David Ralphe – Acting (Adults)
David is a member of Actors’ Equity, and has been working in theatre, television, and film for over 40 years. His extensive teaching career spans the distance between Antioch College and North Hollywood, California. He served as artistic director for the prestigious Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, PA and was at one time, director of the L.A. Stage Alliance. He has been at the helm of several ARTS’s productions which include; the highly acclaimed 2003 production of Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, Tommy, Ragtime, Little Women, Hank Williams; Lost Highway, and The Grapes of Wrath. He also directed SCVAC’s productions of Man of La Mancha, Fiddler on the Roof,Anything Goes, Cabaret, the West Coast Premiere of Songs From The Tall Grass, Always Patsy, and their two productions of RENT. He directed Oliver! for both Cabrillo Music Theatre and SVCAC. In addition to being the General Manager at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, David also serves as the Artistic Director at the Santa Paula Theater Center where he has directed countless plays, some of which include Master Class, The Boys Next Door, Let’s Get a Divorce, An Ideal Husband, Don Juan in Hell, the award- winning production of Honour, Shining City, and The Seafarer.
Becky Castells – Dance
Becky comes to ARTS and APA from a very extensive background in dancing and acting. She has been in several commercials, movies and television shows, and is a member of the Screen Actors’ Guild. She also spent eight years as an acting coach at The Kyer Workshop in Burbank, California, specializing in kids ages 4-9. Her acting students can be seen in countless commercials, as well as many films and TV shows. Some notable examples are Daddy Daycare, Cold Case, LOST, CSI, Dexter, Private Practice, and Modern Family. Becky also has a B.A. in Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and over ten years of experience as a professional dancer and dance teacher. She has performed in countless shows of every type from modern dance to magic, and everywhere in between. Venues include The Kodak Theater in Hollywood, The Stardust in Las Vegas, The Queen Mary in Long Beach, Universal Studios, and Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, to name a few. Some recent choreographic accomplishments are: The Southern California tour of Magic Redefined with Master Illusionist John Gabriel, Bandage!…The Rock Opera at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, Peter Pan at the Norris Theater, RENT and Camelot at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, and West Side Story, Willy Wonka, Children of Eden, The Wedding Singer, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Once On This Island, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and many more for the Actors Repertory Theater of Simi, at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Her choreography has also been featured on television in Masters of Illusion on Los Angeles’s my network 13, and in one of the final episodes of ER on NBC. Becky feels that a well-rounded arts education is vital to the development of self-confidence and positive self image in children of all ages. She looks forward to passing on her varied knowledge and love of performing arts to her students at APA in both acting and dance classes.
John Dantona – Acting (Kids and Teens)
The 2013 Spotlight Award Winner for Artist of the Year with the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Foundation, John is an award-winning actor, director, playwright and songwriter. He began teaching as a young working actor in 1983, and has served as Performing Arts Chair, while directing and instructing with St. Monica’s High School in Santa Monica, CA. He spent 4 summers as director and musical theater and acting instructor for the CSUN Teenage Drama Workshop, and was After Hours Activity Director for Granada Hills Charter High School Performing Arts Intensive Workshop. His varied TV/Film credits throughout the years are comprised of Growing Pains, Just the 10 of Us, Divorce Court, Night Court, (Battlestar) Galactica 1980, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless and Ira & Allison’s Murder Mystery. His voiceover talents have been featured in the animated cult films Kiki’s Delivery Service, Golgo 13: The Professional, and My Neighbor Totoro, as well as TV and radio commercial spots. He was fortunate to perform onstage at two of Southern California’s historic theaters of the past: the Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, and the Variety Arts Center in downtown L.A. He is now frequently seen on local Ventura County stages, where he received the 2017 Vee-Cee Award for playing Schultz in Cabaret, Stage Scene LA Awards for Fighting Prawn (and others) in Peter and the Starcatcher, King Arthur in Spamalot, Wilbur in Hairspray and Applegate in Damn Yankees, as well as a Broadway World L.A. Award for his portrayal of antagonist Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird. Outstanding Director, Playwright and Production honors were awarded to John by Hollywood Drama-Logue for his original Los Angeles production of Scenes From a Tango. John continues to teach young people today to provide them a safe haven for creative expression and to inspire them to embracethe arts in their own lives.
Michael Brian – Dance
Michael has tap danced across Southern California performing and teaching. He trained with Melinda Sullivan (SYTYCD) and has been teaching for the last four years with students of all levels. He is thrilled to be working with the next generation of hoofers in Ventura County. When he was 18, he landed his first professional job working at Musical Theatre West in their education/outreach tour. His first tap gig was at Candlelight Pavilion as “Andy Lee” in 42nd Street which was nominated for five BroadwayWorld Awards. As a tap dancer, he has worked at Knott’s Berry Farm, The Honey Taps, and can be seen in Amazon Prime’s Lunch Ladies. Other stage credits include 42nd Street at 3-D Theatricals, Singin in the Rain at Pechanga Resort and Casino, and Newsies at McCoy Rigby/La Mirada (Ovation Nomination).
Class description: This class is designed to develop technique through various tap styles. Combinations will include choreography specializing in Broadway/Musical Theatre, Rhythm and Jazz. As the weeks progress, choreography will become more intricate and improv tap will be introduced. In addition to focusing on technique, musicality, rhythm, and style, students will learn the importance of storytelling through performance.
Caroline Esposito – Vocal Arts
Jan Glasband – A Cappella Youth Chorus
Jan Glasband is Executive Program Director for the Simi Valley Cultural Association and Artistic Director of Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi. She has been teaching a cappella choral music to kids since 1992, and has worked with groups as small as three (the Harmony trio), and as large as 25 (ARTS Youth Ensemble). Singing unaccompanied part music is a wonderful way to train the musical ear, and group singing is a non-competitive “team sport” that engenders creative camaraderie. The Simi A Cappella Youth Choir will launch in the fall of 2019 as a free, audition based program, open to all Simi Valley School District students and home-schoolers.