Teaching Artists (New)

TEACHING ARTISTS

Daniel Pintauro is best known for his eight year run as Jonathan Bower on ABC-TV’s Who’s The Boss?. He began his professional acting career at the age of 2 as a model and commercial actor, at age 3 he began a 5 year contract role on CBS-TV’s daytime drama As the World Turns, which was followed by his acclaimed film debut as Tad in Stephen King’s “Cujo.” Theater credits include “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde,” and Puck in Hangar Theater’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Allen Ginsberg in the acclaimed “beat” in the New York International Fringe Festival, and most recently played the lead role of Tony Whitcomb in the longest running play in U.S. history – “Shear Madness.” Daniel made his professional New York debut at The Duplex in the one man show” The Velocity Of Gary (Not His Real Name).” He is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Directing from the Drama Department with a minor in English.

Kali McBurney Taha is a New Jersey native and newcomer to Georgetown. She is a 2013 graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama and a lifelong lover of musical theatre. She has enjoyed performing in various original works in New York City, as well as singing in the choir for the Off-Broadway production of Lucas Hnath’s “The Christians” at Playwrights Horizons. Before moving to Texas, Kali worked for Wingspan Arts, an arts enrichment organization in New York City, where she organized after-school programming for several public schools. Catch Kali onstage at the Palace in many productions!!

Kathryn Sterling, called Mrs. Kat by her younger students, is an Actor, Artist, Writer, Director, Professional Balloon Twister and Teacher of Improvisation, Playwriting, Acting, Audition Technique, and Meisner Studies. A 2001 graduate and former Company member of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kat found from a young age that her gift was her imagination. As a Teaching Artist for The Georgetown Palace, Zach, and the brand new Hutto Community Education Program, Mrs. Kat strives to encourage the imaginations of Theatre students of all ages and nurture a life long love of Theatre and an appreciation of the Arts. Kat is Vice-President and Visual Arts representative on the Board of Directors of Hutto Arts Today. She has directed numerous plays, including Amadeus, The Foreigner, and Aladdin Jr. Her latest acting roles include originating the role of Agatha in Tristan Mercado’s Trolls, a Wild Card pick for FronteraFest at Hyde Park Theatre, Mrs. Dunbar in Footloose at the Palace, and Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which she also directed.

Molly is excited to join the Georgetown theatre community. She has been acting and writing in the Austin area for the last 8 years. Her recent acting credits include Pocatello, Waiting for Lefty and The Great God Pan (Street Corner Arts), Middletown (Hyde Park Theatre), Going with Jenny (Penfold), Trevor (Cap T), As You Like it (Shrewd Productions), and I Heart Wal-Mart (Cap T). She has also written and performed 3 one person plays Actor of the Year, Lady Without a Baby, and MS, which was selected as Best of the Fest for FronteraFest. Before coming to the Austin area, Molly received her M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Arkansas and before that her B.F.A in Acting from Avila University.

Nikki has been entertaining people for as long as she can remember. She grew up doing community theatre in and around Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and went on to graduate with a degree in Communication and Film from the University of Southern California. Now an Equity actor, she has performed in regional productions of To Kill A Mockingbird and The Miracle Worker. Nikki earned her SAG/AFTRA card co-starring in shows like The Gilmore Girls, The Young and the Restless, Promised Land and Touched by an Angel. Nikki is thrilled to be a part of the Georgetown Palace community and to pass on her love of the performing arts to others who are interested in the entertainment industry.

Sarah Anne Hoagland is excited to be back for another season with the Palace Education Department! You can find Sarah Anne onstage, backstage, and teaching around the Palace! Sarah Anne is a graduate of the Professional Program at Broadway Dance Center NYC (concentrating in Musical Theatre & Tap). While in NYC, Sarah Anne trained under Richard J. Hinds (Newsies), Charlie Sutton (Kinky Boots), Justin Boccitto, and Nick Kenkel (Legally Blonde). Sarah Anne also holds a BA/BS in Dance Performance and Hospitality/Event Management from Texas Tech University, where she graduated with top honors and was the banner bearer for The College of Visual and Performing Arts. During her time at Tech, Sarah received many choreography awards from peers and faculty. Sarah Anne was a member of The Texas Tech Dance Company and Vice President of Chi Tau Epsilon. Sarah Anne also had the opportunity to represent Tech and perform at informal and gala concerts of the American College Dance Festival. You can catch Sarah Anne in Season Two of ‘Rockette Summer Intensive’ on the MSG varsity channel, where her time with the Rockettes is featured. During her time with the Rockettes, Sarah trained under Eileen Grace, Kristin Altfather, and Annie Gibbons-Syke. Sarah Anne also has trained heavily under Acia Gray of Tapestry Dance Company and incorporates Acia’s tap syllabus into her teaching methods. For more information on Sarah Anne visit: www.sarahannehoagland.com

Jesee is originally from Chicago, IL. She has studied dance for more than 20 years under various professionals including Lisa Boehm (Ballet), Frank Boehm (Jazz), Randall Newsom (Ballet, Graham Technique), Judith Chitwood (Ballet, Horton Technique), Paula Frasz (Modern, Tap, Musical Theatre), Karen Williamson (Ballet, Modern), Lila Dole (Spanish), Danny Herman (Broadway Jazz, Tap), Rocker Verastique (Broadway Jazz), Kenney DeCamp (Jazz, Performance), and Joel Hall (Jazz). Jesee moved to Austin in 2006 after graduating from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (Human Resources) and a Bachelor of the Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Education. She currently choreographs and performs in and around Austin, including multiple performances per year at the Georgetown Palace Theatre. Jesee taught ballet, pointe, modern, tap, and jazz for ten years prior to moving to Austin. She was a founding member of the award winning competition group “Petite Feet” with DancEncounter in Geneva, IL. While attending Northern Illinois University, Jesee was the director and producer of Art for Life, an AIDS benefit concert associated with Dance for Life in Chicago.

Cathie Sheridan is an award-winning Austin singer, actor, dancer, music director, and choreographer. Her passion for music started in elementary school, influenced by a Math teacher, Mr. Singh, no less, when he picked her voice out of a large assembly awakening the understanding of the gift she had been given, and helping her to see how her two favorite subjects, Music and Math, were connected. Now Cathie thoroughly enjoys doing the same for voices of all ages. After studying for years privately with some of the finest classic Bel Canto instructors, including Dr. Jess Walters of UT at Austin, Cathie knew Musical Theatre was her passion, eventually bringing her to her current voice teacher, Dr. Richard Watkins. Even after 15 years as a private voice teacher herself, Cathie feels quite strongly that you are always a student and have something to learn, especially since the voice changes as the body ages. Cathie came to The Palace in 2007 for her first show, CATS, as Grizabella, and most recently, as Mother Superior in Sister Act. She also played Aldonza/Dulcinea in The Palace’s first production of Man of La Mancha, and Sister Mary Hubert in Nunsense and Nunsense II. Over her 40-year career, Cathie has created a wide variety of leading ladies in both professional and community theatre. She’s been fortunate to share Austin stages with Broadway legends, Rebecca Luker, Jim Walton, Patrick Cassidy, Ruth Williamson, John Leslie Wolfe, and others, as well as understudying Stephanie J. Block as Nancy in Oliver!

“There is no teacher and there is no student, only two minds that come together.”
Luciano Pavarotti

Veronica DeSantos Ryan has been performing in various ways since before the age of ten, and can often be seen on stage here at The Palace. Veronica has a degree in Journalism from Ohio University with specializations in English, Music, Theatre, and Dance. She is a former Teach For America alumni and a former middle school Language Arts teacher. She has worked in Round Rock ISD, and in South Texas in Brownsville ISD and Harlingen CISD as a teacher, athletic coach, and academic teams coach. While in Harlingen, Veronica had the privilege of helping to direct the music for The Little Mermaid Jr. for Harlingen High School South, as well as spending a summer teaching music with the Summer on Stage daytime performance camp for HCISD. She also performed in various community theatre productions in South Texas as well as sang with the South Texas Chorale. In the Austin area, she is currently a performing princess for Lexi’s Little Princesses, a member of the Songs for Young Whippersnappers entertainment group, and a member of the vintage singing trio The Vintage Dreams. She loves bringing her passion of music and acting to children of all ages.

Justin Dam has been with the Palace since 2015, first appearing onstage in shows and later joining the Palace staff as Assistant Technical Director in 2018. Justin Dam now serves as Associate Technical Director for the Palace, overseeing technical design for the shows brought to life on our stage, as well as serving as Master Carpenter for our build team. Justin has been working in and around theatre for 10+ years, ranging from aspects both behind the curtain and on the stage.

Roxane moved to Georgetown in 2002 from Indiana. She first experienced theater in high school in six different musicals. She has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue and a M.A. in Counseling from Liberty University. Roxane has also trained in dance and piano. She has professional experience teaching both children and adults. In addition, she has worked with Autistic children using Rapid Prompting Method (RPM), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the Son-Rise Program from the Option Institute.

Trina has been performing in and around Austin since she was 7. A regular performer at the Palace, she was the driving force behind creating the Inclusion shows for the theatre. Trina also is a mother to a young adult with Autism. Her son graduated from high school on the honor roll despite being minimally verbal. Trina attended Blinn Junior College and majored in Theatre and on a scholarship for French Horn. When not on stage she keeps busy writing and was published in local newsletters and The Austin American Statesman. She looks forward to engaging the minds and unique personalities of this group and encouraging them to explore the gift of expression.

Bert Keefer knew from a young age that Theatre was his business. He is an Actor, Foam Smith, Props Master, and Director. Bert specializes in special effects makeup, prosthesis and mold casting, foam smithing, character development, voice acting, acting, and audition technique. Bert has directed numerous plays, including Aladdin, Barefoot in the Park, and The Addams Family: The Musical. His latest acting roles include William Barfee from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ezekiel Foster from White Christmas, Edna Turnblad from Hairspray, and Uncle Fester from The Addams Family: The Musical. Bert is also Vice-President on the Board of Directors of Hutto Arts Today. He is excited for the opportunity to work with the Georgetown Palace.

Morgan Urbanovsky graduated Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi in 2018 with a B.A. in Theatre and holds certifications in Dance and Stage Combat. She started working with the Georgetown Palace Theatre in September of 2019 teaching Stage Combat and Broadway for Kids. Morgan currently works at Travis Science Academy in Temple, TX teaching theatre to middle schoolers.

David Blackburn is thrilled to be a part of the Palace Education team. In the past, he has been a music director, pianist, and instructor for kidsActing and the Zach Scott Education Program. David is also the vocal director and pianist for the Hendrickson High School Musical Theatre Program, the pianist for Uprising Church, and a private musical theatre vocal coach. David was the founding Artistic Director for Austin Theatre Project, where he served as music director/pianist/conductor for nearly thirty musicals. He has also played for the national tours of The Most Happy Fella, Guys and Dolls, and Victor, Victoria.

Jerry Brown has been involved in teaching for over fifty years and in theatre for even longer. He has taught every age level from early childhood to college students, and each summer works with AP English Literature teachers in week-long institutes. He has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music and certifications in English, speech, music, and theatre arts. While living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, he worked with students in both public and private schools. Each year he directed middle school and high school students in two productions—one of which was always a Shakespearean play. He directed and appeared each week in the television program The Carpenter’s Children, where puppets played a significant role. That resulted in puppeteering workshops led by Jerry and his spouse, Judy. Jerry was also active in Dallas/Fort Worth area theatres in such plays and musicals as Damn Yankees, Sweeney Todd, Lead Me A Tenor, Diamond Studs, Waiting for Godot, Rhinoceros, Our Town, and more. He was especially privileged to perform with his son, Damon, in Damon’s original play, The Light on the Diamond, that toured the United States and gave a special performance in Singapore. Since moving to Georgetown over fifteen years ago, he has enjoyed appearing in Georgetown Palace productions and last year began working with homeschool students in theatre arts. He is excited to continue that work this year with the Education Department.

Peg Patrone caught the theater bug early and began writing and directing front-porch variety shows when she was 8; she charged 5 cents a ticket! After a publishing career, Peg took her love for theater and writing to the Iolani School in Honolulu where she taught drama and creative writing across the curriculum. She accepted a fellowship to UT-Austin, and has lived in the Austin area ever since performing in community theaters, directing and, yep! still writing. Currently Peg teaches playwriting to adults at Senior University and is happily working with future writers and thespians here at the Palace. She loves infecting others with the theater bug!