We’re pleased to present some of the Academy of Children’s Theatre Staff! One of our core goals is to provide professional guidance from experienced and qualified instructors. This is why we maintain a team of staff members that are both well educated and have proven success through personal experience.
Lynn is an actress, director, author, international conference speaker, wife, and mother of four. She is the owner of ACT and president & founder of the Academy of Community Theatre (ACT II). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire where she earned membership in the National Collegiate Players. Lynn has over 35 years of experience in stage and radio, including voice work for Focus on the Family. She has also been a guest on numerous television and radio broadcasts around the country. Though she will always love acting, teaching and directing have captured her heart. Some of the favorite shows that she’s directed include A Christmas Carol, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Legend of Robin Hood, and Little Women.
Vanessa is a playwright, teacher, wife, and mother. She earned her B.A. from CU Boulder and her M.P.A from UCCS. She has created magic in the entertainment departments of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Six Flags Elitch Gardens. She loves acting and some of her favorite past productions include, The Baseball Show (Heritage Square Music Hall), Nunsense (Breckenridge Backstage), and Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge (Denver Victorian). She was nominated for a 2007 Denver Post, Ovation Award and Marlowe Award, for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, for her role as Sue Lawson in, Not Now Darling! (Miner’s Alley Playhouse), and was part of the cast for the 2010 Ovation Award nomination for Best Comedy, Getting Married (Germinal Stage). She is committed to volunteering, having been a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, a Disney VoluntEAR and she served in the Peace Corps, Armenia. She is very excited to be a part of the ACT team!
Bob is thrilled to be joining the Academy of Children’s Theatre! Bob is currently a lecturer with The Department of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Robert is a trained actor and a member of Actor’s Equity Association, The Screen Actor’s Guild, and The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He specializes in comedic theatre training derived from his work at The Second City, Carnivores In Action, and Burnt Toast. He has worked as an actor and director at The Signature Theatre (NYC), The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Theatreworks (Colorado Springs), Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, Tennessee Repertory Theater, and many more. Some of Bob’s favorite roles are, Falstaff-Merry Wives of Windsor, Scrooge-A Christmas Carol, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, John Adams-1776, Hook-Peter Pan, and Herod-Jesus Christ Superstar.
Elyse began dancing at the young age of four and has been dancing ever since. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual and Performing Arts from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs in 2011. Elyse has been a dance instructor for ten years and has directed numerous dance productions including How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lion King, and The Christmas Letter! She has won awards at statewide dance competitions, including Best Choreography, Entertainment Awards, and Best Costume. She loves sharing her passion for theatre and dance with her students and is excited to be working with ACT & ACT II!
Matt Dunn is gracious for the opportunity to join the Academy of Children’s Theatre. Matt is an actor, singer, dancer, and teacher from Orange County, CA. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from California State University, Fullerton and has performed in various regional productions around the Los Angeles area. Matt started singing and acting when he was 8. He has a vocal performance background and has sung at venues like The Hollywood Bowl, The Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. He trained under a direct student of acting mogul Konstantin Stanislavski and has extensive dance training in tap, jazz, and ballet. One of Matt’s favorite performances was with the original production company of Rock of Ages on contract with Norwegian Cruise Lines. Matt has a passion for teaching and has 10 years of experience as an acting coach, voice teacher, and dance instructor. Apart from theatre, Matt is the proud father of 3 children and owns a local dog training company with his wife, Jenny.
Shayla Mellen has a Bachelors of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts with a Dance Major and Theater minor which she received at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. As well as an Associate of Arts in Dance Performance on a full-tuition scholarship from Casper College. She has been dancing since the age of 2 and dance and theater are her absolute passion. She has been in many musicals, plays, and dance shows such as Double-Sided Coin, Collective Trust, Mary Poppins, The Wedding Singer, Six Characters in Search of an Author, A Rock N Roll Fantasy, and an adaptation of Charlotte’s Web through dance. She is the Show Choir and Musical Choreographer at Vista Ridge High School and Show Choir Choreographer for Falcon High School. Shayla has also choreographed some of her own original dance shows such as Resurgence and Psyche through UCCS. She has loved being a part of the ACT staff for a couple of years now.
Lee Ann Soulvie is currently a full-time choral and piano teacher in Colorado Springs, and has been teaching voice, choir and musical theatre for almost 30 years! She grew up in Illinois, where she began performing at a young age in voice, dance and theatre. She majored in Musical Theatre from Millikin University in Decatur, IL and received her Masters in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Webster University in St. Louis. Her life long passions for performance coupled with teaching have brought many rewarding opportunities along the way for her and her students. She has performed as a choral soloist, appeared in many musicals, operas, directed/choreographed numerous musicals for children’s groups through adults, and owns High Note Studio where she teaches privately.
Autumn is a professional actor, writer, singer, and producer. A Colorado native with a Bachelor’s in Visual and Performing Arts from UCCS, she spent her post-collegiate time stomping the streets of Chicago as an actor and casting assistant, where her background in original, devised works and stage direction came in handy. Returning to Colorado, she honed her film, television, and voiceover craft resulting in Fighter Productions, her independent film brain child where she spends her days wearing many hats. A military brat and former early childhood educator with Schriever Air Force Base, Autumn loves working with kids and believes every child is creative…they just need a chance to shine! Her favorite stage performance credits include playing Wanda Savage in a workshop reading of the Broadway Shark Tank hopeful new musical Savage and understudying Elizabeth Bennett with Theatreworks’ production of Pride and Prejudice with Book-It Rep out of Seattle. When she’s not performing or creating, you’ll find Autumn pitching new film works via her indie company, working on voiceover projects in the booth, and testing new bakes a la Great British Bakeoff. She is so grateful to join ACT and is excited to learn and grow with the students!
Jerilyn Winstead, when not Studio Admin is an author/entrepreneur, having founded two mermaid businesses where she wore many hats and tails. With her business, Burrowgroves, Jerilyn is writing her own novels and offering professional ghostwriting and editing services. She grew up in Brazil, Indiana, and Chicago, then in St. Louis she got married and had four kids in a row – still not sure what happened. In 2000 the Winstead’s moved to Colorado, where they enjoy homesteading in Colorado Springs and traveling the world. Jerilyn also spins yarn and knits. She participates in LARP and medieval re-enactment and collects unusual hobbies.
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