Teaching Experience
My teaching experience includes three years of teaching the college course Fundamentals of Acting at University of Massachusetts, one summer as High School Acting Faculty at Interlochen Fine Arts Camp, and one summer in a supervisory Camp Director role for the Skokie Park District.
My career goal, upon completing my MFA, in addition to freelance directing, is to teach theater at the University level.
My career goal, upon completing my MFA, in addition to freelance directing, is to teach theater at the University level.
Fundamentals of Acting at University of Massachusetts
I'm currently an Instructor for Theater 140: Fundamentals of Acting, at the University of Massachusetts as part of my Graduate Assistantship in my MFA program. Each semester, I teach approximately 16 undergraduate students who approach the class with various levels of prior theater experience and interest.
I create and execute my own curriculum and daily lesson plans, based on a broad curriculum and goals set by the UMass Theater Department.
Every semester of my Fundamentals of Acting class includes the following:
- The use of the textbook "A Practical Handbook for the Actor," to teach the principles of Given Circumstances, Objectives, Actions, and the use of Action Verbs, as applied to realistic scenes.
- I assign students scenes from plays for them to study, rehearse, and perform for the class three times during the semester for a grade and detailed feedback.
- An "Autodrama" solo performance project at the beginning of the semester to help students begin go build confidence around personal storytelling on stage and start to think creatively about theatrical staging and presentation.
- I lead a daily physical and vocal warm-up and describe the basic principles of why we do certain warm-ups to maintain the actor's "instrument"
- I facilitate several Viola Spolin-style improv games, many of which I learned from my training at Piven Theatre in Chicago, to teach students the basics of collaboration, listening, spontaneity, ensemble-building, and making creative choices. I then connect these games to techniques that students could apply to their scripted scenes.
- I assign papers that ask students to analyze production choices in University productions.
- I assign, and given detailed feedback on a Scene Analysis paper, where students fully analyze the Given Circumstances, Objectives, beat shifts, and Actions in their assigned play and scene for their major Scene Study project.
Theatre Faculty at Interlochen Fine Arts Camp
In this position, I....
- Served as the Associate Director of high school mainstage production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It,
directed by Shelby Lewis - As an AD, gave actors individual text-coaching, monologue work, and scene direction
- I taught a daily acting class to high school-aged campers, which included monologue prep, action/objective-based acting techniques, introductory Shakespeare text work, basic Laban movement analysis, physical/vocal warm-ups, improv games, and ensemble-building
Camp Director / Theater Specialist for Skokie Park District's Summer on Broadway Rising
Last summer, I worked as the Camp Director and Theater Specialist for "Summer on Broadway Rising," a theatre camp for 5-year-olds at the Skokie Park District
In this position, I....
- Created and implemented a curriculum of age-appropriate theater games, acting lessons, and camp activities
- Wrote, adapted, and curated script material for short showcases, and directed five showcases
- Supervised three staff members, including a music specialist, dance specialist, and camp counselors
- Supervised campers and staff on weekly field trips
- Enforced best practices for safety and First Aid, documented First Aid incidents and behavior incidents, and communicated with parents regarding safety concerns when needed
- Provided any needed care or adaptations for campers who had physical or behavioral access needs