Teacher & Staff Bios

ALLEN ROBERTSON, TEACHER.  Allen has been ZACH's mainstage musical director for many years.  He is an award-winning composer, playwright, actor, director, sound designer and musician and has worked on hundreds of productions from Chicago to Japan - and just about everywhere in between. He is also a composer, with credits including the documentary Beyond Black Rock and the smash off-Broadway hit The Flaming Idiots. Robertson is co-creator of the Biscuit Brothers, as well as a co-producer, writer and composer for the show.

AMY DOWNING, TEACHER. Amy has been a teaching artist for the past four years with ZACH Performing Arts School and Theatre Action Project.  She continues to act professionally in Austin while working at ZACH and at The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.  Her acting credits include: New York: Sally Bowles in The National Tour of Sam Mendes’ Broadway revival of Cabaret. Trapped Family Singers with Alex Geminiani and Nick Wyman, NYC Fringe Festival.  Lady Capulet in Terrance Mann’s musical workshop of Romeo and Juliet. TV: Guiding Light. At Zachary Scott Theatre: Spelling Bee; Speeding Motorcyle; High School Musical for which she won an B. Iden Payne Award, Present Laughter, and Urinetown. At Salvage Vanguard Theatre: Heddatron and Black Snow with Paper Chairs. At Refraction Arts: Amelia Earhart in Flight 916. At Austin Playhouse: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. At The State Theatre: Holly in Nickel  N’ Dimed, and Ms. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol. Amy studied musical theatre at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and is a graduate of Ithaca College. 

CHAD DIKE, TEACHER. Chad originally hails from Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky in 2006 with a degree in Dramatic Arts. Chad spent the last 5 years in Washington DC working in arts education before moving to Austin in September. His career in arts education began at Arena Stage where he was a Education Fellow at Arena Stage for the 2005-2006 season. He then went to work for the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, an organization dedicated to providing arts opportunities for students in the District of Columbia. For the past 3 years Chad was the Outreach Coordinator for Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Maryland, where he created and coordinated after school and community programming for students. Chad is currently working as a teaching artist to use theatre as a communication tool for students to share their stories with their communities.

DANIEL SAWTELLE, TEACHER.  Daniel holds a BA in Theatre from Lee University. After being involved in the Louiville, KY theatre scene, he moved to Austin in 2007. Since then, he has been very active performing with City Theatre, Vortex Repertory, Second Youth Family Theatre and others. He is a two-time B. Iden Payne award nominee for his work in Peter and the Wolf and Of Mice and Men. Some other stage credits include: R.U.R, Hamlet,The Boys Next Door, Vain which he co-wrote, The Laramie Project, Crimes of the Heart, Macbeth,12 Angry Men and Black Comedy. He has also been active in Austin's vibrant improv scene performing with Comedy Sportz Austin and Dinner Detective Austin. He has served as Comedy Sportz Education Liaison since 2010 where he has led workshops for children, adults and local theatre teachers. Daniel loves performing, the Buffalo Bills and his lovely wife Meredith (not necessarily in that order).

DAVID BLACKBURN, VOCAL COACH/MUSIC DIRECTOR.  David began his professional career as music director in summer stock at the age of 16. Since then he has been involved with hundreds of musicals. Among his favorites are Once On This Island, Ain’t Misbehavin’, And The World Goes ‘Round, Into the Woods, Pacific Overtures, and The Who’s Tommy. David has played with the national touring companies of The Most Happy Fella, Guys and Dolls, and Victor/Victoria. Upcoming projects include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Soubrette Productions), and Hair (City Theatre). David has composed scores for 18 original musicals. Recently, he was Commissioned  by  Weber  State  University in Ogden, Utah  to write orchestrations for  the original  musical,  Sleepy Hollow  and  is  currently writing orchestrations for another new musical,  Pirated. Locally, David has served as music director/conductor/pianist for theatres throughout Central Texas. He has played piano at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas and is currently pianist for MCC Austin. He has performed as accompanist and singer with Austin’s Capital City Men’s Chorus and is a private musical theatre vocal coach.

ELIZABETH LOPEZ, TEACHER & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.  Elizabeth has been teaching theatre for 5 years for students of various ages at ZACH Performing Arts School, Coyote Theatre Project, Villa Victoria community center, Chelsea High school, and Theatre Action Project.   Elizabeth received her BA in Theatre at The University of Texas and her MA in Theatre Education at Emerson College, where her concentration was playmaking, specifically using social themes. She has been working with ZACH Education Department as an Administrative Assistant and Outreach Associate for the past three years.  She has written and directed original plays at the performing art school such as Where the Wild Things Are, Dracula vs. Frankenstein, and The Complete Story of Harry Potter Abridged.   Besides her passion for using theatre to educate youth she loves Karaoke and dancing like a maniac.

ELLIE MCKAY, TEACHER & EDUCATION MANAGER. Ellie trained with Seattle Children's Theatre through the Education Internship, Administrative Internship and Teaching Apprenticeship Program, and spent the past 3 years as their Education Program Manager. In her 6 years in Seattle, Ellie was a middle school drama teacher, production manager for a local fringe theatre, and a freelance director, actor and designer. Ellie was honored to serve on the Seattle Arts Commission and her artistic work has garnered a CityArtists grant and three Seattle Times' Footlight Awards.

 GREG GARCIA, TEACHER.  Greg is originally from San Antonio and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre at Stephen F. Austin State University with a minor in Film Studies, since then he has focused his efforts on Education in Theatre. When he’s not teaching, writing plays with students or directing, he can be found welcoming patrons and helping them choose plays & musicals to see as ZACH. Since joining the ZACH family 3 years ago, Greg has also stage-managed several ZACH Theatre for Youth productions including Call it Courage, Brothers, Boyfriends, & Other Criminals, and Just So. 

IRENE WHITE, TEACHER.  Irene hails from the great state of Texas where she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. She has studied at the Second City in Chicago and IOWest. Her Chicago theatre work includes The All-Female Bonanza at Live Bait Theatre and Chamber Music at the Transient Theatre. Her Los Angeles theatre credits include Blue Window, The Women, The Red Coat and her one-woman show Open to the Public. Irene can be seen in lots of commercials and in episodes of Brothers & Sisters, Friends, Will & Grace, and Scrubs. Her recent credits include Carpoolers, Man Stroke Woman and the film Green Hornet.  You can learn more about her on her website: www.irenewhite.com

JANIS STINSON, TEACHER. Janis is an award winning 26 year veteran actress at Zach. Janis' credits include Hairspray, Caroline or Change, Porgy and Bess, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Blues In The Night, Ain't Misbehavin, bee luther-hatchee, America Play, Gospel at Colonus along with many others. Janis is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University with a B.A. in Sociology and a recent retiree from the State of Texas with over 25 years of service. Janis is excited to be joining the Education staff at Zach and look forward to sharing her love for theater with the students. Janis is a member of The Actor's Equity Association.

JENNIFER YOUNG, TEACHER AND PRE-PROFESSIONAL COORDINATOR.  Jennifer has been teaching and choreographing for over 10 years. She studied Dance and Musical Theatre at The American Music and Dramatic Academy and at Broadway Dance Center, NYC. Jennifer has taught dance, directed, and choreographed for the nationally acclaimed TUTS Humphrey's school (Houston TX), and also at many other schools, including Texas State (San Marcos), Alisa's Dance Academy (Austin TX), Austin Musical Theatre, Austin TX, Tex-Arts (Austin), West Lake School, Austin TX, City Dance (Houston), and Steps (NYC). In the Houston area, she was involved with Young Audiences and TUTS outreach programs to bring dance to under privileged schools.  Jennifer has danced for The Houston Rockets, NBA and has performed and toured in many theatres all over the country including ZACH Theatre. She is also a proud Member of The Actor's Equity Association.

JON WATSON, TEACHER.  Acting and music teacher Jon Watson has taught at ZACH Performing Arts School for the past 10 years (not counting a year abroad teaching English to Taiwanese kindergarteners!).  A graduate of UT-Austin in 1990 with a degree in Communications, Jon has appeared in ZACH’s mainstage productions of the award-winning Shakespeare's R&J, Abundance, and Art.  Jon is a songwriter and enjoys writing anything from country songs to music for Shakespeare plays.  He directed and wrote original music for Winnie the Pooh & Me & You performed with ZACH’s professional touring company for youth, Project InterAct, and also directed and wrote music for hour-minute-second, the debut production of Rude Mechanicals’ Second Stage series.  Jon loves the Bard and has appeared as Touchstone in the Austin Shakespeare in the Park production of As You Like It, as Feste the jester in Twelfth Night, and as Ferdinand/Stephano in The Tempest.  With his band Dog Legs and Feet, Jon released Shakespeare’s Palpable Hits in 2003, featuring original music to the songs of Shakespeare’s plays.  As a teacher at ZACH, Jon worked closely with the homeschooling program and led its students to one-act play state competition finals four years in a row.  More recently, Jon has just completed his second year as an English teacher at Westlake High School.  Go CHAPS!!

JOSHUA DENNING, TEACHER.  Josh has appeared as Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray at ZACH Theatre, also at ZACH Theatre: “Angel” in RENT(for which he won the Austin Critics’ Table Award for Best Supporting Actor). INTERNATIONAL: The Lion King (Simba) Hamburg, Germany; We Will Rock You (Brit), Zurich, Switzerland; Best of Musical (Principle Soloist), Vienna, Austria. REGIONAL THEATRE: Carousel (Billy Bigelow), Mary Moody Northen Theatre; In The Blood (Reverend D), Altered Stages; Rent (Benny), The Weston Playhouse; Miss Saigon, Theater Under The Stars; West Side Story and A Little Night Music, The Human Race Theater Company. FILM: Convergence (Michael), Abrupt Decision (Aaron), Sick Daze and Bernie. OTHER THEATRE: Hot Summer Nights, Stage One, The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Seaside Music Theater. ADDITIONAL CREDITS: B.F.A. in Musical Theater from Wright State University.

KRISTEN LOGSDON, TEACHER.  Kristen began teaching classes with ZACH’s Homeschool Program several years ago and has directed and produced productions such as The Hobbit, Cinderella, All's Well That Ends Well, Star Trek: Plato's Stepchildren, If Sherlock Holmes Were a Woman, Robin Hood and Maid Marian, and Chamber Music. She studied communications at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, Colorado and began teaching theatre while homeschooling her children, when her daughter fell in love with drama and acting. Kristen currently offers drama classes to homeschoolers as well as to traditionally schooled students at ZACH. This semester her class is rehearsing Wizard of Oz. Kristen also performed with ZACH's Project Interact in Cuéntame Un Cuento: Tell Me a Story in which she portrayed the Village Storyteller and several other characters.

NAT MILLER, EDUCATION DIRECTOR.  Nat is joining ZACH after three years as the Education and Outreach Director at Paramount and State Theatres in Austin, TX.  Nat received his M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth at The University of Texas at Austin. He received a B.F.A. in theatre from Southern Methodist University, ranked as one of the top ten theatre schools in the country. Nat was also certified to be a classroom teacher from the University of Wisconsin, which led to a job teaching theatre in a public high school, where he won numerous awards for the shows he directed with his students. His professional experience in the field includes ten years of teaching a variety of acting classes for First Stage Children’s Theater, the second largest children’s theater education program in the country.  Nat couldn't be more excited about the future of training Austin's finest young actors at ZACH. 

ROG WALL, TEACHER.  Rog has taught Acting, Creative Drama, Creative Movement, and more at ZACH, Austin Theatre for Youth, Dougherty Arts Center, One World Theatre, Our Story, Eanes and Austin ISD, UT Informal Classes, Austin Theatre for Youth, KidsActing, & VSA Arts and elsewhere for over 20 years.  Rog has taught at ZACH Performing Arts School for 13 years. Also a performer for youth, Rog was seen in ZACH’s Playspace show Ice Breaker, as well as elsewhere in The Magic Ride, The Reluctant Dragon, and more.  At ZACH’s Performing Arts School, Rog has developed many plays with youth including Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, The Wind in the Willows, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and American Girls among many others. Rog is also the former chair of The City of Austin Cultural Contracts Theatre Panel, and is a member of the B. Iden Payne nomination committee, which awards outstanding works of theatre produced in the city.   She is the former Artistic Director of Word of Mouth Women’s Theatre Company. Rog is an animal lover, and has many, many, many pets! 

SARAH GAY, TEACHER.  Sarah is a professional actor who trained in Musical Theatre Performance at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto, and has worked at theatres across Canada & Texas.  Sarah has produced, taught, and performed in children’s theatre, and has instructed voice privately, for schools, and for Queen’s University SEEDS arts program in various disciplines.   Here in Texas, Sarah has been seen at The Alley Theatre (Houston), ZACH Theatre, Penfold Theatre and MMNT in Austin, and Casa Manana Theatre in Ft. Worth.  www.sarahgay.com

SHAUN-WAINWRIGHT BRANIGAN, TEACHER.  Shaun has been performing in Austin for over 13 years, both at Esther’s Follies and with ZACH’s Playspace/Theatre for Youth.  He has written numerous multi-cultural children’s shows for ZACH, including recent hits Mariposa, The Be Bop Cat, Farm to Market and The Blue Marble. Shaun creates imaginative puppets and props and has been teaching summer camps for the past five years. He received a BFA in theatre from Emerson College in Boston, and recommends that you go do the same.  In his spare time he likes to play golf and paint toy soldiers, not necessarily in that order.

SYLVIA REYES-CASPER, TEACHER. Sylvia has been music director for pre-k -8th grade, Middle School Choir Director, pianist and singer at St. Theresa's School and Church for 14 years.  Along with teaching, Sylvia began the productions of the middle school musicals, as well as many Spring, Broadway and pop show productions through the fine arts department.  In addition to singing professionally, she is a member of the Austin based Conspirare for the past 7 years.  She has studied with sopranos, Dianne Tobola, Gina Ducloux and Darlene Wiley.  Sylvia was a Musical Director for ZACH’s youth production of Willy Wonka (2009) and for How to Eat Like a Child (2010) and Gigglehouse Live! (2011). She has been playing the piano since the age of 3, has perfect pitch, and can play just about anything by ear!

VANESSA O’BRIEN, TEACHER This is Vanessa’s first fall at ZACH Performing Arts School.  She has been teaching theatre for 8 years for students of various ages at, The Wishing Star Theatre, Libertyville High School, Spotlight Kids, and finally at ZACH.  Vanessa received her BFA in Acting with a Minor in Dance from the College of Santa Fe.  She has been working with children ages 3 – 17 focusing on life skills you can learn from theatre, as well as acting classes, and play writing courses.  Aside from teaching, Vanessa loves to perform, knit, and cook massive meals.