she/her/hers
Actress, Collaborator, and Multi-Hyphenate Artist
M.LITT and MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University
B.A. in Theater Arts with an Acting Concentration from Pace University
Introduction to Improvisation
30-minute or 45-minute course can be a one-day intensive or multi-week course
This class will introduce students to improvisational comedy and build their listening, pattern-finding, and collaboration skills. Games will stimulate both mental and physical creativity and cooperation.
Using techniques and exercises from The Upright Citizen's Brigade (UCB)
Age ranges:
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Adults
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Undergraduate and/or graduate students
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High school
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Middle school
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Elementary school
Exploring Shakespeare's Text
30-minute or 45-minute course can be a one-day intensive or multi-week course
This class will introduce students to improvisational comedy and build their listening, pattern-finding, and collaboration skills. Games will stimulate both mental and physical creativity and cooperation.
Using techniques and exercises from The Upright Citizen's Brigade (UCB)
Age ranges:
-
Adults
-
Undergraduate and/or graduate students
-
High School
-
Middle school
Introduction to Performing Shakespeare
30-minute or 45-minute multi-day course (minimum 3 classes)
This course focuses on the performative aspects of Shakespeare’s text. We discuss performance conditions in Shakespeare’s time including thrust stages and audience address. After briefly introducing heightened text analysis, students use reoccurring character archetypes to jump into text performance with bold physical and vocal choices.
Using text from: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Comedy of Errors, and Macbeth
Age ranges:
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Adults
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Undergraduate and/or graduate students
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High school
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Middle school
Teaching Philosophy
Humans are innately curious. I strive to tap into my student’s innate inquisitiveness through experiential learning. When teachers include their students in the learning process itself instead of solely lecturing to them, the learning process becomes more enjoyable, and students remember course takeaways more.
As a trauma-informed instructor, I know that interest levels show themselves differently in every student. Some students want to know how things work and focus on detailed adjustments through trial and error. Others need to know the practicality of the subject, focusing on its usefulness in the real world. I understand that not all out of left field questions are meant to derail, many are student’s ways of finding their way into the subject. I over-prepare my lesson plans so there are multiple options to take based on the learning styles of my students.
My experience as an improv actor ensures that I am flexible in uncertainty and able to respond in the moment when unplanned adjustments occur. I enjoy getting to know my students individually, personalizing activities to each students’ strengths and others need their love of participation to be guided with a more zoomed-in focus.
Overall, my teaching philosophy for all my classes centers around creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, promoting critical thinking skills, and providing hands-on experiential learning opportunities. By tailoring my approach to the specific needs of each class, I hope to inspire my students to become confident, creative, and engaged learners.