Doubt


Our Education Staff

Julie Rowe, Director of Education at American Stage Theatre Company holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Idaho State University and has been a Teaching Artist throughout her career in various venues including schools, camps, and workshops serving children aged 5 to 18. Ms. Rowe served as the manager of The Front Row with Camp Broadway in New York City, a student outreach program dedicated to enabling students to attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions at affordable prices. While Julie was with Camp Broadway, the program brought over 14,000 students to see such productions as The Iceman Cometh, The Price, and Amadeus. Ms. Rowe also produced a seminar series with cast members from each show with such artists as Kevin Spacey, Tony Danza, Robert Sean Leanord, Tim Piggott-Smith, James Naughton, and David Suchet. While a resident of Nashville, she was an Adjunct Professor in the Musical Theatre program at Belmont University, an Education Coordinator at Tennessee Repertory Theatre, a contributor to an adult literacy program called Write-On Nashville, and the Project Manager of the Juvenile Justice Theatre Workshop-a program that utilized theatre as a teaching tool for teens on probation in the juvenile justice system. Ms. Rowe received the Professional Achievement Award for Arts and Humanities from the College of Arts and Sciences 2005 from her alma mater, ISU, and is the recipient of the 2005 United Way Tampa Bay Volunteer of the Year Award. Ms. Rowe currently teaches playwriting at Southside Fundamental Middle School, Northeast High School, Gibbs High School, and is a volunteer for the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast.

Curtis Belz loves children and is very grateful for the opportunity to encourage them to read and to embrace their unique personalities. He will be appearing in Lobby Hero, and Jewtopia, this fall at the TPAC. Mr. Belz is currently the American Stage Teaching Artist in School Tour.

Katie Castonguay holds a B.A. in theatre from Eckerd College. Her most recent roles include Lydia in Big Love, White Rabbit/Door Mouse in Alice Through Glass, a student directed production of Love Sounds, Mrs. Webb in Our Town, Actress 2 in the Dining Room, A nun in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up, and understudy for The Laramie Project. She has also worked backstage on costumes and props for various shows. Born and raised in Florida, she is excited for all the theatre world has to offer. Ms. Castonguay is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at American Stage Kid's Club and School Tour.

Suzy DeVore has made Tampa her home for the past three 1/2 years. She is happy to be joining American Stages teaching faculty and eager to be a support to the creative beast inside of us all, whether young or old. Prior to Tampa, she resided in New York City. Some of her more unique teaching experiences there, consisted of, teaching theatre improv games to children with special needs, and teaching children and their parents, from homeless shelters, theatre games and dance movement. Suzy also was the managing director of her own theatre company "Project PLAY, Put Life Ahead of You". Her company consisted of an opportunity for both children and adults to contribute through playwriting, acting and directing. Project PLAY performed in venues such as public libraries, Central Park and their own theatre space on 45th Street in the heart of the theatre district. In New York she also produced her own written work as well as pursued a full time acting career. Locally she has been seen on the Gorilla Theatre stage and is active in the Tampa/St. Petersburg Theatre Community. Suzy believes that there is a voice inside each of us and we should all be encouraged to let that voice be heard without judgment! She is an MFA graduate of The Actors Studio Drama School of the New School University in New York City. Ms. Devore is currently the American Stage Teaching Artist in Residence at Southside Fundamental Middle School and the YWCA.

Brandii Edwards is a native New Yorker, who currently calls Tampa home. She was most recently seen in Private High at the Backlot Theatre in Sarasota, and Suddenly Last Summer at American Stage. Her credits include The Wiz, A Raisin in The Sun, and the Off Broadway production of To Be Young Gifted and Black at Harlem's Victoria Five Theatre. Brandii has also appeared in several local and national commercials, which include Oasis Legal Finance, Sonny's BBQ and Community Health Network, among others. Ms. Edwards is currently an American Stage Teaching Artist in School Tour.

Steve Garland received his B.A. in English from the University of California, Davis, while haunting the Theatre Arts department with threats of a double major and appearing on stage in a variety of productions, including Master Harold…and the boys, American Buffalo and Sam Shepard's Seduced. His professional work includes performances for the Pacific Resident Theatre and Circle X Theatre Company in Los Angeles, as well as Eastenders Rep. and the New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco. His area work includes The Pillowman and Woman in Mind for Jobsite Theatre, Orson's Shadow and Bug for the Gorilla, Blackout and The Eight for Gypsy Productions, and Coronado for American Stage. Mr. Garland is currently the American Stage Teaching Artist in Residence at Northeast High School and the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast.

Meg Heimstead holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from the University of Evansville in Evansville, IN. She also attended the Professional Actor Training Program at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. She has worked with the California Shakespeare Festival in Berkley, CA, Summer Repertory Theatre in Santa Rosa, CA, American Stage in St. Petersburg, FL, PlayMakers Repertory Theatre in Chapel Hill, NC, The Gorilla Theatre, in Tampa, and The Backlot Theater in Sarasota. Favorite roles include Sonya in Uncle Vanya, Alex in On The Verge, Harley/Melinda in Accomplice, Barbara in Acts of Faith, and Agave in The Bacchae. She has also written and performed a one-woman show about Sylvia Plath called The Merciless Mirror. Ms. Heimstead is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at Gibbs High School, PARC, Pinellas Park Middle School, and Youth Arts Corps.

Joseph Alan Johnson attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He has appeared on-stage, on television, in commercials and over twenty five films, including Grad Night, Berserker: The Nordic Curse, and the cult hit The Slumber Party Massacre. A Tampa Bay resident for the past six years, Joe has appeared in over a dozen stage productions at the Palladium, American Stage and the Catherine Hickman Theatre to name a few. Favorite role include Ed in Torch Song Trilogy, Brick and Gooper (in separate productions) of Cat On A Hot TIn Roof, and The Virgin Mary in Corpus Christi. He has also written several film scripts and plays. Local writing and directing credits include Where There's A Will, There's A Way, To Murder! which had a successful eight month run at the Belleview Biltmore and the one-man show The Nether World of Edgar Allan Poe. His latest play, Gay/Sex/Life is slated for a world premiere this fall and is also in development to be a cable movie. Mr. Johnson is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast.

Logan Mecklenburg earned her BFA in Theatre Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her experience in theatre is well rounded and includes: live performance: No Exit (Estelle), My Favorite Year (Tess), Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Reenie), television appearances: Live at Peco Jungle Trek (Melba)-ABC, Today Show (featured performance with PIZZAZ)-NBC, directing: Zoozapalooza, teaching: Creative Theatre Inc., Youth Arts Corps, and casting: Mike Lemon Casting. Logan has successfully used theatre as a tool for empowerment for children and adults of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. Ms. Mecklenburg is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at the Pinellas County Juvenile Detention Center, Youth Arts Corps and the YWCA.

Magali Naas, originally from France, holds a BFA in acting from West Virginia University. She has been seen onstage as Joby in Anton in Show Business, Lena in The Kolonists, Toby in The Death of Frank, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cody in Private Eyes, Marianne in The Miser, and Hyacinth in Scapin. Magali began her Teaching Artist career while still a student at University and is highly experienced in improvisation, juggling, and Shakespeare. Ms. Naas is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at American Stage Kid's Club, Melrose Elementary, PARC, Southside Fundamental Middle School, Youth Arts Corps and the YWCA.

Betty-Jane Parks graduated with a B.A. in Theater at Eckerd College in 2007. An area actress, past favorite roles include Rosalind in As You Like It, Thyona in Big Love, Connie Wicksteed in Habeas Corpus and Tweedledee/March Hare in Alice Through the Looking Glass. As a Teaching Artist, Betty-Jane has worked at the Patel Conservatory in Tampa and American Stage in St Petersburg, where she has been active in after school Kid's Club, various camps, and Drama Clubs. She has also directed Love Sounds and helped design costumes for Art and Alice Through Glass. She enjoys wherever the theater has a place for her, is a Florida native and looks forward to staying here in the Bay for as long as it will have her. Ms. Parks is currently the Teaching Artist in Residence at American Stage Kid's Club, Pinellas Park Middle School, and School Tour.

Jason Peck holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Southern California. He is currently attending the Asolo Acting Conservatory where he is candidate for an MFA in Acting. Last year he appeared at The Asolo as Teach in David Mamet's American Buffalo. He hails from Los Angeles where he worked professionally in film, television, and theatre. A proud member of SAG, AFTRA, and AEA, he has had the pleasure of collaborating and working first hand with many playwriting luminaries- developing and acting in many new works with Eric Bogosian (suburbia, Actor's Gang Theatre, West Coast Premiere), Jane Anderson (Looking for Normal, Mark Taper Forum, World Premiere), Mark Ravenhill (Faust is Dead, Zephyr Theatre, US Premiere), and Charles Mee (A Perfect Wedding, Kirk Douglas Theatre, World Premiere.) Other professional theatre credits include: the Off-Broadway World Premiere of Van gogh (Mint Theatre, NY), the West Coast Premiere of Caryl Churchill's Far Away (Odyssey Theatre, LA), the World Premiere of R.A. White's adaptation of the Nathaniel West classic The Dismantling of Lemuel Pitkin (Actor's Gang Theatre, LA), the US Stage Premiere of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (Bing Theatre, LA), and the US Regional Premiere of Steve Martin's The Underpants (Florida Rep). TV and Film credits include: In Her Shoes, Jesse, The King of Queens, Medical Investigations, Hollywood Safari, Family Law, The District, LA Law: The Movie (MOW), NYPD Blue, Self-Storage, George Lucas in Love, and three seasons on the cult-hit Roswell. He is a recipient of the Los Angeles Critics' Drama-logue Award and the Backstage West Garland Award. He is a volunteer for the Screen Actor's Guild's Book PALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in School) where he has brought arts education to numerous under-privileged schools in Southern California and Florida. He developed and helped to facilitate an anger-management program wherein youth used dramatic skills to work through anger issues. He also helped to develop and coordinate the drama program at Sierra Canyon Day Camp, a premiere day camp in the Los Angeles region. This past summer he served as a Teaching Artist for American Stage Summer Camp. Mr. Peck is currently the American Stage Teaching Artist in Residence at the Pinellas County Juvenile Detention Center.

Alexandra Walker, a graduate of Appalachian State University, has been working as a professional musician for more than 10 years. Prior to her vocal experience Ms Walker was a professional woodwind player playing with several local theaters in Pinellas County doing pit orchestra work. Most recently Ms Walker could be heard singing with Florimezzo's Summer Wind Ensemble as well as covering the role of Mimi in St. Petersburg Opera's production of La Bohème. She is looking forward to performing the Mother Superior in Nunsense in October 2007 and Sieglinda in Die Walküre in April of 2008. The local soprano won second place in the Long Leaf National Opera Competition in Raleigh NC. As a Spinto Soprano her lush voice has been described by critics as "filtered through dark chocolate" and her acting has been honored with a review from Classical Voice North Carolina for her performance in Opera Carolina's production of Verdi's Macbeth as the Lady-in-Waiting to Lady Macbeth. Maestro Nico Castel of the Metropolitan Opera regards Ms. Walker's voice as an important voice to be watched in the coming years. Not only does Ms Walker have a passion for the stage but, she is also an arts educator working with Opera Carolina's Music! Words! Opera! and American Stage's Educational programs. She also maintains a private voice studio in St. Petersburg, FL. Ms Walker is delighted to be working with Salerno Theatre as their Assistant Musical Director and she is looking forward to continuing the mission of Excellence. Ms. Walker is currently the American Stage Teaching Artist in Residence at Southside Fundamental Middle School and American Stage Kid's Club.

T. Scott Wooten received his BFA in Theatre Directing and Performance from Arkansas State University. Upon graduation he came to American Stage Theatre Company as an Intern in 2003, then became Artistic Assistant in 2005. In over three years of service with American Stage, he has worked backstage in various crew positions; Assistant Directed several productions; Directed the 2007 production of Sleuth, the 2006 production of Proof, and the 2004 production of The Santaland Diaries; costarred in A Moon for the Misbegotten, Spinning Into Butter, The Drawer Boy, All the Great Books (abridged), Suddenly Last Summer, and three School Tours; Sound Designer for Othello and Gem of the Ocean. He has written 4 full-length plays, over 20 short plays, and was commissioned to write the radio play The Adventures of Ernie Tripe, Private Detective, Litter Division by The Studio @ 620. He directed seven of his selected short plays under the umbrella title Mr. Wooten's Big Nite! in 2005 and recently directed Krapp's Last Tape for QWC Productions and Renegade Theatre Project. As an American Stage Teaching Artist, he has been a playwriting teacher at SPC's Collegiate High School, Southside Fundamental Middle School, Northeast High School, Director for the Drama Club at Southside Fundamental Middle School, is a volunteer for the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, and is frequent guest speaker on careers in the theatre. Mr. Wooten is currently the American Stage Education Teaching Artist in Residence at Collegiate High School, the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, and Guest Director for the American Stage Youth Ensemble.
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