Actors Gymnasium

Faculty
	Molly Brennan's recent credits include Go, Dog, Go! with Chicago Children's Theatre, Fatty Arbuckle's Spectacular Musical Review with Second City Theatricals, and Tina Landau's Theatrical Essays at Steppenwolf Garage. Molly is a company member of both 500 Clown and The House Theatre of Chicago. She is also a clown and supervisor for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit.
	Kevin Brown, a native of San Diego, CA, set up residence in Chicago after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University's School of Communication. While at NU, he performed with Boomshaka for four years and co-directed the group for two, and he is now going on his third year as a company member of Be the Groove. He has worked at schools throughout Chicago as a Teaching Artist with Urban Gateways, Actors Gymnasium, and beginning in Fall 2010, Old Town School's Outreach Program. He currently plays percussion for various theater companies and musical projects, and when not performing or teaching he works in the Performance Programs department at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
	Chuck Coyl's 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 include the Broadway and London productions of August: Osage County, and The Crucible and Superior Donuts at the Steppenwolf Theatre. 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. In addition to teaching at The Actor's Gymnasium, Chuck is a member of the North Carolina Stuntmen’s Association and a founding member of the Single Action Theatre Company.
	Adrian Danzig has been in shows at The Goodman, Second City, Berkeley Rep, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Public Theater, and with Shakespeare & Company and Lookingglass. He is a clown with Big Apple Circus Clown Care and teaches physical theater and movement at Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Adrian is also a founding member of 500 Clown.
	Jarrett Dapier recently appeared as Silverguy drum captain in Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale at the Goodman Theatre. Last spring he choreographed a drum number featuring several young percussionists in the Actors Gymnasium's Science Fiction: An Experiment in Circus. He has also worked with Redmoon Theatre Company with whom he performed at the White House during the Obamas' 2009 Halloween celebration.
	Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi is a lifelong practitioner of circus arts. She has received four Jeff awards for her circus choreography. In addition to teaching and managing the faculty at the Gym, Sylvia directs the Teen Ensemble and runs the summer Circus and Performing Arts Camp.
	Nathan Drackett assists Sylvia with circus arts classes and recently directed and adapted Neverwhere: A Circus Underground. He has been seen onstage at The Actors Gymnasium and Piven Theatre and has a BA in theatre from Northwestern University.
	Jessie Fisher graduated from the University of Colorado with a BFA in theatre performance. She teaches acting, music, and movement to all ages at Lookingglass Theatre, Writer’s Theatre, and with Actors Gymnasium.
	Sarah Goeden is a physical-theater actress who has been teaching and acting professionally in Chicago for nine years. She has performed professionally with physical-theater companies including Redmoon, the Building Stage, and Blair Thomas and Company, and she is a company member with Barrel of Monkeys.
	Jill Heyser has been student and fan of AG for many years, and is happy to add teacher to that list of affiliations. She is a regular at the Logan Square venue Vaudeville Underground, where she is an Associate Artist. You may have also seen her at Estrogenfest 2005/2007, in one of the first two Flying Griffin Circuses, the Tangerine Family Circus, The Tempest, or Neverwhere, right here at the Actors Gym.
	Paul Kalina is a founding member of 500 Clown. Certified as an actor-combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, Paul has worked as an actor and fight choreographer for The Goodman Theatre, CT20 productions and Steppenwolf Theatre. Paul attended the International School of Physical Theatre Dell'Arte in Blue Lake, California and is currently pursuing his MFA in Directing at the University of Idaho.
	Josh Lesser is the resident summer camp drama teacher at The Actor's Gymnasium, where he has adapted and co-directed seven shows. He is a performer and director in Chicago, and has most recently worked with Redmoon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre, where he is also a teaching artist. Josh graduated with a BS in theatre from Northwestern University.
	Nourbol Meirmanov is a professional acrobat who has performed and coached circus arts for over 20 years. He graduated from the world famous Moscow Circus School with a Master of Sport in several disciplines. Nourbol has performed with many circuses including the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey in both the blue and red units.
	Mandi Michalski has a degree in dance and a love for the circus. She has been teaching since 1998. She has been seen onstage at the Goodman, Lookingglass and The Actors Gymnasium.
	Jeremiah O'Connor began studying ballet at the age of 10 at the Ruth Page School of Dance in Chicago. He started incorporating gymnastics into his dance training at the age of 12 and feels that tumbling and acrobatics are valuable skills for performers and everybody to have as they increase confidence and promote a strong physicality (in addition to being a lot of fun!). Jeremiah currently teaches at Lakeshore Academy of Artistic Gymnastics, MSA Circus Arts, Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts and is also the acrobatics coach for Billy Elliot The Musical.
	Nicole Pellegrino is Be the Groove’s Director of Educational Development and a founding BTG ensemble member. A proud Northwestern University and Boomshaka alumna, Nicole is an actress, dancer, choreographer, rhythmist, improviser, circus artist, and jack-of-all-trades. She has performed all over, and recently in Actors Gym's Science Fiction: An Experiment in Circus. She also teaches many of these disciplines, currently with Lookingglass, The Old Town School of Folk Music, AfterSchoolMatters, and of course Actors Gym. Nicole also spends her free time at a record label and loves bass drums.
	Tommy Rapley received his BFA from Southern Methodist University in 2001. He has danced professionally with Ballet Memphis, Radio City International, and The Joffrey Ballet, and now serves as Director of Movement and Choreography for The House Theatre of Chicago.
	Rani Waterman is an AFAA certified personal trainer with over 10 years experience in competitive gymnastics and figure skating. She has been performing and training in the circus arts since 2002. In addition to teaching she has been seen on stage at Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Goodman Theatre and a few others. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and The School at Steppenwolf.
	Oyunchimeg “Oyuna” Yadamjav is one of Mongolia’s premier contortionists with over 25 years of experience performing internationally with the world-renowned Mongolian National Circus. She has won “SILVER CLOWN” at the global circus competition in Monte-Carlo and gold medals at international circus competitions in Germany and Cuba. Oyuna is currently teaching for Mongolian Children’s Performing Arts.

Faculty