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Instructors Past and Present
We take pride in having a very respected &
experienced team of acting instructors and directors! They have
positive attitudes, enjoy working with people & helping them develop
to their utmost abilities! The excitement, enthusiasm, professional
and nurturing atmosphere they create has made USA outstanding & highly
respected! We produce a CAN DO confidence that carries our students
into life with pride in doing a good job. Our goal is to provide the best
to our community.
Shirley Abrams Professional, warm, friendly,
with a phenomenal memory those are words to describe Shirley Abrams. She
is a delightful person as well as as great casting director! She has cast
such motion pictures and television shows such as Little Rascals, Reggie
and the Roustabouts, Baby Geniuses, Fire Down Below, Night Vision, Sarajevo,
U.S.A., Frequent Flyer, Indian in the Cupboard, Barney and Friends, and Dakota.
She has cast numerous industrial and educational films for such clients as
GTE and the Boy Scouts of America and commercials for such clients as Radio
Shack, Grape Nuts, Colgate, Sears, Benadryl, Polaroid, Pepsi, J. C. Penney,
Blockbuster, McDonalds, Mobil, MCI, Reebock, Northern Telecom, and 100's
more!
Margaret Bowman is a professional actress who
was just completed a two year run co starring at the Ryman Auditorium
in Nashville in Lost Highway, the Music and Legend of Hank Williams.
Jason Petty stars as Hank Williams and Margaret as
Mama Lilly. And featured in speaking roles in the following
movies: Ned Blessing, Good Old Boys, A Woman of Independent Means,
Leap of Faith, Hard Promises, Final Verdict, Dream Date, The
Fulfillment of Mary Gray, Hot spot, Simple Men, A Perfect World, Waiting
for Guffman and featured on NBC's Santa Barbara as
Suzann's landlady. Some stage productions she has appeared in Always...
Patsy Cline, Hair, Rocky Horror Show, True West, A Delicate Balance, Whirlpool
Box Church, Grandma's Peachtree, 8 X10 Glossy, and White Gardenia.
Margaret is an acting coach who gives and shares her technique with those
who want to learn.
Dallas Casting partners Amy Levy-Lancaster
and Michal Berry successfully completed over 250 TV commercial casing
since they opened their casting doors in 1994. McDonald's, Cocoa-Cola, Pepsi,
Coors-Lite, Texas Lottery, Southwest Airlines, Shell Oil, Exxon, First American
Bank, Sprint, Oscar Mayer, Kellogg's, southwestern Bell, GTE, Pearl Vision,
Foot-Action, and Taco Bueno. Amy and Michal were here a year ago and students
have consistently asked for "those nice commercial casting directors to come
back." Well, they are coming back. Don't miss this workshop... it was so
difficult to find time for them to take a break in casting to come teach...
but they are on their way to UNICORN School of Acting. Amy and Michal are
both very professional and nurturing in their style of teaching.
Gary Chason is an Educator, Producer,
Writer, Director, and Casting Director. He has taught at Houston's Alley
Theatre, Actor's Lab, and TUTS, Theatre Under the Stars. His casting
credits include Texasville, The Last Picture Show, Logan's Run, and
Paper Moon. Gary directed the movie Charlie's Ear,
produced in Houston.
Robyn Drake is the playwright of Molly's
Christmas Miracle, which premiered with UNICORN School of Acting in the
fall of 1995 at Dickens on the Strand in Galveston. Robyn has been a Galveston
County resident for 10 years. Robyn spends her days assisting people in obtaining
home mortgages, and her nights and weekends juggling a busy home life with
her love of writing and painting. Drake discovered her interest in writing
when she worked in radio sales and began writing radio copy for advertisers.
She has studied different forms of writing though Rice University's Continuing
Studies Programs. Robyn enjoys expressing herself creatively through both
the written word and painting. Drake is an award winning pastel artist and
mother of two children.
Gabe Folse is a member of the Screen Actors
Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
His professional manner and thoroughness in teaching in a nurturing manner
are traits of Gabriel Folse's style. An instructor at Live Oak Theatre School
in Austin, Gabriel has trained many professional actors. Directing and cinematography
are two of his loves.. His acting credits are many and impressive... A
Perfect World as Billy Clanton, Wyatt Earp as Officer Terrance,
J.F.K. with Kevin Costner, D.O.A., The Broken Spur, Future
Kill, Heaven Help Us, Another Pair of Aces, The Young Riders and Dallas.
Gabriel taped a new network pilot in Los Angeles in which he has a starring
role.
Charlotte Jackson for twenty two years taught
theatre arts classes in Santa Fe. For ten years she directed Sante Fe Community
Theatre. Charlotte is Director of Community Theatre for USA Theatre. Charlotte
has a B. S. Degree with a double major in Drama/Speech and English. She is
married, has two grown daughters, three grandsons, and lives in Santa Fe
with her husband of thirty five years. She has directed numerous productions
including OKLAHOMA!, Paint your Wagon, Mame, God's Favorite, Plaza Suite,
A Christmas Carol, Dracula, and My Son is Crazy but Promising.
Carla James and her partner, Mike O'Daniel,
have cast over 70 national and regional commercials and industrials and over
twenty-five films. Carla is co-founder of Deep Ellum Theatre Garage
in Dallas. Carla has a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and English from Texas
Tech. Carla apprenticed and was casting assistant to Ed Johnston. Carla's
first film to cast was Daddy Dyin', Who's Got the Will. Major
film projects include Dancer, TX. POP. 81, A Midsummers's Night's Dream,
Finding North, The Curse of Inferno, The Whole Wide World, Pure Country,
Love Crimes (Reshoot) and Ninth Life, among others.
Fun projects in 1997 are the Bob Dole Visa commercial, Stephen
Frears on Hi Lo Country which is now filming in New Mexico
and casting the extras for Dallas Reunion movie The War of the Ewings.
AMEY SUZANNE GROCE is a professional actress
in Houston. She recently completed her teaching degree at the University
of Houston at Clear Lake majoring in Elementary Education with emphasis in
early childhood. She received her Associate Arts degree from Alvin Community
College in the Fall of 1998. Amey was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa at Alvin
Community College.
Amey first set foot on the stage at age three. She became a student of UNICORN
School of Acting in 1993 and has taken classes in film and commercial acting.
She has been in numerous productions of USA. You may remeber her as Beauty
in Beauty and the Beast or as Mary Collins, the female lead
in Give My Regards to Broadway at USA. A 1995 cum laude graduate
of Alvin High School, Amey enjoyed being a member of the drama club and received
drama training under Judith Radigan for four years. She participated in UIL
One Act Plays and prose/poetry competions, and recieved Honorable All-Star
Cast for One Act in 1995 and placed third at district for poetry. Most recently
Amey has been drill director for the Texas City Rebels Youth Football
organization.
Richard Kremer has a Bachelor of Arts
from Concordia Teachers College, a Masters of Arts in Humanities (Children's
Theatre) and has been the chairman of Clear Creek High School drama department.
He has been in several Industrial films and movies. Stage work: Brighton
Beach Memoirs as Jack; Oklahoma as Ali Hakim;
Terra Nova as Edgar Evans; Fiddler on
the Roof as Tevye & Laughter on the 23rd Floor
as Brian.
KATHY LAMKIN has been
Artistic & Executive Director of UNICORN School of Acting since it was
established in 1988. She is a professional actress with a Bachelor of Science
in Theatre and a MA in Mass Communication from Central Missouri State University.
She is a member of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television
and Radio Artists. Ms Lamkin served on the Founding Board of
Directors for Women in Film/Houston. Ms Lamkin is an approved Master Instructor
in Drama for Artist-in-Education Program of the Texas Commission on the Arts,
a program available to school and communities wanting a professional to help
teach in their area of discipline. Kathy is often seen in commercials
and movies. She was a member of two different Touring companies, Have
Theatre Will Travel and Theatre on Wheels.
KATI LAMKIN attended Alvin
Community College and Southwest Texas State University, majoring in Theatre.
Kati has been acting since she was three years old when she had her first
solo in the musical Finian's Rainbow. She also had a co-starring
role in the television show Willy the Hit Man. Kati has
acted with numerous theatre groups in the Houston area. Kati
is a Writer in Residence with USA Theatre and serves on the Board of Directors.
. GRANT JAMES
When other kids in the second grade wanted to be firemen or pilots, Grant
wanted to be an actor. He still does! He holds a Fine Arts Degree from the
Theatre School of De Paul University, and has been acting and directing in
theaters from coast-to coast for more than 30 years. Grant can be seen in
such films as TOMBSTONE, where he plays the town doctor, DEAD
MAN'S WALK, as a sleazy trader and THE NEWTON BOYS,
again as a doctor..."but this time the patient lives! Grant is a writer/director
in all media. He began media writing, directing and acting in the days of
live radio drama, and has made films, television specials and created promotional
campaigns in over 30 countries. He has taught writing, production and acting
in such places as Quito, Ecuador, and Cambridge, England. Grant is married
to Teacher, Actress, and former talent agent, Juli Erickson, and among them
they have 11 children, 36 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren!
JOHN RUSSELL is listed in Who's
Who in America (1999). Mr. Russell one hundredth production
to direct was Our Town produced at USA Theatre in
the Fall of 1998. He has served numerous theatrical organizations as an advisor.
Mr. Russell has served as artistic advisor to Shakespeare in Strawberry Park,
as vice president of USA Board of Directors and a past president and current
second vice president of the Pasadena Little Theatre board. Mr. Russell taught
drama for twenty years at the Park School in Baltimore, Maryland. He also
taught theatre at Morgan State University and Loyola College in Baltimore
and directed for the Sarah A. Putnam Playshop, the Boulevard Players, the
Ira Aldridge Player, the Hopkins Playshop at Johns Hopkins University, New
Age Theatre and Center Stage Players. His production of "Cowboys No.
2" for New Age Theatre was selected for the Houston Festival.
Having served on the boards of directors of the American Theatre Association
and Center Stage, Baltimore's resident theatre, in 1961 John received the
American Shakespeare Festival National Citation of Merit and, in 1973, the
Mid-Atlantic Chapter, American Theatre Association award for "achievement
and contribution to theatre."
He is Secretary of Festival Angels, and a member of Theater Network of Houston,
American Film Institute, American Theatre Association (vice president Mid-Atlantic
District, 1967-68, President 1968-69, National Director 1970-73), Texas Non-Profit
Theatre, Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County, Phi Beta Kappa,
Phi Eta Sigma, and Beta Phi Mu.
HOPE SHIVER, a former Miss Alabama
and Miss Congeniality with the Miss International Beauty Pageant, is a native
of Mobile, Alabama. She has a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University
of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Music Degree from the University
of Oregon, both in vocal performance. Ms. Shiver’s love of life transfers
into her love of teaching and writing. Ms. Shiver is enjoying a varied and
diverse career having performed opera, musical theater, legitimate theater,
and commercials for TV and radio. Hope Shiver is on the artist rosters of
both Texas Commission on the Arts and Mid-America Arts Alliance (Heartland).
She has performed internationally numerous times with the USO in Greenland,
Iceland and Newfoundland, with Houston Grand Opera in Egypt (for President
Mubarik,) as well as in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Madrid and Sweden
in productions of PORGY AND BESS.
After having done national TV commercials for Schlotskys and Jiffy
Lube and TV and radio spots for other corporations, Ms. Shiver recently
made her full length film debut in the movie HOPE, directed
by Goldie Hawn. Hope Shiver is a resident of Houston, Texas along with
her husband, musician/actor David Keepman and their daughter, Abby. A story
teller and writer, she has toured two one-woman shows Get on Board
(about Harriet Tubman) and Sojourner Truth
plus her newest work, Voices of Hope tour schools, colleges, and universities
nation wide. Ms Shiver is a Writer in Residence at USA Theatre.
A consummate teacher, choral and vocal competition judge as well as performer,
Hope Shiver has 12 years teaching experience at Trinity Valley Community
College (Director of Vocal and Choral Activities) University of Texas at
Tyler and The College of the Mainland (Director of Vocal and
Choral Activities,) This experience enables her to conduct workshops and
master classes in vocal and choral performance, sang writing, opera/musical
writing for kids, in addition to her performances.
Judi Stallings holds a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Elementary Education from Southwest Texas State University and
a Masters from the University of Houston at Clear Lake campus. She teaches
Theatre Arts at Pearland High School, coming from Pearland Junior High East,
where she has taught for several years. Plays she has directed include Antic
Spring, The Great Cross-County Race, A*B*C, Exit the Body, Addict, Roomers,
In One Basket plus many musicals.
Michelle Robinson is the Managing Director
for USA Theatre. Michelle is an actress, singer, and dancer, with a Master
of Arts degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake in Theatre Arts
(emphasis in Directing). She was a company member of the professional children
theatre troupe Have Theatre Will Travel. Michelle has performed at the Upper
Deck Theatre in Galveston, University of Houston at Clear Lake, Houston House,
and Clear Creek Country Theatre. Michelle Robinson has been teaching theatre,
drama, and dance in the area for fifteen years. She has directed The
Importance of Being Ernest , Barefoot in the Park, Nicholas Nickleby, A Christmas
Carol, Give My Regards to Broadway, Cinderella, the musical, and
numerous other productions.
KATIE REED has
directed over 40 productions in community theatres in the Houston area, as
well as, in Off-off Broadway in New York City. She has directed USA’s
productions of THEY ALL HAVE THEIR ENTRANCES, THE ACTOR'S
NIGHTMARE, A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT SHREW, and A TWIST
OF DICKENS. Katie has taught theatre at Unicorn since 1992.
She is an English teacher at Clear Lake High, and the workshop manager at
the Pasadena Little Theatre. She has been the Artistic Director of the Actor's
Conservatory of Texas and of Kaleidoscope Theatre in NYC. Katie holds
a masters degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake and a BFA
degree from the University of Texas. Katie is an actress with credits that
include the off-off Broadway premier of IDIOSYNCRASIES. Several
plays have been produced at community theatres and schools that she wrote.
She designs stage lighting for fun.
Juli Erickson has been acting an stage,
screen and television longer than she'll admit! She also knows the Business
from "the other sides." She has been a "Stage Mother" - four of her children
were successful young actors - and an Agent, working with such talents as
Nick Stahl, Jennifer McGill and Cameron Finley (Beaver). Texas audiences
have praised her as Mother Watts in "A Trip To Bountiful", Ether in "On Golden
Pond" and Miss Daisy in "Driving Miss Daisy. She has been featured in two
episodes of "Walker, Texas Ranger" as well as "Tornadol" and "Mattloc, and
was Granny Byrd in the Fox film, "Rise And Walk, the Dennis Byrd Story. You
might also recognize her has Mlchael Dupes's teacher, Mrs, Harper, in the
MJ Designs commercials.
Juli has been conducting workshops and seminars throughout the Southwest
for over ten years, and is a favorite with Talent Agents and Casting Directors,
giving practical, down-to-earth help to the new - as well as experienced -
actor.
Juli is married to Grant James, and together' they boast 11 children
and 30- something grandchildren! She is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency
in Dallas, is a member of S.T.A.G.E and Women In Film, S.A.G., and A.F.T.R.A.
Nici O, (pronounced Nikki) has been acting
for years! At least ten of her fourteen! She has appeared on television in
Food Bank Promo Spots for Nickelodeon Productions and
in Children's Home Society spots for Spokane Washington's Channel
2 Productians. On stage, Nici has played Snow White, Ariel (The Little Mermaid),
Sarah in "Peter Pan", Charles Dickens' daughter in "the Queen and the Commoner"
and Supt, Lang in "The Rememberer. She has wan numerous Showcases with scenes
and monologues, and was seen here in USA theatre's production of "Monkeying
Around."
Nici is an Honors Student at Richardson Junior High School, plays Clarinet
and continues studying her first love: Acting. Because she is 14, she understands
more immediately what runs through kids' minds as they approach their characters.
She is the Granddaughter of Grant James and Juli Erickson, is a member of
S.T.A.G.E. and has won a free year's membership in Women in Film, which she
will "cash in' in a few years.
Terry Berland is an independent Clio award
winning on-camera and voice-over commercial Casting Director. She comes from
a strong New York advertising agency background, including J. Walter Thompson,
Young and Rubicam and Director of Casting at BBDO. She is
known for casting major accounts such as Pepsi, Taco Bell, Polaroid,
VISA, Pizza Hut, DuPont, AT&T, Clairol and hundreds
of actors such as Kevin Bacon, Joe Pispico, Henry Winkler, John Goodman,
Dana Delancey, Michael Tucker, Jill Eikenberry, Macauley Culkin and Ted
Danson who started their careers with Terry auditioning and booking
commercials. Terry is recognized around the country in the field of talent
development thorough her workshop of "Acting in Television Commercials". She
has taught in over 50 cities nationwide and has been on the facility of the
Lee Strasberg Institute and the American Musical and Dramatic
Academy of New York. Terry is the co-author of Dutton/Plume's definitive
book on the subject of commercials, BREAKING INTO COMMERCIALS: The Complete
Guide to Marketing Yourself, Auditioning To Win, and Getting The Job.
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