Act One Teaching Staff

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Act One Teaching Staff

Act One School of Drama in Pickering, Ontario provides training in acting for stage, film, music theatre Improvisation and more, including Theatre Summer Camps and a March Break Camp

Act One Drama Instructors

Act One's team of instructors combines a unique and positive blend of maturity and youth with a wide spectrum of experience in film, television, onstage performance, production, writing and education. Many have been with the school for years while some are recently new to Act One. What all share is a passion for and commitment to drama and theatre, along with a love of teaching. This special mix is what allows Act One to preserve its long-standing reputation as a positive and supportive learning environment for younger students while at the same time being able to expand its film and older student drama programs.

What Act One's staff never forget however, is that it is all about helping our students to learn about theatre and how drama can in return help them learn about themselves and open up many future opportunities, whether they be through pursuit of professional performance careers, applying the skills towards other occupations or just pursuing theatre for personal enjoyment and fullfilment. The staff's success at staying true to these principles is most evident in the large number of students who have been with the school for numerous years.

It has always been and will continue to be an honour and a priviledge to be given the opportunity and responsibility for helping a student discover what acting and drama can mean to them.

	Mark Nathanielsz Instructor Artistic Director Classes: Theatre for ages 17-18 Performance Class for ages 14-16 A few words about Mark...... Mark brings with him over eighteen years of theatrical experience comprising over fifty productions as actor or director, with more than another forty in design or production capacities. Possessing a career highlighted by variety, his love has been theatre and its tremendous power of communication and discovery when creativity mixes with commitment and "reality" springs from the written page of a script. He is passionate about drama's ability to positively impact people and society not just through the stage and camera but in everyday life as well. Mark is also actively involved in supporting the GTA theatre scene, currently serving as past-president of the Association of Community Theatres - Central Ontario and as a director for the boards of both Theatre Ontario and Solar Stage Children's Theatre.
	Andy Pandoff Instructor Workshops: Audition Technique and Monologue Development Finding an Agent for Actors From Text to Reality - Scene Study Exploration Lights, Camera, Action - Introduction to Acting on Camera A few words about Andy...... Andy has been involved for years with film, television and stage. His talents have taken him from film futuristic ringmaster to television matrimonal waffles and to just about every type of character one can meet on stage. With numerous directorial credits, he can view dramatic situations from many perspectives. He combines this wealth of experience with many years of secondary school teaching experience to oversee many of Act One's Workshops.
	Mike Woodbridge Instructor Classes: Adult Theatre for Ages 19+ Workshops: Just For Laughs: Acting For Comedy Mike has been a fixture on the Durham and Scarborough theatre scenes for many years. A regular performer at Herongate Barn and Class Act Dinner Theatres, not to mention numberous community theatre groups, Mike's performance and directing credits are numerous. Throughout it all, he has developed a mastery of the comedic theatre medium, whether in flat out farces or more sensitive romantic comedies. Equally experienced in the director's chair, Mike can provide multi-faceted perspectives on both comedic and more serious performance.
	Tom Anastasios Instructor Classes: Acting on Camera for ages 11-13 Acting on Camera for ages 14-18 A few words about Tom...... Tom has been actively involved in the theatre community for the past 12 years. He has worked mainly as an actor, but has also stage managed and directed several shows. His focus for the past six years has been primarily film. Having successfully completed two short films ( as producer and director )and worked on several features, his knowledge of the medium is both wide and current.
	Aaron Kyte Instructor Classes: Music Theatre for ages 7-11 Music Theatre for ages 12-15 Music Theatre for ages 16+ A few words about Aaron...... Aaron Kyte is a Toronto-based actor/singer/dancer, originally from the East Coast, who now calls Toronto home. A graduate of both The University of New Brunswick and The Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts, Aaron recently completed a lengthy run in the title role of Disney's 'Aladdin.' Prior to that, he was featured in several music videos and played Linus in a Canadian tour of 'You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.' In addition to performing, Aaron has been writing and teaching for several years, the last three of which have been spent at Act One School of Drama. Keep your eyes open for Aaron as he plays Scottish con-artist Elliot Castro in the series 'On The Run' now airing on the Discover Channel
	Ory Tracy Instructor Classes: Sketch Comedy for ages 14-18 A few words about Ory...... Ory has been involved with theatre and comedy since his early high school years, and specializes in sketch and improvisation. He is currently completing the Comedy Writing and Performance program at Humber College which is exposing him to the Toronto comedy scene. Ory has taught numerous comically oriented workshops, some on behalf of Humber College. He has been making people laugh on stage for years and looks forward to his first year at Act One.
	Michelle Morrow Instructor / Vocal Coach Classes: Music Theatre for ages 7-11 Music Theatre for ages 12-15 Music Theatre for ages 16+ A few words about Michelle...... Michelle grew up performing in community theatre. She went on to Queen’s University where she studied voice as well as percussion. While at Queen’s, Michelle was a vocal coach for both opera and musical theatre, along with playing in pit bands and orchestras. After Queen’s, Michelle studied at Randolph Academy, which also provided her with the opportunity to teach music theory after she graduated. Michelle has since worked with KidSafe Productions, where she toured schools in the GTA presenting shows about bullying and self esteem.
	Naomi Zara Instructor / Movement and Dance Coach Classes: Music Theatre for ages 7-11 Music Theatre for ages 12-15 Music Theatre for ages 16+ A few words about Naomi...... Naomi trained at the Conservatoire for Acting and Musical Theatre in England, and is an honours graduate of the Musical Theatre program at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. Naomi also studied Musical Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and Acting, Voice, Dance and Musical Theatre at the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School in Colorado. She is a member of the Canadian Actors Equity Association, and has appeared in many professional productions including the Toronto revival of HAIR at CanStage, Fiddler on the Roof, Charlotte's Web, Jasper Station, and the title roles in both Cinderella and Anne of Green Gables. Naomi takes great pleasure in teaching Acting and Musical Theatre.
	Christie Maingot Instructor Classes: Acting On Camera for Ages 11-13 Acting On Camera for Ages 14-18 Theatre Basics for Ages 5-7 Theatre for Ages 8-9 Theatre for Ages 10-11 A few words about Christie...... Christie is a graduate of the Acting for Film, Television, and Theater Program at the Toronto Film School and a recipient of their program scholarships. Christie has been involved in various student film projects and voice over work for both sound tracks and the Internet. Her experience also extends to the stage, having majored in Theater at the University of Toronto.Currently she is working on starting up her own entertainment company, which will focus on music and film.
	Logan Brown Instructor Classes: Improvisation for Ages 14+ A few words about Logan...... Logan Brown has been an active member of the Toronto improv community for the past several years. An honours graduate of Humber College's Comedy:Writing and Performance program, Logan was also a graduate of the conservatory program at Second City Toronto. More recently, he can be found performing regularly at Bad Dog Theatre in such shows as "Harold Night", "A Night At The Improv", and "Macro Neato" and at many other venues across the city.
	Nick Dipchand Instructor Classes: Theatre Basics for Ages 5-7 Theatre for Ages 8-9 Theatre for Ages 10-11 A few words about Nick...... Nick has been with Act One both as student and then instructor for over ten years. Nick truly believes that the skill of acting comes from discovering the theatrical capabilities that already exist in every student. He is a frequent guest instructor for the theatre department of Pine Ridge Secondary School in Pickering and he also leads drama workshops for the members of youth-oriented groups within his community. He has worked in productions as an actor, writer, director, sound and lighting designer, and many other backstage production roles. Nick has extensive Improvisational theatre training including the Second City Training Centre. He is also a part of the organizational team of the annual Teen Improv Tournament at the Bad Dog Theatre in Toronto. Nick is currently at Ryerson University pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre Performance: Acting.
	Ryan Murray Instructor Classes: Theatre for Ages 10-11 Theatre for Ages 12-13 Theatre for Ages 14-16 A few words about Ryan...... Ryan has been involved in theatre for over ten years. He is a graduate of Brock University with an Honours Degree in Drama in Education. He is currently completing his Masters in Education. Ryan’s theatrical experience ranges from Children’s Theatre to Improvisation. Ryan founded a non-profit traveling theatrical troupe which performed throughout the Niagara region. He has also appeared on television and in commercials. Ryan is a 3-year veteran of Act One and is also an instructor at the school. He runs both our March Break and Summer Theatre Camps. Previously he spent a number of years as a counsellor at an intensive all-summer drama camp in the United States.
	John Palmieri Instructor Classes: Theatre for Ages 10-11 Theatre for Ages 12-13 Voice Over & Radio Theatre for Ages 14-18 A few words about John...... John has spent many years acting in lead and featured roles in professional and community theatre productions, film and television projects, including most recently the stage production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Rose Theatre in Brampton. A voiceover/announcing talent for over 20 years, John has done everything from radio host, to ADR for film and television, to national commercial campaigns for Ikea, ScreamTV, Toronto Blue Jays, Casa di Mama Pizza, AutoTrader, and more. He also spent many years as a sound editor for film and television, and was part of the Emmy Award – winning sound team for the miniseries Hitler: Rise of Evil. John has also just completed his Masters of Science in Elementary Education at Medaille College in Buffalo, New York