I am a musical theatre educator, director, and performer whose teaching is grounded in professional practice, pedagogical research, and a commitment to preparing undergraduate students for sustainable careers in the performing arts. I earned my BFA in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and later completed an MFA in Performance Pedagogy at Loyola Marymount University, where I taught acting, voice, and movement and directed undergraduates in production. My approach reflects over thirty years of professional experience in musical theatre and a belief in conservatory-style training that is rigorous, humane, and responsive to the evolving realities of performance.
 

Acting Training for Musical Theatre Students

My primary pedagogical focus is acting for musical theatre students, with particular attention to the integration of text, voice, movement, and music. Musical theatre acting demands emotional immediacy supported by a sophisticated understanding of how music shapes intention, impulse, and narrative momentum. In my classes, students learn to analyze how melody, harmony, rhythm, and orchestration reinforce emotional stakes, allowing acting choices to emerge from musical structure while maintaining physical and vocal sustainability.

I design studio-based courses that emphasize presence, impulse, and ensemble awareness, drawing from methodologies including Stanislavski-based analysis, Viewpoints, Lessac, Laban-informed movement, Spolin-based improvisation, and text-driven musical analysis. These frameworks help students connect intention to action and develop adaptable tools they can apply across styles, genres, and professional contexts.

Ensemble, Collaboration, and Studio Culture

My teaching is deeply influenced by my upbringing in Hawai‘i, where collaboration, mutual responsibility, and community stewardship are cultural values. In the classroom, I prioritize ensemble-building and shared accountability, recognizing that performance training flourishes when students understand themselves as part of an interconnected artistic ecosystem.

Early in each course, students establish community agreements that clarify expectations around communication, rehearsal process, and collective responsibility. These structures create learning environments that support risk-taking, persistence, and artistic growth.

Emotional Intelligence and Reflective Practice

Emotional intelligence is central to my pedagogy. I integrate reflective practices such as journaling, guided discussion, and structured feedback to help students recognize patterns in their creative work and articulate their artistic development. Mindfulness, breath work, and somatic awareness practices support emotional regulation and resilience, equipping students to navigate performance anxiety, feedback, and the sustained demands of rehearsal and production.

Inclusive and Individualized Training

I approach training as inclusive and individualized by design. Drawing from a wide range of acting, voice, and movement traditions, including the Luckett Paradigm, Alexander Technique, Knight-Thompson Speechwork, IPA, and Viewpoints, I curate techniques in response to students’ identities, learning styles, and artistic goals. This approach affirms that excellence is not singular or prescriptive, but rigorously achieved through multiple pathways.

Professional Preparation and Teaching Through Production

My professional work as a director, dramaturg, stage manager, and performer directly informs my teaching and keeps my pedagogy current. Production work functions as a vital learning space where students apply technique under real-world conditions while engaging with contemporary stagecraft, rehearsal methodologies, and evolving dramaturgical practices.

Conclusion

At the center of my teaching philosophy is the conviction that performance training must be both exacting and deeply human. I aim to develop artists who think critically, communicate clearly, and collaborate generously, leaving my classroom prepared not simply to perform, but to sustain meaningful creative lives in a complex and evolving field.