Educational Programs

Meet the Instructors:

Stephanie Burch graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Musical Theatre from the College of Santa Fe.  She moved to NYC, performed in theatre and film, was a backup dancer for a recording artist, and danced with Underground Dance Project, Taino Productions, and Fuzion Dance Company.  Locally she has performed and choreographed for the New Mexico Ballet Company, Ballet Theatre of New Mexico, The Adobe Theatre, The Albuquerque Little Theatre, and Musical Theatre Southwest.  She is currently a dance instructor, aerobics instructor, choreographer, and is certified with the National Dance Institute.  Her most recent role is Babette in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Jonathan Dunski began his acting, directing and playwriting career with The Penn State Thespians while moonlighting as a graduate student in Molecular Evolutionary Biology. He spent a year in Hungary, on the faculty of Török Ignác Gimnázium, where he taught Biology, English, and Drama. Since then he has directed over 40 high school productions during his 10 years as a teacher in the public schools. You may have seen Dunski on stage at The Adobe Theatre (Hal in Proof), at Musical Theatre Southwest (The Cat in the Hat in Seussical ), or at ALT (My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra). His play The Miraculous Journey of Nicholas, which he directed for his students at Rio Rancho High School, is published by Playscripts, Inc. He makes his living as the Director of The Family Theatre Series and Educational Programs at Albuquerque Little Theatre.

Erin K. Moots earned her BFA in Performance with a minor in Technical Theatre from Eastern New Mexico University. An accomplished actor and designer, she currently works as the costumer-in-residence at ALT, and has recently designed costumes for Ozma of OZ, There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Das Barbecü. This summer she taught the very popular sewing skills workshop at Albuquerque Academy.

Kathryn Morales was one of Bill Hayden’s first students in the early 60s. From him she learned pantomime, basic acting skills and an enduring love for Children’s Theatre. She served as the Assistant Director for Albuquerque Children’s Theatre for 12 years, facilitating workshops, rehearsals and basic acting techniques. A mother of five, she currently teaches creative Drama for A Child’s Garden Preschool. Kathryn is delighted to be taking charge of the Play Actors programs.

Samantha Starr recently moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she worked professionally as a singer and actor from a young age. She received her BA in Music and Dramatic Arts with honors from Mills College, and has also completed coursework at Columbia University in New York, Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. She is currently a student at the University of New Mexico, in the MA in Theatre Education and Outreach program. She has written several plays, including works for young audiences. Ms. Starr leads a youth choir at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, and will appear in Ozma of Oz at Albuquerque Little Theatre this April in the role of Ozma. Ms. Starr is married to an opera singer, and their greatest production to date is their 9-year old son, Arlen.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about our Educational Programs…

Will there be a performance?

It depends on the workshop. Skill building workshops like Play Actors do not have performances at the end of the course. Likewise, many of the Junior Actors workshops, since they usually only have eight meetings, are more about process than product, though some of the Junior Actors teachers will invite you attend the final workshop to observe the learning activities and evidence of your child’s progress. By design, Theatre Lab does end in a fully realized production on the main stage of ALT. If a performance will happen, we will list the date and time in the catalog. If your child is interested in gaining stage performing experience, you should watch the audition announcements for our Family Series and Main Stage productions. We do not charge tuition for acting in our plays. However, you should be prepared to commit the large amount of time that these productions require.

Can a parent watch the workshop?

In general, no. It’s best to leave your child with the instructor. We have found that this frees the young person to fully engage in speaking, moving, and creating. Of course, if the instructor invites you to stay (like at a final workshop), then please do. While you wait, you are invited to sit in our comfortable upstairs lobby, or to wander across Central Avenue to Old Town. It’s also a short drive to Downtown shopping.

Can my child participate in a workshop even if he/she is not in the
correct age range?

Perhaps. We leave that up to the expert advice of the instructor. Workshops are designed with the specific needs and abilities of the learners.

You haven’t cashed my check yet. How do I know if I’m registered?

We process your payment, whether it’s check or credit card, after the first meeting of the workshop. If the enrollment is sold out when we receive your registration form, we will call you. Otherwise, assume you are enrolled. We also call you a few days in advance to remind you of the first meeting.

Are scholarships available?

For the 2006-07 season, we will offer one student per semester (Summer, Fall, and Winter) a full scholarship, the Charles Katzenberger Memorial Scholarship. To apply, contact Jonathan Dunski.