Alumni from the Theatre and Dance Department work all over the
world in film, television, theatre, industry, education, and arts
administration. Our alumni are very important to us, so keep in
touch! If your contact information changes, please send us an
update using our Alumni update form. We send our department
newsletter to all alumni each fall. Please let us know what you
are up to by June of each year so we can include your news.
Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis, B.A. Performing Art – Theater
Teresa Salas (she/her) is a performance
practitioner, teacher and mother from Chile. She has worked in
physical theater, dance and movement-based performances since
2005. Teresa worked five years in Italy at Grotowski’s
Workcenter, training in voice, movement and directing,
culminating in the opus The Living Room. She is a member
of the dance company Danza CIEC in Chile, and has participated as
a performer and creator in various experimental pieces both in
Chile and Europe.
Edward Talston-Jackson is a dual native of Hamburg, Germany
and Las Vegas, Nevada. Having studied music and dance, Mr.
Jackson graduated with a BFA from the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas. After the University, he worked with various dance
companies as a soloist and guest artist. The latest of those
companies is the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
heads the South Suburban College theatre program in South
Holland, Illinois, just south of Chicago. She is Director of the
SSC Playhouse, which hosted a Chicago-wide, week long Shakespeare
intensive with English Touring Theatre Artistic Director, Stephen
Unwin (UC Davis Granada Artist-in-Residence). In addition, Bobbie
built the SSC Playhouse’s first theatre website (
www.southsuburbancollege.edu/drm ), and developed core college
curriculum.
is the artistic director of City Lights Theatre Company of San
Jose and has accepted a full-time teaching position at Foothill
College. Tom’s 2001 winter holiday show was Moliere’s The Miser.
is the Conservatory Director of the Solano College Theatre’s
actor training program. Since graduation she has been teaching at
colleges and universities all around Northern California,
including UC Davis, acting, and raising her two daughters. She
played Vivian Bearing in Solano’s production of Margaret Edson’s
Wit . Appeared as Felicity in Shadow Box as a Guest Artist at
Solano College Theatre. Directed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at
Solano Repertory Theatre in Fairfield. Appeared as Hecuba in
“Trojan Women” at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley (Design by J
Iacovelli).
was Dorothy in The Wiz at Woodminster Amphitheater in Oakland and
also appeared at Sacramento’s Music Circus. She was with the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon from February
through October 2001, appearing in Life is a Dream, directed by
Laird Williamson; Enter the Guardsman, directed by Peter Amster;
and The Merry Wives of Windsor directed by Lillian Groag. Kalene
lives in the San Francisco Bay area and teaches when she is not
performing.
is New Works Director for TheatreWorks of San Francisco.
Previously he was associate artistic director at the Magic
Theatre, where he produced the Raw Play: Script-in-Hand series
and directed the world premiere of Kissing the Witch by Emma
Donoghue and the American premiere of Stones in His Pockets by
Marie Jones, as well as Swimming in the Shallows by Adam Bock
(winner of Bay Area Critics Circle Awards for Best Production,
Best New Play and Best Ensemble) and The Water Engine for Shotgun
Players.
is Executive/ArtisticDirector of Sonoma County Repertory Theatre
in Sebastopol, CA. Prior to the Rep, she served as Director of
Artistic Learning for the California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal
Shakes). During her tenure at Cal Shakes, year round classes
tripled in enrollment and the student matinee program increased
over 75%. She also developed education partnerships with schools
in Berkeley, Orinda, Richmond and Pinole, directed the Student
Company production of Much Ado About Nothing, and launched a
Pre-College Shakespeare program. Before Cal Shakes, Ms.
is living in New York City, and with former UCD classmate Kara
Tsiaperas (MFA ‘98) founded a new professional theatre, Pandora’s
Box, intended to “provide an environment for up-and-coming
theater artists…to explore contemporary plays.” Hall and
Tsiaperas’s first work was Eric Overmyer’s On the Verge directed
by Steve Ramshur, previously assistant director of the New York
premier of Edward Albee’s The Play about the Baby. Kate and Kara
appeared in the play with Doug Brandt and Stina Nielsen.
is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance
for the Claremont Colleges at Pomona College, where he
coordinates the dramaturgy emphasis, directs, and teaches courses
in Dramaturgy, Theatre History, Contemporary Theatre, Shakespeare
in Performance and Writing for Performance.
is the Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Folsom Lake College.
Previously he taught theatre and film at Texas Tech University
and American River College.
is a voice and dialect coach in film, TV and theatre in London.
Some of Kara’s London West End credits include Dear Evan
Hansen, Mamma Mia! The Party, 9 to 5, Belleville, The Twilight
Zone, Show Boat, as well as the film The Commuter. Kara
received a MA in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of
Voice and Speech and was mentored at the Royal National Theatre.
She lives and works in London. You can visit her website
at www.usaccents.co.uk
is the Director of Education and Community Programs for the Los
Angeles Opera. She sends warm regards to everyone, a big hello to
D. Kern Holoman of the UC Davis Music Department, and also asks
that opera students interested in internships contact her at the
LA Opera.
Alumnus Joe Schupbach (MFA, dramatic art, ‘19) has recently
launched Mirepoix Podcast. The project is an
interview-based journey through food, family, and culture via the
lens of food practice and tradition. Schupbach started publishing
episodes in August and the podcast has already been streamed over
one thousand times in nine different countries.
University of California, Davis, B.A. in Dramatic Art and CommunicationSan Francisco State University, M.A., Drama
Janey Pintar is an actor, director, and educator of the theatre
arts with a background in movement including Suzuki. She received
an Associate of Arts degree in Theatre: Technical Production from
American River College, Bachelor of Arts degrees in Dramatic Art
and Communication from UC Davis, and a Master of Arts degree in
Drama from San Francisco State University. Janey is also a
graduate of American Conservatory Theater’s Summer Training
Congress. Her interests include the exploration of movement
systems and multicultural theatre practices.
B.F.A., Cornish College of the Arts -- Theatre with emphasis on Original WorksGraduate, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, Acting
J.R. Yancher (he/him) is a Canadian/American actor, director,
writer, and producer. In 2017 he co-founded Bike City Theater
Company (BCTC): a Northern California-based nonprofit focused on
bespoke educational theater for young audiences and the
sustainable development of original works. Yancher’s theaters of
employ have included Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory
Gardens, Pacific Conservatory Theater, Sacramento Ballet, Capital
Stage, Seattle Immersive Theater, Ten Chimneys, Catalyst: A
Theatre Think Tank, and Davis Shakespeare Festival, amongst
others.
B.S., University of California, Davis -- Food ScienceM.S., University of California, Davis -- Food Science
Ann Dragich has tap danced in NYC from 2008-2020. There she is a
member of Cole Collective. She steps in company “Momentum” and
was featured in Rick Owens Spring 2014 Women’s show at Paris
Fashion Week. Ann has presented work in various shows around New
York city including the Emerging Choreographer’s Series curated
by Mare Nostrom Elements, Flamenco Certamen USA and Tony Waag’s
“Somthing’s Afoot,” and venues such as Symphony Space, the Bruno
Walter’s Auditorium at Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library and
La Guardia Performing Arts Center.
Brighton Polytechnic, B.A. Visual and Performance Arts
Barnaby O’Rorke is an interdisciplinary artist working in the
fields of theater, music, and dance for the past 30 years in
Europe. His physical training in dance, improvisation,
somatic practices, yoga and chi kung have informed his work in
music (cello, piano, voice, objects). He has worked for several
dance companies as a dancer and musician, and has developed
innovative solo and collaborative work in his field.
University of Chicago, B.A., General Studies in the Humanities
An actor and dialect coach, Danielle has been seen at a number of
Bay Area companies from Marin Theatre Company, to TheatreWorks,
Shotgun Players to Crowded Fire. Danielle is an Associate Artist
with TheatreFIRST, Symmetry Theatre Company, and PlayGround
SF. Her interests lie in devised performances that communicate by
employing surprising visual elements and unusual use of
language. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago.
Jennifer Grace received her BA from Kansas State University in
1997. She has been working as a professional actor since, most
notably in a record-shattering run as Emily Webb in Tony
award-winning director David Cromer’s critically acclaimed
production of OUR TOWN, which she performed in Chicago, New York
and Los Angeles, opposite actors such as Michael Shannon, Helen
Hunt and Michael McKean, and for which she was recognized with a
Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway debut.
Universidad Finis Terrae, B.F.A., TheaterUniversidad Finis Terrae, B.A., Education
Verónica Díaz-Muñíz is a Chilean director, playwright and theater
educator with a background in the area of movement and
testimonial theater. Her work engages with questions of gender
and womanhood, and her creations evolve from a particularly
feminist perspective. She is a founding member of “Toma Teatro”
in which she has served as director and playwright since 2015.
Her research aims to create alternative theatrical spaces and
practices where liminality converges with the political.
M.F.A., UC Davis, Dramatic Art, June 2020M.A., University of San Francisco, Education, September 2004B.A., San Francisco State University, Interdisciplinary Art, May 1994
Tasa Gleason holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Cornish
College of the Arts, Seattle WA, and a certificate in Apparel
Design and Merchandising from College of Alameda, Alameda CA. She
has been designing and creating costumes for dance and theatre
for over 15 years. Having a background in performance and
choreography offers Tasa an understanding of what is unique about
costuming for dance and theater; it also means that she
shares a vocabulary in regard to movement that is
indispensable to her when collaborating with directors,
choreographers, and dancers.
North Park University, B.A., Communication Arts: Theatre and Performance Studies, 2006
Joseph Schupbach is a director, deviser, and
playwright. Joseph has been a company member of Barrel of
Monkeys since 2007 and served as Artistic Director
2014–17. He is co-founder and Associate Artistic
Director of InGen Productions where he co-adapted and directed
twelve full-length projects. Joseph has had the pleasure of
collaborating with Akvavit Theatre, The Annoyance Theatre,
The Arts Club of Chicago, Athenaeum Theatre, The Center for
Independent Artists, Chicago Dramatists, Chicago Fringe
Festival, Chicago Sketch Fest, Compass Players
Lena Polzonetti is a dancer, choreographer, and dance
educator. She has performed professionally in ballet and
modern dance companies, including the Ithaca Ballet, alban elved
dance company, Danza Tersicore, and Fischerdance, among
others. From 2006 to 2017 she coordinated and taught in the
magnet dance program at Clay High School for the Visual and
Performing Arts in South Bend, Indiana.
University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A. Theater Arts, 1996
Slater Penney has won an Emmy, appeared on TEDx, and successfully
toured locally and internationally. He graduated from UC Santa
Cruz with a BA in Theatre Arts, trained at the Dell’Arte
International School of Physical Theatre, and is an Actor-Creator
of ensemble physical theatre. Notable devised production
companies include the Submarine Show, Naked Empire Bouffon
Company, California Revels, Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Kinetic
Arts Productions, and Lunatique Fantastique. Slater continues to
teach at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, and has eyes on
the rest of the world.
Humboldt State University, B.A. Interdisciplinary Dance: Language and Culture, 2007
Kevin Dockery is a physical thinker, mover, musician, writer and
nature historian who uses performance to explore ideas of self,
place, and fit in the cultural labyrinth that overlays our
experience of life. Kevin’s movement practice developed out of
contemporary dance, martial arts and contact improvisation. He is
most interested in making and performing in work that is related
to environmentally and socially relevant source material. He has
also been teaching contact improvisation since 2005 and
Feldenkrais since 2011.
Tara Brandel is an Irish choreographer, contemporary dancer,
aerialist, and contact improviser, and has been
choreographing extensively since 1990. Her work has been
shown in Cork, Dublin, London, Berlin, San Francisco, Seattle,
Egypt, Canada, and Australia.
B.S. American History, Northwestern University 2000
Lucas Hatton teaches performance studies and
social justice at San Jose State University where he has received
a Peer Connections Excellence in Teaching Award and a Service
Learning & Community Engagement Award. As an actor, he has
performed in Chicago at Steppenwolf, I.O., The Hypocrites,
Neo-Futurists, Lifeline, Mary-arrchie, The Gift; and in the Bay
Area with Marin Shakespeare, Livermore Shakespeare, Shotgun, SF
Playhouse, Central Works and Playground.
Raissa Simpson is a choreographer, teacher, and the Artistic
Director of PUSH Dance Company in San Francisco. After receiving
her BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, Simpson
had an extensive performance career in the San Francisco Bay Area
dancing with Robert Moses’ Kin and Joanna Haigood’s Zaccho Dance
Theatre, among others.
Greg Pierotti is a writer, performer and director. He is
co-author of The Laramie Project, Laramie: 10 Years
Later, and The People’s Temple. He has performed in
classical and new work in New York and at such regional theaters
as Berkeley Rep, Denver Center, La Jolla Playhouse, and Arena
Stage. As writer/director he has received residencies to develop
his work at Maison Dora Maar in Provence, The Orchard Project and
Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor to name a few. He is an Emmy award
nominee and a 2013 nominee for the Alpert Award in the Arts in
the category of theater.
Lisa Quoresimo is Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at
Southern Utah University. She is an internationally produced
composer and playwright, and an active director and performer.
Her work has been seen at Berkeley Repertory Theatre (West Coast
Premiere of An Octoroon), Shotgun Players, and the Brava
Theatre, and she served as Artistic Director of the Kairos
Theatre in New York City for many years.
John Zibell makes media/physical artworks for theatre, cinema,
gallery, and the street examining the collision of virtual with
actual bodies. He worked and trained as an actor and director for
many years in New York with Mike Nichols, Paul Sills and Andre
Gregory. John directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
assistant-directed and performed in Guillermo Gomez-Peña’s
Corpo-Ilicito: The Post Human Society 6.9 and Anna
Fenemore’s The Matter of Taste.
appeared in a Musical Theater West run of Yeston’s
Phantom with Broadway actress Karen Culliver (The
Phantom of the Opera) and soap actor Perry Stephens
(Loving and The Bold and the Beautiful). Along with
fellow UC Davis alum Cassandra Davis-Marsh and Richard Robinson,
Erika runs a playreading series. The group has produced readings
of new and classic plays and screenplays, including a new play by
Rance Howard (Ron’s dad). Erika says the group is always
searching for new works and would be happy to receive submissions
from UC Davis students.
Jeffrey Carlson appeared in ABC’s All My Children as the
fictional rock star, Zarf. Jeffrey played Prince Hal in
Chicago Shakespeare’s production of Henry IV, pts. 1 and
2 by William Shakespeare, directed by Barbara Gaines. This
production then transferred to the Royal Shakespeare Company in
Stratford-upon-Avon, U.K. as part of their Complete Works season.
took his MFA in acting at UCLA. Friends will recall that after
graduating from UC Davis, Chris worked at the Sacramento Theatre
Company, starring as Joe Farkas in Alfred Uhry’s The Last
Night of Ballyhoo. At UCLA Chris played Edgar in the West
Coast premier of Edward Albee’s The Lady From Dubuque and
appeared in Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind. He also participated
in a production of Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle, set to a
concept of modern life with a hip-hop flair, including a live DJ
spinning vinyl on stage throughout the entire production.
lives in North Hollywood, CA and was in the movie version of How
the Grinch Stole Christmas, directed by Ron Howard and starring
Jim Carrey. Cassandra and two other UC Davis alums Richard
Robinson and Erika Davis-Marsh started a play-and-script
reading series. Cassandra says the group would love to receive
scripts or play submissions from alums or current students.
works in television as a lighting director/console programmer.
Specializing in televised live theatrical events (awards shows,
specials, etc.) Patrick works with many distinguished lighting
designers including Bobby Dickinson, Bob Barnhart, Ted Wells and
others. Recent productions include the “Academy of Country Music
Awards” (CBS), “Miss America” (CMT), the “Victoria Secret Fashion
Show” (CBS), “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX), “The Country
Music Awards” (ABC) and many others. Upcoming events include the
2007 Oscars and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
taught theatre at the International School of Brussels, Belgium
for the first six months after graduation, then took a
one-semester job teaching acting and improv at South Lake Tahoe
Community College. He landed a role in Foothill Theatre Company’s
two-person comedy A Tuna Christmas, moved to Los Angeles in fall
2000 and worked for the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film
Program. Although Sundance is best known for its Film Festival,
it is appreciated in the independent film community for its film
program.
Roxanne Femling is a highly skilled manager and an award-winning
costume designer with more than 25 years experience in costume
construction/design and costume shop management. Femling has
designed costumes for numerous professional, regional,
educational, and community theatres. She won a Drama-Logue Award
for her designs for George Bernard Shaw’s Man and
Superman, produced by A Noise Within (Glendale, California)
in 1992.
