San Diego Junior Theatre: Education: Teaching Artists

San Diego Junior Theatre
Teaching Artists

Andy (Andrea) Aguirre our Education Program Manager, came to Junior Theatre in January 2005 from the City of Coronado's Recreation Department, where she created a drama program called "Off Broadway" for children ages 5-11. Andy wrote all of the plays and she directed and choreographed the shows. Andy worked in recreation for 8 years, but she has worked with children in many capacities for most of her life. Andy was awarded the Rising Star Award last spring from Kids Included Together for her outstanding work as an Inclusion Facilitator for children with special needs. She strives to make all children included in every way. Andy received her Bachelor’s degree from UCSD in Psychology with and emphasis in child development. She is very excited to be teaching Junior Theatre in the classroom and through our Outreach Programs. She also enjoys creating new classes and curriculum to be taught through the education department. Her future plans include becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.

Walter Allen Walter Allen recently moved to San Diego from the “Deep South,” specifically Northern Louisiana via Alabama. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre and a Master’s Degree in Education, Walter taught high school English for two years before moving on to teach theatre arts at Bumpus Middle School in Hoover, Alabama for the past three and a half years. There, he developed a small after-school program of 20 students into an energetic Junior Thespian Troupe involving approximately 100 of the 1200 Bumpus students. While teaching, Walter spent his summers as the artistic director for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Musical Theatre Academy for students age seven to eighteen. At both his middle school program and the academy, he directed and choreographed productions such as Once on this Island, How to Eat Like a Child and Land of the Dragon. In addition, he wrote and directed several children’s shows including Wonderland High, a modern high-school adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice stories. Walter also worked with his students in both programs to co-write several full length productions including Day of Awakening, an Egyptian fable with a Monty Python-esque twist. During the school year, Walter has also been an active participant in community and educational theatres from performances in A Chorus Line and Damn Yankees, to director and choreographer of shows such as Oliver! and No, No, Nanette. Currently, Walter teaches Video Production at Eastlake Middle School. Since his move to San Diego, Walter has worked with Junior Theatre on such productions as To Kill a Mockingbird, Peter Pan, and Grease.

Sherri Allen is a San Diego-based actor, director, and teacher with extensive credits in both local and regional theatre. She holds a BA in Drama from San Diego State University, studied Shakespeare and British Theatre in London, interned as an actor at PCPA Theaterfest, and did graduate work in theatre on a full scholarship at Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Sherri also holds a teaching credential in English from California State University, San Marcos, and is a member of the San Diego Actor's Alliance. As an actor, she has worked with La Jolla Playhouse, Asolo Theatre Company, PCPA Theaterfest, Moonlight Stages, North Coast Repertory Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre's Education Department, Lamb's Players Touring Company, and Summer Repertory Theatre, among others, and was a performer and show captain at Legoland California for over three years. When not working in theatre, Sherri enjoys working with children who share her love for the arts. Besides working with all the wonderful students at San Diego Junior Theatre, Sherri is also a Teaching Artist with Playwrights Project, J*Company Youth Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, the Theatre School at North Coast Rep., and MiraCosta College. Additionally, Sherri has taught in the public school system and with San Diego Lyric Opera.

Bernard Baldan has credits at the Rep that include: A Christmas Carol, Red Noses, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Tragedy of Tragedies, Scapin, Hold me, The Duchess of Malfi. Regional credits include: Blue in The Unseen Hand, Father Rivard in the west coast premiere of The Runner Stumbles, The Sunshine Boys for The Old Globe Theatre, The Boise Club for The Laguna Playhouse. Original member of the ITP - Improvisational Theatre Project for the Mark Taper Forum. Awards include: Old Globe Atlas Awards for lead and supporting roles, Drama Circle Award. Founding member of The San Diego Repertory Theatre, and Indian Magique. Created the role of Scrooge in the original Rep production. Author of The Boise Club, produced at the Laguna Playhouse and directed by Douglas Jacobs. United States International University School of Performing Arts -Acting/Directing.

Cheryl Cline is currently in the Masters of Fine Arts in Music Theatre program at San Diego State University. Originally form Toronto, Canada, Cheryl earned an Honours Bachelor of Music degree (voice specialty) from the University of Western Ontario, and taught high school music for five years as well as performing and directing in the Toronto area. Since moving to San Diego, Cheryl has performed at SDSU in Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Gracie), In the Beginning (Lydia) and Zombie Prom and has been music director for American Rose’s Theatre’s Oklahoma! and Junior Theatre’s Charlotte’s Web and Winnie the Pooh. She is currently directing Velveteen Rabbit.

Jennie Connard As an enthusiastic alumni of Junior Theatre, Jennie is thrilled to be back at JT as an educator. Jennie grew up in San Diego theatre attending the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts and performing in many of San Diego’s professional theatre’s. After many years as a performer, Jennie began teaching drama and dance to grades K-12 five years ago and feels very strongly about the importance of the performing arts for children. Jennie is also a certified Jazzercise Instructor.

Jason Connors has been working in theatre for the last ten years, beginning at San Diego Junior Theatre and moving on to the Playwrights Project where his own original plays started being produced. Since then he has worked with the Fritz Theatre, Sledgehammer, Actors Alliance, The Blank Theatre (LA), Planned Parenthood\'s IMAGES Theatre, Grossmont Stagehouse, Voices of Women, the JCC, and now the wonderful 6@Penn Theatre.

Desha Crownover is the Artistic Director at San Diego Junior Theatre where she has served as general manager, director, musical director, and teaching artist for the past ten years, co-founding SDJT’s Conservatory Program for aspiring high school artists . Desha has had the opportunity to direct, teach, and perform in San Diego for the past fifteen years where her directing work has been commended by such theatre notables as Edward Albee, Ming Cho Lee, and Timothy Near. She holds a Master’s degree in Theatre from SDSU and a B.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in Performing from UCSD. She has served on the teaching faculty of SDSU, Cuyamaca College, and Santa Fe Christian Schools. Some of Desha’s favorite directing credits for JT include The Miracle Worker, Twelfth Night, Our Town, and Blood Wedding. Her work as a playwright has been produced at UCSD, SDSU, and Santa Fe Christian Schools, as well.

Randi Driscoll is a professional singer/ songwriter/ pianist and composer who has shared the stage with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Jason Mraz, Pat Benetar, Rufas Wainwright and numerous others. Her credits include performances at Lincoln Center, The Reagan Center in DC with Key Note Hillary Clinton, Paramount Studios, and the Place’ des Arts in Montreal. She has been awarded Campus Activities Magazine Female Performer of the Year 2004 and her music has been featured in films, commercials and the hit series Dawson’s Creek. The choral version of her anti hate benefit single “What Matters” was performed at Carnegie Hall, and the same piece has was featured in a commercial directed by Spike Lee. Randi tours extensively at colleges, clubs, festivals and corporate events. She has been a devoted teaching artist for ten years, teaching and directing in New York, San Diego and San Francisco. She also coaches over twenty personal piano/voice/ composition students. Randi is thrilled to be back at San Diego Junior Theatre, a place she loves to call home!

Torrie Dunlap Torrie Dunlap holds a degree in Theatre for Young Audiences from San Diego State University and served as Junior Theatre’s Education Director from 1993-2003. While at Junior Theatre she directed a number of productions including How to Eat Like a Child, Miss Nelson is Missing, The Magic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Really Rosie and choreographed many others. Torrie spent 6 years on the Executive Board of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and chaired their national conference in 2001. Torrie has taught dance and drama at schools and studios all over San Diego County since 1987. Currently, Torrie is the Director of the National Training Center on Inclusion for Kids Included Together (KIT). She is thrilled to be spending her free time at Junior Theatre and in addition to teaching is directing this season’s production of Busytown.

Todd Durrance holds a BFA in theatre arts with emphasis in directing from Millikin University. Todd has been teaching and directing theatre since 1990 through his small company as well as teaching drama for two private schools. He also teaches adults beginning acting once a week for a program in Poway. Todd specializes in teaching acting, improv, mime & movement, directing and modern puppet techniques. He also has had the privilege to do professional technical work at La Jolla Playhouse, Starlight Theatre and Gas Lamp Quarter Theatre. He has an extensive background working with youth as a counselor for 10 years on a national youth crisis hotline. And enjoys helping youth use theatre to explore creative and innovative ways to share story with an audience. When he is not teaching theatre you might catch him subbing in one of San Diego’s city schools.

Estrella Esparza-Johnson Ms. Esparza-Johnson is a second-generation member of El Teatro Campesino and a graduate of the School of the Arts, San Francisco. Her theatre credits include: Ion Theatre: La Gaviota by Claudio Ragoza, adapted from The Seagull by Anton Checkov (MIchi) CSU San Marcos: Life in Questions and Exclamation Marks by Anton Chekov (Ensemble), El Teatro Campesino: 25th Anniversary Production of Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez (Alice Bloomfield), Mummified Deer by Luis Valdez (Armida Bravo), Mundo Mata by Luis Valdez (Guera Mata/Dona Lola). L.A. Theatre Works: Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez (Della Barrios) CSU Monterey Bay: Gila River by Lane Nishikawa (Sumiko Suzuki) The Magic Theatre: Man of the Flesh by Octavio Solis (Romelia/Anne). Her Television, Video and Film credits include: En Busca de Excelencia(On Camera Host), Woodenship Productions, directed by Marilyn Abad-Cardinalli, The Young and the Breatheless (On Camera Host),Ideas in Motion Directed by Lynn Adler, La Pastorela (Supporting role), Great Performances/KQED Directed by Luis Valdez, Seeing is Believing (Principal), Hotwire Productions, Directed by Lynn Hershman, Between Friends (Principal) Ideas in Motion, Directed by Severo Perez.

Bryn Fillers A graduate in Theatre Arts from Reed College, Bryn is a playwright, director, and actor who has been a member of an Improv troupe both in Portland and San Diego. She has written and directed for the Firehouse Theatre in Portland, Theatre Rhino in San Francisco, and the California Center For the Arts in Escondido as well as schools across Los Angeles and San Diego including Warren-Walker and Roosevelt Middle Schools. Bryn also writes and directs for classes at San Diego Junior Theatre, and she has directed for the mainstage through their Page to Stage program. She dramatizes and teaches historical curriculum through the CCAE’s Suave program, Warren-Walker Middle School and the School in the Park program. Bryn teaches playwriting through Playwrights Project and J*Company. Her students have won awards, and just last summer, she had the privilege of directing two of her students’ plays in the AASD Actors Festival starring Triple Espresso’s Keith Reay along with some of her most talented students from JT. This fall she will be teaching drama classes through Gillispie’s enrichment program and assisting with the Improv class at Bishop’s. Bryn is currently featured in the short film, “Flamingo Tango,” directed by JT’s Leasa Thernes for Persnickety Pictures.

Erin Hatch Bio coming soon!

Bryant Hernandez has taught and mentored young actors and writers in San Diego, northern California, and on the east coast. Recently, he served as a teaching artist for George Street Playhouse in New Jersey, teaching at-risk students to develop their experiences into spoken words for performance. He has also directed their touring production, The Peacemaker, from their educational program that toured many elementary schools. Prior to working on the east coast, Bryant served as the education director for Playhouse Merced during their summer program, Young Artist Conservatory, teaching students from ages 6-16. Bryant is also Bilinguel in Spanish and English.As an actor, Bryant has been seen in: Dancing at Lughnasa (Michael), On-Stage Playhouse; Fuente Ovejuna (Mengo), 6th @ Penn Theatre; La Pastorela (Crespo the Sheep), The Old Globe Theatre. His directing credits: NYC: Tricks, Producers Club; Spider Monkeys, John Houseman Studio Theatre. Elsewhere: One Last Mass, 6th @ Penn Theatre; On the Corner of Art and Solita Street, Actors Festival/ The Lyceum Theatre; The Peacemaker, George Street Playhouse Education Tour; Deep Within Our Hearts, PPAC @ GSP; Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical, San Diego Junior Theatre Black Box Performance; The Hobbit, Playhouse Merced; Just Around The Corner, APA Studios; Others: If Men Played Cards as Women Do, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Antigone, The Journey of the Skeletons, Line and She’s Leaving Home. He is currently an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, inc.

Kalin Hove received her B.A. in theatre and a minor in studio art from the University of California, at San Diego. At the American Conservatory of Theatre in San Francisco she advanced her theatre studies with classes in clowning, improvisation, voice, and movement. Kalin has performed in such shows as Guy's and Dolls, Company, As You Like It, and How to Succeed in Business... She has also directed her own one-woman show and several puppet shows. Kalin is proud to have been teaching theatre and art in San Diego for the past three years. She currently teaches theatre for the San Diego Unified School District as well as several non-profit organizations.

Nicole Labrit Bio coming soon!

Patrick Lathrop is an actor, director, costumer and educator. He holds a BA in Theatre Performance, an MFA in Musical Theatre, and an MA in Costume History and Design. As an actor, some of his favorite roles include Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and Sancho in Man of La Mancha. Some of his directing credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Working, The Grass Harp, Story Theatre, Anything Goes and Oliver. As a Costumer he has designed Cloud Nine, Macbeth, Man of La Mancha, The Tales of Narnia, and Alice in Wonderland to mention a few. Patrick has worked with Imagination Celebration of Orange County as the Programs Director, the Pacific School of Music & the ARTS as the Administrative Assistant and a teacher of voice and drama, and most recently with Pasadena Junior Theatre as Education Director. Patrick has also been a lecturer on Period Movement & Manners and Costume History with San Diego State University's Annual Writer's Conference, San Diego City College, and the Mission Viejo Library. Patrick has a wide and varied background, from being a company dancer and actor with Utah Shakespeare Festival to being a Travel Study Coordinator with SDSU, where he had the opportunity to travel and study in England, Europe, Mexico, and Central America. Patrick brings a lifetime of experience to the San Diego Junior Theatre where he serves as a teacher, director, and Education Program Manager.

Doug Lay has been an equity actor for over 25 years. He has worked throughout the US in almost every major Shakespearean Festival from Oregon Shakes to New York Shakes, from the Old Globe to Alabama Shakes, having over 30 Shakespearean roles to his credit. He has toured throughout this country, playing in 37 of our 50 states and extensively through Europe. Mr. Lay has worked off-Broadway and the West End in London. As a director and educator, he is known for his ground-breaking and innovative work focusing primarily on classic drama and children’s theatre. He is the artistic director of The Theatre, Inc. in San Diego, on the board of directors of the Actors Alliance of San Diego and Will & Co. in LA. He has been honored with two Back Stage West Awards, a Dramalogue Award, a Patte Award and two Playbill Awards. He holds a BFA from SOSU and an MFA from Florida State University.

Richard May Bio coming soon.

Lynn Mendoza-Khan has worked as an opera singer, composer, music arranger, musical director, choir director and private voice teacher over the last 20 years. She has performed throughout California and Europe. She is very enthusiastic about showing others how to sing with a healthy beautiful tone. To find out more about her go to www.sandiegovoiceteacher.com

Ericka Moore believes in the impact of art (dance) to empower individuals, which therefore empowers community. Ericka made her choreographic debut with Fingers N the Hood, which received the Union-Tribune Critic\'s Choice Award and extensive television coverage. Funkalosophy (Eveoke dance), was Ericka\'s second full-length show created in 2001. Funkalosophy revealed how the hip hop subculture contributes to an activist dance theatre, while empowering youth and other hipsters with a voice concerning their political and social issues. Ericka has been teaching children dance for five (5) years in the San Diego area and the San Diego Unified School District.

Will Neblett has been Junior Theatre\'s Executive Director for the past seven years. In this capacity he has helped strengthen the organization, both financially and artistically. Previously, Will has successfully led Carlsbad Youth Theatre, both as a director and president of the board of trustees. Will has directed and musically directed many productions including And the World Goes ’Round (with Torrie Dunlap), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Annie, Annie Warbucks, Great Expectations, James and the Giant Peach, Oliver, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, The Witches, The Secret Garden (with Michael Anthony) and Nancy Drew, Girl Detective. Will has also sound designed many productions. Will\'s acting career includes many roles in collegiate and community productions; Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (4 times), Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Barnaby in Babes in Toyland and John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Erin Roberts Bio coming soon!

Angie Serrano has taught music classes at Junior Theatre for several years. She holds a B.A. from CSU San Marcos. Angie enjoys working and singing with kids of all ages, and has many years experience directing children and youth choirs. For over 10 years, she combined her love for children and performing by hosting a weekly Kid’s Club program. Angie continues to sing professionally in a women’s trio and performs with her husband, John, who is also a musician.

Sarah Siegel earned her degree in Theatre Arts from SDSU. She spent 8 years in New York City working as a director, teacher and audition coach as well as serving as artistic director for two theatre companies. In San Diego Sarah has worked with The Fritz Theatre and Stu Segall Productions and loves watching the JT kids blossom when they discover what wonderful talents they possess.

To Be Determined. Check back soon!

Leasa Thernes teaches dance at the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet where she has directed and choreographed several full-length ballet productions including Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland. She also teaches at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla and recently was a guest choreographer for the dance department at Coronado School of the Arts High School. Leasa is an alumnus of San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Currently, a student at San Diego City College and Mesa College she is studying dance, theatre, art and film. Leasa is pursuing a degree in fine art and film.

Diana Valero-Olivier holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre Dance from the United States International University of the Performing and Visual Arts, San Diego. Diana has an extensive and diverse professional background in in the many styles and venues of dance performance including Ballroom, ethnic dance, and magic! Diana created, directed, choreographed, and performed in dance shows that combined music, magic, and mime which toured the Las Vegas circuit and Mexico. She also produced her own dance company \"Dansation\" which performed for Southern California audience\'s as well as abroad in Italy and Egypt. For the last few years Diana has been teaching in the San Diego elementary schools enrichment programs for non-dancers and G.A.T.E. kids with her \"Dancing Thru The Decades\" , and bringing her DVO Dance Project company to school theatre\'s performing \"Jazzed\", jazz dance and the story behind it. Diana brings out the best in her students and is always teaching that dance is more than just steps.

Jessica Vignau Bio coming soon!

Information: 619-239-1311. Box Office: 619-239-8355.