I bring over 30 years of experience as an award-winning theatre-maker, having earned my BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and built a successful career as a Broadway actor and singer. Over time, I expanded my artistic identity to include directing and writing, and now, as an educator, I mentor emerging performers in reaching their full creative potential. I honed my teaching craft by earning an MFA in Performance Pedagogy from Loyola Marymount University in 2024, where I served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow with classroom experience in acting, voice, and movement, as well as directing undergraduate students in production.

 

COMMUNITY
My teaching philosophy is deeply shaped by my upbringing in Hawai‘i, where the culture prioritizes community, compassion, ritual, and mutual stewardship. I work to dismantle traditional classroom hierarchies via collaboration and inclusion. I emphasize ensemble-building and the collective process, guiding students through curricula that not only refine their performance skills but also cultivate lifelong tools for empathy and communication.

 

BRAVE SPACES
I am committed to fostering environments where students feel safe enough to take creative risks. I incorporate mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and somatic movement that demonstrably reduce anxiety and create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. Together, we develop student-led Community Agreements that establish collective goals and accountability. Through guided reflection, students explore their core values and implicit biases, deepening their self-awareness and emotional authenticity - critical tools for any performer.

 

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Emotional literacy is central to my pedagogy. I regularly incorporate music to access emotional memory efficiently and powerfully. Weekly journaling fosters reflective practice, helping students recognize growth and identify personal breakthroughs. I introduce tools such as Emotion Wheels to support students in understanding their emotional landscapes and translating those insights into dynamic performance choices, onstage and off.

 

DIVERSITY
My classroom is designed to amplify marginalized voices and honor each student’s unique background and intersectionality. My acting methodology draws from a broad spectrum, including Stanislavski’s System, Strasberg’s Method, and the practitioners in Black Acting Methods. I am trained in a wide array of voice and movement systems, including Lessac, Alexander, Laban, Viewpoints, IPA, Knight-Thompson Speechwork, and I curate these techniques based on each student’s goals, strengths, and lived experiences.

 

PLAY
The creative process thrives in an atmosphere of curiosity and exploration. I view the classroom as a collaborative playground where students and I discover meaning together through text work, improvisation, and moment-to-moment inspiration. To balance exploration with structure, I use detailed rubrics to provide clarity and maintain high expectations.

 

ACCESSIBILITY
Theatre must be demystified and made accessible to all communities. My curriculum is designed to be equitable, flexible, and responsive to student needs. I work to identify each student’s personal and professional aspirations and tailor lessons to support their trajectory.

 

CONCLUSION
My professional background uniquely equips me to help students navigate the gap between the practical realities of a performance career and their academic training. I guide them in developing foundational techniques while offering direct insight into the industry. Ultimately, I empower students with a diverse and efficient toolkit to build compelling characters, cultivate artistic integrity, and sustain a lifelong career in the arts.