Theatre Teaching Collaborative

Abra Leonard has 14+ years of experience as a performing arts manager. She has worked on prominent shows with first-class general managers and producers: Alan Wasser Associates / Cameron Mackintosh – LES MISERABLES (2006 Broadway Revival/Third National Tour); THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Broadway); MISS SAIGON (Second National Tour/Broadway); Abhann Productions Ltd. / Moya Doherty – RIVERDANCE (Lagan Company National Tour); Prior to her focus on general and company management, Ms. Leonard was the Associate Director of Operations for SFX/PACE THEATRICAL GROUP (currently Broadway Across America) where she managed the daily operations of 21 Broadway Series Markets across North America and Canada. Passionate about furthering students understanding of Arts Management, Abra is an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut State University. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College and is a proud board-certified member of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM).

James “Chip” Leonard grew up on a small farm just outside of Des Moines, Iowa. He found his voice while singing in choir and began to explore all avenues of performing. He garnered great success in community theatre, while still in High School and won the Senior Division at the renowned Bill Riley Talent Search at the Iowa State Fair. He pursued his passion for performing by attending SUNY Purchase. Upon graduation he set off for the bright lights of Broadway! He paid his dues to earn his Equity card. Proudly, he made his Broadway debut with the original Broadway Company of LES MISERABLES. Chip boosts a strong resume behind the scenes too. He has over 20 years of experience as a producer, director/editor servicing several Fortune 500 companies and Mercedes Benz. He has also written, directed and produced two feature length films that garnered awards at Regional Film Festivals.

David Hugo (he/him) has been a professor in the Theater Department at LIU CW Post since 2007. He is currently the director of the Musical Theatre program and teaches freshman acting and all the musical theater acting courses. David has performed regionally, on national tours and on Broadway in shows such as Jekyll and Hyde, Iolanthe, Into the Woods, and a stellar 12-year career with Les Miserables where he portrayed Grantaire in the final Broadway cast.

He was on tour with the Broadway production of Les Miserables when he developed a love for teaching through the workshops he gave at high schools and universities across America, Asia and Canada. He left the Les Miserables tour in 2005 to pursue a master’s degree in theater. His introduction to the Suzuki method while pursing his master’s degree changed the course of his career. He found the Suzuki method to be an excellent technique for teaching musical theater, and he was able to devise a way to integrate it into his musical theater curriculum.

Nikki Renée Daniels (she/her) recently played Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton at the CIBC Theater in Chicago. Broadway: Company (Jenny), The Book of Mormon (Nabulungi), The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Clara), Les Miserables (Fantine), Anything Goes, Promises, Promises, Aida, Nine, Little Shop of Horrors, Lestat, and The Look of Love. Ms. Daniels made her New York City Opera debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess. Other New York credits include Martha Jefferson in 1776 at City Center Encores, Rose Lennox in The Secret Garden at David Geffen Hall and Tracy in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. On television, Nikki has appeared as a featured player on “Chappelle’s Show,” “Madam Secretary,” and “The Sound of Music: Live.” She has performed as a soloist with numerous symphony orchestras across the country and in Canada, and at Carnegie Hall. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Her debut solo CD, “Home” is available on iTunes and CDBaby.com. For more information please visit nikkireneedaniels.com. @nikkireneesings

Jeff Kready (he/him) Most recently seen on Broadway standing by for the “title” role of Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie. Other Broadway credits: Monty Navarro in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Tony Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical, Sunday in the Park with George, and Les Misérables (Jean Valjean understudy). Favorite regional credits: Tommy in Brigadoon (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), Ted Hanover in Holiday Inn (Paper Mill Playhouse), Mr. Snow in Carousel (Goodspeed Opera House), and David Sedaris’s one-man-show Santaland Diaries (Hartford TheaterWorks). TV: “The Code” (CBS), “The Good Fight” (CBS), “Elementary” (recurring, CBS), “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO). He has performed as guest soloist with The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The Grand Teton Music Festival, the Seattle Chamber Music Society, the Allentown Symphony, the Topeka Symphony, and can be heard on the album, “The Broadway Tenors” (Jay Records). Favorite roles: husband to Nikki, dad to Lena (8) and Louise (4).

Jim Athens (he/him) Stage Manager – Broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark; Evita; How to Succeed…; Promises, Promises; White Christmas; Les Miserables (Imperial and Broadhurst Theaters); Avenue Q; Curtains; Fosse; Tours: Les Miserables, Fosse. Off- Broadway: Avenue Q, The Donkey Show. Also: Pittsburgh CLO, the North Carolina Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse.

Annette Dees Grevious is an Associate Professor of Speech and Drama and Theatre Program Coordinator at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC where she has been employed for near ly 18 years. She received her Master of Fine Arts in theatre performance from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY; a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Brenau University in Gainesville, GA; and an Associate of Arts in speech and drama from Gainesville College (nka University of North Georgia) in Gainesville, GA. While her passion is acting, she has taught a variety of theatre courses as well as introductory level speech communications courses to students who have ranged from age five to eighty-five. Her research interests include Black Theatre as well as the similarities and differences among students at HBCUs and PWIs as it relates to perception and study of Acting techniques. Currently, she serves on the board of the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center, the SC Speech and Theatre Association, and just completed a board term with the SC Theatre Association.

Elizabeth Watkins is a Teacher, Director, Playwright and Cosplayer based in Columbia, SC. She is a Theatre Art teacher at W.G. Sanders Middle School. Elizabeth has worked with the Orangeburg Part-Time Players at the BlueBird theater in Downtown Orangeburg and Femme Noir WTF(Women’s Theatre Festival). She created her own theatre production company at the age of 23, called Blue Hurricane Productions, LLC. She studied Drama at South Carolina State University before deciding to pursue a career in teaching and working on her thesis for Winthrop University’s Master of Arts in Arts Administration. She is an activist for women of color in theatre and works with Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) EDIA task Force, Executive Board, and South Carolina Theatre Association (SCTA) Executive Board. She is a known artist in her community and enjoys making costumes in her spare time.

Elena Velasco (she/ella) is the Artistic Director of Convergence Theatre, a DC-based multidisciplinary performance collective whose work focuses on issues of social justice through decolonized, consensus-organized processes and structures. Additionally, she is an assistant professor of theatre and theatre program coordinator at Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest HBCU. Ms. Velasco’s director/choreographer highlights include: Boiling Point, A New Nation, This Is All Just Temporary, Guerrilla Theatre Works: At What Cost?, Witch, Bhavi the Avenger (Convergence); Hands on a Hardbody (Keegan Theater); Entre la Tierra y El Cielo (GALA Hispanic); Córiolanas (Capital Fringe); Hansel and Gretel, Rough-Faced Girl, Magic Paintbrush, Tio Conejo (Synetic Theater); Bid to Save the World (Source Festival); Little Shop of Horrors, #metoo, Godspell (Bowie State University); La Perdida, (Catholic University). Choreographer:  The Agitators (Mosaic Theatre Company); Midsummer Night’s Dream (Avant Bard), Hampton Years (Theatre J), 1776 (Keegan Theatre). She is also a commissioned playwright and has contributed to publications for Routledge and Intellect Books. Ms. Velasco serves as the co-director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access and on the Anti-Racism task force for the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.  MFA in Directing, BA in Drama, Catholic University.  www.elenavelasco.net

Jonathan Kitt has been a professional actor for nearly 30 years. He is also a proud member of Actors Equity Association (AEA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artist (SAG-AFTRA). He hails from New York City where he was an acting apprentice at the legendary Negro Ensemble Company.  Mr. Kitt is also a two-time Audelco award nominee for outstanding lead actor and has performed in world premiere shows such as Ed Bullins’ Boy Times Man, Ends, Becoming Something…Canada Lee, and Plenty of Time.  He has portrayed Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, Frankie in The Mighty Gents, Sam in Blues For An Alabama Sky, and Martin in The Offering.  He holds a BA in Mass Media Arts/Theatre and Film from Clark Atlanta University and a MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University where he had the pleasure to portray Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire.  Mr. Kitt is the co-author of the screenplay Wrap Hollywood Wrap.  He developed a solo show while attending The Theatrical Jazz Institute in Chicago titled Superman, Black Man, Me! A Stage Essay that he premiered at The Chicago International Fringe Festival and toured for three years.  Mr. Kitt is committed to educating the next generation of young artists.  He has worked as a teaching artist and theatre instructor at The Creative Arts Team NYU/CUNY in New York City and at High Jump in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Kitt was an Adjunct Theatre Professor in the Department of Speech Communications and Theatre Arts at Clark Atlanta University. There he directed six productions, three of which being Pearl Cleage’s Late Bus To Mecca, Dale Orlandersmith’s Yellowman, which was nominated for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. Currently Mr. Kitt is an Assistant Professor of Theatre in performance at the University of West Georgia.

Dr. Becky K. Becker (Moderator) is Professor of Theatre in the Department of Performing Arts at Clemson University.  A director and dramaturg, Becky has directed a wide range of established and new works, such as Compañeras, The Old Ship of Zion, and Eddie’s Stone Song: Odyssey of the First Pasaquoyan.  She has conceived, written, and directed several documentary plays, including Westville: Collected Lives and Bibb City: Collected Lives From a Mill Town.  Becky is a past editor for Theatre Symposium: A Journal of the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), currently chairs the Theatre Symposium Steering Committee, and serves on the Publications Committee for SETC.  Her research interests include new plays, cross-cultural theatre, hidden histories, social justice, and embodied cognition.  Her work has been published in various edited volumes and journals.

Marina Hunley-Graham is a graduate of Marshall University, began her professional career as an actress. She was the Artistic Director for Theatre West Virginia before accepting her current position in 2012. She has performed, directed, coached and established three training schools for actors. She interned with Lorimar Telepictures in LA and co-directed the world premiere of Rocket Boys the Musical. In 2019 the Institute of Outdoor Theatre recognized Marina with the Mark R. Sumner Award, a national award exemplifying the highest standards of American outdoor drama. The Sumner Award recognizes significant contributions by an individual to a specific drama, or to the outdoor drama movement. Favorite roles include Dolly in Hello Dolly, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and Rizzo in Grease. She and her husband Tom and son Morgan reside in Cherokee, NC.

Trent Blanton is an Associate Professor of Theatre in Westminster College of the Arts of Rider University. He also serves as Associate Artist and Resident Director for the Forestburgh Playhouse. A proud active member of Actor’s Equity and the Society of Directors and Choreographers, Trent’s representative professional acting credits include work with the Alliance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Ford’s Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, The MUNY, Starlight, The York, Aurora Theatre and Passage Theatre among others. Trent played virtually every major city in North America in the Broadway National Tour of Les Miserables and appeared in the Chinese premiere with Colm Wilkinson at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. Trent holds an MFA in Acting from Florida Atlantic University where he was the recipient of the Joshua Logan Fellowship and a certificate in the practical study of the Michael Chekhov Technique with the Michael Chekhov Association. Trent is also a member of the National Alliance of Teachers of Acting and the Musical Theatre Educators Alliance. He serves on the faculty of the Tennessee Governor’s School of the Arts where he teaches Musical Theatre Technique and Stage Movement. He is the former Chair of Acting and has taught webinars in Self Taping and Online Teaching of Acting for SETC. His work on online teaching was featured in Southern Theatre Magazine. He developed the new BFA program in Acting for Film, TV and Theatre at Rider. He was the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award at Rider. Trent is married to fellow professor Rebecca Simon and has a perfect Labrador Retriever named Tony.

Molly Braverman is the Director of the Broadway Green Alliance. She previously served as the Managing Director of Theatre Horizon, a non-profit professional theatre company in Norristown, PA. She has worked as a Stage Manager on Broadway, Touring Broadway, and regionally, having spent three years on the road with the National Tour of Wicked and continuing to serve as a substitute Stage Manager on Wicked and Hamilton. She founded the Philadelphia Green Theatre Alliance, a regional chapter of the Broadway Green Alliance, and is a trained Climate Reality Leader.

Carrie Ferguson-Bellew began her career in the entertainment industry at Walt Disney World. She holds a BFA in Theatre from William Carey University and is currently teaching Theatre at Long Beach High School in Long Beach, Mississippi. Carrie worked several years as contracted lighting and scenic designer for Tim Davis at BCTC and as a carpenter and painter as the Assistant to the Director Chuck White at Center Stage in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Szu-Feng Chen is an artist, designer, and educator from Taiwan, where she received Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Design from Taipei National University of the Arts. Szu-Feng is an Associate Professor and the Director of Design and Theatre Technology for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of New Hampshire. Her interest in integrating unconventional materials in her artistry has led her creative focus to sustainable practice in visual storytelling. Szu-Feng has worked nationally and internationally for over a hundred theatrical productions. Her design and scenic artworks were seen in exhibitions including the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) Biannual Design Expo in 2014, USITT By the Hand of Scenic in 2010, World Stage Design in South Korea 2009 and Canada 2005, Prague Quadrennial International Exhibition in 2007 and 2003, and Beijing Annual Theater Art Exhibition in 2002. Szu-Feng holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatrical Design from The University of Texas at Austin, and is a member of United State Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), Organisation Internationale des Scénographes, Techniciens et Architectes de Théâtre International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT), and Chinese-American Art Faculty Association (CAAFA). szufengchen.com