J*Company Youth Theatre Directors & Teaching Artists

Joey Landwehr
is the Artistic Director for JCompany, he moved to San Diego after being a professional actor and director in New York City working on and off Broadway, national tours, regional theatre and directing and soloing at Carnegie Hall. Joey received his MFA in acting and directing from The Ohio State University and has studied under such instructors as Betty Buckley, Marcel Marceau, Francis Sternhagen, F. Murry Abraham, Twila Tharpe and has had the great privilege of working with such greats as Phyllis Diller, Sam Harris, Kristin Chenoweth, Victoria Mallory, Joel Grey, Kaye Ballard, Michael Feinstein and the late, great Howard Keel. Joey has worked in all medias of entertainment and is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the Actors Alliance of San Diego (AASD), and Americans for the Arts (AFTA). Since moving to San Diego Joey worked for the San Diego Performing Arts League as Membership and Community Development Director; in 2007 he received the “40 Under 40” Award from San Diego Metropolitan Magazine for outstanding leadership in the arts. In San Diego Joey has worked with Diversionary Theatre, the San Diego Shakespeare Society, La Jolla Playhouse WAM Project, The Old Globe, Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival, San Diego Junior Theatre and The Actors Alliance Festival winning five different excellence awards. At J*Company he has had the privilege of directing RUMPELSTILTSKIN IS MY NAME, OLIVER!, YOURS, ANNE, DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE STORY OF HANSEL AND GRETEL, DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK, ELTON JOHN AND TIM RICE’S AIDA and DISNEY’S 101 DALMATIANS.

EMAIL:  joeyl@lfjcc.com

Aaron Huniu
is the Managing Director at J*Company. An Orange County native, Aaron received his BA in Drama from the University of California at Irvine emphasizing in musical theatre and theatre production. Aaron has recently worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as an Assistant Cruise Director developing and organizing onboard entertainment and served as master of ceremonies on many of its cruise ships throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, and Mexico. As a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Aaron has appeared in commericials, TV, and feature films. His appearances include The West Wing, Judging Amy, ER, and and featured in an upcoming Burger King commercial. Aaron has also performed as a stage actor in a variety of regional theatres throughout California. Some of his credits include OKLAHOMA, FOOL'S GOLD(Sierra Repertory Theatre), THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, and CAMELOT(Fullerton Civic Light Opera). Aaron is also an accomplished choral singer and has traveled extensively throughout Europe with the Sound of America Honor Choir performing at the Luxembourg Conservatory, St. Marks Cathedral in Venice, and Disneyland Paris.

EMAIL:  aaronh@lfjcc.com

Sherri Allen
is a San Diego-based actor, director, and teacher with extensive credits in both local and regional theatre. She holds a BA in Drama from San Diego State University, studied Shakespeare and British Theatre in London, interned as an actor at PCPA Theaterfest, and did graduate work in theatre on a full scholarship at Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Sherri also holds a teaching credential in English from California State University, San Marcos, and is a member of the San Diego Actor's Alliance. She has worked with the La Jolla Playhouse, Asolo Theatre Company, PCPA Theaterfest, Moonlight Stages, North Coast Repertory Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre's Education Department, Lamb's Players Touring Company, and Summer Repertory Theatre, among others, and was a performer and show captain at Legoland California for over three years. Sherri has taught English and Drama to students in grades K-12, and Voice/Speech and Movement for Theatre at J* Company. Sherri is pleased to be back teaching Acting I and II to all of the wonderful students at J* Company.

Betty Anderson
is a respected actor, singer, director and teacher all across the nation in theatre, film, radio, concerts and voiceover. Ms. Anderson's attention to detail in her Audition Technique Master Classes are unsurpassed. Some of her stage highlights include RESPECT, National Tour, I'M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER..., Arizona Summer Arts Festival, and she was the voice of the United States Air Force in VOCE. Betty has her own CD called ALL THAT JAZZ produced by her own company "Polkadot! Productions" and currently sings with the San Diego band "The Players".

Emily Calabrese
is one of San Diego's finest teachers for very young children. She earned her BFA in acting at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has taught and performed in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, CA. In Charlotte, North Carolina she co-founded a theatre company in which she produced, directed, and performed in original works with adults and young performers. Her teaching style specializes in Commedia dell' Arte, circus skills, musical theatre, and movement. Her greatest joy is helping children of all ages transform their natural play into theatrical expression.

Eve Childs
danced in Austin, Texas for 20 years where she studied every kind of rhythmical form from West African Dance and Drumming to Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Body Rhythms before moving to San Diego three years ago. A graduate of the University of Texas department of Theatre and Dance, Eve performed with Dance Repertory Theatre, Sally Jaques, Bryan Green, Visions in Rhythm and Tapestry Dance Company. She has been teaching dance for 10 years, most recently at the American Dance Festival in North Carolina, Culture Shock Dance Center, and Royal Dance Academy in San Diego as well as master classes for San Diego Swings and J*Company Youth Theatre.

Cheryl Cline
is currently in the Masters of Fine Arts in Music Theatre program at San Diego State University. Originally form Toronto, Canada, Cheryl earned a Honours Bachelor of Music degree (voice specialty) from the University of Western Ontario, and taught high school music for five years. Cheryl is happy to be part of the San Diego theatre community, most recently music directing with SDJT and ART.

Bryn Fillers
holds a degree in Theatre Arts from Reed College, and she has been teaching children ages 3 through adult for the past 25 years. She teaches, writes and directs for classes at San Diego Junior Theatre, and she has directed for the mainstage through their Page to Stage program. She also teaches at J Company, and she teaches playwriting through Playwrights Project. She has also dramatized and taught historical and literature curriculum through the California Center for the Arts' Suave program, the School in the Park program, and Warren-Walker Middle School. Her other specialties include sketch comedy and improv, and she has been a member of an improv troupe both in Portland and in San Diego. Her directing experience includes plays at the Firehouse Theatre in Portland, Theatre Rhino in San Francisco, and the California Center for the Arts in Escondido as well as schools across Los Angeles and San Diego including Roosevelt Middle School and Warren-Walker Middle and Lower Schools.

Lorea Herald
is one of San Diego's premiere accompanists, vocalists and vocal coaches. She received her BA in Vocal Music Education from San Diego State University. Lorea has worked with such organizations as J*Company, Coast Kids, San Diego Junior Theatre, The National Children's Theatre and the San Diego Puppet Guild. Lorea's passion and musical emphasis is teaching and accompanying performers of all ages, assisting with group and individual music education and being instrumental in the awakening of artistic and creative expression in each of her students.

Sarah Jordan
is a native San Diegan who completed her college education at Chapman University in May 2003, earning her a B.A. in Theater and Dance (emphasis in dance). Her background includes Musical Theater, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Flamenco, West African, Swing dance, and Pilates®. She trained under renowned artists such as Cyrus Parker-Jeannette, Sean Greene, Nancy Dickson-Lewis, Dale Merrill (former Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance in Seattle Washington), and Jennifer Backhaus-McIvor (Artistic Director and choreographer of Backhaus Dance in Orange County California). While at school Sarah had the opportunity to attend local studios: West Coast Conservatory of Ballet and The Edge. Since returning from Orange County, she has been a dance instructor for several youth organizations in the San Diego area including Young Actors' Theatre and Christian Youth Theater (SDEC). Choreography credits include Li'l Abner, Young Actor's Theatre, and Introduction to Choreography, Christian Youth Theater. Recent performing credits include, The Pirates of Penzance (daughter) for San Diego Lyric Opera, and Singing in the Rain (dancer and "beautiful girl") for Christian Community Theater (as well as over twenty other shows for CYT and CCT combined). She also has experience as promotional characters for Broadway San Diego, a Nederlander Presentation. Sarah currently works as a professional performer, instructor and choreographer in the San Diego area.

Peter Kalivas
originally from New York, is respected nationwide and considered a "cross over" artist working between musical theatre and concert dance. His credits include Mr. Mistofelles in CATS on Broadway and Benjamin in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, also both Arab and Baby John in the National Tour of WESTSIDE STORY. He has worked with such dance greats as Judith Jamison, The Alvin Ailey Contemporary Dance Theatre, Malashock Dance Co. the New York University International Dance Festival and The California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. Currently he has his own company: "The P.G.K. Project" (A Contemporary Repertory Dance Company). Look for his newest touring project in 2007 "When I Fall" from The P.G.K. Project.

Cindy Kinnard
Cindy earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Theatre from San Francisco State University in 2000. She recently graduated with her Master in Fine Arts degree in Costume Design from San Diego State University. She has costume-designed several award-winning shows including Anything Goes!, Taming of the Shrew, The Wiz and Saturday Night. Cindy has also designed projects for Sea World San Diego and Vejas Casinos. For seven years she worked as a resident costume designer at Young Actors Workshop in Richmond, California.

Susan Lavoie
is very excited to be joining the J*Company for the upcoming spring classes. Susan has recently relocated to San Diego from the East Coast where she taught music elementary. She graduated in 2001 from Stetson University in Florida with a degree in Music Education focusing on Vocal Performance. Since moving last summer she has been seen in various Los Angeles Cabaret shows and performed with Definitely Dickens Carolers located in Long Beach during the holiday season. Susan has performed professionally in various venues including Atlantic City, Busch Gardens Williamsburg & Disney's MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. Some of her regional theater credits include Big River, EVITA, Funny Girl and HONK!

Victoria Mallory
has had an illustrious career as an actress in both television and on Broadway that has spanned five decades. Her small screen credits includes roles in “The Young and the Restless,” “Santa Barbara,” Touched by an Angel,” and “Everwood.” Victoria made her mark on Broadway in the 1970’s starring in “Sondheim: A Musical Tribute,” “A Little Night Music,” “Follies,” and even played the role Maria in the first revival of “West Side Story”. Victoria has many regional credits to her career such as the title role in “Kiss Me Kate” with J*Company’s very own Artistic Director, Joey Landwehr in the ensemble. Victoria along with her husband Mark Lambert who played opposite her in “A Little Night Music” are very happy to call San Diego home.

Tim McKnight
is a professional musician and teacher in the San Diego area. He holds his Bachelor in Music Education and Masters in Vocal Accompanying and Coaching from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to being the Director of Music at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Escondido, he also teaches a studio of 25 piano and voice students. Tim has served as musical director, conductor, vocal coach and pianist for numerous productions at San Diego Junior Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Youth Theatre Conservatory, Starlight, Canyon Crest Academy, North Coast Repertory Theatre, and many others.

Cris O'Bryon
recently worked on Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention (now opening on Broadway; received a Best of Fest in the 2007 AASD Festival; presented a reading in LA of Too Old for the Chorus which just closed La Mirada Theatre; wrote vocal arrangements for The Sisters Rosensweig at The Old Globe Theatre; taught music at the Young Performer’s Workshop for La Jolla Playhouse; performed in The Constant Wife at the Old Globe Theatre; music directed and accompanied the SD Opera’s Words and Music Project at Monroe Junior HS; and helped music direct, arrange, and perform in the premiere of Song on the Wind near Boston, MA, was just seen in Susan and God at Lamb’s Players Theatre. Next up is Forbidden Broadway in Florida, The Rat Pack and the SD Civic, and a brand new Festival of Christmas back at Lambs. He maintains a private voice/piano and acting/audition
coaching studio.

Rayme Sciaroni
pulled up his roots in New York City where he directed, musical directed and choreographed several off-off-Broadway shows as well as several large scale children's productions. Since landing in San Diego he has had a close relationship with J*Company, has he directed and choreographed Guys and Dolls, musical directed Joseph, SUDS, Guys and Dolls, Pippi Longstocking, OLIVER!, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and composed a variety of songs for Pippi Longstocking and Rumplestiltskin. Rayme is currently writing music/lyrics for "The Corporate Circus" which debuted at the Lyceum Theater and will premier at the Shanghai Theater Academy in China in 2008. He is also busy writing music/lyrics for a family musical, "The Daddy Machine" to be performed at the Diversionary Theatre in January of 2008. He will be co-directing the production as well.