I am Professional actor, educator, director, puppeteer, musician and over all teaching artist. I have a double B.F.A. in Music theatre/dance performance and my master’s in Education from the University of Texas at El PasoI hold my teaching certification from Texas (Theatre K-12). I spent a year teaching English, Theater, dance, puppetry and walk around character work in South Korea at Gyeonggi English Village. I have 6 and half years’ experience teaching in EPISD public schools, I was fortunate enough to be awarded campus Teacher of the year for the 2017-18 year at Brown Middle school and last year I had the privilege of being named not only campus teacher of the year at Jefferson High, but was also an EPISD secondary finalist for the 20-21 school year . I have directed/choreographed over 25 productions. I spent four years as a director and teaching artist of the children’s theatre company El Paso Kids-n-Co. I am a professional actor who has appeared in 3 national tours, two off-Broadway productions and am member of the Actors Equity Association. My work as a puppetry artist has lead me to be trained by the best as a Sesame Street Workshop and Jim Henson Company trained puppeteer and I was just recognized for my work by receiving a 2022 Jim Henson Foundation Grant to workshop a new piece.

 When I think on what my lessons should be, it’s not enough to teach my students just about theatre, but I must teach the about life and  give them skills, skills that are not only essential to theatre artists of all kind, but skills that can help them with whatever they want to do in life. I feel that having access to theatre and the arts are fundamentally important for young people. And young people should not only be given opportunities to be spectators but also to be participants. As students grow theatre can help students adjust to their ever-changing world. Theater can help kids come out of their shell, give them confidence, even help them find their place in the world. For some Theatre becomes that safe space for people to truly be themselves, free of ridicule or judgment. It becomes place where they can feel free to explore possibilities, and because theater encompasses so many facets and subjects, exposure to theater or any of the arts for that matter is exposure to life and humanity.

Theatre arts has had such an effect on me that I have dedicated my life to being a professional theatre artist and educator, hoping to share the gift of theatre and all the skills it can provide in life. I truly understand and have seen its vital importance and the positive impact it can have on student’s lives.  Theatre and the fine arts as a whole have provided students with a safe space to live their lives, guided their journeys and helped them cope with the challenge’s life throws their way. Legendary acting technique teacher Sanford Meisner stated that “Acting was living truthfully in imaginary circumstances”. It is that connection of truth and imaginary circumstances that guides much of the exploration work of theatre and in turn Creative Drama. Creative Drama as defined by the Children’s Theatre Association of America states that Creative Drama is an improvisational non-exhibition, process-centered form of drama in which participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact and reflect upon the human experience. Often described as “Art imitating life”, theatre requires facing yourself and dealing with sharing personal parts of you. It requires exploring oneself and in that work in turn, creates opportunity for self-discovery, self-realization, self-confidence and self-healing to belong, a place to discover ourselves and our world.

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