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.

allisongamlen.com

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.

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

www.bailyhopkins.com

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

Biography

Jenny Nguyen Nelson is an actor, writer. She was born and raised bay area and is thrilled to be back after completing graduate school. She has trained with MFA Brown Trinity Rep (Acting), PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre two year Certificate (Musical Theater). Jenny has also studied with Second City Chicago as part of their Comedy Studies program where she learned Improv, Sketch Comedy writing, Standup, and clown. Bay Area credits include ACT, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, SF Playhouse, Cal Shakes, and Killing My Lobster. New York credits include Clubbed Thumb and Ars Nova ANT Fest. She has also worked on several new plays through Playwrights Center, ACT, Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep, and Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her play and movement mentors include Shura Baryshnikov, Mycah Hogan, and Dean Evans. For more adventures look to her website jennynguyennelson.com or check out her instagram @Bratwurst_Banhmi to follow her adventures with her dog, Doc Brown and husband Ian (both of her beloveds albeit in no particular order)

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.

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.

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.

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."

Biography

Biography

Dee Dee Stephens is an actor/comedian, producer and arts educator. She uses her voice as an artist to discuss tough social issues like civil rights, mental health, and gender equality to name a few. The underlying belief always being that radical love and radical art can change the world for the better. A first generation American born to Caribbean parents and raised in San Jose, California, Dee Dee received her MFA degree in Acting from University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. deedeestephens.com

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.