Teaching Artists
On Tour
Summer 2019
Our touring teaching artists have years of experience in education and childcare not only as artistic educators, but also as classroom teachers, camp counselors, nannies, and tutors. In addition to their experience in education, CCD teaching artists are Chicago-based actors, directors, stage combatants, playwrights, and other theatre professionals.
CCD is dedicated to assembling teams of teaching artists who are just as passionate about children and education as they are about the work they do onstage - artists who are not only able to provide your students and families with a nurturing and engaging educational environment,
but who teach by example so that your students can, in turn, learn to lead by example.
CCD is dedicated to assembling teams of teaching artists who are just as passionate about children and education as they are about the work they do onstage - artists who are not only able to provide your students and families with a nurturing and engaging educational environment,
but who teach by example so that your students can, in turn, learn to lead by example.
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Abby Thompson
Originally from Milwaukee, Abby studies acting and voiceover at Columbia College Chicago. She is passionate about immersive theatre, theatre for social justice, teaching artistry, the connection between faith and theatre, community engagement, and cultural partnerships. She has performed and taught professionally with First Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and African American Children’s Theatre, and currently teaches theatre with After School Matters Chicago. |
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A.J. Morrison
A.J. is an actor and educator based in Indianapolis, IN. He has taught workshops, classes, and camps for music, acting, and musical theatre for various organizations around Indianapolis including two years teaching music full-time with Indianapolis Public Schools. He has had the pleasure to perform with Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Actors Theatre of Indiana, The Phoenix Theatre, Indy Opera, EclecticPond Theatre Co., The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and The Lilly Theatre. Favorite performance credits include Seussical The Musical (Cat), My Fair Lady (Freddy), A Christmas Carol (Bob Cratchit), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), and most recently James and the Giant Peach (Grasshopper). |
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Andrew Clancey
Andrew has been an active performer in the Chicago area since August 2013, performing with Mercy Street Theatre, 20% Theatre Company Chicago, Chicago Fringe Festival, Citadel Theatre Company, and Oil Lamp Theater. Originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he received a BA in Theatre Arts and a BA in Cinema and Comparative Literature from the University of Iowa, and came to Chicago in search of more opportunities as a performer and to explore exciting new artistic endeavors, like teaching and engaging the community in the arts. Since then, he has trained as an educator through the Compass Creative Dramatics Teaching Artist Training Program and has also worked as a teaching artist with Emerald City Children’s Theatre |
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Dana Macel
An actor, props and scenic designer, and educator, Dana holds a degree in Theatre and in Film and Digital Media Production from Loyola University Chicago. Her work as an educator includes programming with the Chicago Children’s Museum, CircEsteem, and South Bend Civic Theater, and she has performed with Improv Playhouse’s Theatre for Young Audiences, Odd’s Bodkins, and Abaisses Theatre Company in Chicago. |
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Danni Krehbiel
Danni is an actor, writer, comedian, director, singer, and dancer. She holds a BFA in Acting from Cornish College of the Arts and has performed at many of Seattle’s regional theaters. Her credits include: As You Like It (Seattle Shakespeare Co.), Henry IV Pt. 1. (Wooden O), Carousel (5th Avenue Theatre), American Idiot (Artswest), Mercer Girls (5th Ave's Adventure Musical Theatre). Danni lives in Chicago, performing regularly at The Second City Training Center and iO Theater with her improv and sketch groups: Appital Capital, 7 Brides for 2 Brothers, and Comedy Dance Chicago. |
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Emma Noelle
A recent graduate of Florida Southern College, Emma holds a BFA in Theatre Performance Major. Emma is originally from Mundelien, IL, and is excited to be back at Compass as a Touring Teaching Artist after having completed their Eduction Apprenticeship in Summer 2018. www.emma-noelle.com |
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Jill Matel
Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Jill has resided and worked in the Chicagoland area for over 20 years. Having studied dance and theatre at Barat College in Lake Forest, IL she currently choreographs and performs around Chicago and is passionate about bring theatre into the classroom. |
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Jill Stuck
Jill is the founder and producer of Storytown (a fully-improvised, interactive story for children 3-10 years old and their families). A graduate of the iO and Second City Conservatory improv programs, Jill has performed around Chicago with iO, Second City’s Skybox Theater, Moving Dock Theater Company, Redtwist Theatre, and WNEP with Seven Deadly Plays and 365 Sketches. She studied playwriting at Chicago Dramatists and has served as the Chicago Director of Funny Bones Improv, the Program Coordinator for This Is ME and Child Whisperer for The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. She teaches with Dream Big Performing Arts Workshop and is an improv Professor of Merriment with The Laughing Academy. |
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Johanna Jackson
Johanna has been an active performer and educator all over the country including Chicago, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Texas and more. As a performer, she has worked with Music Theatre of Madison, Four Seasons Theatre, Brownville Village Theatre, and Live Read Movie Parodies. As an arts educator, she has taught with Broadway at Panhandle and DalhArts. In addition to the arts, Johanna is also passionate about community service and served with AmeriCorps for 2 years tutoring and mentoring children. Johanna holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. |
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Kelsey Fortier
Kelsey holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has studied at the Lou Conte Dance Studio. She participated in the teaching artistry apprenticeship program at Northlight Theatre and has taught dance, improve, acting, and arts appreciation through the Arlington Heights Park District. |
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Megan Peters
A graduate of West Virginia University with a BFA in Acting, Megan is originally from Cincinnati, OH, where she frequently taught summer classes for elementary and high school children at CASA Studios and through the Forest Hills School District. She has additionally has taught theatre appreciation and improv through a teach-abroad program in Slovakia. |
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Sonia Goldberg
Sonia is a Chicago native who graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Jordan College of the Arts at Butler University in Indianapolis, where she was also recently a teaching artist at their summer camp. She also holds a certificate in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA). Sonia has had the privilege of working with Strawdog Theatre Company, Lifeline Theatre Company, Filament Theatre, Pride Films & Plays, Muse of Fire, and Midsommer Flight. |
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Wyatt Kent
Originally from Nebraska, Wyatt graduated from Arizona State University earning a Masters of Fine Arts in Directing. Credits include acting with Stray Cat Theatre and Southwest Shakespeare Theatre in Arizona as well as working with The Plagiarists and the Babes With Blades Theatre Company in Chicago. Additionally he has served as a teaching artist with American Blues Theatre Company. www.wyattkent.com |
In Chicago
Lead Theatre Educators
Summer Cultural Enrichment Program, Chicago Park District
Lincoln Park Cultural Center
Clarendon Park
Summer Cultural Enrichment Program, Chicago Park District
Lincoln Park Cultural Center
Clarendon Park
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Sydney Ray
Sydney is an Actor and Educator based in Chicago, IL. She is an Troupe Member and Teaching Artist with E.D.G.E. of Orion Theatre Company - assistant directing, teaching and choreographing for The Constellation Project (musical theatre productions and theatre classes for young people with Downs Syndrome) since 2012. With E.D.G.E. she has performed in various professional productions including 1776 (Charles Thomson), Into the Woods (The Baker's Wife), MacSith (Lady MonDuff), Steampunk Christmas Carol (The Ghost of Christmas Present) and Illyia (Meranda). She can be seen next on stage with E.D.G.E. this October in Spoon River Anthologies and with Music for Theatre Chicago as Kate in The Wild Party. She has also worked with 20% Theater Company of Chicago, The Unrehearsed Shakespeare Company of Chicago, Broken Nose Theater Company, and Compass Creative Dramatics. She loves making funny faces, being a Jedi, eating burritos, drinking coffee, and traveling. |
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