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Introducing the 2026-2027 Academy Company

It is with much honor that we introduce this year’s Academy Company and anticipate this full season of moving performances from the newest generation of dedicated and powerful actors.

Barbara Rubin Company Director

Led by Barbara Rubin, director, acting and dialect coach, The Academy Company performs a wide range of plays from classical to contemporary, which are performed before an invited audience of Academy guests, agents, casting directors and other industry professionals.

2026-2027 Company Members

Alfie Cavallaro

(he/him) Sydney, Australia

Alfie Cavallaro is an actor who first began training in dance at the age of eight, developing a connection to performing on stage. During his adolescence, he transferred to a performing arts high school to continue his artistic expression through theatre, discovering a deeper passion for storytelling. During his final year, he went on a tour at the Academy which sparked his interest in advancing his training halfway around the world. Throughout his time at the Academy, his credits include King Lear, The Seagull, Present Laughter, and Red Light Winter. He believes that art is our most important language and can transport individuals to emotional places. He is beyond proud to be a part of the Company, and grateful to his family and loved ones for supporting his journey every step of the way.

Alicia Chacon

(she/her) Boca Raton, Florida

Alicia Chacon, a Guatemalan American born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida, has always wanted to pursue the arts. Growing up in an immigrant household taught her to work hard for her dreams and live the life she wants because she believes there's no point in doing something that doesn't make you happy. Her desire to act first sparked at eight years old, performing scenes in class and discovering her love of performing. She later worked on the stage crew for her elementary school's production of Annie, Jr. because she was too scared to audition. Watching her classmates perform helped her realize she didn't want fear to hold her back from doing something she loved. Although she was cast in Shrek, Jr. in middle school, the production was canceled due to COVID-19. It wasn't until her junior year of high school that she finally performed for the first time in Mamma Mia! During her senior year, she played Rhonda in Almost, Maine and was in the ensemble of The Addams Family. At the Academy, she played Peg Carter in The Welkin as part of the Graduation Series. She is proud of her roots, and that pride fuels her goal of enhancing representation of Guatemalan culture in the industry. Her family and friends continue to support and inspire her, and she is forever grateful.

Amanda Jacobus

(she/her) Little Neck, New York

Born and raised on the cusp of Queens, Amanda Jacobus is here to spread her energy to the world and have fun with every audience! Growing up surrounded by a family of artists and a city bursting with creativity, it didn’t take long for her to realize she wanted to be part of it, too. She loves making people laugh until their stomachs hurt, coming up with crazy ideas, and having fun whenever she can! She would like to thank her friends, as well as the teachers of the Academy’s Company, for giving her the opportunity to work alongside such an amazing group of people. And most importantly, her parents and sister for supporting her in her acting journey and dealing with her wacky antics throughout the years. They are her biggest inspiration, her driving force, and at the heart of everything she does. She is grateful for their love and support, always and forever.

Camille Hennes

(she/her) Leuven, Belgium

Born and raised in Leuven, Belgium, Camille grew up surrounded by art, from drawing and painting to years of dance training. Her first introduction to acting came through musical theatre camps, but it was not until she performed in her first musical at fourteen that she truly fell in love with acting. Working with a director and exploring a character for the first time made her realize that this was what she wanted to do. Since then, she has had the opportunity to explore different characters, including Judith Brewer in Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin. There has always been something about New York that felt special to her. After attending the Academy's summer program, she knew she wanted to return to study full-time. Camille used to tell her friends that one day she would study acting in New York, and what once sounded like an impossible dream has now become her reality. This year, Camille hopes to keep discovering more about herself and the craft. She wants to continue being curious about the people and stories she gets to explore. She is incredibly grateful to her family and friends in Belgium, whose love and support have made this journey possible.

Dani George-Garcia

(they/them) Fresno, California

Dani has spent every day of their life surrounded by art. They grew up watching their father shine as a guitarist and were lucky enough to inherit the hungry artist gene. In their childhood, a double feature of Singin’ in the Rain and The Rocky Horror Picture Show changed their life forever, and a deep love for musical theatre burrowed in their soul. They’ve never felt more inspired than watching Chita Rivera in West Side Story; it was the first time they saw someone who shared their Latine heritage on stage, and wanting to be just like her, they never looked back. After playing Wednesday in The Addams Family and Janis in Mean Girls, they went on a hunt for the perfect school to finally acquire singing and acting training, leading them to their new home at the Academy. Here, their passion for the stage extended to film and television, and thus, a multidisciplinary artist was born! Most recently, one of their greatest dreams came true when they had the honor of playing Natasha in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 at the Academy. If they’re not belting out a tune, you can probably find them at the movie theater. The only thing that means more to them than storytelling is their friends and family — especially their dear mother and sister; it’s thanks to them that they’re fortunate enough to be a storyteller in the first place.

Elijah Rashon

(he/him) Tulsa, Oklahoma

Elijah Rashon was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised all over the country as a military kid who never had a place to call home. Acting became the closest thing to home he had, a constant he could return to no matter how many times he packed up and moved. He'd caught the acting bug early, watching Martin Lawrence command every scene in Martin. It was also Remy, the rat in Ratatouille, who chased a future everyone told him wasn't his to want, that inspired Elijah. From Chef Gusteau's famous quote ‘anyone can cook,’ Elijah learned from that anyone can act and tell stories, regardless of where they started from. Some of his favorite memories at the Academy are playing John Merrick in Bernard Pomerance's The Elephant Man and Everybody in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Everybody as part of the Academy's Graduation Series. Outside the theater, Elijah can be found screenwriting, digging through record stores, or playing basketball. This year, he wants to keep making bolder choices in his own work while helping build a Company where everyone else feels safe doing the same, and he is endlessly grateful for the love and support of his friends, family, and Academy family who've made every day in that building feel like it means something.

Genesis Rey

(she/her) Bronx, New York

Genesis was born in the Bronx and partially raised there, while also spending part of her childhood in the Dominican Republic and Connecticut. At first, she wanted to be a pop star which turned into wanting to be a violinist. She later found her love for acting in high school when friends invited her to be the missing character for their devised theater piece. After that experience, she knew she was meant to be on stage telling stories. She continued to do community theater musicals, with most notable roles being Nina from In the Heights, Rizzo from Grease, and Heather M from Heathers. As she studied at the Academy her most notable roles were Jasmine in Pipeline and Norca in Our Lady of 121st Street. Among the many inspirations in her life, Genesis owes her success to her younger sister, Genes, who has supported her through every step of the way and her late friend Kirsten who pushed and believed in her endlessly. All her love.

Gigi Farmine

(she/her) Rueil-Malmaison, France

Born and raised in Rueil-Malmaison, a French town filled with cafés, boulangeries, and history, Gigi spent much of her childhood immersed in imagination. Growing up in a big family, she found her voice through storytelling. Whether she was dressing up, making movies with her older sister, drawing, dancing, or pretending to be Marie Antoinette, she was constantly inventing worlds and characters to inhabit. Fascinated by the stories of people around her, Gigi grew up dreaming of being a hundred different things. On stage, she doesn't have to choose; it is the one place where she can be everyone and do everything. Her path to the stage, however, was anything but conventional. While preparing to become a Rafale pilot in the French Air Force, she took acting classes on the side. As her love for acting grew, so did the feeling that she had found where she truly belonged. Trusting her instincts, she left home and moved to New York to pursue the dream that had long been calling to her. During her Company year, Gigi hopes to push herself beyond her limits, dream bigger, and continue growing as an artist. She is honored to be part of the Academy Company and deeply grateful to her mom and siblings, whose love and support made this journey possible, as well as to her Academy family and friends for encouraging her every step of the way.

Isabella Gilpin

(she/her) Bexley, United Kingdom

At the age of four, Isabella found a love for the dramatic in her first nativity play. Learning both her own lines and the lines of her co-narrator, it was clear that she meant business and has continued to love and develop the craft of storytelling throughout her life. After she moved to Bexley at the age of six, she tackled a new culture and educational system while broadening her love of acting to music, singing, and sports. In high school, she played Golde in Fiddler on the Roof and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and she didn’t stop once she went on to higher education. Studying Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Oxford, she burned to play and explore new material. Isabella worked on several pieces of new writing as well as published works where she played Connie in Made in Dagenham and Belize and Mr. Lies in Angels in America, Part 1. After graduating, she continued her work in the arts at a high school in East London before taking the leap to study at the Academy, where she went on to become a proud recipient of the Charles Jehlinger Award. Her notable works at the Academy include Nya in Pipeline and Sarah Hollis in The Welkin.

Jacob Hall

(they/them) Piscataway, New Jersey

Jacob Hall was always going to end up on stage. They spent most of their early years surrounded by their parents and their friends performing in the Wrightstown Renaissance Festival; with “HEAR-YE’s” and sword fights just as normal to them as soccer practice. Throughout middle and high school, they would go on to perform not only in every school performance they could possibly do, with roles such as Sheldon Plankton and Macbeth, but also in many shows at their local community theaters, where they were seen as Romeo (Known World Players) or Young Will (Playhouse 22). Jacob feels most at home when onstage, in front of those bright lights. They are elated to be working with the rest of the Academy's Company, and very excited to show what they love to everyone that helped them on their way here.

Madesen Dior

(she/her) Bronx, New York

The South Bronx is the birthplace of hip hop and home to many great artists, including Madesen Dior! Her family traveled from Puerto Rico to give her and her siblings the opportunity to pursue their dreams, and she grew up surrounded by a community of proud, hardworking immigrants who taught her that she is powerful enough to make her way through the world, just as her ancestors did for generations. Madesen is here to tell stories that make people feel deeply and, most importantly, laugh (her favorite thing to do). She is driven by sharing the stories of underrepresented communities and aspires to be the weird little brown girl she never got to see growing up, so another little girl out there doesn't have to wish to be seen. From playing Mercy Lewis in The Crucible at Broadway's Schubert Theatre to exploring the space between life and death in Everybody at the Academy, these roles gave Madesen the courage to exist loudly in a world that taught her to stay quiet. She is forever grateful to everyone who came before her, especially her family, for creating a life in this country that allowed her to pursue her own journey of exploring the world, telling stories, and creating art.

Maria Santos Carneiro

(she/her) Porto, Portugal

Maria Santos Carneiro is a Portuguese actress with a background in theatre and film developed across Portugal, Brazil, and the United States. Having begun performing at a young age, she grew up experiencing different cultures and ways of storytelling, which continue to shape both her perspective as an artist and the way she approaches her work. Fluent in English and Portuguese, Maria works naturally in both European and Brazilian Portuguese, navigating the linguistic and cultural nuances of each. She is particularly drawn to stories that reflect the diversity of human experience and believes that storytelling is one of the most meaningful ways to preserve and share culture. Her experiences living between continents have given her a lasting curiosity about people and the ways in which language, place, and identity influence how we connect with one another. Beyond the stage and screen, her favorite way of storytelling is around a table, sharing good food and stories with friends and family.

Matthew Menendez

(he/him) Coral Springs, Florida

Matthew has been influenced by and has expressed himself through many art forms. Originally an instrumentalist (guitar and bass) planning to major in film scoring, he changed course after being encouraged by his mentors to pursue conservatory training following his appearances in school productions. He began performing at Florida State Thespians, starred in musicals throughout middle school, and went on to perform in plays during high school. After graduation, he was a musical opener for the Argonaut Theatre Play Festival. At the Academy, he has taken on contrasting roles such as The Mechanic in Middletown and Roland Maul in Present Laughter. Growing up, his biggest acting inspiration was Jesse Eisenberg. He is drawn to the surreal and loves to talk David Lynch, Antonin Artaud, Lou Reed, and Sonic Youth. He also has his own band, Trach Kan Levi, which he started during his first year at the Academy. He thanks his family for supporting both his dreams and his studies.

Maya Mouret

(she/her) Durango, Colorado

Maya first stepped on stage at five years old singing 'Jeremiah was a bullfrog...' for a talent show in a monochrome green outfit. Growing up, Maya would spend her free time acting out intense multi-character melodramas alone in her room. You had to be there. Since then, she found her home on stage after playing God in Spamalot Jr. at age ten. She primarily performed in musicals through community theater and school shows in her hometown. Although she loves to sing and dance, after performing as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Maya realized that her true calling was in plays. After studying musical theatre for two years in Durango, Maya became the first member of her family to move away when she journeyed to NYC to pursue her passion for acting at the Academy. She is thrilled to be a part of the 2026-2027 Company and would like to thank her friends and family for always providing a shoulder to lean on and keeping her laughing.

Michael Pascal Fehrenbach

(he/them) Winterthur, Switzerland

Michael grew up in the countryside of Switzerland. Between rivers and fields, he started developing a love for acting through a devised theatre production at his high school. His most recent credits include Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Ben in Detroit and Steve in Almost, Maine. Before beginning his training in acting, he worked in architecture for several years, always engaged in a theatre production or on a film set in his free time. To this day, he still loves drawing outdoors — for example, sitting in Central Park and capturing the buildings and nature around him with fineliner and watercolor. He’s an explorer and always looking for an adventure. The biggest adventure he took was a solo trip from Boston to LA in 2.5 months without taking a plane. One of the most important things for Michael is mental health, balance, and mindfulness. He’s a young, spirited, queer artist leading with sunshine, love, and kindness. He wants to tell inspiring stories about self-love, acceptance, and hope — stories that brighten the world. He’s beyond grateful for his supportive family and friends.

Salimah Hankins

(she/her) New Orleans, Louisiana

Hailing from New Orleans, a city anchored by ancient oaks and the enduring power of front-porch storytelling, Salimah Hankins has most recently moved back to New York from San Francisco. This actor-singer-songwriter has traveled across nearly 50 countries, driven by a thirst for beauty, connection, and the awkward self-discoveries revealed through conversations using half-learned languages. Salimah connects to theatre as an ancient practice, a calling to use narratives and imagination to get at the truth of the human experience…plus, it’s really fun! She stumbled into acting after a career as a human rights attorney, supporting marginalized communities who told their stories at the United Nations. After no longer wanting to suppress her desire to break out into song during heady meetings, she realized that what she hungered for was a different type of storytelling. So, she took a leap and is having the time of her life! Equally at home in soaring musicals and complex plays, she has previously channeled her inner trickster as Persephone in Hadestown, Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries, and Carly in Reasons To Be Pretty. When she’s not at the theatre, you can find her tinkering on her guitar or humming a monologue in her head.

Sebastian Arias Cetina

(he/him) Elmont, New York

Sebastian Arias Cetina was born in Bogota, Colombia and was raised both there and in the suburb of Elmont, New York. His passion for films began at a young age, and very quickly he cultivated a desire and curiosity for performing. His first acting experience was during his high school years when he took weekend acting classes at The Stella Adler Studio. During his short time there, he became sure that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. After high school, however, he put that dream on pause and enlisted in the Marine Corps where he served for four years. After his military discharge, he became eager to find an artistic home, and the Academy became that place, a place where he continues to seek growth both as a person and as an actor. He is honored and excited to be a Company member.

Thordis Ingolfsdottir

(she/her) Reykjavik, Iceland

Thordis was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland. Her mom enrolled her in an after-school program that is loosely translated to the Secret Theatre when she was around six years old. There she created a play (with the help of an instructor) and she ended up playing a detective in her first show with them. She was lucky enough to be able to participate in The Secret Theatre for a few years. Between the ages of six and sixteen, she attended a school that emphasized creativity, allowing her to collaborate with her peers and craft short plays, stand-up comedy and musical entertainment for the other students. For two consecutive years, she performed in the annual city-wide performing arts competition with pieces that were crafted by students. In addition, she has musical training in both the clarinet and singing. Past theatre credits include the ensemble of Sweet Charity in her junior college, Captain Smolsky in Bugsy Malone, and Ann Lavender in The Welkin here at the Academy.

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Academy Company Showtimes

Hamlet September 22-24

By: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Barbara Rubin

What if the truth uncovered is worse than any lie?

A King has died. A country has hastily moved on. A secret refuses to remain buried.

Hamlet returns home to a Denmark transformed: his uncle Claudius - now King - has married his mother, Queen Gertrude. When the ghost of his father appears with a shocking revelation, Hamlet vows to avenge his father’s murder. Grief gives way to suspicion as he begins to investigate everyone around him in his search for evidence.

But how deep is the cover up? And what happens when the search for certainty begins to consume the seeker?

Shakespeare’s most performed tragedy explores vengeance, madness and murder – and the dangerous cost of knowing too much. Hamlet is a wild ride: volatile, poignant, darkly funny, and as urgent as ever.

Cast:

Sebastian Arias Cetina

Alicia Chacon

Gigi Farmine

Michael Pascal Fehrenbach

Dani George-Garcia

Maya Mouret

Elijah Rashon

Genesis Rey

Maria Santos Carneiro

Reservations

Performance Times
Performances are free. Click on time to RSVP.

September 22, 2026

7:00PM ET

September 23, 2026

7:00PM ET

September 24, 2026

7:00PM ET

Location

New York Campus
120 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Twelfth Night September 25-27

By: William Shakespeare
Adapted and Directed by: Sheila Bandyopadhyay

Shakespeare’s witty story of disguise, desire, and reinvention lives afresh in the glamour and grit of 1930’s New York, where jazz plays on the streets and everyone is falling for the wrong person.

The shipwrecked Viola is separated from her twin brother Sebastian on the sea. Upon reaching dry land, she reinvents herself as a young man and finds work with the lovesick Duke Orsino. The Duke, hopelessly pining for the Countess Olivia, sends Viola to plead his case, and Olivia promptly falls for the disguised Viola instead. And if that wasn’t enough, Viola is secretly falling for Orsino!

When Sebastian unexpectedly arrives, the confusion reaches a fever pitch and everyone is forced to confront who they are, who they think they love, and who they have been pretending to be.

This joyful comedy is a celebration of love in all its confusion, madness and potential to reveal and heal.

Cast:

Alfie Cavallaro

Madesen Dior

Isabella Gilpin

Jacob Hall

Salimah Hankins

Camille Hennes

Thordis Ingolfsdottir

Amanda Jacobus

Matthew Menendez

Reservations

Performance Times
Performances are free. Click on time to RSVP.

September 25, 2026

7:00PM ET

September 26, 2026

7:00PM ET

September 27, 2026

2:00PM ET

Location

New York Campus
120 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

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Introducing the 2026-2027 Academy Company