Required of All SYC Student Participants

Student Code of Conduct
Parent / Guardian Agreement
Participant Consent, Release and Waiver of Liability

Required of All SYC Staff

Staff Agreement

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Thomas Bastable (accompanist: Musical Theatre: Solos, Scenes into Songs & Audition), a Durham native, lives in Chapel Hill and works as an affiliate vocal coach and music director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition, he is the head teacher/coach at Balanced Music School and the assistant music director/pianist at Damascus Congregational Church. He graduated from UNC in 2010 with a degree in Vocal Performance and worked as a voice teacher/vocal coach before going to graduate school at Oklahoma City University for Opera Performance. Equally comfortable on the stage or behind the piano, Thomas’ favorite performed opera roles include the title roles in Don Pasquale and Gianni Schicchi as well as Papageno from Die Zauberflöte. His voice students have continued into collegiate degrees in music business, education, and performance. His coaching students perform regularly locally and regionally and many have continued on to graduate school for voice.

Rebecca Bossen (Discovering Shakespeare) is a Durham-based theatre educator, voice coach, playwright, and performer. She holds theatre degrees from Duke University and Northwestern University, as well as an Advanced Certificate in Voice Studies from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has taught theatre classes at Northwestern University, Act One Studios, Raleigh Little Theater, Burning Coal Theatre, NC State Young and Teen Writers’ Workshops, and schools throughout the Triangle. She has provided training and workshops in Shakespeare technique and performance for more than fifteen years. Acting credits include Macbeth-The Banquet, As You Like It, The Prisoner’s Dilemma, Pentecost, Brigadoon, Norway, The Changeling, Master Builder, Maccountant, Outside Mullingar, The Liar, Everything in the Garden. Voice and dialect credits include work with Raleigh Little Theater, Creede Repertory Theatre, Burning Coal Theatre, Elon University, Bartlett Theater, Stage Left Theatre and Circle Theatre. She is the recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Grant for Scriptworks and an Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grant. Delilah Lee was named an O’Neill National Playwrights Conference finalist. www.rebeccabossen.com

Deb Cox (Creative Theatre Exploration) is the Visual Arts Teacher at Carrboro Elementary School where she runs an after school Theatre Arts program. Over the past nine years she has educated and inspired hundreds of students with such productions as Jungalbook, Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr., Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Mary Poppins, Jr. (to name a few). Additionally, she works as a director, costume designer, and set designer for a variety of local theatre companies and high schools. She is excited to join the great staff of theatre artists at PlayMakers this summer.

John Dreher (Musical Theatre: Solos, Scenes into Songs & Auditions) was born and raised in Colorado. He’s studied music and singing for over 20 years and loves telling stories through song. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill with his MFA in 2013, he moved to NYC where he has appeared in The Slap on NBC, and Ricki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. He has appeared in musicals both off-Broadway and regionally including, Cabaret, Big River, The Last Five Years, Jesus Christ Superstar, Parade, Urinetown, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This is his 7th year teaching and learning in Theatre Quest/SYC and could not be more proud to be involved in such a vibrant arts community!

Ryan Gentry (Introduction to Stage Combat, Acting the Fight) is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, where he studied Performance, and Stage Combat. He has received training, and recognition, in all eight weapons with the Society of American Fight Directors, as well as firearms certifications. He teaches at Orange High School, and can also be found at various theatres around the area, choreographing fights, and constructing sets. Most recently, he did the fight choreography for Morte Arthur, and Robin Hood at Studio 1. Ryan is extremely pleased to be working with PlayMakers this summer, and can’t wait to start classes!

Terra Hodge (Playwrighting & Screenwriting) is the Theatre Arts teacher at Culbreth Middle School in Chapel Hill where she was named the 2017–2018 teacher of the year and was selected as a top 3 finalist for the district teacher of the year. She is also the Youth Programs Coordinator for The Justice Theatre Project. Terra received her BA in Theatre Education from North Carolina Central University and her MA in Film and TV Production, with a concentration in Acting and Directing, from Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus. She has directed many shows at her school and received an Excellence in Directing award at the 2016 NCTC Middle School Play Festival. Some of her directing credits include The Amen Corner (Agape), Crowns (RLT), Nickel and Dimed, and Co-director of A Raisin in the Sun (both JTP productions). She is no stranger to the stage, and has performed in many shows. Her favorite roles include Vera Stark in By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (NRACT), Serena in Porgy and Bess, Celie in The Color Purple, Mary in Black Nativity, Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime (all JTP productions), and Charlene/Ensemble in Dreamgirls (Theatre Raleigh). In addition to being a performer and a director for theatre, Terra has written, produced, and directed several short films, one of which was screened at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC.

David McClutchey (Principles of Acting, Make Them Laugh) is a professional actor, director, and choreographer with over 100 acting credits to his name, he has had the pleasure of working with some of the best talent in the triangle including: PlayMakers Repertory Theatre Company, Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Raleigh Little Theatre, Theatre in the Park, Temple Theatre, Deep Dish Theatre, Hot Summer Nights/Theatre Raleigh, and many more. Mr. McClutchey received his certification as an Advanced Actor/Combatant from the Society of American Fight Directors in the early 1990’s and since then has choreographed fights locally, nationally and internationally as well. Mr. McClutchey is currently the Director of Theatre for St. David’s School in Raleigh, NC.

Jessica Sorji (Radio Play Makers, Audition Technique) is an actor/singer/writer based out of New York whose southern roots grow deep. A native of Durham and alumna of UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Dramatic Art and Vocal Performance, Jessica saw her very first live show at PlayMakers in 1996 and has been obsessed ever since. You may have seen her on the PlayMakers stage in Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Assassins, Imaginary Invalid, The Parchman Hour, and Big River. Other productions include: New York: Hello Again, Taming of the Shrew, Almost, Maine Regional: Pride and Prejudice, Triassic Parq, Oliver!, Legally Blonde. She is a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association and strong advocate for actors creating their own work and opportunities.