Allen C. Paul is a full-time freelance 3D Character Rigger living in the San Francisco Bay. He is a digital artist with fifteen years worth of experience working in programs such as Maya, Blender, Adobe Suite, Unity, and Audacity and with languages such as Python and MEL.
Allen’s education includes a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Character Animation from Academy of Art University (AAU), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design from Frostburg State University (FSU), BFA in Photography from FSU, an Associates in Art History from FSU, animation workshops at Animation Collaborative, the character program with Animschool, and rigging courses from Puppeteer Lounge. He has worked for studios such as Hectic Digital, Far Fetched Films, and for various NDAs throughout the industry.
Allen knew with great skills comes great teaching responsibilities. When he is not building the next great rig for his clients, he uses his superpowers to train the next generation of animators, riggers, and modelers. He has done this through developing courses for Digital Media Academy (DMA) as well as being an instructor at DMA’s Stanford University branch. Other avenues have been with San Francisco Recreation and Parks as well as The Mix at the San Francisco Public Library.
Quote: “Failing is only natural when you strive to keep learning. It takes 1000 hours of failing to become a master.”
Website: www.askarigger.comInstagram/twitter: @askarigger Youtube: Ask A Rigger
Anthony Chan left his junior year of college and made the move to New York City after booking the second national tour of Roundabout Theatre’s Anything Goes. Shortly after his move, he workshopped the Broadway production of Allegiance, starring Lea Salonga and George Takei, and made his Off-Broadway debut in Manuel vs. the Statue of Liberty, which played at the Signature Theatre. After taking a leave of performing to finish off his degree at UC Irvine, Anthony moved back to New York, where he immediately booked the first national tour of Lincoln Center Theater’s production of The King and I directed by Bartlett Sher, playing the crown prince, Prince Chulalongkorn. Before the global pandemic hit America, Chan was scheduled to open the World Premiere of The Visitor, starring David Hyde Pierce and Ari’el Stachel, set to play at critically acclaimed Off-Broadway theatre, The Public Theater. Regional credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ching Ho; Riverside Theatre and John W. Engeman Theater); West Side Story (Chino; SFBATCO); Avenue Q (Princeton; Los Altos Stage Company); Vietgone (Nhan/Khue/et al; Capital Stage Company); …Spelling Bee (Chip Tolentino; Bus Barn Stage Company); All Shook Up (Dennis; Foothill Theatre Company); Ching Chong Chinaman (Upton; City Lights Theater Company) and many more.
With The Young People’s Teen Musical Theatre Company, Anthony has performed in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Barfee and Assassins in the Ensemble. He also co-choreographed Carrie in 2019. Under the direction of Nicola Bosco-Alvarez, Anthony has been able to pursue his theatre dreams. Over the summer of 2020, Anthony and his fellow collaborators helped Nicola in developing YPTMTZoom, an online summer program for teens to dive into the world of singing, acting, and dancing.
Aside from theatre, Anthony is also a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM) where he trains his clients in weight loss, strength training, and an overall expansion of physical goals. He has worked for SoulCycle since July of 2018 and has understood the importance of internal and external health. Currently, he is studying for his Forensic Chemistry degree – which he was double majoring in when he first entered university.
Ash Hicks, Ashley (aka Ash) is a recent grad of A.C.T (c/o 2021). Immediately following undergrad, she moved to the Windy City of Chicago where she continued her training and built her professional resume. In the fall, Ash plans to move to NYC to begin the next chapter of her artistic journey. When she’s able to have free time of her own, Ash enjoys thrift shopping and solo dance parties. Favorite movie (at the moment) is Promising Young Lady and favorite musical (at the moment) Dear Evan Hanson.
Barbara Pollak-Lewis is a full time exhibiting painter and educator who lives with one husband, two teenagers and three cats in San Francisco.
For the past 3 years, she has worked as a Teaching Artist at the San Francisco Public Library “The Mix” teen space and with San Francisco Rec and Park teaching after school classes in digital photography.
Before that she spent 25+ years as a freelance illustrator working for clients including Penguin Putnam, Seventeen Magazine, The Gap, Simon and Schuster, Random House, Clear Channel and The Wall Street Journal. She has also worked as a staff artist, an art director, and is the published author and illustrator of the children’s picture book “Our Community Garden”.
Originally from New York, she earned her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design in Film/Animation and then immediately drove out to San Francisco with some friends on a whim. In addition to teaching and painting, she enjoys cooking, travel, making handmade books, knitting and generally just making stuff. She is currently working on her MA in Arts Education.
Website: www.barbarapollakart.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/happypixart/
Bernadette Flynn (Set Designer & Technical Director) has a BA in Dance and a BA in Liberal Arts from San Francisco State and M.F.A. in Theatre Arts program for Scenic Design at SFSU. Bernadette has been teaching for the SFRPD SINCE 2006; she teaches classes that range from toddlers, Roly Poly’s, kids knitting and crocheting classes, to teens ballet and tap and runs the after-care program for Pacific Art camp, teaching scene design and scenic painting. She also teaches Irish Step dancing at Sunset Movement Arts Dance studio in San Francisco. One of Bernadette’s recent projects was working on the production, Imagining the Imaginary Invalid, as the assistant set designer, with Mabou Mines experimental theatre company in NY.
Cassie Grilley is an actor, improviser, and singer born and raised in San Francisco. During the pandemic she has been studying improv at the Groundlings and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Cassie was on her college improv team, Live Nude People* *With Clothes on at UC Irvine. Previous credits include: TALES OF THE RESISTANCE (Clya) with The SF Mime Troupe, HAIRSPRAY (Tracy Turnblad) with Bay Area Musicals; THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (Lucy/White Witch/Susan), SHE PERSISTED (Child Time) with BACT. BA: UC Irvine.
The Young People’s Teen Musical Theatre Company has played such an important role in Cassie’s life. She grew up watching her grandmother, Diane Price, the founder of YPTMTC, direct countless musicals. When Cassie became a teen she joined YPTMTC and was in a multitude of shows directed by YPTMTC’s current director, Nicola Bosco-Alvarez. Now Cassie is an arts educator with YPTMTC having taught acting workshops, tap classes, improv classes, and has assistant directed many of the most recent shows. When the pandemic hit, Cassie and her fellow arts educators helped Nicola Bosco-Alvarez develop YPTMTZoom, a virtual summer camp, where they offered acting, singing, dancing, and playwriting classes. Cassie can currently be seen creating comedic content on her social media pages!
Evan Johnson has lifelong passion for all things theatrical; he’s a playwright, performer and teaching artist. His plays include Pansy, Don’t Feel: The Death of Dahmer and Barn Owl. Evan’s work has been featured locally as well as internationally. He’s traveled to perform in NYC, Austin, Portland with his solo plays and across India with Circus Across Cultures. He often performs as his alter ego Martha T. Lipton (the failed actress) and in red nose with his clown partner Michele Menard. Evan teaches drama classes through SF Rec and Parks, San Francisco Village, and Project Openhouse. www.evanjohnsonplays.com
Evangeline Edwards grew up singing and dancing in the Rocky Mountains. Her interests in performance took her to high school at Interlochen Arts Academy and then to the University of Southern California, where her love for acting both on film and stage flourished. Evangeline just finished her second year in the MFA program at ACT and is thrilled to be teaching musical theatre this summer. In her free time, she enjoys gardening with her dad and painting! Her favorite musical is Les Misérables
Michelle Champlin is a professional visual artist, educator, intuitive, and creative mentor living in Oakland CA. She has been teaching art classes and curating student exhibitions with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department since 2016.
Primarily a painter, her work ranges from representational to intuitive abstract and tends to explore emotion, human perspective, healing, spirituality, and consciousness.
Michelle has always loved creating art. She began taking private art lessons at the age of 12, just after losing her Mom to cancer. The arts became and continue to be a profound vehicle for creative expression and healing for her.
Earning her Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Arts with a Visual Arts focus at the California Institute of Integral Studies provided her time, space, and resources to delve deeply into her own truth, perspective, and process, both as an individual and as an artist–an experience that informs her work every day.
Her background includes working with a variety of populations including, but not limited to; children, professional women, LGBTQ youth, and adults and youth who experience developmental disabilities. She is passionate about bringing opportunities for education, creative growth, and self-expression to the community–as well as creating space for folks to contemplate and honor their own experience.
Her belief that art gives us an opportunity to see in a new way, a vehicle to learn, and the power to convey is at the heart of her love of teaching.
www.wickedpainty.com
Quincy Stamper for many years has been a passionate arts educator of Bay Area youth. He is a San Francisco based photographer eager to capture the moments in life through portraits and food. He has fallen in love with photography for many reasons, but mostly because he is able to build relationships through his work. These relationships and stories motivate him to look for new ways to inspire his creativity. He thanks God everyday for giving him persistence and patience to create work that he is proud to share with people like you! His portfolio will show you how much he enjoys to work on images that inspire and uplift others. www.quincystamperphotography.com
Zoe Chen Hi y’all! My name is Zoe Chen, and I’m an activist, teacher, and artist dedicated to creating social change through theater. I am especially passionate about telling queer and trans API (Asian and Pacific Islander) stories. I graduated from Pomona College with BA’s in Theater and English and am a current MFA student at the American Conservatory Theater. When I’m not doing theater, I also love playing the jazz saxophone.