Teaching Artists

Amy Sheff Neumann worked across the country as a teaching artist, director, and performer. Amy currently performs with Now This!, a DC-based musical improv comedy troupe and Synergy in Action, a Playback Theatre company. A member of the Actor’s Equity Association, she appeared at the Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, Round House Theatre, and the American Century Theatre. Amy toured nationally in both The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Annie. Amy has directed and taught acting, musical theatre, and music at the Ensemble Theatre Community School, Columbia Center of Theatrical Arts, Long Lake Camp for the Arts, Imagination Stage, and the Young Actors’ Theatre. By day, Amy is a social worker; her work focuses on children and teens with special needs. She also holds a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University and an MSW from Catholic University.

Andrew Stainer is a guitarist and composer from Crownsville, Maryland. He has been the Music Director with Silver Spring Company A for many years! He enjoys composing music, traveling, and performing live with his theatrical musical group, Night Watch Paradox.  

Annetta is a graduate of Rutgers University and American University where she earned her Bachelor degree in English and Communications and her Master’s in Performing Arts for Dance & Theatre, respectively.

She is honored to foster self-expression and self-worth with students through poetry, performance, dance, yoga, and visual arts. She has also worked for Arts for the Aging, teaching healing movement, healing stories, theatre improvisation and visual arts. Annetta feels that her well-rounded experience and understanding of the arts as a healing tool aligns well with ArtStream’s varied programming, including its military hospital program, Allies in the Arts.

Teaching Language Arts and Moving Arts for Arlington public schools, Annetta has been awarded as a poet-in-residence for The Arlington Humanities Project. She is also a member of the MCPS Teaching Artist Roster through the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and she teaches for The Folger Library’s Secondary Shakespeare Festival bringing The Bard to DC public schools. In addition to her artistic work with children, Annetta is also on the Fine Arts faculty at Trinity University and works locally in the DC region as a freelance performing artist.

Annetta is Director/Choreographer for the MD Cabaret, she teaches Practicing Performance, works with the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes, co-teaches Theater Arts classes at The Katherine Thomas School, and gives Drama & Story-Telling classes at the DC JCC.

Annetta believes strongly in arts integration and mixed-ability integration. She is proud to work with the unique, progressively productive theatre, and exceptional organization that is ArtStream.

Ariel is a Stage Manager in ArtStream’s Alexandria In-Person Theatre Company.

Bailey Nassetta is a Brooklyn based Director, Administrator and Teaching Artist. Currently, Bailey is the Director of Classes at The People’s Improv Theater. Her most recent directing work includes “Missing 411” (The Recovery Lounge), “Tortle & Friends” (The Nyuorican), “Birdbrains” (The Recovery Lounge,The Deep End). Bailey has been working with ArtStream as a Teaching Artist for the past 3 years. 

Barbara Schelstrate began her career with ArtStream’s inclusive theater program in 2014 and has been with it ever since. It’s like home now! Her other music direction experience includes Gilbert & Sullivan productions and annual CHAWbarets at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) in D.C., as well as a dozen productions at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. Her onstage experience includes several operas with the Washington National Opera chorus and William Inge’s Picnic with Dominion Stage. Perhaps her favorite activity is composing music: she’s written a one-act opera, Frigga & the Mistletoe, and a musical version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was performed in 2011 at UUCA and in 2017 at CHAW. “Last year’s virtual show was an eye-opening creative experience, but it’s great to be back in person this year!”

Becky Webb is 29-years-old from Huntington Beach, CA. Becky earned her bachelor’s degree in Theater from UC, San Diego and currently works as a lighting designer/technician.  Besides working on theater shows, she also loves to travel and go on hikes.

Diana Metzger is a playwright, screenwriter, essayist, theatre critic, and creative writer from Silver Spring, Maryland. Diana has been a teaching artist with Round House Theatre since high school. Round House commissioned and produced Diana’s play “Beach Week” with their teen performance company. Diana wrote for the MTV scripted series “Faking It” and worked on the ABC Family show “Greek.” Diana was a finalist for the Humanitas New Voices writing award two years in a row for both comedy and drama writing. Diana received her MFA in Creative Writing at American University and her BS in Communication (Theatre Major with a certificate in Creative Writing for the Media) from Northwestern University.

Elana Polin is originally from New York and is delighted to be on her maiden voyage with ArtStream. She is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA having performed professionally on stage, television, and film. Elana is a graduate of the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and has sung musical theater, opera, and liturgical music internationally. In 2018, Elana started a small business “Polin Voice” in order to teach others to incorporate singing technique into good public speaking. She also presents scripted seminars for corporate America in the DMV and beyond. Elana lives with her three children, dog, and cat in Washington, DC. Special thanks go out to Heller An Shapiro, Kathryn Hamilton, and Rye Ellis for welcoming her with open arms to the ArtStream family.

Emilia has worn practically every theatre “hat”: actor, director, assistant director, teaching artist, stage manager, vocal coach, and stage technician. She started her theatre career at an early age with BAPA’s Imagination Stage. She began her theatre studies at NYU with the Playwrights Horizons Studio where she completed her two-year primary studio training. Emilia earned a BA in Theatre from the University of Maryland. Eventually, Emilia would return to Imagination Stage as an employee and discover a love for working with students who have special needs.  

Since then, Emilia has earned a MA in Education and Human Development from George Washington University with a focus in Transition Special Education and works as a special education teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools.  

Emilia has a conversational ability in ASL and fluency in Spanish. With ArtStream, she teaches classes in voice, music and movement, drama, musical theatre, and directs the Virginia Cabaret Companies.   

Enemy is a choreographer in ArtStream’s Alexandria In-Person Theatre Company.

Hannah is so excited to be back teaching at ArtStream! She has been involved with ArtStream since she was in 8th grade in 2009. She last choreographed for Gaithersburg Company B’s production of “I’ll Meet You Somewhere in Dreamland” in 2020. She is in her final semester of graduate school at West Virginia University (WVU) finishing her degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She looks forward to continuing her work with ArtStream and enriching the lives of others in any way possible.

Heather Newhouse has been stage managing with ArtStream for five years and loves the creative, collaborative atmosphere of Company A–as well as the interesting props she gets to make from year to year! She currently works at Folger Shakespeare Library as the Patron Services Manager. Heather would like to thank everyone in ArtStream for being so supportive and inspirational. Break a (virtual) leg, friends!

Janeni Nathan is a stage manager from Laurel, Maryland. She is excited to be part of ArtStream and Silver Spring Company A. Janeni is a recent graduate of Frostburg State University with a Bachelors in Theater with a concentration in Stage Management. She is grateful to have this opportunity to work with Silver Spring A and enjoyed every moment of it.  

Jennifer Pollard is a stage manager from Alexandria, Virginia. She is a recent graduate of George Mason University, currently pursuing a career as a preschool teacher. She is a fan of most genres in music, preferably pop. She loves shopping, hanging out with friends & family, and just doing what she loves. She is a huge football fan, especially when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens! Being with ArtStream has definitely given her a better understanding of what it’s like to be an actress and maintain focus at rehearsals! She works with the Silver Spring Company B at ArtStream, and is enjoying every bit of it!  

Kailey Azure Green (they/them) moved to the DMV area around a year ago but has been working as a choreographer and fight director for the past several years. Their choreography credits include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (An Other Theatre Company), Men I’m Not Married To (Santa Cruz Shakespeare Company), and Cabaret (UVU). Their previous fight director credits include Newsies (Scera Theater), Julius Caesar (UVU), and Romeo and Juliet (Grassroots Shakespeare Company). Kailey has been seen onstage as Anybodys in West Side Story (The Grand Theatre), Ophelia in Hamlet (Grassroots Shakespeare DC), and Chorus in Henry V (Grassroots Shakespeare Company). Kailey also works as the Executive Assistant for Theatrical Intimacy Education.   

Kathryn Hamilton is a co-director and teaching artist at ArtStream. When Kathryn isn’t working or volunteering within Artstream, she is working her two other less exciting jobs or hanging out with her animals and her fiancé. “A huge thank you to Robbie for helping with props, Chris for driving to rehearsals sometimes, and Ravi for always treating her like family.”

Kristen is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a BA in theatre and psychology. She began teaching with ArtStream in 2012, directing the George Mason ArtStream group. Since then she has also taught Shakespeare and improv classes at Oakton and is excited to be directing the Gaithersburg Company A for the second year! Kristen is a local director, actor, and fight choreographer in the DMV region and is an advanced actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. She is a teaching artist with several other companies including Educational Theatre Company and Traveling Players Ensemble. She was inspired by her work in theatre education and by ArtStream to become a drama therapist; she is completing her master’s degree in drama therapy at Lesley University. Big thanks to everyone in Company A, GMU, and the whole ArtStream team!

Liv Dinter is a Baltimore based creative with backgrounds in theatre and communications. They graduated from Stevenson University in 2021 with a degree in Theatre Performance and have since collaborated with The Everyman Theatre, Skylight Theatre Labs, and now ArtStream in various roles. They are positively thrilled to expand their repertoire and continue to work with ArtStream’s incredible team and actors!

Lizzie is an Assistant Director in ArtStream’s Alexandria Virtual Theatre Company.

Luke Scaros is so excited to be part of the Alexandria In-Person Company! Luke earned his B.A. in Theatre from Ohio Wesleyan University, and an M.F.A. in Acting from Regent University. He has spent four years in the DMV area directing, with highlights being Hamlet (Organic Studio of Performing Arts) Taming of the Shrew (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company), and the upcoming production of Dear Edwina Jr. (Mark Twain MS Theatre). He would like to thank ArtStream for the many opportunities to grow as a teacher, actor, and now director. Thank you and enjoy the show!

Madeleine Regina is a DC Based Director, Performance Artist, and Educator, whose work primarily focuses on issues of social equity. Her most recent projects include “Body.”, a devised production about the stories our physical forms carry, which she directed for the DC Fringe Festival. In addition, she was an assistant director for Flying V’s recent devised production, “Crystal Creek Motel”. She is currently directing an acting showcase with Matthew Corzine Studio and is working on a small production with the Center for Adoption Support and Education, helping to tell the stories of adopted children and their families. She also teaches with Imagination Stage and Theatre Lab in addition to her directing work with ArtStream. She absolutely loves sharing a creative space with people of all backgrounds and abilities!

Mark Andrist has been a professional working musician since he was fourteen years old, and he is grateful for the opportunities he has had to perform, write, teach, and direct all over the world. His younger sister is the inspiration for his commitment to ArtStream, an individual who has lived her life refusing to allow her disabilities to steal her joy.

Mary Beth Levrio has been with ArtStream since 2015 as a teacher, assistant director, and director. Mary Beth has an M.A. in Theatre from The American University with a focus on directing and education. She has has worked as a director and teacher for companies in the DMV area including Montgomery Playhouse, Upcounty Theatre, Kentlands Community Players, Children’s Theatre of Arlington, Round House Theatre, Imagination Stage, Potomac Community Theatre, The City of Gaithersburg, The City of Rockville, and Thomas Wootton High School. Pittsburgh is her new home, but thanks to Zoom she is still with ArtStream. She would like to thank the wonderful people at ArtStream , especially everyone with Alexandria Company B, for giving her the opportunity to stay connected. “ArtStream is my happy place.”

Bio coming soon!

Melanie Zehner (She/Her) is an actor (AEA/SAG-AFTRA), writer, and teaching artist from upstate NY and is currently teaching virtually in Chicago. She graduated with her Bachelors in Theatre from SUNY Potsdam and received her Masters in Physical Acting from the University of Kent Canterbury. Recently, Melanie graduated from the Second City Conservatory. Melanie has worked as an actor with multiple theatre groups, as well as participated in different film projects. Melanie has written theatrical works for Laugh Index Theatre and the Museum of the Bible. Melanie has been a teaching artist since the age of fifteen. She has taught with the Syracuse Children’s Theatre, Imagination Stage, Sitar Arts, ArtStream Inc, Museum of the Bible, Wellness4Every1, and Bear Book Club. With Bear Book Club, Melanie created the curriculum for the first online Korean improv classes. “Defy Gravity.”

Mike Morton is a musician, teacher, and producer from Glenelg, MD. He has been with ArtStream since 2015 (and loves every minute of it). Mike teaches private music lessons and performs with a variety of local groups. He has a BA in Art History from the University of Maryland and has taught at Music & Arts and the Damon Foreman Music Academy. In his free time he enjoys playing chess, reading sci-fi, and hanging out with all his pets.

Natalie is a writer, director, actor. She has been thrilled to be the director of Silver Spring ArtStream Theatre Company A since 2010. She began teaching classes for Artstream in 2006. In 2009, Natalie created an original inclusive show for the Glebe Elementary S.M.A.R.T. program based on a classic children’s story. She developed the Cabaret Program for Artstream in 2017 and directed the first Maryland Cabaret in 2018. In 2011, Natalie performed in the original Artstream touring show “Pursuing the Runes” which toured area hospitals and bereavement camps.

Outside of Artstream she is a licensed tour guide and a tour developer and 2001 she launched Historic Strolls, a company that combines historical walking tours with theatre to create a unique experience. She is the author and director of The Ghost Story Tour of Washington. She has been a guest expert for C-SPAN3 American History TV, The History Channel, Travel Channel and Canadian and French television, WAMU The Kojo Nnamdi Show, WUSA9 and NPR, CNN Radio and in The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, Politico, Roll Call, DCist and others.

Natalie researches and writes original historical theater pieces. She trains and costumes actors for museum events such as: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and for the National Archives Sleepover at the Archives. She created an historical three-character drama for the hip-hop theatre artist, Holly Bass.

Nicolette is a theatre educator, social skills trainer, playwright, and director. With ArtStream, she designs curriculum for Leadership Programs which teach social and pre-employment skills using an arts model. Among these programs, she created the award-winning “Positively Speaking” workshops in partnership with Down Syndrome Network Montgomery County.

Nicolette has written two books: an interactive handbook, ArtStream for Life: A Social Skills and Communication Handbook for Self Advocates, and a children’s book, The Colorful Adventures of Pauline and Tiff. ArtStream for Life was published by ArtStream, Inc. and Tilson & Diaz Solutions, Inc., and produced with a grant from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council. The lessons in the handbook are presented live by Nicolette and a self-advocate to help the audience understand that communication skills are for everyone. Pauline and Tiff was co-authored by Nicolette and an ArtStream client with Down syndrome and features illustrations by Annie Dykstra. The book was self-published through a private grant.

Nicolette is proud to co-host Montgomery County, MD’s first inclusive talk show “Telling Your Story with Terrel and Nic.” Terrel and Nic’s talk show received two 2019 Montgomery County Media Monty Awards: the Viewer’s Choice Award and the Best Co-Hosts Award.

In 2017, Nicolette was awarded “Outstanding Technical Achievement” by the Ethan Saylor Memorial Film Festival. The award recognizes Nicolette’s commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities, and, especially, her work preparing self-advocates with Down syndrome to speak in the halls of Congress.

Nicolette is a proud member of Leadership Montgomery 2010 Core Class and holds a Master of Education from George Mason University.  She lives in Germantown, Maryland.

Norah Juzenas is an Assistant Director from Silver Spring, Maryland. She has been with ArtStream for five years! Norah is finishing her junior year and looking forward to her senior year at Sandy Spring Friends School. In addition to working at ArtStream, Norah runs cross country and track and works at Meadowbrook Stables!  

Pamela, a veteran educator (Drama, English, Chorus, Special Education), holds B.A. magna cum laude from Ithaca College and an M.A. in Communication Arts and Theatre from The University of Maryland. An international Gilbert and Sullivan director, Pamela is a founder and stage director of PB Theatricals, which offers performance and technical theatre opportunities for young people in the U.K. Pamela sends her love and thanks to the actors, staff, and crew in the Cabaret family.

Pamela Freedy is a theatre director, performer, and teacher with a keen curiosity for exploring intersections of civic dialogue and fantastic community imaginations through the arts. She is happiest in the theatre classroom, having spent nine years as a theatre educator in schools and as a teaching artist in a variety of community settings. Pam holds her BA in Theatre Education from the University of New Hampshire, her graduate teaching certificate in K-12 Theatre Arts from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and a Masters in Applied Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England. Pam is an Assistant Director in ArtStream’s Gaithersburg A Theatre Company. 

Patti is a co-founder and the Founding Executive Director for ArtStream. She currently works as a Master Teacher, consultant, and director for ArtStream. Patti wears several hats during the day. She currently teaches drama for the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, the Shakespeare Theatre Company, the Polite Piggy’s program on Capitol Hill, and runs a memory care class at Insight memory care through ETC. As a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT), she works privately with clients, and also works as a professional organizer for Basic Organization (yes, the organize your closet kind). She loves directing and is very thankful for the actors, families, and everyone on the team in Alexandria Company A!

Patricia Krauss MA, M. Div.

Patty is a dance artist, choreographer, actor, clown, director, educator, and now hospice chaplain. Prior to co-founding Artstream,  she created Seize the Day! Mixed-Abilities Performance, where she was the Artistic Director, chief cook and bottle washer for 10 years. Having become intrigued with an international movement of dance artists with and without physical disabilities who took the form beyond “wheelchair dancing,” pushing the boundaries of dance, and common perceptions of beauty, grace and power, part of a new genre that flourishes today.  Seize the Day! was the premiere mixed- abilities performance company in the DC Metro area for nearly a decade, performing and teaching throughout the region. She then turned her attention to training in physical theater in the Le Coq tradition, with Dody DiSanto in Washington DC, Chris Bays in NYC, Giovanni Fusetti and Matteo Destra in Italy. She performed a clown solo in the 2009 Capitol Fringe Festival, and performed in Italy at a number of venues.

Patty was part of Artstream from 2005-2010, teaching in the community, serving on the Advisory Board, and as a choreographer working on the Gaithersburg Inclusive Company artistic team. She has returned as a Teaching Artist, and is currently involved in projects to develop Artstream programs in Howard County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City, where she now resides. She dances in her living room regularly these days.

Penny is a teaching artist and performer based in the DC/Baltimore area. She has worked as a writer, director and performer with the Blue Sky Puppet Theatre since 1994, and performs with Good Life Theatre, where she just completed a three year run at Wolf Trap. Other favorite performing companies include Bread and Puppet Theater, The Other Opera Company, Adventure Theatre, and The Puppet Company at Glen Echo.

Penny teaches puppetry workshops throughout the DC/Baltimore region and beyond, including workshops as far away as Scotland. She is a regular teaching artist for the Wolf Trap Institute and also sings with the Swing Set Trio and the Roland Cumberland Orchestra.

With ArtStream, Penny has teaches classes in schools and other provider organizations for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD). She also leads workshops in self-advocacy.

Pooja is an Assistant Director in ArtStream’s Gaithersburg B Theatre Company.

Ricky is a director/actor/playwright from DC. He has been fortunate to work at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, 1st Stage, The Keegan Theatre, Rorschach Theatre, NextStop Theatre, and many other DC-area companies. The production of Legally Blonde that he directed at The Keegan Theatre was nominated for 7 2019 Helen Hayes Awards, including Best Director and Best Production of a Musical. He’s also written two full-length musicals and numerous short plays.

Sandra has a BFA in dance from The Boston Conservatory of Music and an MA in dance from American University. She taught dance and creative movement in the Greater Washington DC area for 25 years, working with Imagination Stage, The Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, Iona Senior Services, and Arts for the Aging teaching creative movement to older adults. She also works with Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) teaching music and movement.

Sandra is currently working with Nancy Havlik’s Dance Performance Group. She has had previous performances with DPG in Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; and New York, NY.

With ArtStream, Sandra teaches classes in schools and other provider organizations for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD). This work is highlighted in the Stone Soup Films production “DC Hero — Sandy Roachford.” She also works as a choreographer with Inclusive Theatre Companies.

Shelley Fisher is a choreographer and performer. She teaches dance classes, performs, and manages events. Some of her most rewarding moments come from serving as the choreographer for Gaithersburg Company A. “Now everyone put your hands to your mouth and yell out loud, ‘Go Gaithersburg Company A!!’”

Simon is a Co-Director in ArtStream’s Alexandria In-Person Theatre Company.

Valerie Segal has been the choreographer for Silver Spring B for the last three years and has been in ArtStream for six years in all. She was with Silver Spring B through high school as a mentor (2013-2016) and then was able to return as a teaching artist after graduating from University of Maryland with dual B.S. degrees in psychology and kinesiology. Valerie works as a therapeutic aid at MOCO movement center, an inclusive pediatric therapy practice. She is currently studying in Towson’s occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) program.  

Wendy is a Washington area teaching artist and arts in health practitioner. She is Musician in Residence at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and provides programming through several agencies including Arts for the Aging and Washington Performing Arts. Wendy is also a music director with Lumina Studio Theatre, plays bass with the band Wendy & the Lost Boys, and volunteers in hospital settings through Musicians on Call. She received a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Florida. Wendy is thrilled to be working with such wonderful actors at ArtStream!