammy is also a member of USA Local 829 as a scenic designer.
Workshops Offered:
It's All About You: Creating Your Portfolio- How do you create a design-tech portfolio? What do people want to see? What format should you use? Does it have to cost a fortune? All these questions and more will be answered.
Majoring in Design-Tech Theatre (Doesn't Mean Being a Starving Artist): Jobs in the Entertainment Industry- Did you know that there are a wide range of jobs that you can do if you are a design & technology theatre major? Find out about jobs that will allow you to travel or put down roots in all areas of the entertainment industry.
Tammy is a scenic designer, scenic artist, and educator currently based at West Virginia University's School of Theatre & Dance as an Associate Professor She is a native Ohioan with a B.A. degree in Theatre from Wilmington College of Ohio. Tammy earned her Master of Fine Arts in Scenic Design from West Virginia University. Tammy is an active member of United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) at both the regional and national level. Tammy recently served as the Vice President of Education & Training. Currently, she is the chair of USITT's Women in Theatre Affinity Group. Being involved in the various facets of USITT has helped her become a better educator, designer, and professional. Tammy is also a member of USA Local 829 as a scenic designer.
Workshops Offered:
It's All About You: Creating Your Portfolio- How do you create a design-tech portfolio? What do people want to see? What format should you use? Does it have to cost a fortune? All these questions and more will be answered.
Majoring in Design-Tech Theatre (Doesn't Mean Being a Starving Artist): Jobs in the Entertainment Industry- Did you know that there are a wide range of jobs that you can do if you are a design & technology theatre major? Find out about jobs that will allow you to travel or put down roots in all areas of the entertainment industry.
Scott Hudson
Professor Hudson is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist and educator specializing in the Meisner Technique. He apprenticed as an instructor under Maggie Flanigan at her studio in New York City where he was an associate of six years. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from Florida State University, and a Master of Fine Arts in acting from Rutgers University.
While an actor in New York, Hudson originated roles “Our Lady of 121st Street,” directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, “BFE,” directed by Gordon Edelstein and“Dutch Heart of Man” at The Public. He has performed at The Long Wharf Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse. As a director, he originated the production of John Patrick Shanley’s short one act, “Banshee,” and Stephen Adly Guirgis’s first public workshop reading of “Between Riverside and Crazy” with the original cast of the Pulitzer Prize-winning script.
Hudson is also a playwright. His play “Sweet Storm” was produced off-Broadway and is published by Dramatists Play Service Inc. The play continues to be produced in regional and college theatres. Hudson is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and is represented by talent management group Encompass Arts, both of which are based in New York City.
Backstage magazine recognized Hudson as a top five New York City acting coach. His client Elizabeth Rodriguez garnered a Tony nomination for her role in “The Mother ______ with the Hat.” Other clients hold principal roles in film and television. He served as in-house coach for ABC’s “All My Children,” and worked with agents, managers and casting directors through their referred talent.Hudson has served on the university faculties of Florida State University, University of West Florida and Ashland University. He is the recipient of Broadway producer Daryl Roth’s Creative Spirit Award.
Workshops Offered:
The Red Coat and The Core Values of Acting Within (A Shenandoah Conservatory Acting Bedrock) - Actors converse and identify the values of Acting. Why they are prized and how we cultivate them. Values applied through John Patrick Shanley's short one-act, The Red Coat. The workshop fundamentally represents and promotes the values and commitments of Shenandoah Conservatory BFA Acting program.
Professor Hudson is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist and educator specializing in the Meisner Technique. He apprenticed as an instructor under Maggie Flanigan at her studio in New York City where he was an associate of six years. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from Florida State University, and a Master of Fine Arts in acting from Rutgers University.
While an actor in New York, Hudson originated roles “Our Lady of 121st Street,” directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, “BFE,” directed by Gordon Edelstein and“Dutch Heart of Man” at The Public. He has performed at The Long Wharf Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse. As a director, he originated the production of John Patrick Shanley’s short one act, “Banshee,” and Stephen Adly Guirgis’s first public workshop reading of “Between Riverside and Crazy” with the original cast of the Pulitzer Prize-winning script.
Hudson is also a playwright. His play “Sweet Storm” was produced off-Broadway and is published by Dramatists Play Service Inc. The play continues to be produced in regional and college theatres. Hudson is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and is represented by talent management group Encompass Arts, both of which are based in New York City.
Backstage magazine recognized Hudson as a top five New York City acting coach. His client Elizabeth Rodriguez garnered a Tony nomination for her role in “The Mother ______ with the Hat.” Other clients hold principal roles in film and television. He served as in-house coach for ABC’s “All My Children,” and worked with agents, managers and casting directors through their referred talent.Hudson has served on the university faculties of Florida State University, University of West Florida and Ashland University. He is the recipient of Broadway producer Daryl Roth’s Creative Spirit Award.
Workshops Offered:
The Red Coat and The Core Values of Acting Within (A Shenandoah Conservatory Acting Bedrock) - Actors converse and identify the values of Acting. Why they are prized and how we cultivate them. Values applied through John Patrick Shanley's short one-act, The Red Coat. The workshop fundamentally represents and promotes the values and commitments of Shenandoah Conservatory BFA Acting program.
Thomas Pedersen
Thomas Pedersen, Director Gap Year/Post Grad program at the Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts, has pursued a finely integrated career as a singer, conductor, producer and teacher and has been seen in Mame, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma, Carousel, The Pirates of Penzance, and She Loves Me with numerous stock, regional, and national companies. In 1982, he made his operatic debut with the Michigan Opera Theater, and in a ten-year span sang with the Detroit Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera, The June Opera Festival and The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. He has been a soloist with conductors Maurice Abravanel, Leonard Bernstein, Antal Dorati and Robert Shaw. As Artistic Director of Theatre Ten Ten, New York’s oldest off-Broadway theatre, he produced and music directed over 20 shows, and has been Music Director at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera, The Library Theater in Warren, Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan Opera Theater. He has been praised by Bruce Feld of the Los Angeles Times for his “zesty and innovative conducting” for Man of La Mancha and the Washington Post for his “expert and stylishly conducted” performances of The Music Man. Mr Pedresen has been Musical Supervisor/ Conductor for such stars as Barbara Eden, Shari Lewis, Gary Sandy, David Canary, John McCook, Rebecca Luker, Jana Robbins , Mel Tills and Pam Tillis. Most recently he has been on the creative teams for Kleptocracy, Jubilee and Newsies at Arena Stage. Last fall Mr. Pedersen was Conductor for the Alliance for New Music-Theatre of Vanek Unleashed in the Dupont Underground. He recently retired as Head of the Music Theatre Division at The Catholic University of America, and is the Director of Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Kensington, Maryland.
Workshops Offered:
Effectively Working with a Musical Director/Conductor: How to Get Ready for Your First Rehearsal - This workshop will provide students with tips for working with conductors/ musical directors effectively. Topics include text analysis, musical analysis, phrasing, dynamics and articulation as well as how to meld vocal and acting objectives.
Vocal Technique Class - How to create your own unique sound! Through body alignment, respiration, phonation and articulation, discover your sound as you integrate speech-connected singing with acting objectives. “If you can speak it, you can sing it.” Regardless of genre, all singers should “cross train” in all techniques: classical voice, pop, contemporary and classic Broadway,. This workshop will introduce you to a holistic and mindful approach for singing.
Thomas Pedersen, Director Gap Year/Post Grad program at the Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts, has pursued a finely integrated career as a singer, conductor, producer and teacher and has been seen in Mame, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma, Carousel, The Pirates of Penzance, and She Loves Me with numerous stock, regional, and national companies. In 1982, he made his operatic debut with the Michigan Opera Theater, and in a ten-year span sang with the Detroit Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera, The June Opera Festival and The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. He has been a soloist with conductors Maurice Abravanel, Leonard Bernstein, Antal Dorati and Robert Shaw. As Artistic Director of Theatre Ten Ten, New York’s oldest off-Broadway theatre, he produced and music directed over 20 shows, and has been Music Director at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera, The Library Theater in Warren, Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan Opera Theater. He has been praised by Bruce Feld of the Los Angeles Times for his “zesty and innovative conducting” for Man of La Mancha and the Washington Post for his “expert and stylishly conducted” performances of The Music Man. Mr Pedresen has been Musical Supervisor/ Conductor for such stars as Barbara Eden, Shari Lewis, Gary Sandy, David Canary, John McCook, Rebecca Luker, Jana Robbins , Mel Tills and Pam Tillis. Most recently he has been on the creative teams for Kleptocracy, Jubilee and Newsies at Arena Stage. Last fall Mr. Pedersen was Conductor for the Alliance for New Music-Theatre of Vanek Unleashed in the Dupont Underground. He recently retired as Head of the Music Theatre Division at The Catholic University of America, and is the Director of Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Kensington, Maryland.
Workshops Offered:
Effectively Working with a Musical Director/Conductor: How to Get Ready for Your First Rehearsal - This workshop will provide students with tips for working with conductors/ musical directors effectively. Topics include text analysis, musical analysis, phrasing, dynamics and articulation as well as how to meld vocal and acting objectives.
Vocal Technique Class - How to create your own unique sound! Through body alignment, respiration, phonation and articulation, discover your sound as you integrate speech-connected singing with acting objectives. “If you can speak it, you can sing it.” Regardless of genre, all singers should “cross train” in all techniques: classical voice, pop, contemporary and classic Broadway,. This workshop will introduce you to a holistic and mindful approach for singing.
Wendy-Marie Martin
Martin is a playwright, dramaturg, and director as well as the department chair of the undergraduate theatre department at Hollins. She has a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary arts and theatre from Ohio University with a focus on intersectional feminist theatre and 20th/21st century women-identifying playwrights, and an M.F.A. in playwriting from The Playwright’s Lab at Hollins. For over 25 years, Martin has taught, directed, and performed in Europe and the U.S. Her work has been produced in Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Ireland, and the U.S., and published by Smith & Krauss, Theatrefolk, and YouthPLAYS. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), the American Society for Theater Research (ASTR), and the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA). In her current capacity as theatre department chair, Martin’s focus is on diversity, equity, and inclusion both in her department and campuswide. In addition, she trained as a search advocate through the Search Advocate Program at Oregon State University and is currently engaged in creating more equitable and inclusive faculty searches at Hollins.
Workshops Offered:
How to Write a Short Play- Learn how to write a short play using Gary Garrison's easily accessible techniques. We will cover the basics and then spend time actually writing, so please bring a laptop or pad of paper with you.
Martin is a playwright, dramaturg, and director as well as the department chair of the undergraduate theatre department at Hollins. She has a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary arts and theatre from Ohio University with a focus on intersectional feminist theatre and 20th/21st century women-identifying playwrights, and an M.F.A. in playwriting from The Playwright’s Lab at Hollins. For over 25 years, Martin has taught, directed, and performed in Europe and the U.S. Her work has been produced in Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Ireland, and the U.S., and published by Smith & Krauss, Theatrefolk, and YouthPLAYS. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), the American Society for Theater Research (ASTR), and the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA). In her current capacity as theatre department chair, Martin’s focus is on diversity, equity, and inclusion both in her department and campuswide. In addition, she trained as a search advocate through the Search Advocate Program at Oregon State University and is currently engaged in creating more equitable and inclusive faculty searches at Hollins.
Workshops Offered:
How to Write a Short Play- Learn how to write a short play using Gary Garrison's easily accessible techniques. We will cover the basics and then spend time actually writing, so please bring a laptop or pad of paper with you.
Zeke Blottner
Zeke is a VCU college student pursuing BFAs in Lighting and Set Design. He’s designed for small shows such as MLM is for Murder, The Firebugs, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Bright Star. He’s worked on the construction team for VCU shows such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde, as well as strike team for the Touring productions of Wicked, and Dear Even Hanson. He is currently working for Brok Decor International, a Dutch live event scenic design company.
Workshops Offered:
Stuff in a Box: Speedy Scenic Design - This workshop is designed to teach students to use the fundamentals of design and create small scenic shoebox sets in a very quick time period of time
Stage Craft: Basic Scenic Construction - This workshop is designed to teach students on the basics of scenic construction, including reading plans and basic carpentry skills.
Zeke is a VCU college student pursuing BFAs in Lighting and Set Design. He’s designed for small shows such as MLM is for Murder, The Firebugs, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Bright Star. He’s worked on the construction team for VCU shows such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde, as well as strike team for the Touring productions of Wicked, and Dear Even Hanson. He is currently working for Brok Decor International, a Dutch live event scenic design company.
Workshops Offered:
Stuff in a Box: Speedy Scenic Design - This workshop is designed to teach students to use the fundamentals of design and create small scenic shoebox sets in a very quick time period of time
Stage Craft: Basic Scenic Construction - This workshop is designed to teach students on the basics of scenic construction, including reading plans and basic carpentry skills.
