YC Faculty
Faculty
Andy Alabran
Acting, Voice & Dialect
Biography
Andy Alabran received his B.A. in Theater from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his M.F.A. in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater. He is a teacher, director, and performer. He has taught at the American Conservatory Theater Young Conservatory and Studio, California Shakespeare Theater, Oakland School for the Arts, 826 Valencia (Tenderloin), Voice One, Stagebridge, Mission High, Burton High School, and Hayward High School. He was the Voice and Speech coach for Y.C. productions: Begets and Wolves. He directed the Y.C. Actor’s Ensemble productions: Electra, The Glass Menagerie, Discovering Beckett, and The Importance of Being Earnest. He has performed with Theatre First, Shotgun Players, and Killing My Lobster. A current company member of the Shotgun Players since 2000, his acting credits include Woyzeck, The Death of Meyerhold, A Seagull in the Hamptons, Truffaldino Says No (world premiere), and Mother Courage. He served as Creative Director with San Francisco’s premiere sketch comedy group Killing My Lobster.
Robert Allen
Accompanist
Biography
Robert Allen is a keyboardist and singer-songwriter based in the Bay Area, performing under the stage name Robert “Neutron” Sound. He graduated cum laude in 2017 from Berklee College of Music, majoring in jazz composition, and currently plays with jazz/Americana group Black Market Blues. Robert has been accompanying classes at the YC since 2019.
Credits
https://rneutronsound.com
Kristy Aquino
Musical Theater, Acting
Biography
Kristy Aquino is thrilled to be teaching at A.C.T. Previous camps and teaching include the Audacity Performing Arts Project and TheatreWorks, as well as currently teaching music at St. Patrick School in Rodeo. She can also be found performing around the Bay Area, most recently in The SpongeBob Musical at Palo Alto Players, where she had the most fun with the younger audience members. It's an absolute dream to be bringing theatre and theatre education to a younger generation.
Kimberly Braun
Private Coach, Musical Theater, Voice
Biography
Kimberly Braun has been a YC teaching artist since 2017. Kim earned her Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Southern California where she studied opera, musical theater, and jazz. She independently released an album of her own music “Growing Up” and wrote and performed the award winning one-woman musical A Woman Grows in Brooklyn. Kim received her Master of Arts in Theater Arts from San Jose State University, and she launched Citizen Workshops: a Haven for Performing Artists in Los Angeles. She also works as a teaching artist with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and as a Music Director for the San Leandro Unified School District.
Credits
Janel Chanté
Musical Theater, Acting
Biography
Born and raised in the Sacramento area of California, Janel Chanté found her passion for music and entertainment in her adolescence going on to perform at various sports events and festivals leading up to her writing and releasing her top three singles : “Meditation”, “Queen”, & “Play” as well as her female empowerment inspired music video for her song “Queen”.
Additionally, Janel attended “Academy of Art University” graduating with a BFA in Acting. There she performed in the musicals and showcases “Drowsy Chaperone”, “In the Heights”, “Here’s To the Ones Who Dream”, and “No One Is Alone”. Janel continues to pursue her singing and acting career, playing a lead role in the short film “My Sister’s Soul”, booking commercial work for the applications and websites “Cherie” and “TikTokData.com”, and performing in plays “Rachel” and “Heart Like An Ocean” at the “Fresh Baked Pears One Acts Festival”.
Janel is also a teacher, directing music at “42nd Street Moon Theater”, serving as an acting instructor with “Tomorrow Youth Repertory Theater”, and teaching musical theater with the “A.C.T. Young Conservatory” all based in San Francisco, California.
Meredith Joelle Charlson
Dance, Choreographer, Cabaret
Biography
Meredith Joelle Charlson is a contemporary dance and theater artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She trained at the ODC/Dance School and was a trainee for Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in Northern Israel. Meredith has worked as a teaching artist for the A.C.T. Young Conservatory, Berkeley Playhouse, College of San Mateo, and the Tabard Theatre, and was the Children's Chorus Co-Rehearsal Director for ODC/Dance's The Velveteen Rabbit (2018/9 home and touring productions). Favorite theater credits include Director for Spamalot (Berkeley Playhouse, YouthStage), Choreographer for Bright Star (Palo Alto Players), Choreographer for Into the Woods (A.C.T., Young Conservatory), Choreographer for The School for Scandal (A.C.T., MFA), Assistant Choreographer for A Walk on the Moon (A.C.T., Mainstage), Choreographer for Tinderella: the modern musical (The Custom Made Theatre Company and FaultLine Theater), and Assistant Director for The Grapes of Wrath (Los Altos Stage Company). She believes that every body can dance.
Gwynnevere Cristobal
Acting, Musical Theater, Cabaret
Biography
Gwynnevere Cristobal is a Bay Area born Filipinx actor, teaching artist, & intimacy director for theatre and film. It is their 2nd year teaching/vocal directingat A.C.T.! When she's not rehearsing for shows, Gwynn loves singing, rollerskating, & watching Bob's Burgers. She's super excited to teach at the studios with all of you!
DeAnna Driscoll
Acting, Playwriting
Allison Gamlen
Private Coach, Musical Theater
Biography
Allison Gamlen is proud to be a Bay Area native and received her B.A. in Theatre from San Francisco State University. Allison is an actor, director, choreographer, and arts educator who has trained and performed with numerous companies along the California coast, including Studio A.C.T., Berkeley Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, SF Shakespeare, Panndora Productions, and Flux Theatre.
In addition to educating young performers at A.C.T. Young Conservatory, Allison has directed and trained actors at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, Spindrift School of Performing Arts, San Leandro High School, and Hillsdale High School. Favorite directing credits include The Addams Family, In the Heights, Little Shop of Horrors, The Laramie Project, Urinetown, The Princess Bride, and Chicago. She is also the Narrator and Co-Director of The PayLess Murders Podcast.
Gracyn Lei Garret
Acting
Nancy Gold
Physical Character, Acting, Improvisation
Biography
Nancy Gold is a multifaceted performing artist, director, teacher, playwright, and author of Finding Your Funny Bone! The Actor’s Guide to Physical Comedy and Characters. She is a recipient of the A.C.T Young Conservatory Distinguished Mentor. Her teaching experience includes Academy of Art University, UCLA, University of Illinois, Foothill College, De Anza College, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, Marin Theatre and public/private schools in the USA. She has presented at NAIS in SF, AYCO in Seattle and Boulder. Nancy specializes in writing and directing original plays about empowering women for young audiences. Among them include Thank You! RBG, “Bon Appetit” - Julia!, ONE LAUGH AT A TIME The Legacy of Lucille Ball, Ella!, The Story of Jane, Showdown at the Amargosa and the film, MY SHOT!. Traditional directing credits include A Servant of Two Masters, Pippi Longstocking, Madeline and the Gypsies, The Caucasian Chalk Circle. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Mentors are Jacques LeCoq, Ctibor Turba, Claude Kipnis. Degrees are BFA University of Illinois and a Master’s Equivalency. Favorite performances are a Mime Tour with symphonies in Canada/US and comedy vaudeville with partner, Lol Levy.
Lore Gonzales
Acting, Improvisation
Biography
Lore Gonzales is a Filipino-American, non-binary interdisciplinary artist, actor, and theatermaker based in Oakland, CA / Chochenyo Ohlone Territory. As a multifaceted artist, they've worked in the Bay Area as an actor, director, photographer, musician, teaching artist, and arts producer. Their work explores the boundaries of theater, performance, visual art, music, photography, and everything in between. Lore is passionate about community-based art and community building through storytelling. They have performed and collaborated with various companies in the Bay Area over the years, notably with Shotgun Players, Bindlestiff Studio, Cutting Ball Theater, SF Shakes, Cal Shakes, Theaterworks, and Berkeley Rep. They studied acting with ACT, Berkeley Rep, the SITI Company, and holds a BA in Theater & Performance Studies from UC Berkeley.
Kimberly Hollkamp-Dinon
Private Coach, Musical Theater, Acting
Biography
Kimberly Hollkamp-Dinon is an actor, singer, and teaching artist, holding an M.F.A. in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater, with a concentration in Citizen Artistry (Class of 2020). She additionally holds a B.S. in Recording Arts from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music as well as a B.A. in Theatre & Drama from IU's College of Arts and Sciences. She has been working for the past four years as a teaching artist in the Bay Area, and has previous experience working as a substitute teacher and instructional aide for neurodiverse communities. As a multifaceted artist, she is a firm believer in the restorative nature of theatre.
Jessica Holt
Private Coach, College Prep
Biography
Jessica Holt is a director and artistic producer with over 15 years of experience directing new and contemporary work at nationally renowned theaters, championing new work and nurturing the development of emerging, diverse and exciting new voices in the American theater. Recent directing projects include The Daughters (San Francisco Playhouse) The Wolves at A.C.T.’s Young Conservatory, Fun Home, Venus in Fur (Virginia Stage Company), The Resting Place, Bright Half Life, Taylor Mac's The Lily's Revenge, Act 5 (Magic Theatre), Speech and Debate (Barrington Stage Company), Rich Girl (Florida Studio Theatre), and Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance Theater). Additionally, she has developed and directed work at Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor, Rivendell Theatre, NYU, Pocono Mountains Music Festival, AADA, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Sewanee Writers Conference, Cutting Ball Theater, among others. She is a proud graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where she received her MFA in Directing. Projects there include: The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and the new hip-hop musical The Children by Phillip Howze. She served as the Co-Artistic Director of the 2014 Yale Summer Cabaret, producing and directing a season of adventurous and daring work by contemporary American playwrights. Jessica is a 2016 National Directors Fellow with the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, NNPN, the Kennedy Center, and SDCF, and is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Baily Hopkins
Private Coach, On-Camera, College Prep
Biography
Baily Hopkins has been acting on-camera for over a decade in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, and has a degree in Theatre from UC, San Diego. She's worked with director Joe Robert Cole (Netflix: All Day And A Night), Academy Award-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Pre-production VFX for Gravity), Academy Award-winning director Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins (Venmo spot), and Emmy award-winning choreographer Mandy Moore (Stella Artois national spot). Commercially, she’s had principal roles in campaigns for over 60 nationally recognized companies including Comcast, Toyota, Rocket Mortgage, Uber, NerdWallet, Roku, Credit Karma, and Visa. When not in front of the camera, Baily can be found as a Casting Associate at Nancy Hayes Casting in San Francisco. She's also helped cast national SAG and non-union commercials with Kristen Beck, Gregg Cohen, Kristen Armstrong, and Cathi Carlton, so she has her finger on the pulse of what TV and commercial directors are looking for. Going back to her roots in the theater, she's had the opportunity to perform with The Shotgun Players, New Conservatory Theatre Center, We Players, The Speakeasy SF, UCSD/La Jolla Playhouse, American Conservatory Theatre (Youth Company), Contra Costa Civic Theatre, and Masquer’s Playhouse
Dario Johnson
Musical Theater, Voice, Private Coach
Biography
Dario Johnson has enjoyed performing music his entire life. Dario holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Jose State University and has performed extensively as a baritone in numerous Bay Area Opera Companies and Musical Theater Organizations. He directs a choral ensemble in the south bay. In addition, he has performed in concert with the San Jose State Choraliers and has traveled with the university's many choral ensembles to Finland and the Baltic States. Dario has been teaching private voice and piano for several years now. He is dedicated to providing joyous musical experiences to the youth in our community.
Darryl V. Jones
Summer Institute, Musical Theater
Larissa Kelloway
Cabaret, Musical Theater, Voice
Biography
Larissa is a conservatory trained performer who, when not performing, teaches singing and theatre arts, specializing in voice and bodywork pertaining to vocal production. She completed her PhD, titled “Investigating the role of Pilates in the posture and vocal production of singers,” in which she researched how vocal production can be supported by posture and strength. Alongside her artistry, she is passionate about performing arts research and teaching, believing that high quality research supports pedagogical practices, enhances student learning, and champions career longevity. By blending her diverse sources of knowledge, she provides artists with tools to enhance vocal production (in spoken word and singing voice), body use, prevent and/or maintain injuries, and optimize their instrument. Ph.D., B.Sc.(Hons.)Biochem, B.A. (Musical Theatre)
Cert IV Trainer & Assessor, Pilates Practitioner
Paul McCurdy
Accompanist
Jenny Nguyen Nelson
Summer Institute, Acting, Private Coach
Ely Sonny Orquiza
Acting, Devised Theater
Biography
A 2023 YBCA 100 Honoree, Ely Sonny Orquiza (he/him) is a multidisciplinary Queer Filipino artistic director, stage director, and arts educator native to San Francisco Bay Area, the unceded territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone People. Through theater and the performing arts Orquiza illuminates the experiences of the Asian diaspora, explores the politics of Queer/ness, and gives voice to the narratives of People from the Global Majority. As an artist, Orquiza draws on his heritage and lived experiences to create stunning theatrical productions that captivate audiences and spark meaningful conversations about equity and representation. Through his art and advocacy, he is breaking down barriers and elevating marginalized voices; and as a passionate teacher and community leader, Orquiza uses his extensive background in teaching artistry to engage with diverse communities and non-profit organizations, creating spaces for creativity, collaboration, and empowerment. To keep in touch and learn more about Ely's works: elysonnyorquiza.org.
Brennan Pickman-Thoon
On-Camera, Acting
Biography
Brennan Pickman-Thoon is an actor, teaching artist, and proud Bay Area native. He grew up training with A.C.T., Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Marin Theater Company, and more. He graduated with honors from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned a BFA in Drama and trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. In addition to working as an actor in New York, he also wrote, produced, and directed a one-act comedy that won Best Short Play in the 2015 Unchained Theater Festival. Since returning to the Bay Area, Brennan has performed with Marin Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, Cutting Ball Theater, Marin Shakespeare Company, and New Conservatory Theatre Center, among others. Brennan enjoys developing and teaching diverse acting and theater curriculums, from Shakespeare to Improvisation to On-Camera Acting to Devised Theater. SFBATCC Winner: Actor In A Leading Role. Member, AEA.
Thaddeus Pinkston
Accompanist, Musical Arranger
Biography
Thaddeus Pinkston has been a member of the YC and Studio A.C.T. faculty for 12 years. As the YC Cabaret Program accompanist, he plays and arranges music for the Musical Ensemble, Cabaret Ensemble, Middle School Cabaret Ensemble, and a number of special events and musical theater classes. Thaddeus was musical director and co-composer for “Saint Tous” which premiered at La Mama along with Broadway Legend Andre De Shields. He also musical directed and toured with the Fifth Dimension’s rendering of “Ain’t Misbehavin” and served Musical Director for The Color Purple's Benefit Concert in San Francisco. He has accompanied a host of stellar performers and ensembles for American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Telluride Jazz Festival, Jazz Legend Stan Getz, Blues icon singer Koko Taylor known as the “The Queen of the Blues,” American folk singer Joan Baez, Maurice Hines, Freda Payne, and Jennifer Holiday.
Gary Stanford Jr.
Musical Theater
Lindsay Rader
Accompanist
Leandra Ramm
Cabaret, Musical Theater
Biography
Leandra Ramm is a versatile singer and actress with an "extraordinary voice" (Anderson Cooper). Leandra has performed with numerous theater and opera companies throughout the world. She starred in her one-woman show entitled One Night With You, which performed Off-Broadway at Theatre Row in New York City. Recently, she starred as Judy Garland in The Boy from Oz at Theatre Rhinoceros and Tanya in Mamma Mia! at Woodminster Summer Musicals to rave reviews. Her favorite roles performed include: The Full Monty (Estelle) at The Media Theatre, Iolanthe (Leila) at The Buxton Opera House with the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival (UK), Man of la Mancha (Antonia) with Diablo Theater Company, and Darwin in Malibu (Sarah) with Indra’s Net Theatre. She has also flourished in the creation of new works, portraying Annie in Hell’s Kitchen the Musical at the Hudson Guild Theatre, Anoush in Some People Hear Thunder with Smoger Productions, and Hester Prynne in A for Adultery, a musical adaptation of The Scarlet Letter, at the Little Times Square Theatre. Leandra debuted in The Endless Road by Kurt Weill (soloist) with The American Symphony Orchestra performed at Avery Fisher Hall and has also performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, San Francisco Opera House, Davies Symphony Hall, Symphony Space, La MaMa, and 59E59 Theaters among other venues. Leandra has been a lead vocalist and vocal captain on Celebrity Cruises, and has released two full albums: "Invitation to a Voyage" and "One Night With You," and is on the cast albums of "The Fourth Messenger" and "Mario and the Magician."
Credits
For more information, please visit www.LeandraRamm.com and Social Media: @LeandraRamm
Ezra Reaves
Private Coach, Acting
Veronica Renner
Private Coach, Acting, Musical Theater
Biography
Lauren Rosi
Private Coach, Musical Theater
Valerie Weak
Private Coach, Acting, College Prep
Biography
Valerie Weak is an Equity actor, teaching artist and communications coach with 20 years of teaching experience with companies such as Word for Word’s Youth Arts, California Shakespeare Theater, and ACT’s Young Conservatory and Studio programs. She has performed everything from Shakespeare to world premieres at theaters including CenterREP, Shotgun Players and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Valerie also works in indie film, commercials, and voiceover, and can be seen as Mrs. Miller in Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. Additionally, she is a Theatre Bay Area TITAN winner, has trained at Skidmore College with Anne Bogart and the SITI Company, and holds a BA in Theatre Arts from UCLA.