Lisa-Marie is from Ashland, Oregon and has been a part of the theatre world since she was a child. She is thankful to be a part of this year’s Academy Company. Some of her favorite roles at The Academy include, June in Anatomy of Gray, the pilot in Chamber Music and Wendla Bergmann in The Spring Awakening. Outside of school, she has portrayed such roles as Anne Frank in And Then They Came for Me and Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. In her spare time, Lisa-Marie enjoys reading, writing, and just about anything whimsical and magical.

Jeffrey is thrilled and honored to be a part of the 2016-2017 Academy Company. His favorite roles thus far have been Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, David Moss in Glengarry Glen Ross and Danny in Infinite Black Suitcase. When he is not acting, he can be found in the studio writing or playing music with his band Rare Avis. He would like to thank his family and friends for their constant love, grace and support. He hopes you enjoy the show! 

Marvin is a San Francisco native who picked up his first script at nine years old. He has been spending sunny days in dark theatres ever since. Some of his favorite credits include Michael from Dancing at Lughnasa and Snoopy from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Marvin has studied at The Academy, South Coast Repertory’s Acting Intensive Program, The Circus Center SF and The Berridge Conservatory in Normandy, France. Marvin would like to thank his parents for their remarkable support and all active theatre goers who care about telling stories as much as he does.

Alejandro was born and raised in Mexico City. He has loved acting ever since he played a banana in a school play when he was a small child. After high school he decided to leave home and come to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming an actor, and to play more complex characters than a banana. Some of his favorite roles include, Donald Carney in Biloxi Blues, Mark in The Shadow Box and the bellhop in Lend me a Tenor. He is very excited to be a part of this year’s Company and would like to send a huge thank you to his amazing family and friends for all their love and support. Now, let’s tell the story. 

Michael originates from a town in England famous for its wells, Wellingborough. From an early age, he was a performer, and had his first experience with the theatre from the sidelines, playing in the band. He soon realized that on the stage was where he belonged. He is extremely excited to continue his experience at The Academy as a member of its Company. Michael would like to thank his parents, his teachers, and all of his friends who have helped him reach this point, especially Grischa Petram, who is still a huge source of personal inspiration despite no longer being with us. “Don’t dream your life, live your dream.”

At the age of six, Mari played a circus director at school and got to watch two clowns smash real cake in each other’s faces for days in a row. Over time, she realized acting is about much more than smashing cake in people’s faces, and has since worked tirelessly to improve herself and her abilities. Her favorite characters at The Academy so far have been Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and Irina in Three Sisters. She is immensely grateful to the wonderful teachers at The Academy for their guidance, and her family for their endless support, especially her grandfather, Gunnar. 

Fleur was born in London, England. Living in such a vibrant and diverse city, her love of the arts grew with frequent visits to the theatres of the West End, with her absolute favorites being The National and The Old Vic. Some of her most loved roles include, Martha in Spring Awakening and Germaine in Picasso at The Lapin Agile. She would like to thank all those at The Academy who supported and believed in her, and most of all her mum and grandad for their unconditional love.

Michelle was born in the Nordic country Sweden where she discovered her love for acting. After studying at three different acting schools she started to work as an actress in Stockholm. She realized quickly that the only way for her to master her craft was to leave the homeland of the Vikings and go abroad. Michelle ended up in Los Angeles at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and she couldn’t have made a better choice. Excited and ready, she steps on stage to begin her third and final year at The Academy.

Sadye was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Her lifelong passion for acting brought her to Los Angeles, where she immersed herself in studies at The Academy. She is thrilled to be a part of this year’s Company. Some of her favorite roles include, Christina Mundy in Dancing at Lughnasa, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sorel Bliss in Hay Fever. She is incredibly grateful for all of the wonderful instructors and friends she has met since arriving in this city, and would like to thank them all for their continued support and guidance.

Rebecca is from Santa Cruz, California, and first discovered her love of acting at 13 when she got five lines in King Con, a youth play written by members of her church. Since then, she has never looked back. While studying at The Academy, she has worked on roles such as Beth in Ordinary People and Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. She feels blessed to have found a place that encourages her passion and has introduced her to her best friends. She loves and appreciates her family for helping her live her dreams. 

Jackie is originally from Rochester, Michigan. She started acting in high school, where she discovered her true appreciation for the arts. Her favorite productions at The Academy include: Ruby Sunrise, Goodbye My Fancy, Country Club, Separate Tables and The Hollow. She is beyond excited to continue her studies this year. Most importantly, Jackie wishes to thank you for being here. Enjoy the show!

Born a Jersey girl and raised moving all around the east coast, Dorothy Mannine ended up at The Academy after discovering her love for acting from performing the role of Hermione in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, her senior year of high school. Some of her favorite roles have included, Kate in Dancing at Lughnasa, Florence in North Shore Fish, and Maude in Sabrina Fair. She has found magic in all of the roles given to her at The Academy and looks forward to what else is to come!

Thanos was born and raised in Athens, Greece. His love of acting started after playing as Lysander in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the university where he was majoring in Economics. He continued with studies in Greek Theatre and his even bigger dreams led him to The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Thanos is honored to be a part of this year’s Academy Company and he would like to thank his friends and teachers for their love and support. Special thanks go to both of his parents, who are the heroes of his life. 

Junaid is from Mumbai, India and found himself at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles after three of the most boring years of his life spent getting his Bachelor’s of Commerce degree. With a late-acquired, but deeply rooted love for performance and the invaluable support of his parents and The Academy faculty, Junaid has been able to grow exponentially over the course of the last two years. He has been privileged enough to work on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Enchanted April, Sabrina Fair, Harvey and Infinite Black Suitcase. 

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Eddie started acting at the theatre up the street from his home when he was a child. While growing up, he always had the dream of becoming an actor. Eddie is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to study here at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His time here has helped him bring his dream to life. Eddie is thrilled to be a part of this year’s Company and he would like to thank all those who have helped him on his journey so far.

Noah calls Arlington, Virginia home. He is extremely honored to represent his school and showcase what he has been taught here at The Academy. Noah would like to thank his high school, HB Woodlawn, and his amazing family, for the unwavering support of his dreams. He firmly believes that each show put up on this stage honors the life and memory of Grischa Petram. “Don’t dream your life, live your dream.” Noah hopes you enjoy the show!

Monica was told that all you have to do is really want something, and your mind alone will find a way to get it. Soon enough, she fell in love with acting because of its ability to move, comfort and open up minds. Coming from Mexico to the City of Angels is a journey that has shaped who she is now, and who she can’t wait to become. Monica is thankful to The Academy for challenging her, to her family for the support and inspiration and to her friends for the lessons they have taught her.

Victoria calls Virginia and Michigan her homes. Interestingly, she didn’t know she wanted to be an actress until her third year of naval military service. After finishing her active duty, she returned home to take a few acting classes. As it turns out, she was quite good and performed as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Elmire in Tartuffe, and more at her community theatre before auditioning for The Academy. Her favorite roles at The Academy include, Luellen in Final Placement, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth and Kate Keller in All My Sons. She’s excited to be a part of this Company and expects this to be a great year.

Ever since Marissa was a child, she loved to act. Her elementary school put on mandatory plays, and while the majority of the other kids dreaded it, Marissa thrived. She soon got involved with a local theatre group, Maui Onstage, where she played roles such as Patty Simcox in Grease and Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. After graduating high school, Marissa attended the University of Hawaii because she thought it was the smart thing to do. But, she couldn’t give up her passion. A year later, she found herself in Los Angeles. At the end of the day, it was worth it to leave Hawaii for acting. 

Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, Maria came from an athletic background before making her debut with the Mirita Casimiro Theatre Company in 2009. She was cast in Lisbon’s Shakespeare in The Park Festival that following year. She later moved to England where she trained at the Performance Preparation Academy and worked with the National Youth Theatre, before making her way to The Academy. She recently appeared in the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Her other credits include: Much Ado about Nothing, Oleanna, An American Daughter and Jake’s Women. Maria would like to thank her family and friends for their support, and hopes you enjoyed reading about her in the third person.

Gustavo was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but it wasn’t until the age of 17 that he found his love for acting, when he moved to Vancouver to study English for a year. After that one year of discovering theatre, he decided that acting was what he wanted for his future. When schools in Brazil didn’t live up to his hopes, he decided to come to The Academy to pursue acting at a professional level. His favorite roles include, Manolo in The Odd Couple, Howard in Moon over Buffalo and Preacher in Amazing Grace.

Louie started doing voiceover work for radio and television at age 10. He spent most of his adolescence working for various theatre companies throughout Dubai. At 18 he toured the Middle East with the first staged show of Freej, the Arabic equivalent of The Simpsons. He then backpacked through Southeast Asia and lived in Phuket, Thailand for a year of training in Muay Thai fighting. Louie chose to enroll at The Academy because he feels that acting is a means to help society remember who they have been, who they are, and even, who they can become.

Antonios is a European actor, having been raised in Spain and the UK. After a sudden inspiration and change of heart, he decided to become an actor half way through his business degree at college. This leap of faith led him to join The Academy’s Summer Program. The journey has continued all the way until now. Antonios’s favorite roles at The Academy include the life-changing roles of Hamlet, and his graduation performance as John Proctor in The Crucible. Antonios wishes to inspire you and hopes that the stories that the Company tells may teach you something about yourself and the world around you. 

Wyatt was raised around rodeo, country music and lots of potatoes. Though all of that was great, he wanted to break free from the small town and pursue his dreams of acting. And, with a flip of a coin, he decided to go to The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. His favorite and most challenging roles include, Vassily Soloyony in Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello. He would like to thank his parents for making this chance possible. He also wishes to thank The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. 

Catie was born and raised in good ole Hannibal, Missouri. She knew she was born to act after auditioning for the smallest role in a play when she was nine, but landed the lead role instead. Catie began to study theatre at Drury University, but after a year decided Missouri was no longer the place for her. After residing in Los Angeles for over two years, she now knows California is the place she is meant to be. Her favorite role to date is her portrayal of Lillian Zalinski in Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, the story of a repressed lesbian diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Catie hopes to pursue a career in dramatic films and thanks her family for supporting her through every crazy adventure. 

Laura was born in Bogotá, Colombia and raised in Orlando, Florida. Her love for performance began at a very young age, along with her love for movies and music. In her younger years, she attended The Osceola County School for the Arts were she studied music, specifically violin performance. Laura’s biggest passion is acting and she plans on pursuing it and learning for the rest of her life. She is beyond excited to be a part of the 2016-17 Academy Company and is thankful for the amazing opportunity.