Geof Alm		Geof Alm is a certified fight director and teacher for the Society of American Fight Directors. He has worked at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Opera, Seattle Shakespeare Company, The Group Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, The Huntington Theatre Company, and Missoula Children's Theatre. Alm teaches all over the Northwest, in Boston, Montana, and Louisiana, and in the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program. For Freehold, Geof currently teaches Stage Combat, Stage Combat, and Stage Combat.
Daemond Arrindell		Daemond Arrindell is the Seattle Slammaster and producer of the longest running weekly show in Seattle - the Seattle Poetry Slam. Daemond is a 5-time coach of the Seattle National Poetry Slam Team, currently ranked 6th in the nation. Workshop facilitator, community organizer, advocate and poet - holds strong to the belief that poetry is a grand tree with a vast array of brances that all contribute to the complexity of the art form. And it is the challenge of the artist to continue to push him/herself to grow within it. Daemond's love for the craft of poetry and the art of spoken word and their ability to alter the emotional state of a listener knows no bounds. For Freehold, Daemond currently teaches Spoken Word and Performance Poetry. This quarter: Spoken Word and Performance Poetry.
Gennadi Bogdanov		Gennadi Bogdanov is the founding director of the Moscow School of Theatrical Biomechanics and instructor of Biomechanics at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS), the Moscow theatre school founded by Vseveld Meyerhold. Mr. Bogdanov developed his methods through extensive study with Nikolai Kustov, actor and teacher in Meyerhold's theatre. His classes are based upon Meyerhold's original Biomechanical etudes and exercises. An actor and movement director of more than 25 years experience, Mr. Bogdanov regularly teaches in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Israel. He was honored in 1997 at Eugenio Barba's World Theatre Conference in Europe. In 1998 he taught for the first time on the West Coast at Freehold.
Lynne Compton		Lynne Compton is a certified teaching member of Alexander Technique International. She has been teaching the Alexander Technique since 1996. Throughout her training, emphasis was put toward applying the Technique to the skills required by performers. She has taught at Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program, the University of Washington, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Pacific University, and others. She has been a Freehold faculty member for five years - five rich and invigorating years. For Freehold, Lynne currently teaches Alexander Technique, Advanced Alexander Technique, and Singing and the Alexander Technique. This quarter: Alexander Technique.
Vincent Delaney		Vincent Delaney's plays include THE ART OF BAD MEN, PERPETUA, MLK AND THE FBI, and KUWAIT, which won the Heideman Award and was produced in the Humana Festival. His work has been developed at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Magic, National New Play Network, Woolly Mammoth, the Empty Space, the Jungle, PlayLabs, the Illusion, the New Harmony Project, Pittsburgh Public and the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. Commissions include the Guthrie, the Children's Theatre Company, Seattle Public Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, the Cleveland Playhouse, the Great American History Theatre, and a Jerome Commission from Commonweal Theatre. His short play ACCELERATION RED won the Lamia Ink! playwriting contest and was featured at Harrogate Theatre (UK). He is the recipient of a Bush Fellowship, a McKnight Fellowship, the University of Alabama's Apsey Award, the Nathan Miller Award, and an Artist Grant from the Seattle Arts Commission. His work is published by Smith and Kraus, Heineman, Samuel French, Dramatics Magazine and Playscripts.com. Vince is a Core Member of the Playwrights Center and a Principal Playwright with Seattle Dramatists. Vince has taught and held residencies at St. Olaf College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Central Washington University, the Guthrie, the Intiman, and ACT. He teaches young playwrights in Seattle. For Freehold, Vincent currently teaches Playwriting I: Exploring the Craft, and New Play Lab: From Page to Performance.
Stefan Enriquez		Stefan Enriquez has been an actor and teacher in Seattle for the last 13 years. He studied at Western Washington University and the Pasqualini-Smith Studio. He has performed on numerous stages including the Seattle Repertory Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, the Seattle Children's Theatre, and the Empty Space Theatre where he appeared in the West Coast Premiere of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me. He has taught acting as an artist-in-residence for the Seattle Rep and the Seattle Children's Theatre. He can be seen in several feature films, local and national commercials, corporate videos, print, and television--most recently on the series The Fugitive, and Citizen Baines. For Freehold, Stefan currently teaches Auditioning for the Camera.
Drew Fracher		Drew Fracher is a Fight Master of the Society of American Fight Directors. His work as a Fight Director has been seen at theatres throughout the United States, including Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Missouri Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The George Street Playhouse, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and the Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky Shakespeare Festivals and Shenandoah Shakespeare Express. He is a Master Teacher of stage movement and combat, instructing students at training programs and universities across the United States and internationally. Mr. Fracher is an honorary member of the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat and the Nordic Stage Fight Society. Mr. Fracher served as a Master Teacher at the first International Stage Combat Workshop, held in London, England. His fight credits include the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and numerous Humana Festival plays at Actor's Theatre of Louisville. He is also a director with credits from Florida Stage, the New American Theatre, the Human Race Theatre Co as well as several Shakespeare festivals.
Kate Godman		Kate Godman graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury. As a student, she worked with Neil Labute's Free Theater Company, performing in All Men Are Whores, The Actor's Nightmare, One for the Road and Passion; she has continued acting intermittently throughout her career. Locally, she has been seen in Book-It Repertory Theatre's production of Howard's End (Dolly) and New City Theatre's Much Ado About Nothing (Ursula). After graduating, she worked at London's Royal Court Theatre and was co-artistic director of the Dondie Rockett Theatre Company. She earned her Master's Degree in theatre studies at the University of Kansas with a thesis on the work of Monstrous Regiment. In 1998, Ms. Godman joined Intiman Theatre, where she serves as Associate Director: Casting and Artistic Relations. For Freehold, Kate currently teaches Auditioning: Prepared and Cold Readings, Auditioning, and Auditioning. This quarter: Auditioning: Prepared and Cold Readings.
Matt Goodrich		Matt Goodrich has been an extremely active musician for the 19 years he has lived in Seattle. He has music directed and played keyboards for scores of musicals, from community productions to national touring shows at the Paramount and 5th Avenue theaters. A frequent competition winner, Matt has soloed with orchestras and performed at festivals throughout the United States and Canada. He has enjoyed a long collaboration with diverse performing groups such as the Northwest Boychoir and a consortium of Washington State composers, who commissioned him to perform a extensive series of concerts featuring their works. A graduate of Oberlin College Conservatory and the University of Washington School of Music, Matt is also a trainee at the Alexander Technique Training and Performance Studio in Seattle. For Freehold, Matt currently teaches Singing and the Alexander Technique.
Gin Hammond		Gin Hammond received her MFA from the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University / Moscow Art Theatre School. A native of San Diego, she has worked steadily across the country at theatres such as The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The Longwharf Theatre, ACT, The Pasadena Playhouse, ART, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Studio Theatre. She has also performed internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre and the Roadside Theatre in Heidelberg, Germany. Additionally, Ms. Hammond is a grant recipient of the Ford Mellon Foundation for her work on a multi-cultural anthology of plays, under the auspices of Ms. Ruby Dee. Favorite performances include Leafy Lee in Polk County, voted one of the top ten plays of 2002 by the New York Times, the 24 characters of The Syringa Tree, and the highly vulnerable yet Machiavellian character of Wendy/Zena in the remarkable play by Cassandra Medley entitled NoonDay Sun -- one of several plays Ms. Hammond has appeared in portraying the compelling dynamics of racial ambiguity. For Freehold, Gin currently teaches Voice, Voice II, Voice Intensive, Voice-Over, and Fitzmaurice Voicework Intensive. This quarter: Fitzmaurice Voicework Intensive, and Voice.
Elizabeth Heffron		Elizabeth's plays include MITZI'S ABORTION, which won the 2005 ACT Theatre New Play Award and was produced by ACT in July, 2006, and NEW PATAGONIA, produced by the Seattle Repertory Theatre and selected for the 'Alternative Reading Series' at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. Her work has also been seen locally at Annex Theatre, 14/48 Festival, New City Theatre, and Freehold Theatre, where she's finished a second season working with Robin Lynn Smith and the inmates of the Washington Correctional Center for Women. Elizabeth has written three site-specific musicals for Seattle's One Reel Productions, including ICICLE TIMES, which featured 250 performers, two chickens, and a horse, and spawned three more years of work writing the ICICLE TIMES RADIO HOUR. Her other plays and solo performance pieces include AN ALTERED LIFE, THE MAIN ROOM, BABIES, BROADS, AND BREAD, MOSES LAKE and MORPHOMETRICS, and have been staged in Seattle, Vancouver BC, San Francisco, St. Louis, and New York. She teaches playwriting in the schools through ACT's Young Playwrights Program, and is the recipient of several grants from the Seattle Arts Commission, as well as a Playwriting Fellowship from Artist Trust and the Washington State Arts Commission. She's a principal playwright at Seattle Dramatists, and a member of the Dramatists Guild. For Freehold, Elizabeth currently teaches Playwriting I: Exploring the Craft, Playwriting II: The Playwright's Vision, Playwriting III: Structure and Action, and New Play Lab: From Page to Performance. This quarter: New Play Lab: From Page to Performance.
Tim Hyland		Tim has been a professional actor, director, and educator in Seattle for 17 years. As an actor he has performed at The Seattle Shakespeare Company, The Rep, ACT Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Bathhouse, CHAC, On The Boards, and Strawshop. As a director his work has been seen at ACT's Young Playwright's Program, Theater Schmeater, HOE Productions, The Bathhouse, AHA Theatre, One World Theatre, and 14/48. As an educator he has taught for Seattle Children's Theatre, One World Theatre, Seattle Public Theater, The Bathhouse, and Macha Monkey. He is a one on one acting and dialect coach. He has coached dialects for One World Theater, Driftwood Players, CHAC, and Theater Schmeater. He is the Artistic Director of The Street Playwright's Project, which couples Seattle's homeless youth with professional artists to create original theatre. For Freehold, Tim currently teaches Accent Study.
John Jacobsen		John Jacobsen has written, directed, and produced feature films in Los Angeles, worked on and off Broadway in New York, directed commercials all over the world, but lives here in Seattle. He founded TheFilmSchool (www.thefilmschool.com) with the actor Tom Skerritt, and has taught at UCLA and many fine institutions across the country. For Freehold, John currently teaches Acting for the Camera, and Directing and Acting for the Camera. This quarter: Acting for the Camera.
Mark Jenkins		Mark Jenkins (Founding Partner) has been an actor for nearly 30 years, working in New York, Hollywood, and Seattle. He has appeared on and Off-Broadway, in dozens of television series including his own, and in several feature films, among them Apocalypse Now. He has played major roles at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman, Empty Space and ACT. He has directed Othello, Golden Boy, Long Day's Journey Into Night, The Birthday Party, The Workroom and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His play All Powers Necessary and Convenient was produced at the University of Washington School of Drama. A lifetime member of the famed Actor's Studio, he also the head of UW's Professional Actor Training Program. For Freehold, Mark currently teaches Refining the Acting Process.
Jessica Jobaris		Jessica Jobaris received her Yoga Teacher Training thru Pacific Yoga, having studied also at Samadhi, 8 limbs, and Om Yoga in NYC. She has taught yoga at Seattle Pacific University, University Prep Academy, various local Community Centers and private dance studios, during summers in Central Park, and most recently at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. As a dance/theatre performer, she has spent the last 8 years working with companies Scott/Powell Performance, Seattle Mime Theatre, Maureen Whiting Company, Bryon Carr Performance (NYC), and with her own physical-theatre company, corpuscorpus movement association. She has been privileged to work collaboratively with theatre/movement performers George Lewis and John Paulsen, and has been guest artist/commissioned choreographer at notable venues, schools and private studios in Washington, British Columbia and Idaho. Jessica has been slowly braising in the Yoga oven for the past 15 years. For Freehold, Jessica currently teaches Yoga for Actors.
Marya Sea Kaminski		Marya Sea Kaminski has written, produced, and performed more than twenty solo performance pieces. Her original work has been seen at La Mama ETC and Performance Space 122 in New York City, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and in venues all over Seattle. She is a performer, director, and teacher and has been seen as the First Lady in the Washington Ensemble Theatre's production of LAURA'S BUSH and in the title role of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE at the Seattle Repertory Theatre as well as many other roles. She holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA in Acting from the University of Washington. Marya is also proud to be a founding member of the Washington Ensemble Theatre. For Freehold, Marya currently teaches Step I: Intro, Step II: Acting With Text, Step III: Scene Study: Text, Step III: Basic Scene Study, and Solo Performance and Presentation. This quarter: Solo Performance and Presentation Intensive, and Step II: Acting with Text.
Darragh Kennan		Darragh Kennan is a renowned actor who has performed extensively in Seattle and throughout the country. Credits include THE RESISTABLE RISE OF ARTURO AI and STONES IN HIS POCKETS at CHAC, THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE and ROMEO AND JULIET at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, as well as HAY FEVER at the Tacoma Actor's Guild and many others. For Freehold, Darragh currently teaches Step I: Intro.
Cyrus Khambatta		Cyrus Khambatta is the Artistic Director for Phffft! Dance Theatre Company. His dance theater works have been presented in twelve US states, throughout Europe as well as in Russia and Latin America by Phffft!, Ririe Woodbury Dance (Salt Lake City), Pisorojo (Caracas), Spectrum Dance Theater, and others. His work with his company has been presented by festivals and venues including The Spoleto Festival USA (NC) The Innovators Series (VA), The Center for Art and Research of Mont. St. Aignan (Rouen, France) The Aula Magna at The Central University of Venezuela, The '98 World Expo (Lisbon), The Centre Choregraphic National de Tours as well as receiving the support of numerous foundations including The Morrison and Foerster Foundation, Meet the Composer, The Harkness Foundation, The Florence Gould Foundation and here in Seattle, Bossak Heilbron, 4Culture, and the Seattle Arts Commission. In 2003, his choreographic work received California's Daman New Choreography Award. He has lectured and taught at numerous universities in the U.S as well as at institutions such as the Canal Danse, the Contemporary Dance Theater (TCD), and Projet D'ici in Paris and at the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation in NY. Locally he has taught at Cornish College, University of Washington, Western Washington University, Seattle Theatre Group's Dance This, Velocity Dance Center and Freehold Studio Theatre. For Freehold, Cyrus currently teaches Physical Theatre, Physical Theatre, Physical Theatre Workshop, and Dance Theatre.
George Lewis		George Lewis (Founding Partner, Associate Director) has been working in the field of movement theatre for over 30 years. His background includes extensive study in corporeal mime with Etienne Decroux in Paris, in the Biomechanics of Meyerhold with Russian master teacher Gennadi Bogdanov, and circus skills at the National Circus School in Paris. His work is deeply steeped in the tradition of ensemble theatre and original creation: he has worked with Mirage and Studebaker in Boston, Omnibus in Montreal, and the Sykes Group in Seattle. He has been teaching acting and movement across the U.S. and Canada since 1978, and currently teaches for the Dalcroye Society down at Cornish College for the Arts, and as core faculty at Freehold. For Freehold, George currently teaches Accelerated Intro I and II, Rehearsal and Performance, Comedy Scene Study, Movement, Movement II: Generating Power, Movement III: The Imaginative Body, Personal Clown, Intermediate Clown, Physical Theatre, and Movement Intensive. This quarter: Movement Intensive, and Rehearsal and Performance.
Keira McDonald		Keira McDonald is an actor and teaching artist based in Seattle. She trained with Thomas Prattki at The London International School of Performing Arts and holds an M.F.A. in Lecoq-based actor created theatre. Her personal clown "Flossy" was last seen in Annex Theatre's PSUEDO OMEGA. She has trained with Giovanni Fusetti in personal clown. Her original one woman shows have been seen at Theatre Off Jackson, Re-bar, Frontera Fest (voted best in fest,) Manhattan Theatre Source's Estrogenius festival, The Mae West Fest, CHAC and have won critical acclaim and toured to sold-out houses across the Canadian Fringe Circuit. She is the Founder and Festival Director of Theatre Off Jackson's Annual Solo Performance Festival (SPF.) She teaches movement for actors at Cornish College of the Arts. She has been on the faculty of Seattle Children's Theatre Drama School since 1997. For Freehold, Keira currently teaches Personal Clown, and Movement Intensive.
Jacqueline Moscou		Jacqueline Moscou (Actress/Director) has been a working artist for more than 25 years. She began her training as a nine-year old at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, graduated from the High School of Performing Arts, and toured Europe and the U.S. during the 1970s with the New York City Street theatre and the Performance Group. She is a mentor to artists of color, an activist in multicultural educations, and a consultant to many of Seattle's cultural centers. She is an ardent advocate for community accountability to the arts and artist accountability to the community. Ms. Moscou is currently the Artistic Director of Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center. She has directed for the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center, the Northwest Asian Theatre, and co-founded a professional wing of the Paul Robeson Community Theatre with a highly successful production of the South African play Homeland. She remains an associate artist at Intiman Theatre. Seattle credits include A RAISEN IN THE SUN, BLACK NATIVITY: A GOSPEL SONG PLAY, CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY, HAVING OUR SAY, FLYIN' WEST, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, SPUNK, BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY and A ... MY NAME IS STILL ALICE. Since 1984, she has been a member of the women's peace shows WORD OF MOUTH, MOST DANGEROUS WOMEN, AIN'T A WOMAN, and I DREAM A WORLD. Her projects have been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts; Seattle, King County, and Washington State Arts Commissions; and Washington and Oregon Commission for the Humanities. For Freehold, Jacqueline currently teaches Step III: Basic Scene Study.
Paul Mullin		Paul Mullin is a renowned playwright whose works includes the recently produced TUESDAY (by Annex Theatre at the CHAC) as well as LOUIS SLOTIN SONATA at The Empty Space Theatre. Paul Mullin's LOUIS SLOTIN SONATA won the L.A. Drama Critics Award and was read by invitation before scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. His play, THE SEQUENCE, about the race to decode the human genome, was commissioned by Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and won First Prize for Stage Play in the 2005 Writers Digest Competition. His upcoming play THE TEN THOUSAND THINGS will be produced this spring at the Washington Ensemble Theatre. For Freehold, Paul currently teaches Playwriting I: Exploring the Craft, and New Play Lab: From Page to Performance.
Brennan Murphy		Brennan Murphy arrived in Seattle in 2005 after heading up the acting program at California State University Sacramento. Prior to that Brennan had a twenty-year career as a professional actor in NYC and at regional theaters around the U.S. He received his MFA in Acting from the Yale School of Drama and a Postgraduate Degree in Voice Studies and Text Interpretation from London's Central School of Speech and Drama, where he was awarded the mark of Distinction in Teaching. As a professional actor, Brennan has performed dozens of professional productions. On Broadway, he was a featured actor in Angela Lansbury's revival of MAME, in Hal Prince/NYC Opera's production of CANDIDE, as well as TAKE ME ALONG. He is a founding member of two experimental theatre companies in NYC: Cucaracha Theatre and the Gertrude Stein Repertory Theatre. As an educator, he has taught acting, voice, and movement at the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in NYC, American Music and Dramatic Academy, Illinois State University, University of Illinois (UIUC), SUNY at Buffalo State College. In London he taught at Central School of Speech and Drama, Rose Bruford College, and Middlesex University. In Australia Brennan was a guest faculty member of Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts. Over the years he has worked professionally or studied with leading talents: Colleen Dewhurst, Jason Robards, Robert Lewis, Earle Gister, Lloyd Richards, Cicely Berry, Patsy Rodenburg, Anna Sokolow, Robert Joffrey, and many others. For Freehold, Brennan currently teaches Advanced Scene Study: Classic Realism, Auditioning, Auditioning, Accent Study, and Advanced Scene Study.
Lucia Neare		Lucia Neare is a classical singer, theater artist, sculptor, performer, and teacher. She has taught voice in Seattle for the past 10 years and specializes in applying the Alexander Technique to the study of voice. As a vocal artist Lucia is unique in that she has trained extensively and performed both in western classical music (opera) and the south Indian Karnatic classical vocal tradition. Currently, she is Artistic Director of Lucia Neare Productions and specializes in the creation of interactive site specific theatrical marvels. She collaborates with many artists to bring these works to life, including Cathy Madden (Theatrical Director) and Matt Goodrich (Musical Director). Her work has been commissioned and supported by On the Boards, 4Culture, The Nature Consortium, GGLO/Harbor Steps (2008), Duvall Cultural Commission, Auburn Arts Commission (2008), and the Mayor's Office Arts and Cultural Affairs. She studied music at Mount Holyoke College and theater/contemporary performance at Naropa University. For Freehold, Lucia currently teaches Singing and the Alexander Technique.
Lisa Norman		Lisa Norman holds an MFA degree in Acting from the Univ. of Tennessee, with additional training at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She furthered her studies of voice and text with noted RSC Voice Director Cicely Berry. She has taught on the faculties of several acting programs, including the Univ. of South Carolina and Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, and has served as Vocal Coach in theatre and film. A member of Screen Actors Guild, AFTRA, and Actor's Equity, Lisa's career as a performer spans work in theatre, film and television over the past 25 years. For Freehold, Lisa currently teaches Voice.
Jake Perrine		Jake Perrine is a graduate of Hampshire College where he wrote, composed and directed his first full length operatic piece entitled "Vamp" which went on to be staged at NYC's Lamb's Theatre in Times Square in 2001, and is currently in development for a production Hungary. He is a founding member of the Thirteenth Tribe (now D13) theatre company. He has performed, composed, sound designed and directed orginal work in Massachusetts, Chicago, NYC, and Seattle. He has been trained in Tadashi Suzuki's physical actor training by Eric Hill and members of the SITI Company and still enjoys training and teaching the training to this day. For Freehold, Jake currently teaches Physical Theatre, and Physical Theatre Workshop.
Timothy Piggee		Timothy Piggee has been teaching and performing in the Seattle area for many years. As an actor he has worked on most local stages, including Intiman Theatre, The Group Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Empty Space Theatre, Tacoma Actor's Guild, A Contemporary Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre. He has also taught acting for Seattle Children's Theatre, Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center, and Cornish College of the Arts. For Freehold, Timothy currently teaches Step III: Basic Scene Study.
Shelley Reynolds		Shelley Reynolds was most recently seen in the world premiere of MITZI'S ABOTION at ACT Theatre and is well known for her lead performances at the Empty Space, featured roles at Seattle Rep and Intiman, and her groundbreaking work with Greek Active and One World Tour. She received her Masters Degree from University of Washington under the nationally acclaimed theatre Guru, Jack Clay, where she also taught acting classes. For seven years she studied with the internationally renowned Shakespearean and co-artistic director of Stratford on Avon, Barry Kyle. Reynolds has taught with Intiman's Living History Program, is work certified with onstage combat and has conducted Stage Movement workshops. For Freehold, Shelley currently teaches Step I: Intro, Step II: Acting With Text, and Rehearsal and Performance.
Hal Ryder		Hal Ryder has directed more than 150 plays, most recently THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR at The Seattle Center. He also has just served as an American Cultural Specialist to Pakistan for the State Department. Since 1982, he has taught Acting Shakespeare at Cornish College of the Arts. Previously he was Artistic Director at The Mercury Theatre, London, England; The Fringe Theatre, Florida; Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theatre; Seattle Public Theatre and Shakespeare Plus. He headed the professional actor-training program at Drama Studio London at Berkeley. He is a graduate of the professional acting conservatory at Drama Studio London and holds a bachelor's degree in Drama from The University of Washington. He currently runs EARS, Inc. (Educational Arts Resource Services), developing theatre databases for educators and libraries, and offering special training in Shakespeare, Restoration Comedy, Audition and more. For Freehold, Hal currently teaches Shakespeare II: Classical Text.
Gary Schwartz		Gary Schwartz is a former student and associate of Viola Spolin Ð known as the Mother of the Improvisational movement. He began his apprenticeship to Ms. Spolin in 1977 and is founder and director of The Spolin Games Players, a group of established actors performing Spolin Games in Los Angeles since 1988. Gary has pursued a dramatic acting career, highlighted by his performance in the award winning film, QUEST FOR FIRE. Other film credits include THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME, and a film parody of "My Dinner With Andre", entitled MY BRUNCH WITH ANDREA (which he also wrote and produced). On television, Gary has a co-starring role to Ben Vareen on Hallmark Properties' Emmy winning ZOOBILEE ZOO as the comical Bravo Fox, an Actor/Impressario extraordinaire. He also contributed to the show as a writer as well with many storylines and an episode or two. He has been a featured guest in two editions of FAERIE TALE THEATRE; a writer and series regular on The Disney Channel's YOU AND ME, KID; and his face may be recognized from TV guest appearances and commercials. Gary's other activities include looping for film and TV, including providing various background voices for Star Trek the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager as well as hundreds of other TV and film projects. For Freehold, Gary currently teaches Advanced Improvisation.
Judith Shahn		Judith Shahn has been teaching at Freehold since its inception; classes include Vocal Production, Shakespeare, Verse & Voice, and The Shakespeare Intensive. Judith Shahn has been on the faculty of the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program for over 18 years. She is a leading vocal and dialect coach in the Northwest and is a designated Linklater Teacher. Judith has coached for The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Utah Shakespearean Festival and coached and performed with Shakespeare and Company. She is also influenced by the work of Cicely Berry, Patsy Rodenberg and John Barton, to name a few. For Freehold, Judith currently teaches Shakespeare: Speaking the Verse.
Matt Smith		Matt Smith has taught thousands of people to improvise. He has taught at Freehold since 1991, and also teaches at Seattle University. He has improvised for 16 years as a member of None of the Above, Seattle Improv, Seattle Theatre Sports, and Stark Raving Theatre, where he and Edward Sampson used improvisation to develop scripted performances. Solo endeavors include MY LAST YEAR WITH THE NUNS, HELIUM, and BEYOND KINDNESS: ESSAYS IN CHILDREARING. Screen credits include Sleepless in Seattle, Spiderman, and Almost Live. He designs communication training programs for businesses and organizations using the concepts of improv as a foundation. Learn more about Matt: www.matt-smith.net. For Freehold, Matt currently teaches Improvisation, and Improvisation Intensive. This quarter: Improvisation Intensive.
Robin Lynn Smith		Robin Lynn Smith (Founding Partner/Artistic Director) has worked for the past 27 years acting, directing, and teaching in Chicago, Boston, Seattle, and New York, where she directed Curse Of The Starving Class Off-Broadway at the Promenade Theatre. As Artist in Residence at Seattle Repertory Theatre, she directed several productions, most recently the workshop of New Patagonia by Seattle playwright Elizabeth Heffron. She has also directed at The Empty Space Theatre, New City Theatre, ACT, Seattle Children's Theatre, and Intiman Theatre (where she is an Affiliate Artist). At Freehold, she directed the award-winning investigation of THE SEAGULL, AN ALTERED LIFE, THE THREE SISTERS, THE TEMPEST and for the Engaged Theatre Tour: VERONIKA FALLING. She directed Common Threads: a Journey Home, which was created and performed by inmates at the Washington Correction Center for Women. She has taught at NYU, the University of Washington, and is presently on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts. For Freehold, Robin currently teaches Foundation: Step I, Instrument: Step II, and Text: Step III.
Paul Morgan Stetler		Paul is a professional actor who regularly appears at Seattle's larger theaters. He has played leading roles at Seattle Rep, ACT, Intiman, Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company and Empty Space as well as numerous theaters around the country. As a teacher, Paul was a long-time instructor at the recently defunct Northwest Actor's Studio and has also taught at Bellevue Community College, Seattle Shakespeare Company and has been a private monologue coach for almost ten years. He holds an MFA in acting from Penn State University. This quarter: Shakespeare Intensive.
David Taft		David has worked in movement theater for over twenty-five years, performing in mask, movement, and Commedia dell'Arte with a number of ensemble companies, such as Two Penny Theater, the Stained Glass Company, and Creation Company. He has extensive touring credits, and worked Off-Broadway for five seasons with movement artists and directors including Peter Lobdell, Susan Mosakowski, and Ken Kelleher, and has worked locally at Theater For the New City, On The Boards, Seattle Rep, the Allegro Dance Series and Freehold. David has been Artist- in- Residence instructor in mask and Commedia dell'Arte at the secondary and college level, a freelance movement coach and mask consultant for stage and television, and a radio voice-over artist. As a teacher, he has since 1992 trained actors in mask, movement and clown at Cornish College of the Arts, and is a full time associate professor in the theater program. David has also taught classes at Freehold and private workshops in the Seattle area. Trained with Michael Howard, Tony Montanaro, Carlo Mazzone- Clemente and Gennadi Bogdanov; graduate of the Dell'Arte School; University of Washington, B.A.; Seattle University, M.I.T.
Amy Thone		Amy Thone has been grappling professionally with Shakespeare's plays for twenty-two years, as an actor, director, dramaturge and teacher. She is an Artistic Associate of Seattle Shakespeare Company, and a faculty member of Cornish College of the Arts. Amy has performed throughout Seattle and will be seen in an upcoming production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at INTIMAN. For Freehold, Amy currently teaches Step II: Acting With Text, Shakespeare, and Shakespeare Intensive. This quarter: Shakespeare Intensive.
Annette Toutonghi		Annette Toutonghi has been living, teaching and performing in the Northwest, on stage and in film, for the last 15 years. She's worked with many local theatres including A Contemporary Theatre, On the Boards, Portland International Center for the Arts, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Empty Space Theatre, Tacoma Actor's Guild, The Seattle Group Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Last fall, she performed with Megan Murphy and Company for the Theatre De La Villette at the National Center for Dance in Paris. This coming fall she performed in THE WOMEN at A Contemporary Theatre. She is a voice-over artist as well, credits include the Freddi Fish series, Pajama Sam and Sly Cooper: Honor Among Thieves. Annette received her B.A. from Middlebury College and her M.F.A. from the University of Washington's Professional Actor's Training Program. For Freehold, Annette currently teaches Step I: Intro, Step II: Acting With Text, Step III: Scene Study: Text, and Step III: Basic Scene Study. This quarter: Step I: Intro, and Step III: Basic Scene Study.
Amy Wheeler		Amy Wheeler is a Seattle-based playwright whose nationally produced plays include recent world premieres: Wizzer Pizzer at 7 Stages in Atlanta (2005), Weeping Woman (2003) and Kiss It! (2004) at Stark Raving Theatre in Portland, and Two Birds & A Stone at Seattle's Capitol Hill Arts Center (2004). Her adaptation of Paulo Coelho's novel Veronika Decides to Die, entitled Veronika Falling (commissioned by Freehold) was performed for incarcerated women in the Washington Correction Center for Woman (2004). Amy's work has also been produced in New York, at the Greenwich Street Theatre and the Guggenheim Museum, and through the New York Drama League's New Directors/New Works project. Awards include a New York Foundation for the Arts sponsorship, two fellowships from Artists' Trust in Seattle, and a Yaddo residency. Amy is on the Board of the Hedgebrook women writer's retreat on Puget Sound. In addition to being Freehold's playwriting instructor, she teaches at Cornish College of the Arts and in ACT Theatre's Young Playwrights Program, and is a guest instructor at the Playwright's Foundation in San Francisco. Amy holds an MFA from University of Iowa's Playwrights Workshop, and is currently Stark Raving Theatre's playwright-in-residence. For Freehold, Amy currently teaches Playwriting I: Exploring the Craft, Playwriting II: The Playwright's Vision, Playwriting III: Structure and Action, and New Play Lab: From Page to Performance.
Kimberly White		Kimberly has taught voice & text for the past 15 years. She has been the Text/Voice Director with Seattle Shakespeare Company since 2003, where she has worked on over fifteen productions and directed for the Education program. She has also been a long time faculty member of Shakespeare & Company, based in Lenox, Mass. She served as Associate Director to Tina Packer at the 1999 Harvard/Radcliff production of Richard III. Kimberly has worked with Maryland Shakespeare Festival, Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival, & Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. She coached Gerard Schwartz on the "Musically Speaking" CD series, and recently served as script/voice coach for the award winning documentary, "The Corporal's Boots". Kimberly is a Designated Linklater Voice Teacher, & a member of VASTA. She received her BFA from California Institute of the Arts. For Freehold, Kimberly currently teaches Voice-Over.
Kate Wisniewski		Kate Wisniewski is an actor, instructor, and private coach. She has appeared locally on several Seattle stages, and at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA, where she appeared in HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE with Debra Winger and in the world premiere of Mac Wellman's HYPATIA. Kate is a graduate of the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. She is a Certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework and also teaches at Seattle University. For Freehold, Kate currently teaches Voice, and Voice II.
Brian Yorkey		Brian Yorkey's stage credits include book and lyrics for the Jonathan Larson award-winning FEELING ELECTRIC, which recently completed a sold-out run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and is currently in development for an off-Broadway production at Second Stage in New York, under the direction of James Lapine. Brian also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical adaptation of Ang Lee's award-winning film THE WEDDING BANQUET, which in 2003 had a sold-out tour of Asia and a premiere production in Seattle. His musical MAKING TRACKS has performed to sold-out audiences regionally and internationally. Concept albums for both shows were released by Sony Music International. He recently wrote a new book for the country musical PLAY IT BY HEART, and his play THE BOOK OF JOBS (co-authored with Alex Glover) was presented by Brooklyn's International WOW company in 2002. Brian also serves as Associate Artistic Director at Village Theater in Washington State. He divides his time among New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Brian is currently writing the musical feature film TIME AFTER TIME for Universal Pictures. For Freehold, Brian currently teaches Directors' Lab.