PAC Faculty: Nationally Recognized Talent

Get personal. Small classes with accomplished, working theatre professionals means ample one on one attention for each student. Our faculty are award-winning performers, directors, artistic directors, filmmakers, and veteran teachers. We also bring in guest professionals throughout the year, such as artistic directors, agents, professional actors and alumni to share their experiences and insights.

PORTLAND ACTORS CONSERVATORY FACULTY
	Beth Harper (Artistic Director, Acting) Beth founded the Portland Actors Conservatory in 1985. As the Conservatory’s Artistic Director, she designs the curriculum for both the Studio and Conservatory training programs, teaches several acting classes, selects the season of plays, and directs one of the season's productions. In addition to leading the Conservatory, Ms. Harper has served as an adjunct faculty member at Lewis & Clark College since 1992. An award-winning actor, Ms. Harper has been involved in local, regional and national theatre for the past 20 years. She has toured Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East with Arts America, and performed in a Northwest tour of Voice of the Oregon Trail. Area directing credits include Drawer Boy featuring William Hurt and Allan Nause at Artists Repertory Theatre, A Piece of My Heart and The Dancers at Lewis & Clark College, Sylvia at Laughing Horse Summer Theatre, and How I Learned to Drive at Artists Repertory Theatre. Ms. Harper did her graduate work in theatre at Portland State University and was a recipient of the 2000 Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship for Artistic Excellence.

	Philip Cuomo (Movement, Clown) Philip has performed internationally and directed throughout the country. He is a member of the core company at Third Rail Repertory Theatre and Associate Director of Portland Actors Conservatory, where he teaches Mask, Movement, Improvisation and Voice. At PAC, Philip has directed The Blue Room, We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!, Kimberly Akimbo, The Mail Order Bride and assistant directed An Experiment with an Air Pump. He helps create and facilitate clown shows for the December Conservatory Showcases. Elsewhere in Portland, Philip has directed for Oregon Repertory Theatre, Chemeketa Community College and Miracle Theatre (Drammy Award, La Carpa Calavera). He has served as movement coach and choreographer for Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Hand2Mouth and Artists Repertory Theatre with Allen Nause and William Hurt. Teaching credits include mask, movement, improvisation and voice at Imago, Artist Repertory Theatre’s Actors-To-Go Program, Jesuit High School, Portland State University, and Willamette University. As an actor he has appeared at Lincoln Center, The Hartford Stage, The Civic Theatre of Central Florida, Artist Repertory Theatre, Imago Theatre and Third Rail Repertory Theatre. In New York City, Philip taught at The Sonia Moore Studio of Theatre in New York City, Circus Minimus, and the Bronx Arts Ensemble. Philip was an artistic associate with School is Fun Productions in St. Petersburg, Florida, and has adapted and directed shows for The Orange County Historical Museum and The Tampa Historical Society. Philip received a Bachelor of Arts from State College of New York at Geneseo, a certificate from The Sonia Moore Studio of Theatre and continued his actor training with master teachers Ron Setler, Ada Brown Mather, and Bobby Troka. He received his clown training from the master clown David Shiner.

	Barry Hunt (Meisner Technique, Film) Barry has a 15-year history as an acting teacher and filmmaker. He has been an actor and director for 30 years with credits on stage, film and television. Mr. Hunt trained in the Meisner Technique at the William Esper Studio in New York City, as well as the Circle Repertory Theatre Lab, Robert Ravan Studios and the Indiana University Theatre Program. He is currently the award- winning Artistic Director of Sowelu Theatre Ensemble in Portland.

	Connor Kerns (Voice, Shakespeare) Connor has been a core faculty member since 1994. He received bachelor degrees in Theatre Arts and English Literature from Carroll College and his MFA in Theatre in Directing from the University of Portland. Connor is Artistic Director and founder of Quintessence: Language and Imagination Theatre. Directing credits include work at Stark Raving Theatre and Masque and Mirror. Mr. Kerns is a private acting coach, a produced playwright, and an actor with over 20 professional credits.

	Cynthia Fuhrman (Theatre Management) Cynthia has been nonprofit arts administrator for over 25 years, most recently serving as Director of Marketing and Communications for Seattle Repertory Theatre. Prior to moving to Seattle, Ms Fuhrman worked for 16 years as a marketing and public relations expert in Portland, starting with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a public relations manager. She directed the communications and marketing programs at OSF in Ashland, at StageWest in Massachusetts, and at Portland Center Stage in Portland, Oregon.

	Jane Geesman (Master Workshops) Jane Bement Geesman has been performing on Portland stages for nearly 30 years, appearing in such plays as Chicago, Harvey, A Chorus Line, Cabaret, Old Times, Sideman, Riches, Sylvia, You Can’t Take It With You, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Twelfth Night. She has been on the Portland Actors Conservatory faculty since 1996 and has directed several shows for the Conservatory’s season: Stop Kiss, The Memory of Water, Our Town, Small Tragedy, and Living Out. Other directing credits, in both Portland and the Bay Area, include Collected Stories, Visiting Mr. Green, No Exit, Anton in Show Business, Master Class, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). Jane, who has an M.F.A. in theatre/directing, has taught classes at the University of Portland, Portland Community College, Foothill College (in Los Altos, CA), and Haven Institute (in B.C., Canada). In addition to teaching at the Conservatory, Jane leads presentation/communication workshops for lawyers and other business professionals.

	Elizabeth Huffman (Styles, Shakespeare, Text Analysis) Elizabeth Huffman is an actor, director, costume designer and teacher. Directing credits include: Trojan Women at Classic Greek Theater of Oregon, the original piece Bon ton Roulet at the Shakespeare Café in Hanau, Germany, The Gift Horse with Alfred Molina and Harold Gould at the Greenway Court Theatre, The Tempest at the Mark S. Taper Amphitheatre and Night Breath, which was selected to represent the USA in Germany for the Playoff '06 festival. Elizabeth was a producer/designer/actor in Trojan Women for the Friday Nights at the Getty Museum Series. Acting credits include: Nine Parts of Desire at Playmakers Repertory Theater, String of Pearls at Artists Repertory Theater in Portland, and for Los Angeles' International City Theatre, The Way of the World, The Importance of Being Earnest, Summer People, Cat amongst the Pigeons, and Charley’s Aunt at ICT. Elizabeth was also in Summertime at the Boston Court Theater. In New York City she has appeared in Dream of Frankenstein, Night Breath, The Doorbell, Hyde Park, The Lucky Chance, ‘Sarse, a Pseudo Shakespearean Farce, and Macbeth, which was a Five Star Main Event at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival. Film and television credits include Mercy Street, Ishtar, Radio Days, Legal Eagles, General Hospital, and Kiss of the Killer. Elizabeth co-founded The Beacon Project, a classical theatre company in New York City and served as an Artistic Coordinator of the Classical Theatre Lab. Elizabeth formed International Classical Acting Projects in 2005. Elizabeth has designed costumes for over 70 productions in New York and Los Angeles and has produced over 50 plays in New York and Los Angeles. As a teacher, Elizabeth teaches Shakespeare, Greek Theatre and Myths, Style and Restoration, Mask, Roman Comedy and Theatre History in New York and Los Angeles and is a regular master teacher in London and Germany. Upcoming projects include directing Bon ton Roulet at the Shakespeare Café in Paris in the summer of 2010.

	Sarah Lucht (Acting, Text Analysis) Sarah has acted professionally in the Northwest for twenty-five years and is the recipient of several Drammy and other local awards for her stage work. She has appeared locally at Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Profile Theatre Project, Tygres Heart Shakespeare and Lakewood Theatre. She has also taught for the Greenhouse Project at Portland Center Stage and in local high school theatre program. With teaching partner Jane Geesman, Sarah leads acting workshops locally and internationally. Sarah was trained at the University of Oregon with continued studies in Los Angeles and London.

	Michael Mendelson (Meisner Technique) has been a member of the Portland Theatre community since the autumn of 1991, and has acted nationally, regionally, and locally. He is currently a member of the Artists Repertory Theatre Acting Ensemble. As an actor, Michael’s recent roles include: Kulygin THREE SISTERS, Big Stone EURYDICE, Kenneth Tynan ORSON’S SHADOW, Barry Love HOUSE AND GARDEN, Bradley MR. MARMALADE, George Bridge theatre DISTRICT, Garry Essendine PRESENT LAUGHTER, John/James LOVE!VALOUR!COMPASSION! (Artists Repertory Theatre); Shylock THE MERCHANT OF VENICE(Northwest Classical Theatre Company); Peter Patrone THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, Larry BURN THIS, Stephen THE LISBON TRAVIATA, Milton Klonsky in the World Premiere of Romulus Linney’s KLONSKY AND SCHWARTZ ( co-directed by Mr. Linney and Ms. Unger), and Tom THE GLASS MENAGERIE (Profile Theatre); The Comendador FUENTE OVEJUNA (Miracle Theatre Group). Edward II EDWARD II ( Triangle Productions). Jaques AS YOU LIKE IT (Tygres Heart Shakespeare Co.); Sir Lucious O’Trigger THE RIVALS, Tony COMFORT AND JOY, Frank Gardner MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION (Portland Center Stage); A CHRISTMAS CAROL (A Contemporary Theatre); Max BENT and Sterling JEFFERY, Portland Drama Critic Circle Awards (Triangle Productions); Polo A HATFUL OF RAIN, Jack THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (New Rose Theatre); New York: Antonio THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Revolving Shakespeare Co.), Leontes THE WINTER’S TALE (Theatre Ten Ten.), Ned Weeks THE NORMAL HEART (Lincoln Center/Clark Studio Theatre); REBECCA IN WAITING (The Barrow Group- Reading); Regionally Dr. Jonas Miller/Dr. Paul Gachet INVENTING VAN GOGH (PCPA Theatrefest). Sir Robert Chiltern AN IDEAL HUSBAND (Paper Mill Playhouse) George Hastings SHE STOOPS TO CONQUERand Eli Ferguson THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Tito LEND ME A TENOR, Tom DINNER WITH FRIENDS (Saint Michael’s Playhouse); Jack Manningham ANGEL STREET and John Barrymore I HATE HAMLET ( Penobscot Theatre Company ), AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN (Arkansas Repertory Theatre), Other Theatres: First Stage Milwaukee; Idaho Rep.; Attic Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre; Wisconsin, Utah, and Berkeley Shakespeare Festivals and Oregon Shakespeare Festival-Portland. Michael currently sits on the Board of the Portland Area Theatre Alliance. Michael made his directorial main stage Portland debut with AS IS by William M. Hoffman for Key Productions. Other Directing Credits include: Verbatim Productions “The Meaning of Prayer” by Elizabeth Adams, and “Botticelli,” a staged reading during Profile Theatre’s Terrence McNally Season. Michael received a BFA from Wayne State University, an MFA from University of Washington, Professional Actors Training Program, and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.

	Cristi Miles (Improvisation) Cristi was last seen on the stage as Lulu in Miracle Theatre's El Grito Del Bronx. Prior to that, while in Boston she served as Producer for Orfeo Group's Elliot Norton Award winning production of Look Back in Anger, and played the title role in their inaugural production of Marisol. She has directed and taught at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and with numerous regional theatres including the Stoneham Theatre and New Repertory Theatre. She also was a faculty member of The Boston Conservatory. As an actor her credits include: Matilde in The Clean House at New Rep (Elliot Norton Award –Best Production), A Streetcar Named Desire (Mexican Woman/ Nurse) also at New Rep, Buried Child with The Nora Theatre ,The Winter’s Tale (Perdita) with Actors’ Shakespeare Project, A Christmas Carol with New Rep, A Prayer for Owen Meany at Stoneham, Closer (Alice) with The Devanaughn, Hamlet, Our Town, The Glass Menagerie, Macbeth, all with New Rep on Tour. This fall she will appear as Celia in San Jose Rep's As You Like It. Cristi holds an MFA from Brandeis University and is a proud member of Portland Playhouse, Orfeo Group and Actors’ Equity.

	Chris Mikolavich (Technical Theatre, Performance Lab) Chris has been with the Conservatory since it’s inception in 1985. He has acted, directed, and stage-managed both locally and nationally. He is a scenic designer, a lighting designer and an award winning sound designer. Mr. Mikolavich is the Conservatory’s resident sound designer and Technical Director. In addition to working for many Portland theatre companies, he has been the Technical Director, Shop Foreman and Facilities Manager for Lewis & Clark College Theatre Department. He has been a casting director for feature films, TV movies and national commercials, and has toured internationally as Lighting Director for major recording artists.

	Rose Riordan (Theatre Management) just completed her thirteenth season at Portland Center Stage, where she serves as Associate Artistic Director. Last season Rose directed The Receptionist at Coho Productions (which won a Drammy for Best Actress) and How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found which won four Drammy's. Previously at PCS she has directed Frost/Nixon, Doubt, The Underpants, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh and The Thugs by Adam Bock, which won four Drammy Awards including Best Ensemble and Best Director. Born and raised in Alaska, Rose began her career in theatre before she had acquired a lexicon for describing the work. Prior to the age of ten, she wrote, directed and produced plays, most of them backyard productions for family, friends and neighbors. Her first ‘professional’ full-length play, an intense examination of six stewardesses and their ‘man troubles,’ was presented at Eagle River Elementary School. A defining moment for her, it solidified Rose’s commitment to a pursuit of theatre with the sole desire to illuminate and be illuminated. A theatre gypsy, she has been an actress, writer, producer and director and has directed plays in Alaska, Seattle, Miami, New York – finally landing in Portland which she officially calls home. Rose has an extensive background in writing, directing and new play development. For five years she worked at GeVa Theatre (Rochester, NY) which produced Reflections, a summer festival premiering three new plays in rotating repertory under the artistic direction of Anthony Zerbe. In 1999 she founded Portland Center Stage’s annual JAW A Playwrights Festival, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next summer. JAW has been instrumental in developing new work for the PCS repertory: Outrage, Flesh and Blood, Another Fine Mess, O Lovely Glowworm, Celebrity Row and last season’s Act A Lady and The Thugs. She directed staged readings for the JAW festival – The Thugs (2005), Telethon (2006) and A Story about a Girl (2007), Enchantment (2008). She enjoys being part of a company committed to new work and having a beautiful building to do the work in.