About Me
I grew up performing among the trees and mountains of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It was there I learned the value of community and the arts from an early age. I caught the theatre bug in middle school, and haven't been able to shake it yet! Growing up gay in a very rural community, I found a home on stage, and I was involved in every production throughout high school. I also had the unique opportunity to work with the local independent film company Kingdom County Productions where I learned the power of social justice in the arts through my performance in the film Shout It Out which raised awareness of issues faced by real Vermont teens and toured to schools throughout Vermont and the United States.
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I attended the University of Vermont where I earned my BA in Theatre in 2013. While at UVM I continued to broaden my experiences in theatre both on and off stage through my academic work and in the community. Through my studies I was able to foster my passions for directing and facilitating communities through ensemble building theatrical practices. I began teaching skills-based theatrical workshops at festivals and schools throughout New England in addition to teaching at summer camps both at the Vermont Children's Theatre and the Barre Opera House for a wide range of students ages 5-18. These experiences helped give me the joy, confidence, and skills to explore teaching as a career path.
I moved to Boston in 2013 and earned my Master's in Theatre Education from Emerson College in May 2015. In my time at Emerson I grew immensely as a teacher and theatre artist, and completed my student teaching practicum at Lexington High School where I was able to teach classes such as Art of the Theatre, Improvisation, Directing, and Drama of Social Issues. I also served as the Education Outreach intern at the Puppet Showplace Theater in addition to serving as a Board Member for the Theatre Education Graduate Association while working on touring TYA productions, and teaching in Emerson's summer Pre-College Acting Studio. |
From Fall 2015-Spring 2020 I had the privilege to serve as the Drama Teacher at RJ Kinsella Magnet School for the Performing Arts High School in Hartford, CT where I designed and implemented a curriculum in Acting, Improvisation, Directing, Playwriting, and Devised Theatre while directing and designing after school productions with the Kinsella Drama Squad. In my time at Kinsella, our Drama department became an award winning program, earning recognition at the Connecticut Drama Association High School Drama Festival and the New England Drama Festival. We won awards for acting, ensemble work, movement, scenic design, and costume design in addition to Outstanding Production and Theatrical Excellence. During the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Spring 2020, I adapted lessons and performance opportunities for students for virtual setting, making sure students were still well-engaged in the arts and were given an equitable outlet for expression during these difficult times.
Currently I have begun work on my EdD in Educational Theatre at New York University where I am a Research Intern for the Verbatim Performance Lab. I am always grateful to the communities of people I am fortunate to meet and work with in the theatre. The students I have been lucky to teach and learn from have brought immense joy to my life, and I am always grateful for their love and creativity. Nothing provides me with more hope in this world than the community spirit found in theatre, and my life's work in to bring that spirit to others. |