Staff / Teachers

  Liz Cantine

Alexis Carra

Alexis Carrra is thrilled to be on faculty Norris after choreographing Once Upon a Mattress and The Music Man. Dancing since age 2, Alexis has trained at NYU, Alvin Ailey, Princeton Ballet, and the Broadway Theatre Project with Ann Reinking. Alexis is a graduate of Yale University, and was last seen on Broadway in Boubil and Schonberg’s The Pirate Queen. Her other Broadway credits include: Fosse (1^st National), Wicked, and Sweet Charity (u/s Nickie, Dance Captain). Alexis said a brief “see you later” to Broadway and moved to LA where she has performed in Wicked at the historic Pantages Theatre and recently played Louise in Gypsy at Sacramento Music Circus. Other theatre credits include Fame on 42^nd Street, A Chorus Line, Tea and Sympathy, and her own solo show produced at Yale entitled Still Moving. Alexis can be seen on the new TNT drama, Hawthorne and in the indie film, Convincing Clooney. Choreography credits include West Side Story, Bat Boy, Guys and Dolls, Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof.

  Erin Cottrell

Erin Cottrell is an award winning actress best known for her performance in Michael Landon Jr.'s, Love Comes Softlyseries as well as being the new Caroline Ingalls in Disney/ABC's Little House on the Prairie.She has had an extensive career in film and television including guest lead appearances onE.R., CSI:NY, Cold Case, Medium, Numb3rs, Ed,and Stranger's With Candy, as well as reoccurring characters on All My Childrenand The Guiding Light. Her film credits include Legally Blonde 2(as Reese Witherspoon's sorority president) and Faith of My Father's (as John McCain's first wife, Carol). Most recently she was seen along side Jason Alexander and Christopher Lloyd in the NBC mini-series, METEOR. When Erin is not filming she is teaching. Since 2002 she has been a proud teacher for the nonprofit organization, City Hearts: Kids Say Yes to the Arts. She has taught jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop, musical theatre, Shakespeare and acting to the at risk youth of East LA, bringing the arts into otherwise dangerous and vastly under funded areas.

  Jon Engstrom

Jon has worked throughout the United States, Europe & Asia.  Locally, Jon has directed and choreographed for most of the southland’s theatres including: Musical Theatre West, CLO of South Bay Cities, Reprise, La Mirada Theatre, Downey CLO, Welk Resort Theatre, San Diego Starlight as well as numerous productions for the Negri Learning Center.  Some of the productions that Jon has directed & choreographed for major venues include: “THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL”, “WHITE CHRISTMAS”, “42ND STREET”, “BYE BYE BIRDIE”, “THE DESERT SONG”,  “MY ONE AND ONLY”, “ANNIE GET YOUR GUN”, “THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG”, “DAMN YANKEES”, “WEST SIDE STORY”, “EVITA”, “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF”, “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN”, “MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS”, “MAME”, “GUYS AND DOLLS”, “THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES”, “HELLO DOLLY”, “MY FAIR LADY”, “NO, NO, NANETTE”, “INTO THE WOODS”, “ANYTHING GOES”, “OLIVER”, “OKLAHOMA”, “SWEET CHARITY”, “CAN-CAN” & “BRIGADOON”.  Jon is currently on staff teaching dance at AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy) in Los Angeles.  Jon was guest director/choreographer for Pepperdine University’s prestigious fall musical for five years in a row.  Jon is proud to know that many of his former students have achieved successful careers in musical theatre and many have appeared on Broadway. Jon’s own career started with a Ford Foundation Scholarship.  He went on to become a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet.  He was an original member of Eliot Feld’s company and also guest artist with the Lar Lubovitch Company before moving on to “The Great White Way” where he was a featured dancer in five Broadway musicals:  “NO, NO, NANETTE”, “THE PAJAMA GAME”, “VERY GOOD EDDIE”,  “WHOOPIE!” & “42ND STREET” (Dance Captain of the original 1980 Broadway production) & two National Tours: “CHICAGO” & “SEESAW”. Jon has been fortunate to work with such notable director/choreographers as: Gower Champion, Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Donald Saddler, Donald McKayle, Alan Johnson & Danny Daniels. Jon is a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Hadley Fraser

Hadley Fraser studied at Birmingham University then trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London graduating in 2002. Hadley has been a fixture on the West End stage since graduation with starring roles in productions such as Pacific Overtures, Assassins (TMA nomination), My Fair Lady, Longitude, The Far Pavilions, The Last Session, Putting It Together, The Shaughraun, The Pirates of Penzance, Peter Pan, Les Misérables and Little Shop of Horrors. In 2007 he made his Broadway debut as the male lead in Boublil and Schonberg’s The Pirate Queen.

Having now settled in Los Angeles, Hadley can be seen in the forthcoming feature films The Lost Tribe and Convincing Clooney and the Nick Jr. series The Fresh Beat Band. Directing credits include Once Upon a Mattress (at the Norris Center), City of Angels, Jesus Christ Superstar and Mourning Becomes Electra (all at the Birmingham Guild Theatre). Hadley teaches as part of the Voice and Musical Theater Faculty at AMDA LA and is very proud of his continued involvement with the Norris Center.

Stevens Gaston

Stevens Gaston has been studying acting for eight years now and has graduated with an AA in technical theatre from Dean College and a BFA in acting from the California Institute of the arts. While in school Stevens has done dozens of plays, some of the classics being Macbeth, Grease, Chorus Line, Footloose, The Dark At the Top Of the Stairs, Look Homeward Angel, All my sons, Zooman and the Sign, Three Sisters, and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Since graduating, he has been teaching with several different non-profit organizations. Currently Stevens is auditioning and working in the film and TV industry and has made appearances on shows such as The Young and the Restless, The Sheild, and NCIS. He has done several Independent films as well as Commercial work. Stevens is ecstatic to be teaching at the Norris Theatre helping mold great artists.

Tom Griffin

Tom returns to the Norris Center having worked on PETER PAN, RISING STARS 2009 and on last season’s productions of WEST SIDE STORY, MUSIC MAN, Disney’s BEAUTY & THE BEAST and the prior season’s productions of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN.  He is an accomplished pianist and nationally recognized conductor and musical director.  Other recent productions include: A CHRISTMAS CAROL and PETER PAN for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the national tour of MY FAIR LADY for Theatre Of The Stars, Disney's BEAUTY & THE BEAST at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, THE LAST FIVE YEARS (both the West Coast and Los Angeles Premieres), THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, ANNIE, WEST SIDE STORY, MY WAY (West Coast Premiere) and THE SPITFIRE GRILL (West Coast Premiere), the Broadway revival of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN (Los Angeles Premiere), and SIDE SHOW (Los Angeles Premiere). He toured with the Second National (Assistant Conductor) & Third National (Associate Conductor) Tours of Disney's BEAUTY & THE BEAST. Other productions include: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE, HONK! THE MUSICAL, 70 GIRLS 70, BABY, OKLAHOMA, THE WIZARD OF OZ, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, PETER PAN, SLEEPING BEAUTY, JUNGLE BOOK, ALADDIN, CLUB INDIGO, and FATTY.

Danny Gurwin  

Broadway credits include Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Kismet (Encores!), and A Little Night Music (NYC Opera, also Los Angeles Opera and Kennedy Ctr.).  Off-Broadway, he has been seen in Shakespeare’s R & J, Forbidden Broadway, A New Brain, The Thing About Men, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and many others.  LA credits include recently co-starring in How The Grinch Stole Christmas at the Pantages, Little Shop of Horrors (MTW) and APLA’s Promises, Promises as well as Symphony work across the country including, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Concert Hall and the South Coast Symphony opposite Susan Egan.  He has guest starred on “Desperate Housewives” & “Law & Order” and can be heard on numerous cast recordings.  He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.

Keenon Hooks

Keenon Hooks is thrilled to be teaching at the NCPA. A recent graduate from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, He has been seen on stage dancing in many of their productions. He has studied dance at El Camino college and performed in several of their dance productions and even choreographed some numbers. He also assisted with the choreography of many productions at his alma mater Narbonne High School under Jennifer Infante who made him step into his first tap shoe. He has been seen here at the NCPA in High School Musical and A Chorus Line.

  Carrie Janell

Favorite credits include starring in the short film Chump Change, the Broadway National Tour of 42nd Street, sketch comedy shows throughout NYC and hosting a travel show for Voyages Television through Italy, India and the Caribbean. Carrie has appeared in numerous productions as a Radio City Rockette, including Broadway Under the Stars, The Today Show, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mack and Mabel benefit concert with Donna McKechnie, and of course, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC. She also served as a media spokesperson and commercial principle for the Rockettes. She earned her firstteaching certification from Sonic Yoga in NYC, and is currently studying under the mentorship of Mas Vidal for her advanced certification in Yoga and Ayurveda at Dancing Shiva in Hollywood. She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Carrie believes in the power of compassion, seeing the world through your heart, and always taking care of yourself so you can truly help others.

Michael Jenkinson

Michael Jenkinson is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA Theaterfest) class of 1999. For the past 5  years, Michael has been fortunate enough to return to PCPA as a  Resident Artist. At PCPA, Michael teaches movement 1, musical theatre styles, and musical theatre ensemble, as well as acting, choreographing, and directing for the company. As an Actor Michael has worked regionally for Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, North Shore Music Theatre, Gateway Playhouse, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, TheatreWorks, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Sierra Repertory Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company and SRT Santa Rosa. Michael spent two years "on the road" with national touring companies of Grease, starring Frankie Avalon ,and Fame the musical. Internationally Michael has traveled to Macua China, to perform Grease as a part of the Macau International Arts Festival, and Souel Korea to serve as Dance Supervisor on the Korean tour of Fame the musical. Michael currently works as the Resident Choreographer for The Great American Melodrama.

Kristopher Kyer

For over a decade Kristopher Kyer and his staff has taught andcoached thousands of actors in Hollywood. Kristopher Kyer was the on-set acting coach for ABC-TV's Boy Meets World; Maybe this Time; and Grace Under Fire. In addition, he was the on-set coach for the Bruce Willis feature film HOSTAGE. And he was the on-set acting coach for Jessica Simpson featured in episodes of TV's THAT SEVENTIES SHOW. As an actor Mr. Kyer has appeared in several commercials, most notably as the "Scarecrow" for the WHITE LILY CORNMEAL commercials which ran for years throughout the South. Kristopher Kyer has had co-starring roles on TV's SEINFELD; BOY MEETS WORLD; USA HIGH; LINC'S and QUANTUM LEAP. He was the starring role of the syndicated series BARNYARD PLACE. His experience as an actor and entertainer spans over three decades having appeared in his one man cabaret show on several cruise lines; a singer at WALT DISNEY WORLD and DISNEYLAND; CEDAR POINT in Ohio; Off-Broadway in the original cast of SHOWING OFF; regional theatres throughout the US. He is also a member of the member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG); Actors Equity Association, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In addition, he was the youngest ringmaster and only the 27th in the 115 year history of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. (www.kristopherkyer.com)

Debbie La Puma

Debbie La Puma is a composer, music director and performer. Her works for adults and children have been seen across the country at the Kennedy Center, Chicago's Goodman Theatre, Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, Maryland's Olney Theatre, Arlington's Signature Theatre, Palo Alto's TheatreWorks, The Berkshire's Barrington Stage Company, Interlochen Center for The Arts, and the White House. Her awards include the Jane Chamber Playwriting Award, the Robert M. Golden Award, a National Endowment for the Arts - New American Works Grant, a Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Musical Direction, two Parent's Choice Awards, and two-time Actor's Playhouse National Children's Theatre Festival Winner. Ms. La Puma received her MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, her BA from Stanford University, and studied folk music with Alfredo Lopez, musicologist at La Universidad de Baja California. A Mexican American with dual citizenship who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, her other musical works include a bilingual Mass and two Rock/Jazz albums with the Brazilian band Turba Multa. She is a proud member of ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild and Assitej/USA, and an active musical director, performer and sound designer. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters.

Dyan Lopez-Fiamengo

Dyan Lopez-Fiamengo has been teaching dance for over 25 years. She has an extensive background in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. She has a degree in Physical Education with an emphasis on coaching men's sports. Dyan started dancing at the age of 4. She has danced with the Legendary Nicholas Brothers, Cab Calloway, Gregory Hines, etc. She has performed at the White House, toured the U.S. and done TV and music videos with her last one being with Earth, Wind and Fire. She has opened for the Mandrell Sisters, Four Tops, Ink Spots, various celebrity events, etc. Dyan has choreographed numerous Clipper Half time, field, and fashion shows. She had the first all guys dance team for high school where one of her dancers went on to dance with Brittney Spears, Michael Jackson, Prince, etc. She has worked with various children's groups like American Youth Express, where the group was chosen to perform at the Pantages for a 6 month run in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. She is currently the director and choreographer of Electric Youth Dance Company. She is Co-owner of the professional tap company "The Hot Cotton Candies." Dyan is currently dancing with the Ole Skool Crew at the La Sparks games. The group was featured at two Lakers Games this year and was on Crusin TV. The group will be featured on 7 episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians. The group was also guest on the Rick Dees in the morning Movin 93.9.

  Robert Marra

Robert is thrilled to be returning to the Norris after making his debut here as Director/Choreographer of A CHORUS LINE & JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.  He has had the pleasure of playing the title role four times, one of which being the Original GCT production which began as an 8 week run, and became an incredible, record-breaking 7 month phenomenon!
Other Directing and Choreography credits include WEST SIDE STORY, GREASE, RUNAWAYS, HOW TO SUCCEED..., and PIPPIN. He most recently directed a piece in the 13th St. Rep’s Short Play Festival (NY), and will be directing the world premiere of the play A HUMAN SHIELD, and providing choreography for the premiere production of FINKS, both in NY later this summer.  Robert has assisted award-winning choreographer Lee Martino on many productions including BRIGADOON, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING and GUYS AND DOLLS (2006 L.A. Ovation Award - Best Choreography.) He has also worked with Kay Cole on three productions of A CHORUS LINE, including the 2005 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award winning Best Production at AMT San Jose, at McCoy Rigby, and at Cabrillo Music Theatre, as well as  MY FAIR LADY, CAMELOT, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC, all at the Hollywood Bowl.  As a performer Robert has worked with many Southern California theaters including; Reprise!, Musical Theatre West, Moonlight Amphitheatre, Welk Resort, ICT, Cabrillo Music Theatre, Performance Riverside, The Actors Co-Op, Theatre League, Glendale Centre Theatre, Downey CLO, Santa Barbara CLO and the Hollywood Bowl. East Coast performing credits include Off Broadway, The Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center.

Ashley Martinez

Ashley’s acted with numerous companies nationally including PCPA Theatrefest, Glendale Centre Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Festival and she grew up here at the Norris Theatre.  Some favorite productions include Into The Woods (The Bakers Wife), As You Like It (Phebe), Nunsense (Sister Robert Anne), A Chorus Line (Diana Morales), Honk (Maureen, Queenie, etc.), Out Town (Stage Manager), and Louis Prima’s The Wildest (Marie).  She has worked in direction and choreography on productions with INTIMAN Theatre, PCPA Theatrefest, The Negri Learning Center and Cornerstone Theatre Company.  She serves as an artist representative on the board of Inside Out Community Arts.  Inside Out works with underserved youth from all over Los Angeles, using the arts to build self-esteem and greater individual and inter-cultural awareness.  Ashley is the director of the Acting Army formerly known as Theatre Dynamics Company.  The Acting Army will be touring middle schools in the South Bay later this year performing their original play created by the teens involved. Ashley is also currently producing documentary style industrial films such as The Negri: A Dream Realized, Nike: Back My Block, and FIGMENT: NYC for the participatory arts festival.

  Coy Middlebrook

Directing credits include the world premiere of the new musical Nobody’s Perfect (The Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts, Theatre For Young Audiences and 2010 Tour), the NY premieres of Tennessee

Williams’ Spring Storm (Lobo Theatre) and Lee Blessing’s The Roads That Lead Here (Epic Repertory), Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story (Deaf West Theatre), Orphans (Lobo Theatre), Wooden Nickels and Race Music (The Actors Studio), Into The Woods, Wizard of Oz, JC Superstar, HAIR (CCLO) and the Los Angeles sci-fi musical, It Came From Beyond (LA Ovation Award Nomination for Best Musical). Coy has directed main-stage productions, readings and developed new works for The Actors Studio, Adobe Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Music Theater International, The Neighborhood Playhouse, and The Stamford Performing Arts Center. Coy is the Associate Director, alongside director Jeff Calhoun, for the highly acclaimed production of Big River at Deaf West Theater (DWT), which was remounted in Los Angeles, at the Mark Taper Forum, on Broadway at the American Airlines Theater with The Roundabout Theatre Company (Best Revival Tony Nomination and recipient of The 2004 Tony Award for Excellence in the Theater) and the Big River 2004/5International Tour. Coy recreated the DWT production of Big River at The Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC. Additional associate directing credits include the Broadway musical, Brooklyn, the Broadway revival of Bells Are Ringing and the Disney Theatrical Productions’ workshop of When You Wish, both directed by Tina Landau starring Faith Prince, Deaf West and Center Theatre Group’s revival of Pippin and The Ford’s Theatre production of Shenandoah, starring Scott Bakula. Coy will direct Little Shop of Horrors for The Ford’s Theatre in winter 2010 and is currently the associate director for The American, United Kingdom and Australia Tours of Disney’s High School Musical Coy is a guest teacher at California State University, Chico and The Governor’s School of The Arts at Old Dominion University. Coy is a member of the Actors Studio and a founding member of Lobo Theatre. Coy is training for television direction on TV shows including Will and Grace, Everybody Hates Chris, Kitchen Confidential, Just Legal, What About Brian and JONAS... MFA in Directing from New School University.

Valerie Rachelle

Valerie Rachelle comes back to Los Angeles after four years as Casting Director/Resident Director/Choreographer for PCPA Theaterfest in Santa Maria, CA. Valerie is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine with her MFA in Directing and also of California Institute of the Arts with her BFA in Acting. Valerie has directed and/or choreographed for PCPA’s Mainstage shows including: White Christmas, The Hot Mikado, Company, Suessical, Dames at Sea, Bat Boy, and Crazy For You and was most recently seen playing Fantine in PCPA’s production of Les Miserables. Valerie has also directed/choreographed and assisted for companies such as: Utah Festival Opera, Summer Repertory Theater, South Coast Rep, and Utah Shakespearean Festival where she worked on productions such as: Into the Woods, Showboat, Bye Bye Birdie, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line, and Grease. She is also a founding member of Lucid By Proxy, a not-for-profit theater company in Silverlake, CA. (www.lucidbyproxy.com)

Sue Sabel

Dance has been a lifetime passion for Sue Sabel. She taught ballet in Belgium at The Mercator School for the Performing Arts, and has assisted with children’s' classes at Lauridsen Ballet Center. Her love of dance keeps her taking classes in ballet and tap several times a week. She's performed at the Norris Theatre, James Armstrong Theatre, and many other venues in and around the South Bay. She has danced with local ballet companies including Lauridsen Ballet Centre's South Bay Ballet, PSPA, and San Pedro Ballet.

Kara Sandberg

Kara Sandberg grew up performing at the Norris Theatre while studying with home grown ballet and tap companies. She just returned to the South Bay after a professional dance career in New York City in which she was in the Original Broadway Cast of Tarzan and kicked up her heels as one of the World Famous Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Kara's favorite television appearances include the MTV VMA's, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The View, and Broadway Under the Stars. Kara has worked alongside music artists, on commercials, and on film which include the documentary Broadway: The American Musical. Kara's choreography has been showcased across the nation and Germany for clients such as Panasonic, Fox TV, Aetna, PBS, Merck, and Choice Hotels. She is featured in several coffee table books highlighting the Rockettes and Tarzan on Broadway. Kara was a scholarship student at Pacific Northwest Ballet and is an award winning Rhythmic Gymnast. Kara completed her Pilates certification courses in New York. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. Her most amazing credits are her wonderful husband and remarkable baby boy.

Jeremy Waters

Jeremy has been living and working in New York City for the last 6 years. He has performed with many theatre companies there in work ranging from Greek tragedy to Shakespeare to contemporary drama. He is is the co-founder/ Artistic Director of critically-acclaimed Outhouse Theatre Co. (www.outhousetheatre.com) who produce Australian work in NYC. In Australia he has worked in commercials, soap opera and theatre. Now a working actor in Los Angeles, he is currently teaching his passion, Shakespeare, at The Norris Performing Arts Center. He has studied with Michael Howard in NYC, ATYP in Australia and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Jenessa Wigler

Jenessa Wigler loves to direct/choreograph and teach various dance classes at NCPA. This summer she was thrilled to be the Associate Choreographer for The Music Man. She is a member of Screen Actors Guild, a world champion dancer (Dance Worlds 2007), and has performed in over 30 musical theatre roles throughout southern Ca. for Theatre League, Fullerton CLO, Downey CLO and Musical Theatre West. Her favorite role so far has been Peggy Sawyer in 42^nd Street right here at the Norris. She has been on various dance teams and was a in a performing group for 13 years where she was privileged to perform in 6 countries and all over the USA. Once again, Jenessa will direct NCPA’s performing groups THE HEADLINERS and the TIMES SQUARE KIDZ! This year she would like to see these groups expand and grow, including new shows, logo merchandise and possibly a weekend summer performing trip. It is truly a privilege to be given this opportunity and to work with the very talented kids and staff at NCPA. She begins her senior year at LMU this fall, where she majors in dance and minors in theatre. She can’t wait to work in the new education building and to be involved with NCPA’s growth!

Chryssie Whitehead

Chryssie Whitehead has worked in film, TV, commercials and Broadway as a True Triple Threat. On the hit TV show, So You Think You Can Dance, she was the assistant to Emmy Nominated choreographer, Tyce Diorio. In the 2007 Broadway Revival of A Chorus Line, she played the role of Kristine, “the girl who can’t sing.” Chryssie was also featured in the hit documentary, Every Little Step, playing herself (2009). You can see her acting on Greys Anatomy as a bridezilla in the 4^th Season and in numerous commercials. She can be seen in Save The Last Dance as Julia Stiles’ dance double and The Producers movie with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Chryssie has danced all over the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Japan and Italy touring with Paul McCartney, Fosse, The Producers, All Shook Up and The Rockettes. Television shows also include Boston Public with American Idol’s first season, Tamyra Gray, Two And A Half Men (Choreographer), All My Children, The Tony Awards, Good Morning America, The Ellen Show, MTV Movie Awards and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Chryssie is a graduate of AMDA and is a faculty member at the Los Angeles School. She teaches privately and independently. To learn more about Chryssie’s teaching go to web.mac.com/chryssiewhitehead1.

Autumn Withers

Autumn Withers is excited to be the Director for Camp Curtain Call after being a Norris faculty member for the past two years teaching various levels of ballet, lyrical, and acting. Autumn also created a new curriculum for the Norris entitled, Becoming a Working Dancer, which covers professionalism and the business aspects of the dance industry through lecture, improvisation, and mock auditions.

Originally from the Carolina’s, Autumn Withers is a true seasoned performer. Inspired by her grand-mother, an opera singer, Autumn began performing at age three and appeared in her first film Shag: The Movie by age seven. Autumn studied ballet for 14 years and graduated high school from the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts before heading to New York. A few professional highlights include: making her Broadway debut as a principal actress and dancer at the age of 18 in the original musical Yo’ Alice directed by showman Maurice Hines, working with the late Merce Cunningham, and a three year run with the Radio City Rockettes. Education being of paramount importance, Autumn took a brief hiatus from performing in New York and earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia, managing a 4.0 GPA while studying acting with the Alliance Theatre of Atlanta. After college, Autumn made Los Angeles her home and immediately landed a role in the indie comedy Private Dancer and quickly established herself on the independent film scene! Additional credits include: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Bold and the Beautiful.

Luke Yankee

Luke Yankee has directed, produced, taught, lectured and acted throughout the country and abroad. He has run two regional theatres, serving as Producing Artistic Director of the Long Beach Civic Light Opera (one of the largest musical theatres in America) and the Struthers Library theatre, a historic landmark in northwestern Pennsylvania. He has taught and guest directed extensively at colleges, universities and conservatories throughout the U.S. and abroad, including five years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Northwestern, Ohio State, AMDA, Denison, University of New Mexico, the Folkwang Hochschule (in Essen, Germany) and three years on the faculty of Columbia College-Hollywood. For the past six years, he has been a panelist and guest instructor at the William Inge Theatre Festival, where he has perfomed with Marybeth Hurt, Holland Taylor and George Grizzard. He is also a member of their Advisory Board. He is currently on the faculty ofTheAmerican Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), teaching advanced acting and scene study. Luke has studied at the Juilliard School of Drama, New York University, Northwestern University, Circle in the Square and the Herbert Berghof Studio. (www.lukeyankee.com)