Degrees and Studies
BA, Acting, Columbia College Chicago; Cal State, Northridge; Studied with David Woolley (Society of American Fight Directors); Acting with Sheldon Patinkin and Michael Shurtleff; 20+ years as stage combat coordinator, teacher and performer; Fencing studio instructor in NY, Boston and LA; Built fight projects, shows and scenes for The Group Rep, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Oak Park Shakespeare Festival, The Academy, as well as feature film, TV and stage projects and A-list actors; Member of Sword Fights, Inc.
 

Beck has been a member of the faculty for 20 years; the last 8 as a Core member, Brenda also serves as Events Coordinator, directs student examination plays and coaches student productions. She works as a professional voice, speech and dialects coach in film, television and theatre, having coached over 100 theatrical productions, including the world premiere of the musical Great Expectations, Bent, and Please Do Not Touch the Indians. She has coached for dialect in films such as Chasing Indigo and If and for television, most recently for the new Orbit Gum campaign. She also coaches and directs actors and singers in voice, speech, dialects, Shakespeare, and text/scene analysis. As a performer she has appeared in film, television, and predominantly theatre, touring around the world, including for the USO/DOD. Favorite roles include Katharina, Olivia, Lady M, Betty/Ellen in Cloud Nine, and the Marquise in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. She was a founding member of Plays On Words Theatre Company, an award-winning Los Angeles-based company. She particularly loves Sondheim, Shakespeare, and the plays of Pinter, Stoppard and Ayckbourn. Member of AEA, SAG, VASTA, AAUP.

Degrees and Studies
MFA, Acting, University of Southern California; BA (with honors), University of Nevada; Coached 100+ theatrical productions; Studied with Tad Danielewski and others; Studied voice and speech with Patsy Rodenburg, Catherine Fitzmaurice, Kristin Linklater and Rocco Dal Vera

Ms. Bleier is dedicated to linking the arts with activism and healing. With a background in psychology and bodywork, she integrates the mind/body connection into her approach as an acting teacher. Over the past twenty years, she has collaborated on original theatrical pieces in Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Los Angeles through venues such as Highways, the 18th Street Arts Center, Santa Barbara’s Access Theatre, LunaSea Theatre and the Celebration Theatre. As a writer, she has created work through the Writing as a Healing Art Program at the Los Angeles LGBT Center and developed new plays and projects with the Women's Playwright Outreach Project, Wicked Women's Writes and Writers at Work. Bleier taught drama and directed at Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences for many years, and she began teaching at The Academy in 2002. Along with being a proud core faculty member at The Academy, she is also the faculty coordinator for Drama Educator Workshops, and director of many Exam Plays, One Acts and Company productions. 

Degrees and Studies
BA, Antioch University; AA, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Studied acting with Betty Karlen, Maria Gobetti and Craig Ng; Studied mind/body connection at Institute of Psycho-Structural Balancing

Brennan has been a member of the Academy faculty for 24 years. Her film and TV credits are extensive and include American Pie, The Scorpion King, Sonny, That's Life (CBS), The Hughleys (UPN), and For the People (Lifetime). Besides individual voice and dialect coaching, she has numerous production theatre coaching credits which include Streetcar Named Desire (South Coast Rep), The Crimson Thread (Pasadena Playhouse), Arms and the Man (A Noise Within), Old Times (El Portal Center for the Arts), The Nibroc Trilogy (Actor's Co-Op), and Susannah (Opera Pacific). Brennan has presented at the ATHE (The American Theatre in Higher Education) yearly conferences on various topics, including Take the Valley Out of the Girl! She is a member of VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainer's Association). Her article, T's and Sympathy: Adventures in the Hollywood Dialect's Tradeappears in the VASTA Journal, Essays on Voice and Speech. Linda is a member of SAG/AFTRA and the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Degrees and Studies
PhD, Psychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute; MFA, Acting, Brandeis University; MA, Psychology, Antioch University; BA, Theatre, California State University; AA, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Alba Emoting certified; Studied with Rocco Dal Vera, Catherine Fitzmaurice, Kristin Linklater and others; Extensive coaching credits

BFA, University of North Carolina School of the Arts; Studied acting with Eric Morris; Dance with Ernestine Stodelle; Taught at Wesleyan University (Connecticut) and LA’s Windward School; Performed, directed and produced theatre in Connecticut, San Francisco and Los Angeles 25+ years; Credits include co-directing The Runaways, directing original adaptation of Radclyffe Hall's Well of Loneliness and projects with Marin Theatre’s Playwright Workshop; Former AAD/Founding Member of Mojo Ensemble, directed and/or produced 40+ plays; Currently works in production for BET-TV's Comic View and TV-1's Belles

 

Adam Chambers graduated from The American Academy in 2003 and then he did the Third-Year Company Program. He got an agent from the Company showcase and started working right away. He has been seen on TV shows like NCIS, Married, CSI: Miami, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, Without a Trace, ER, Threshold, Good Luck Charlie, Zeke and Luther, Days of Our Lives, Young and the Restless, and many more. He is most known for his work in Disneys "Girl vs Monster" and the series he did "i <3 Vampires," "My Alibi," and "The Adam Chambers Show." He has starred in many features films and done many commercials as well. He is also the Artistic Director of LOFT Ensemble theatre in the downtown LA arts district. Where he produces 6-7 mainstage shows a year along with monthly stand up, improv, and music shows. Adam is also the lead singer of the musical comedy band "The SHOW." They are looking at going on tour this year after playing all over LA last year.

Jane Fleiss trained with Stella Adler at NYU School of the Arts and began her career on the NBC Daytime drama The Doctors. She subsequently appeared onstage, in feature films and on television both in New York and Los Angeles. TV credits include guest starring appearances in Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Without A Trace, Crossing Jordan and The Guardian. Broadway: Leading roles in Fifth of July, Crimes of the Heart, Strange Interlude, I'm Not Rappaport, Of Mice and Men, Getting Married, Search and Destroy, My Thing of Love, and An Inspector Calls (Joseph Jefferson nomination). Regional Theatre appearances include: Nora, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie, The Seagull, Twelfth Night , A Midsummer Nights Dream, Keeley and Du, and LA Drama-Logue Awards for Molly Sweeney (Mark Taper Forum), Ghost in the Machine (South Coast Repertory) and Springtime for Henry (Globe Theatre). Ms. Fleiss is also on the faculty of The Art of Acting Studio/Los Angeles where she teaches Acting Technique and Scene Study. In addition to her work with Stella Adler, Ms. Fleiss studied with Uta Hagen, John Barton and Cicely Berry (Royal Shakespeare Co.) and is a member of the Actors Studio. 

Degrees and Studies
BFA, New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Studied acting with Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Sondra Lee, John Barton, and Cicely Berry.

Garcia has been part of the directing team at the Los Angeles campus for 15 years. He directs both First and Second-Year plays as well as Third-Y ear Company plays. Originally hailing from Houston, Texas, he has worked as an actor in film, television and theaters all across the nation for over thirty years. Garcia is a multiple Dramalogue, BackStage West and L.A. Ovation award winner. Some of his television credits include: The Gilmore Girls, The Practice, Malcolm in the Middle, E.R., and Beverly Hills 90210. Film credits include: The Man in the Iron Mask and Daredevil.

Degrees and Studies
AA, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; 30+ years’ acting experience for film, television and theatres across the US; Recipient of multiple Drama-Logue, Backstage West and Ovation Awards

Gossett has been at The Academy for 20 years teaching acting and directing exam and Company plays. She has been a founding member and administrator of four theatre companies: Actors Entrance Conservatorium, Las Vegas Lil'l Theatre; 55th St. Playhouse, NYC; Eric Morris Acting Workshops and American New Theatre, Los Angeles; and Mojo Ensemble Theatre Company, in Hollywood. There she honed her acting and directing skills. At the Mojo Ensemble she was the Artistic Director and Co-Managing Director and she also began teaching workshops.

Degrees and Studies
Studied with Uta Hagen (HB Studio), Warren Robertson, Wynn Handman and Eric Morris; Founding member of four theatre companies including Mojo Ensemble, where she was Artistic and Co-Managing Director

Since 1998, Rob has coached actors and business professionals in dialect work and accent reduction. He has coached hundreds of actors and over 50 theatrical productions. From Shakespeare to Mamet, Rob has coached more than 25 dialects, from British to Yiddish to Filipino to West African. He has also provided coaching for film and television, such as British coaching for Omid Abtahi in the Showtime series, Sleeper Cell. Rob has also worked with Dominic Bowden, host of New Zealand Idol and a number of other television projects. Most recently, Rob was on the set of ABC's Revenge, providing dialect coaching to Emily VanCamp. Rob writes and performs comedy and continues to audition. He has appeared in a number of commercials, theatre productions and films.

Degrees and Studies
MFA, California State University; BFA, Acting, Conservatory of Theatre Arts, Webster University; Coached and provided dialect coaching for hundreds of actors for film and television and 50+ theatrical productions in 25+ dialects; Writes and performs comedy

Hart has been with The Academy for almost 20 years; as an accompanist, music director and vocal production teacher. At the same time he was the vocal coach and vocal arranger for Holland American Line under directors John Charron, Mark Knowles, Carla Kama, Patti Colombo and Tommy Tune for 14 years. Hart is a musical director for professional, locally-produced musicals, such as Baby, The All Night Strut (winning him best musical direction from the L.A. Drama Critics' Circle), Night Club Confidential, Blues in the Night (winning him a Dramalogue Award of Excellence and the NAACP's Award nomination for best Musical Direction), The Joni Mitchell Project, and At Long Last Cole starring Carol Burnett. He has performed in several national tours, including one with Debbie Reynolds. For television he was music director for the Emmy nominated Glenn Miller Band Reunion for PBS. He has long performed concert and night club work, either solo or with his jazz trio, String of Pearls. Since 1966 he has been the choral assistant for the Brentwood Presbyterian Church.

Degrees and Studies
Music Major, Voice, UCLA—Men’s Glee Club; 20 years’ experience teaching at The Academy; Vocal coach/arranger for Holland America with directors John Charron, Patti Colombo and Tommy Tune; Recipient of LA Drama Critics’ Circle Award, a Drama-Logue Award and NAACP’s nomination for Best Musical Direction

Amir Korangy is a seasoned director, actor and educator with over thirty years’ experience working in the U.K and U.S. He attended George Washington University, studied directing at Catholic University and holds an MA with Merit from Middlesex University, London. 

He has produced and directed over a hundred plays ranging from classics to contemporary in the U.K. and U.S. In addition to his extensive stage work, his acting credits include the lead in Breath of Life which received a BAFTA nomination as well as guest starring roles for BBC, HBO, Channel Four U.K., London Weekend Television, Thames Television, Granada, Warner Brothers, 20^th Century Fox, CBS and ABC. His most recent credits include guest starring roles in NCIS Los Angeles, recurring role in Scorpion, the lead role in the feature film Stepping High, as well as roles in Night at the Museum 3, Silicon Valley and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Mr. Korangy has worked as a visiting professor at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, E 15 Acting School, University of Essex, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, The School of Science of Acting, and was the professor of Theatre History for the London Program at Pepperdine University.  During his tenure as the Head of MA and BA in Performance Program at Mountview |Academy of Theatre Arts in London, Dame Judi Dench became the President of the Academy and the Performance programs received the Michael Elliot Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Drama Training. He was a major contributor to the Standing Conference of University Drama Departments on Teaching Stanislavski in the U.K., co-directed the BAFTA newcomers Los Angeles Showcase and has been directing the Drama U.K. Los Angeles Showcase for the past three years.
 
He is thrilled to have been a faculty member and Guest Director at The Academy for the past 5 years.
 
Degrees and Studies
MA (merit), Middlesex University; BA, George Washington University; Seasoned educator, director and actor; Directed 80+ plays from classic to modern; As Director of Acting Program at Mountview Academy, London, received the Michael Elliot Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Drama Training; Worked for CBS, ABC, BBC, HBO, Warner Bros., 20^th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, including lead in BAFTA-nominated Breath of Life; Visiting Professor in U.S. and U.K.

Fields of Study
Acting, Theatre History, Directing

Mr. Landfield is a Core Faculty member at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and coordinates the Internship Program as well as the Academy’s Conservatory for Young Actors (ACYA).  He teaches Acting, Theatre History, and Shakespeare,   He has also directed over 60 productions at The Academy, including Baby With The Bathwater, Loose Knit, As You Like It, Tartuffe, The Crucible, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Othello, The Shape Of Things, Blue Surge, The Lady From Dubuque, and The Marriage Of Bette And Boo.  Outside of The Academy Tim directed a production of Much Ado About Nothing at The Old Zoo in Griffith Park, A Maiden’s Prayer at the Raven Playhouse, and a production of Twelfth Night at Vista Hermosa Park near downtown Los Angeles.
 
In the summer of 2010, Mr. Landfield presented two symposiums at ATHE, the national conference for theatre educators.  One presentation was titled “The Actor’s Journey As Sacred Story Teller” and the other was a presentation of The American Academy of Dramatic Art’s grading rubric for assessing actors.
 
Mr. Landfield is also a professional actor whose Broadway credits include Tartuffe, The Crucifer Of Blood, Arsenic And Old Lace, Wild Honey, Rumors, Company, and The Sound Of Music. He was also in the original production of Christopher Durang’s Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You. and The Actor's Nightmare. Film credits include Cheetah, Masquerade, and The Cooler with Alec Baldwin and W.H. Macy. He has also guest starred in numerous television shows. He regularly performs at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California.
 
Mr. Landfield runs a private acting program in Hollywood, The Acting Gym, where he teaches and coaches professionals, advanced students, and directors.

Degrees and Studies
BA (with honors), Hampshire College; Studied at The Neighborhood Playhouse; Studied with Larry Moss; Member, The Shakespeare Workshop, New York; Professional actor, director and veteran of seven Broadway shows with numerous regional theatre appearances; Guest starred in 30+ TV shows and several feature films 

Martin is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, as well as SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity. Having received an MFA from Carnegie Mellon University (when it was still called Carnegie Tech), he has - in addition to 150 recorded books - over 200 stage productions to his credit. He has worked Off-Broadway, Summer Stock and LORT theaters. In Los Angeles he has served as Dialogue Coach for Warner Brothers and has appeared in several episodes of Alien Nation. In addition to The Academy, he has taught acting and directed productions at the California Institute of the Arts School of Theater and at the Los Angeles City College Theater Arts Academy. He is also a member of LA’s acclaimed Open Fist Theater Company.

Degrees and Studies
MFA, Stage Directing, Carnegie Mellon University; BA, CUNY, Queens College; Studied with Lewis Palter, Charles Werner Moore and Edith Skinner; Member of Open Fist Theatre Company; Credited with 200+ stage productions, 150 recorded books and several film and TV movies; Served as dialogue coach for Warner Brothers

Massie performed with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and an Off Broadway one woman show called Virtuosa. She has had 25 years acting in regional theatres, LA-Pasadena Shakespeare Co., and The Grove Theatre. She directs at Long Beach City College, Pasadena City College and Academy exam plays. She has taught at NYU Conservatory, AMDA NYC, Cal State University, Long Beach, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum Theatre, Pasadena City College, and Long Beach City College. She is a member of SAG/AFTRA/AEA, VASTA, ATHE, and NADT. She coaches voice, speech, & dialects for film, television, theatre, and private clients.

Degrees and Studies
MA, Theatre and MFA, Acting/Directing, California State University; MA, Antioch University; Drama Therapy, British American Drama Academy; London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art; Studied with Uta Hagen and Tim Phillips; Teacher training in Michael Chekhov Technique; Studied Fitzmaurice, Linklater and Rodenburg voice techniques

Mark is a 1985 American Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate. He began his acting career immediately after leaving The Academy with shows Off Broadway. Tapped for the Florida Shakespeare Festival in 1986, he re-located to Miami, cutting his professional teeth on commercials, TV and film. There he discovered his greatest passion: improvisation, soon after becoming a member of the local improv comedy sensation, Mental Floss. Years later he left Florida to tour as a stand-up comic and eventually re-located to Los Angeles, where he continued his comedy improv work with ACME Comedy Theater, Comedy Sportz and Impro Theatre. Utilizing another passion for monsters and special effects, Mark has also appeared in several features and television shows. He is currently performing comedy improv full time at Universal Studios Hollywood. He is grateful for this opportunity to give back at the locus of where his fires for creativity and performing were first stoked.

Degrees and Studies
BA, UNC-Greensboro; AB, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York City. Studied at the ACME Comedy Theater-LA, Groundlings-LA, Impro-LA, iOWest, and Comedy Sportz-LA.
 
 

Jamie Nichols is technically articulate teacher critically acclaimed for eloquence of her dancing and choreography. She is the recipient of 6 Lester Horton Dance Awards for Outstanding Achievement and honored by the Dance Resource Center with the “Furthering the Visibility of Dance Award”. Her career has crossed over commercial dance choreographing art films and music videos and appearing as a dancer in several films. As a prolific choreographer and producer, Artistic Director of Fast Feet, a contemporary dance company (1980-2003).

In the professional dance community: adjudicator for the Music Center’s Spotlight Awards, the McCallum Theatre Institute’s Choreography Festival and Open Call in Palm Desert, Executive Production Committee for the Los Angeles Dance Invitational, Board of Directors of Jazz Dance L.A. Foundation, Board of Directors of Dance Resource Center of LA and panelist for the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department Grants.

As a producer: Co-Producer of The Los Angeles Dance Invitational (nine years), Co-Producer Bethune Theatredanse/Ray Bradbury’s Frost & Fire, produced modern dance icon Marion Scott’s Spirit Dances at Highways and Executive Producer of the 16th Annual Lester Horton Dance Awards. As the Executive Producer/Founder Celebrate Dance, she has produced over 70 professional dance companies at the historic Alex Theatre since 2006. She is also the founder of the educational program in conjunction with Celebrate Dance; “Bringing Professional Dance Into The Classroom” and outreach program for young underserved dancers. www.celebratedance.org

Degrees and Studies
Producer of numerous professional dance events in Los Angeles; founder and executive producer of Celebrate Dance; Master teacher and adjudicator of professional dance; Served on multiple art organization boards; Recipient of six Lester Horton Dance Awards for Outstanding Achievement and Dance Resource Center’s Furthering the Visibility of Dance Award; Studied with Jaime Rogers, Eugene Loring, Stefan Wenta, Elle Johnson, Joe Tremaine, Hama and others

Degrees and Studies
Graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Film/TV experience includes work with CBS, ABC, Discovery, SPIKE, VH1, Comedy Central, Lionsgate, Mark Burnett, Al Roker Entertainment, Gurin Co, and others