To me, the performing arts are a constant study of the human condition. I fully believe that they can transform the way young people learn. I can tailor each residency to fit the level of the students, as well as fit into any time frame. I begin each session with body and vocal warm-ups that condition the actors' instruments while developing proper breathing, posture, diction and vocal control. I teach the basics of acting, including imagination, improvisation, pantomime, teamwork and basic theatre terms. To explore these skills, games and exercises are used to develop listening, communication and comprehension. Students will work toward performance, the content of which is determined by each specific residency (perhaps creating their own story/plays based on the particular study area, ie., bringing a history lesson to life through improvisation, discovering math and science through music). I strive to make learning fun while building a student's confidence, self-esteem. Available to conduct teacher workshops.
My studies in music and drama began at the age of eight. As a child who suffered from dyslexia, I learned to employ the arts to help me in my studies. I received my Bachelor of Arts with a focus in vocal performance from San Diego State University in 1990. I continued my professional study in the techniques of Sanford Meisner, at the Actor's Lab, under the direction of Tracy Sloat. I have worked in community and professional theatres across the nation, including Century II and the Crown in Wichita, Kansas, and The Diversionary and Theatre Creative Workshop in San Diego, California. While in Las Angeles, California, I also worked with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the American Broadcast System, Buena Vista, and Touchstone Films. I began instructing Children's Drama at the South Arkansas Arts Center in 2007.