Faculty

At ASC we are especially proud of our top-notch faculty. As working professionals, they bring years of industry expertise, enthusiasm, and skill to their classes. Our instructors are a large part of what makes studying at Acting Studio Chicago such a worthwhile investment in your career. 

Studio Director

Rachael Patterson

Studio Director, Rachael Patterson has led Acting Studio Chicago for 22 years and worked in the biz since 1983.

 

Faculty

 

Echaka Agba

Echaka is an award-winning theatre, film, and television artist & member of the Sundance Collab Institute.

Chris Agos

Chris Agos began his acting career in 1995, he continues to audition, work, and help other actors get what they want from their acting careers.

Christy Arington

Christy has been an actor, director and teaching artist for over 25 years bringing a bevy of experience and passion to her teaching.

Adam Belcuore

Adam is a teacher, as well as the Managing Producer of Chicago's Tony Award winning Goodman Theatre.

Dave Bisson

Dave Bisson is a seasoned actor and voice actor who brings his expertise to the VO classroom!

Henry Bolzon

Henry brings decades of experience as an actor, a visual artist, and as a meditation teacher extraordinaire to the table!

Norm Boucher

Norm brings a wide variety of stage, television, commercial, and VO experience to his energetic classes!

Jane Brody

Jane tours internationally teaching workshops in career building, Shurtleff, camera methods, Stanislavski analysis, and super scenes.

Jack Bronis

Jack Bronis brings a wealth of acting, improv, and directing experience to his teaching at ASC!

Lili-Anne Brown

GUEST DIRECTOR Lili-Anne has performed in, directed, and produced many award-winning shows.

Sarah Charipar

Sarah brings her camera expertise and her extensive teaching credentials to ASC!

Stephen Cone

Indie filmmaker, director, and actor, Stephen Cone is one of Chicago's rising stars. We're thrilled to have him at ASC!

Esteban Andres Cruz

Esteban is a passionate and skilled stage and film actor, dancer, & teacher.

Adrianne Cury

Adrianne brings experience from Chicago's top theatres such as Writers, Chicago Shakes, and Lifeline.

Dado

Dado is a director and Ensemble Member of A Red Orchid Theatre.

Spenser Davis

Spenser is a Chicago-based writer-director, Goodman's 2020/21 Maggio Fellow & winner of the Osborn Award.

Adria Dawn

Adria brings inside knowledge of on-camera acting from her expansive roster of tv, film, & new media credits!

Kate DeVore

Kate brings her knowledge and extensive experience as a speech pathologist and dialect coach to her voice and dialect classes at ASC!

Deb Doetzer

Deb Doetzer brings an extensive career in voiceover and theatre to her dynamic classes at ASC!

Natalie Duke

Natalie Duke is a voice actor and a proficient audio books narrator who brings a breadth of expertise to her teaching.

Kirsten Fitzgerald

Kirsten Fitzgerald brings her experience as a renowned actress and is the Artistic Director of A Red Orchid Theatre.

Mary Franke

Mary specializes in working with younger talent!

Charles Andrew Gardner

Born and raised on Chicago's south side, Charles is an experienced actor, director, producer, and teaching artist.

Linda Gillum

Actress/Director Linda brings her warmth and experience to class and is the Casting Director of Remy Bumppo!

Christina Gorman

Actress and fight choreographer, Christina brings energy, creativity, and industry knowledge to her classes!

Coburn Goss

We're thrilled to have TV/film, theatre, VO actor, as well as award winning playwright Coburn on our roster!

Brad Grusnick

Brad is a highly experienced Gaming and Animation VO artist who brings high energy and fun to his teaching.

Terry Guest

Terry Guest is a Chicago-based playwright, actor, director, and teaching artist.

Jerry Kernion

Jerry is a veteran actor/director/producer with over 50 television credits under his belt.

Ryan Kitley

A seasoned television, film, and theater actor, Ryan brings nearly 3 decades of experience to the classroom.

Amber Krcmar

Amber's teaching has taken her all over the world! She is excited to share her extensive knowledge with the youth and teen actors at ASC!

David Leffel

Dave is a veteran VO artist and audio engineer specializing in sound for Radio, Film, and TV at BAM Studios.

AJ Links

As a Casting Director for Paskal Rudnicke Casting, AJ brings a wealth of industry experience to her classes.

Jeff Lupetin

Jeff is an author and award winning VO artist recognized for his work for SC Johnson and Procter & Gamble.

Marti Lyons

Guest Director: Masters Scene Study - Artistic Director: Remy Bumppo Theatre

Sandra Marquez

Guest Director: Longtime ensemble member of Teatro Vista and a Steppenwolf Ensemble member.

Bob Mason

Bob Mason has been casting director at Chicago Shakespeare Theater since 2000.

Catherine Miller

Catherine is a proud trans non-binary casting director, dramaturg, producer & gender consultant.

Matt Miller

Matt brings insight from his extensive career as a theatre, commercial, and TV Director/Executive Producer.

Jennie Moreau

Jennie uses her extensive Chicago and NY theatre credits as well as her on camera experience here at ASC.

Shade Murray

Shade brings his experience as a theatre director and as an ensemble member of A Red Orchid.

Kurt Naebig

Kurt, a Juilliard grad, brings his 25 plus years worth of experience to his energetic and engaging classes.

Alice Pacyga

Alice Pacyga is an actor, improviser, and teacher. She received her MFA and BFA in Acting from NIU.

Marisa Paonessa

Talent agent extraordinaire, Marisa, the owner of prestigious Paonessa Talent, is here breaking down the biz at ASC!

Rachael Patterson

Studio Director, Rachael Patterson has led Acting Studio Chicago for 27 years.

Brian Plocharczyk

Brian works in VO and On-Camera with numerous commercials, corp. videos, and animated & gaming projects credits.

Lauren Port

Four-time Artios Award winner, Lauren Port, has been the Casting Director of the Goodman Theatre since 2019.

Siobhan Reddy-Best

Siobhan brings her acting experience to the other side of the table as an agent.

Robert Schleifer

Robert is a teaching artist and actor, leading classes and workshops all over the world including several programs in Austria and Italy.

Claire Simon

President/Director of Casting - Simon Casting

Donna Simon Dunn

Talent Agent at Grossman & Jack Talent.

Janelle Snow

Janelle is a graduate of NU and Harvard and has been active in our acting community for over 2 decades.

Danny Taylor

Danny Taylor brings his extensive experience as a performer to create a fun and dynamic acting class experience.

Risha Tenae

Risha received her MFA from Cal Arts and brings a wealth of stage & teaching experience to the classroom.

Michael Patrick Thornton

Guest Director: Founder & FormerArtistic Director of The Gift Theatre.

Jessica Dean Turner

With an MA from NYU in educational theatre, Jessica also brings her extensive theatre and on camera experience to ASC!

Sarafina Vecchio

As an actor and teaching artist for nearly 20 years, Sarafina brings her passion and fearlessness to the table.

Barbara Zahora

Barbara is an actor, director, teacher, and voice coach, with an emphasis on unlocking Classical texts.

For acting training, absolutely nothing beats taking a class. Acting is a team sport and you learn so much from being in relationship with your classmates. However, when those intense auditions arise, you may find yourself needing a great coach.  Many of our teachers do private coachings and are happy to get you ready to nab that callback!