Theatre Conservatory Faculty & Staff

Adjunct Faculty

Sean Ryan Kelley was a member of the faculty at the University of Colorado, Boulder for 16 years before joining the faculty at Chicago College of Performing Arts. In addition he has acted and directed in numerous productions with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, including having played Horatio to Val Kilmer’s Hamlet. Professor Kelley was also the artistic director and a founding member of the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre in Fairbanks, Alaska and has done shows across the country from New York to California. M.F.A., Purdue University; B.S., University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse.

An award-winning director and accomplished actor, Ray Frewen appeared as Javert in the national tour of Les Miserables, and has performed at The Court Theatre, Asolo State Theatre (FL), Apple Tree Theatre, Marriott’s Lincolnshire, Illinois Shakespeare Festival and the Ravinia Festival. He was Artistic Director of Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace from 1998 to 2005, and presently serves as an associate producer for Apple Tree Theatre. M.F.A. Asolo Conservatory/Florida State University; B.A. Illinois State University.

Luis Perez was a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet from 1980-1986. As a performer he appeared in the original casts of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Phantom of the Opera, Ain’t Broadway Grand, Chicago and both the 1992 and 2002 revivals of Man of La Mancha. He also appeared on Broadway in Passion, West Side Story and the 1985 City Opera production of Brigadoon. He was appointed by legendary choreographer Agnes DeMille to restage her original choreography for Brigadoon. He was assistant to Graciela Daniele for the productions of Marie Christine with Audra MacDonald and A New Brain, both at Lincoln Center.

Christine Adaire is a Designated Master Linklater Voice teacher, trained by world renowned voice teacher Kristin Linklater. She has worked as an actor, voice coach and director in regional theatres including: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Court Theatre, Theatre for a New Audience (NYC), American Shakespeare Theatre and Illinois Shakespeare Festival. She has been a core company member of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts since 1983. Ms. Adaire has taught at DePaul University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, National Theatre School of Canada, University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Shanghai Theatre Academy in China.

June Compton comes to Roosevelt University after studying traditional Japanese theatre, with emphasis on the classical comedy form, Kyogen in Tokyo. After receiving her M.A. in Theatre Arts from UCLA, she began her professional career in New York, appearing in a variety of productions from musicals on and off-Broadway, to guest appearances at Joe Papp’s Public Theatre. June has also directed over 50 productions for theatres in New York City, at stock companies across the country, and on the university level. Ph.D., University of Colorado-Boulder; M.A. UCLA; B.S., Southwest Missouri State.

Dr. Joel G. Fink came to Chicago College of Performing Arts after ten years at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he headed the Acting Program. In addition he served as the Artistic Associate and Casting Director for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival for 14 years. Before teaching in Colorado, he taught and directed at New York University’s Professional Theatre Training Program, Circle in the Square Theatre School, The New School for Social Research, Purdue University, California State University, and Hunter College. He has acted and directed at theatres across the country. Doctor of Arts, M.F.A., NYU; B.F.A., The Art Institute of Chicago.

A versatile singer and conductor, Nadine Gomes has spent her career exploring the genres of musical theatre, jazz, and opera.  In addition to roles in regional theatre and opera, Nadine’s concert work has taken her throughout the U.S. and Taiwan with such ensembles as the Chicago Symphonic Pops Orchestra, Vocal Summit, and Ars Musica Chicago.  She served as the Music Director for HealthWorks Theatre for three years, and she was a touring company member for five years. Nadine has also performed at such jazz and cabaret venues as Davenport’s Piano Bar, Simone’s Cabaret at Cyrano’s Bistro, The Fairmont Hotel, and the Treemont Hotel. She was a founding member of the a cappella jazz quintet, The Hi-Tops.

Nadine spent seven summers as the conductor of the Gallery 37 Vocal Arts Ensemble, serving as Chorus Master for The Love for Three Oranges and The Magic Flute at The Chicago Cultural Center. She was also the Stage Director for a production of The Magic Flute with Lyric Opera’s Opera Kids! program. For ten years, Nadine served as a faculty member in both the Voice and Early Childhood Music departments at The Sherwood Conservatory of Music. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, as well as a registered Music Together™ teacher.

M.M. in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, Roosevelt University; B.S. in Performance Studies, Northwestern University; Vocal Jazz Performance Major, Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Before joining Chicago College of Performing Arts, Kendall Kelley was with Asolo Theatre Festival (Sarasota) where he worked in public relations after completing graduate studies.  In addition to college administration, Kendall has taught Theatre Management and First Year Seminar.  His non-profit experience includes education, box office management, arts marketing and institutional advancement.  M.F.A., in Theatre Management, Florida State University; B.F.A. in Theatre, Wayne State University.

Stephen Kruse has been free-lancing in the Chicago area for many years. He has worked at the Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Mt. Hollyoak College Summer Theatre in Massachusetts and the Northern Stage Theatre in Vermont.

Michael Lasswell is scenic designer for all of the O’Malley Theatre productions. His designs have won numerous regional awards, and his work has been seen at the Asolo Theatre (Sarasota), Florida Studio Theatre, Hippodrome Theater, Central City Opera, Light Opera Works, and for the Chicago Symphony. As a director and an actor he has worked with the Theatre for a New Audience, York Theatre Company, Ninetta Lane Theatre-NY, Equity Library Theater, Pioneer Memorial Theater, Syracuse Stage, and many others. Lasswell spent six years as the resident designer for New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Emily McConnell is costume designer for O’Malley Theatre productions.  As a freelance designer, her Chicago credits include productions at Steep Theatre, Gift Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Theatre Mir, American Theatre Company, Remy Bumppo, About Face, and others.  For several years, she has been Head Costume Designer for the National High School Institute: Theatre Arts Division.  M.F.A. in Costume and Set Design, Northwestern University; B.A.Dartmouth College.

Kestutis Nakas is a writer, performer, director, and teacher whose work has been presented at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, La Mama, Dixon Place, P.S. 122, St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery, 8BC, The Kitchen, Highways, and numerous other national venues. He was active in New York’s East Village performance scene and was Artistic Director of Gates of Dawn, which showcased cutting edge performers such as Holly Hughes. He has taught at NYU, UCLA, CUNY, and Univ. of New Mexico. M.F.A., NYU; B.A., Michigan State Univeristy.

Jerry Proffit is the administrator for our summer Fast Track Masters in Directing Program for many years and the thesis advisor for dozens of students who have graduated from the program.

Mr. Proffit is an award-winning teacher and was director of theatre at Niles Township High Schools (Illinois) during his 28-year tenure there. In addition to Niles and CCPA, he has taught at Northwestern University Summer Institute, University of Illinois-Urbana Summer Institute, Loyola University, and Robert Morris College.

He briefly served as Interim Managing Director for the Illinois Theatre Association, an organization he has been active in for its 35 years, previously serving as Membership Chair, President, and Chair of four annual conventions. For the past 15 years he has been on the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, an organization which honors excellence in the Chicago theatre community.

Mr. Proffit is a Founder, past Director, and past All-State Director of the Illinois High School Theatre Festival, a nationally honored non-competitive event in its 4^th decasde. Mr. Proffit has served as Equity Chair, producer of four Equity Award shows, and two terms as Chair of the Committee. He has adjudicated several Community Theatre Festivals and was a judge and US delegate for the Cairo, Egypt Experimental Theatre Festival. He has presented numerous workshops at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival and state and national conventions. M.A.  in Theatre from Northwestern University; B.A. in Speech and English, University of Wyoming.  

Soprano Rebecca Simone Schorsch has appeared extensively as a concert soloist in both Classical and Musical Theatre repertoire in the Chicagoland area and beyond with: The Illinois Philharmonic, Bach and Beyond Festival, West Suburban Symphony, Northwest Symphony, Salt Creek Symphony, Accessible Contemporary Music and the Chicago Civic Orchestra, among others. She has been heard live on WFMT Chicago on the Pianoforte Foundation Salon series in recital in 2006, 2007 and again in December 2009 in an all-French program, including Olivier Messiaen’s masterwork “Poemes pour Mi”.  Regarded for her conviction to text in performance and involvement in the Chicago classical music performance community, Time Out Chicago called her “gutsy…a Chicago favorite”

Ms. Schorsch has taught on the Theatre Conservatory Voice Faculty at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University since 2006. She was on faculty at Sherwood Conservatory of Music at Columbia College from 2000 to 2009 and has worked on a myriad of specialty projects, including teaching and directing for the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s OperaKids! Program, and writing and co-producing the Chicago Opera Quiz (2005), presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and broadcast on WFMT. Recognized for her teaching in the field of Musical Theatre and Popular music for the voice, Rebecca was named one of the “Best of Chicago” in Chicago Magazine’s 2008 prestigious “Best of Chicago” Edition. She has appeared extensively as a concert soloist in both Classical and Musical Theatre repertoire in the Chicagoland area and beyond with: The Illinois Philharmonic, Bach and Beyond Festival, West Suburban Symphony, Northwest Symphony, Salt Creek Symphony, Accessible Contemporary Music and the Chicago Civic Orchestra, among others. She has been heard live on WFMT Chicago on the Pianoforte Foundation Salon series in recital in 2006, 2007, and again in December 2009 in an all-French program, including Olivier Messiaen’s masterwork “Poemes pour Mi”.  Regarded for her conviction to text in performance and involvement in the Chicago classical music performance community, Time Out Chicago called her “gutsy…a Chicago favorite.” B.M. in Vocal Performance, Roosevelt University.

Bonnie Shadrake helped create Flanagan’s Wake in 1994, composing the score and acting as the musical director in Chicago and other cities nationwide. She was a founding member and Music/Cabaret Director of the Noble Fool Theater Company, now housed at the Pheasant Run Resort. Recent credits there include Ruthless (music director, conductor, pianist), The Mikado 2.005 (music director, new arrangements, conductor, pianist), and Vikings! A Musical in Two Axe (composer, co-lyricist, music director). She is also co-author of the the popular holiday show Roasting Chestnuts, now in its 8th year. Bonnie is also the musical director, composer, arranger, and pianist for the popular cabaret act The Weird Sisters, and co-founder (with Naomi Ashley and Cayne Collier} of Cabarah - an Alternative Cabaret, which was recently featured in the Sondheim Festival at Chicago's Millennium Park.

Dan Stetzel is a musical director, arranger, vocal instructor, and pianist. He has worked at most of the major equity theatres in Chicago, and for many LORT theatres across the United States. As a conductor, he has toured nationally, and continues to accompany many of the major Broadway auditions in Chicago. Dan has long been affiliated with the Chicago Humanities Festival, overseeing and directing programs featuring Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz, John Bucchino, Craig Carnelia, Cy Coleman, and a host of performers, lyricists, and composers. His work in musical theatre has been recognized many times by the Joseph Jefferson committee. Dan is proud to be a member of the faculty at Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Jane Alderman has been casting theatre, feature films and television for 25 years with well over 56 films, 70 television shows and 36 plays to her credit. British-born and New York raised, she has made Chicago her home for many years. Prior to casting, Ms. Alderman was an actress- her most notable performance with John Malkovich and Glenne Headly in the Goodman Theatre’s groundbreaking production of Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class. She still finds joy in acting in the Chicago area, most notably of late: Funny Girl at Marriot, Vagina Monologues at the Apollo, and the film The Break Up- playing Vince Vaughn’s Mom.

Some of her casting credits include the national tour of Evita; the films Rudy, Nothing in Common, Backdraft, and The Straight Story; for television: Normal, EZ Streets, and the series The Untouchables, Turks, Early Edition, ER, and What About Joan starring Joan Cusack. Jane taught at DePaul’s Theatre School for 20 years and produced the Jeff Award- Winning ensemble The Dogs in Xenogenesis and Dogtown. The winner of Casting Society of America’s Artios Award for Excellence in casting for EZ Streets and Normal, She has also been nominated for Turks and ER. She is a member of SAG, AFTRA, Equity, NATAS and CSA. Jane still finds time to teach at Chicago College of Performing Arts (Roosevelt University) and Northwestern. She is currently writing a short novel.

Katie Cordtz works in the Wig and Makeup Department at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. She graduated from DePaul University with a BFA in Costume Design.

Chuck Coyl has been a professional fight director for over 20 years and was president of the Society of American Fight Directors for two terms. Stage credits credits include the Broadway and London productions of August: Osage County, The Crucible and Superior Donuts at the Steppenwolf Theatre, Magnolia at the Goodman Theatre and Porgy and Bess at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Film and television credits include work as stunt coordinator for episodes of the Moments in Time series on the History Channel and episodes of the True Crime Authors series on the Discovery channel.

He recently completed filming on the feature film Eyeborgs.. Other notable productions include, the world premiers of Killer Joe, Bug, and The Point of Honor. He is a member of the North Carolina Stuntmen’s Association, a founding member of the Single Action Theatre Company, and is on the faculty of the Actor’s Gymnasium.

Jocelyn Garner has been performing and teaching dance for many years. Her Ph.D. is in Dance, earned at Laban/ City University, London. She completed her B.A. in Performing Arts in Colorado, and her M.A. in Dance Studies at Laban. She is a certified teacher of the Feldenkrais Method and holds a BASI Pilates teacher certification and completed formal training for a Certificate in Dance Education in the Cecchetti Method of classical ballet through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance. She has performed with a variety of companies and independent choreographers around the world and served as a a full-time member of the Faculty of Education at the Royal Academy of Dance, her role being central to classical ballet training and dance science studies. She also works with Northwestern University, Joffrey Ballet Academy, and i Royal Academy of Dance.

Janelle Jones has been acting in Chicago for 20 years, performing on stage at The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Chicago Dramatists, American Theatre Company, Eclipse Theatre, Circle Theatre and more, garnering multiple nominations and awards for her work (including two Joseph Jefferson Awards and an After Dark Award). She is a member of AEA, SAG and AFTRA and has appeared in numerous films and television shows as well as commercials and industrials.

Outside of acting she has worked as a casting assistant at Jane Alderman Casting and taught various theatre and English courses here and abroad. Janelle is a graduate of Northwestern University's theatre program and holds a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University.

Elise Kauzlaric is a director, actor and dialect coach who has made Chicago home since 1997. In addition to Roosevelt, she has taught speech/accent training for The Theatre School at DePaul University, Victory Gardens, and CAST. She has been a proud member of Lifeline Theatre's artistic ensemble since 2005 where she has worked in various artistic capacities on over 25 productions. Her accent work with area theatres includes Lifeline Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Seanachai Theatre, Signal Ensemble, the hypocrites and many others.

As an actor she has performed with Lifeline Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Apple Tree, City Lit and First Folio Shakespeare, to name a few. Professional directing credits include Dancing at Lughnasa with Seanachai Theatre and Wuthering Heights and Mariette in Ecstasy, both with Lifeline Theatre. Elise is a graduate of the Webster Conservatory of Theatre Arts with a BFA in Musical Theatre.

David Kersnar is a founding ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company and has performed, designed and directed with the company since it was founded in 1988. Kersnar has also appeared with the Goodman, Steppenwolf and Remains Theatre in Chicago, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Actor’s Gang in Los Angeles, and the Touchstone Theatre of Pennsylvania. Kersnar served as the Lookingglass Artistic Director from 1988 to 1989 and again from 1997 to 2000. Kersnar founded and served as Master Teacher with Lookingglass Education & Community Programs 2000-2006 and served as its Director from 1992 to 1997.

Professional directing and writing credits include La Luna Muda, Flying Griffin Circus for the Actor’s Gymnasium and Brundibar for Lookingglass in collaboration with Lively Arts, Chicago Children’s Choir and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Kersnar was commissioned to write and direct a new opera for the Chicago Children’s Choir, Sita Ram, in collaboration Rajagopalan of Natya Dance and was produced at Lookingglass in 2006. Kersnar also co-wrote and directed the Lookingglass namesake production, Through the Looking Glass and several productions for the Lookingglass World Circus.

Kersnar has utilized his collaborative creation techniques in facilitating workshops for schools, artistic organizations, and businesses. Kersnar founded Shaking the Tree Interactive Productions, which uses theatre techniques in business environments and provides conflict resolution workshops using drama role-playing techniques. Kersnar’s film and television credits include U.S. Marshals, Since You’ve Been Gone, Early Edition, and Turks. He recently directed a new Lookingglass production of Peter and The Wolf commissioned by the Chicago Symphony at Orchestra Hall. Kersnar co-wrote The Last Act of Lilka Kadison and will be directing the production for the Lookingglass 2010-2011 season. David holds a Bachelors of Science in Interdepartmental Studies with a focus on Theatre and Performance Studies from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Directing from The Graduate School of Northwestern University.

Ann McMann is a critically acclaimed soprano and voice teacher. Notably, in 2009, she made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in The Merry Widow. Ann has also appeared on Broadway and in international tours of The Phantom of the Opera and the Hal Prince revival of ShowBoat. She is at home on the operatic, musical theatre, and concert stages.

Some of her credits include Ragtime, The Music Man, The Pirates of Penzance , Man of La Mancha, Phantom, The Sound of Music, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes…?, Fiddler on the Roof, Cats, Scrooge, Strike Up the Band , One Touch of Venus, Carmen, Le Nozze di Figaro, Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Countess Maritza, and, The Pirates of Penzance with such companies as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Isle of Wight Symphony, Light Opera Works, Chicago Opera Theatre, Opera North, Chamber Opera Chicago, Pamiro Opera, L’opera Piccola, Drury Lane Oakbrook, and the Theatre at the Center.

James Morehead has recently music directed and/or played Jerry Springer - The Opera (Jeff Award - Best Show), bare (Jeff nominee - Music Direction), Trouble in Tahiti, The Rainbow Connection, Copacabana, The Mikado, The Impresario, Barber of Seville, The Old Maid and the Thief, Amelia Goes to the Ball, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Sondheim in the Park, The Wandering Scholar, The Bear, Reagan's Children, Something Schwartz, The Way We War, and The Tony Goes To.

James is also the organist/choir director at St. Helena's Episcopal Church in Burr Ridge, IL and the music director for Vox3 (www.vox3.org). He works at Roosevelt University as an accompanist, vocal coach and music director, having also taught classes classes in music history, music theory and German diction. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, James received his BM from Duquesne University and his MM from Chicago College of Performing Arts. James has also appeared as a featured cabaret pianist at Gentry, Spin, Davenport's, the 410 Club and the Casino.

Steve Scott is the Associate Producer of Goodman Theatre, where he has overseen more than 150 productions; he is also a member of Goodman’s Artistic Collective. His Goodman directing credits include Horton Foote’s Blind Date; Rabbit Hole; Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock and No One Will Be Immune for the David Mamet Festival; Dinner With Friends; Wit; the world premiere of Tom Mula’s Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (co-directed with Michael Maggio); and four seasons of A Christmas Carol.

Other recent directing credits include Buried Child and Dealer’s Choice for Shattered Globe Theatre; Yohen for Silk Road Theatre Company; Frozen for The Next Theatre Company; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing for the St. Lawrence (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival; The Teapot Scandals of 1923 and Falsettos for Porchlight Theatre; and a number of productions for the Eclipse Theatre (where he is an ensemble member), including Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl, Keith Reddin’s Big Time, Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite, and Lanford Wilson’s The Moonshot Tapes.

He has directed for a variety of other companies, including Theatre Wit, the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, National Jewish Theatre, Theater at the Center, Lifeline Theatre, Organic Touchstone Theatre, and the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists. Mr. Scott is the recipient of five Jeff nominations, an After Dark Award, and the Illinois Theatre Association’s Award of Honor.

Craig Springer, baritone, has performed throughout the midwest in both classical and musical theater repertoire. He has appeared in such musicals as Sweeney Todd, Oliver, Candide, The Merry Widow, The Pirates of Pinzance and Beauty and the Beast. Craig has been a company member with the Lyric Opera of Chicago since 1994 where he has appeared in over 120 productions. He has a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University.

Barbara Zahora joined the Roosevelt faculty in 2009 and is an actor, vocal coach, and dialect coach. She received her MFA in Theatre Performance from Roosevelt University, and her BAC in Theatre and Communications from Bowling Green State University. In 2004, she was chosen as one of two American actors to train at Shakespeare’s Globe in London as part of an international residency where she studied with Mark Rylance, Giles Block, Stewart Pearce, and Glynn Macdonald.

As an actor, Barbara has been fortunate to work with Brian Bedford twice (in The School for Scandal and The Moliere Comedies, both co-productions between Stratford Festival of Canada and Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and to work in New York and other theatres around the country. She continues to perform at many Chicago area theatres; credits include the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Writers’ Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, ShawChicago, and many others. She is currently the Associate Artistic Director of The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.