Theatre Faculty

Moimusa Ahmadu

Conditioning Coach

Moimusa Ahmadu is the sole proprietor of Guts Pilates and Sports Medicine. He is also currently the Assistant Athletic Trainer in the SportsMedicine Department at The Landon School for Boys.Read More  


Tonya Beckman

Part-Time Professor of Theatre

Tonya Beckman is an AEA/SAG-AFTRA actor and dialect coach.
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Lisa Beley

Voice & Speech, Classical Acting Program

Lisa Ann Beley is head of Voice and Text at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. She obtained a BFA from the University of British Columbia and as an actor worked in theatre, film and television as well as established herself as one of Vancouver’s top voice-over talents.
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Abby Bender

Instructional Technologist, Scene Shop

Abby Bender is the Instructional Technologist for the Scene Shop. Abby grew up in Shippensburg, PA and started working at her local performing arts center in high school.
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Cate Brewer

Part-Time Professor of Theatre

Cate Brewer holds a B.A. in Theatre from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.F.A. in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an actor and director and a member of both AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
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Christopher Cherry

Alexander, Classical Acting Program

Christopher Cherry is the director of Studio 2C, a studio for the performing arts and the Alexander Technique, where he focuses his Alexander practice exclusively on helping performing artists attain greater freedom, grace, clarity, and skill. Read More  


Dody DiSanto

Mask, Clown, Classical Acting Program

Dody DiSanto trained in Paris and is an esteemed teaching protégé of the late Jacques Lecoq, whose teachings she carries forward. She is also on the faculties of The Catholic University of America and the Center for Movement Theatre, and has recently been a Guest Artist for Cirque du Soleil and The Yale School of Drama. Read More  


Ed Gero

Archetypes, Acting, Classical Acting Program

A 32-season veteran of the Washington Theatre community, Ed Gero is a fifteen-time nominee of the Helen Hayes Award and four-time recipient. Read More  


Carl Gudenius

Program Head, Theatre and Dance Professor, Undergraduate Advisor, Production Design

Carl Gudenius is the Program Head of Theatre & Dance. In addition to teaching scenic and lighting design at GW and directing its Graduate Production Design Program, Professor Gudenius is an active professional designer.
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Jennifer Hopkins

Visiting Professor of Theatre, Theatre & Dance Program

Jennifer J. Hopkins is a performing artist who spends her free time teaching fitness.
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Robb Hunter

Combat, Classical Acting Program

Robb Hunter is a member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and is a Certified Fight Director and Teacher of Stage Combat for the Society of American Fight Directors. Read More  


Terry Ican

Interim Technical Director, Theatre & Dance Program

This is Terry's return to George Washington University Theatre, previously acting as the Production Manager. Terry Ican has 30+ years’ experience in theater and television scenery construction and technical management in the Washington, DC area. Read More  


Leslie Jacobson

Topics, Classical Acting Program

Leslie Jacobson has been nominated for three Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Direction. She has written scripts for the Helen Hayes Awards Ceremonies and the script for Arena Stage’s 40th Anniversary Gala. In 1989, she was selected by the U.S. Senate to write, direct, and produce a play commemorating its bicentennial. Theatres around the country have produced her scripts, and a television script was nominated for a Washington, D.C. Emmy. Read More  


Emma Jaster

Movement for the Actor, Classical Acting Program

Emma is a performer and generative artist. She has been called a “splendid mover” (The Washington Post) and “a master of her craft” (Baratunde Thurston). She strives to create original, physically compelling theater that directly engages the audience. Read More  


Sigridur Johannesdottir

Associate Professor of Costume Design & Technology, Theatre & Dance Program

Sigridur is a costume designer who specializes and focuses her teaching on reproducing historical costumes based on research as well as dance costumes. She is the resident costume designer for Washington Stage Guild (DC), Ambassador Theatre (DC), and MetroStage in Alexandria VA.
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Lisae Jordan

Stretch, Classical Acting Program

Lisae Jordan is originally from upstate New York, where many small towns have ballet schools as a result of the Ford Foundation’s support for George Balanchine and his efforts to establishing regional professional ballet companies and training for American dancers. Read More  


Jodi I. Kanter

Professor, Theatre

As a scholar, she has been trained to apply the theoretical lens of performance to everyday practices and so, while her methodology is consistent, the subjects of her work vary wildly—from, for example, end of life health care to contemporary dramatic literature to the American Presidency. Read More  


Bess Kaye

Combat Assistant, Classical Acting Program

Bess Kaye, ACA Class of 2018, has a BA in Theatre from the College of William & Mary. Bess is an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and has trained in Unarmed Combat, Rapier and Dagger, Broadsword, Knife, Sword and Shield, Quarterstaff, and is certified in Firearms Safety for Stage. Read More  


Bill Largess

Adjunct Professor of Theatre, Theatre & Dance Program

Bill Largess has been a theatre artist in the Washington area for over 40 years. He is a founding member of The Washington Stage Guild, a professional theatre in downtown DC and has been artistic director since 2008. Read More  


Isabella Matousek

Academic Program Administrator for Theatre & Dance

Isabella Matousek is a Pure Barre Teacher.
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LeeAnet Noble

Shakespeare and the History of Black Actors, Classical Acting Program

LeeAnet Noble graduated Magna Cum Laude from Howard University and is certified in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion from Purdue University.Read More  


Ricky Ramón

Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, Theatre & Dance Program

Professor Ramon has directed over 40 plays and musicals. He travels extensively across the country educating students and teachers in college and career readiness, theatre (acting and directing), curriculum development, arts advocacy, and arts integration. Read More 


Allyson Currin Stokes

Regular Part-Time Professor of Theatre, Theatre & Dance Program

Professor Stokes is the writer of numerous original plays, which have premiered on stages around the country such as, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Signature Theatre, Mosaic Theater of DC, WSC Avant Bard and many others.

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John Traub

Assistant Professor, Production Management & Technology

John is currently the Assistant Professor of Production Management & Technology at the George Washington University, where he teaches numerous classes in Production Design and serves as the Technical Director for the Corcoran Theatre & Dance Program. He also works as a subject matter expert in Arts Management, Production Design and fabrication for a large variety of clients throughout the East Coast. Read More  


Emily Vallozzi

Instructional Costume Lab Associate for Theatre & Dance

Emily Vallozzi is a Washington D.C.-based costume designer, wardrobe stylist, and seamstress who has been working in the field since graduating from Point Park University in 2007 with a BFA in Technical Theatre and Design. Read More  

Craig Wallace

Monologue, Scene Study, Classical Acting Program

Craig Wallace is an actor, director, and teaching artist as well as an affiliated artist with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and an associated artist at Ford's Theatre. Craig's training includes a BFA from Howard University, an MFA from Pennsylvania State University and The Royal National Theatre, London. Read More  


Tanya Wetenhall

Assistant Professor, Design History

Tanya Wetenhall teaches costume and textiles as material and visual culture. With a focus on object-based teaching and learning, her courses encompass fashion and costume history, fashion in art, world dress practices and the cultural histories of the theatre and ballet design. Read More  


Alec Wild

Director, Acting, Text, Classical Acting Program

Alec Wild was Founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning Folio Theatre in Chicago, and Founder/Producing Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Minnesota.
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Sidney Monroe Williams

Assistant Professor of Theatre, Theatre & Dance Program

Sidney Monroe Williams (they/them) is a community-based theatre artist whose work is situated at the intersections of race, gender and class. Through creative strategies, Sidney facilitates art-making and conversations with communities to spark dialogue, raise visibility and celebrate marginalized bodies.
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Travis Xavier

Adjunct Professor of Theatre, Theatre & Dance Program

Travis Xavier, is an actor and hip hop artist. Born in Baltimore, MD and raised in Tampa, FL.

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