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Instructor, Fundamentals of Acting, University of Texas at Austin
Student Comments:"This class had pulled me out of so many tough times and was a place I could go and know I would leave with a smile on my face...Thank you for being there and being an amazing professor. You made me fall in love with acting again and taught me so much in such a little amount of time. I appreciate the time and effort you put in this class."
"Regardless of my acting talent, the course itself was incredible, not only in part due to the people in the class and the one who taught it. I learned so much that wasn’t just acting and have made incredible memories and new friends throughout the semester. My confidence has probably been one of the main things which has increased...I’ve already recommended the class to friends and plan on utilizing the skills it has taught me for a long while."
"If I could go back in time and take this course again, I would in a heartbeat. This has, by far, been the most interesting and exciting course that I have yet to take at UT and I would not be surprised if it stays that way. Because of Fundamentals of Acting, I have become a more confident performer and person. The lessons and skills that I have learned will follow me outside of the classroom and throughout the remainder of my life. From answering check-in questions in class to talking about the meaning of life at three in the morning with the friends I made here, I will cherish these moments for the rest of my life."
"Overall, this class was an experience that forced me to grow outside my comfort zone. Everyone was a bit nervous going into this class, but because we were all in the same boat, it created an inclusive environment where everyone could be vulnerable and learn from each other. In doing so, I have learned how to physically embody my characters through body language, blocking, and movement. I have also learned how to frame a stage and move around the stage. These are just some of the things that have stuck with me, but perhaps most importantly, I have learned to be myself and to have fun. Fundamentals of Acting was the best class I’ve taken at college, and the knowledge, skills, and friends I have gained from this class will stay with me."
"This class was so fun for me this semester and was the one class I always looked forward to going to. The friends I’ve made in it are awesome…I’m so happy I got to reignite my passion for acting and have been talking with one of my friends about joining a theater org together, so we’ll see where that takes me. I hope you continue teaching new students how to find their voice and develop their creative acting abilities!"
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Syllabus:"This semester has been a transformative and extraordinary chance for me. I really feel that I've matured as an actor in ways that I never thought possible as a result of our exercises in practice, exploration, work in character comprehension, and listening and reacting. Not only has this class helped me grow as an actor but also, unexpectedly, as a student. This class has somehow harbored an unprecedented environment of collaboration and trust in which I have met people that I want to keep ties with as well as see and support as not just actors but also friends in a way that no other course ever has."
"To be honest, when I first signed up for this class, I expected a goofy class that I could forget about except for when I had to show up. Maybe I would have to practice some lines outside of class but that would be all the extra effort I would need to put in. However, as the semester progressed, I realized that was far from the truth. But it wasn’t because I was forced to put in the extra effort into my performance, but because I wanted to. When I realized how much creativity one can put into their interpretation of a script and the choices they can make with their body, acting became a new medium that I found fun to experiment with. I’m so grateful I got to take this class in my last semester of undergrad; it was a blast."
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Instructor, Introduction to Improvisational Theatre, University of Texas at Austin
Student Comments:"Overall, I am very sad for this improv course to be ending. I have felt it positively affect my life, in both public speaking scenarios and when having conversations. I recently had to give a final presentation in an ethics class, and felt significantly less nervous beforehand. This is because I had the confidence and experience that once I’m on the stage in front of an audience, I
can trust myself to execute a scene no matter what." "Intro to improv has been a great class and I've had such a good time here. I have learned so much about myself and seen my classmates improve so much. I feel like I've grown in my
physicality, and big choices... Bravery is a very useful tool i've found and its really good to exercise it with improv. I think there is now a different lens for this kind of art and I am very grateful for what i've learned in my time here, also the rules are meant to be broken!!!!!!!!!!!" "I feel overall I’ve improved a lot as a performer. Early in the
semester, I was nervous about making big choices or throwing myself into scenarios. By the end, I was making big choices in almost every performance and having to stop myself from joining every scenario I wanted to jump into. I got quicker and wittier with giving jokes and characters, as well as being much more confident in my ideas." "At the beginning of this class I was very intimidated by improv. I quickly began to love it and realized that I’m pretty good at it... By the end of the semester I was playing every game that I could get into. Overall, improv (and specifically Long Form improv) has taught me how to commit to choices and accept the offerings that my scene partner(s) are giving me."
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Student Teacher, K-5 Performing Arts, Cypress Elementary School, Leander ISD
Kindergarten, 2nd, and 3rd Grade: Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppetry
Students learn about Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry, which originated in Indonesia.
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While kindergartners performed the story of Rama and Sita, second and third graders wrote and performed their own shadow puppet plays.
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After learning that Wayang Kulit performances often feature stories of good vs. evil, second and third graders wrote and performed their own stories using the template to the right.
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4th and 5th Grade: Exploring "Beaux Dimanches" by Amadou et Mariam
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After watching the "Beaux Dimanches" video by Malian singers Amadou et Mariam, students learned to sing the lyrics in French.
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Students learned about percussion and string instruments named in the lyrics, and went on to identify them by sound.
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After learning the lyrics to "Beaux Dimanches," which describe a wedding in Bamako, students wrote their own lyrics describing an event and performed them for the class.
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Counselor, French Immersion for ages 8-18 at Concordia Language Villages
Virtual Song Lesson: Rac-a-tac-tac
In this Zoom song lesson for all levels, I co-teach a song called “Rac-a-tac-tac,” with my colleague Vanessa Vaughan. This clip demonstrates some of the theatrical methods used to teach unfamiliar vocabulary to students who don't speak the target language.
Sample Lesson: Exploration of Inuk Culture
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Campers participating in Inuit games.
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