RJ ROOT
Music
RJ has a BA in Music from Cal State Fullerton, with an emphasis in Jazz and Commercial Music Performance. He studied composition, arranging and improvisation with Bill Cunliffe and Kim Richmond and Classical, Studio, and Jazz guitar with Carlos Gonzalez and Mitch Holder. RJ makes his living as a professional touring and session musician, playing across the US and around the world.
JENNIFER HOPKINS
Acting/Musical Theatre
Jennifer is an actor, choreographer and teacher in Washington, D.C. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster Conservatory and an MFA in Classical Acting. Her direction and choreography credits include 6 summers with Festival 56 in Illinois where she has choreographed Cabaret, The Full Monty, Gypsy, The Addams Family, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Mary Poppins.
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BRIAN DWYER
Film
Brian is a filmmaker in Cork, Ireland where he studied filmmaking at St John’s College. His films have been screened at festivals throughout the world including Raindance, and London Short Film Festival. He currently has a number of short films and two feature length films in development and was the recipient of the prestigious Puttman Award at the Fastnet Film Festival which will fund the shooting of his latest film script Wireless.
RAMIRO CANTU
Film
Ramiro is a director of photography and producer based in Austin, Texas. He has a BSC in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin and is a two-time Berridge alum, Berridge film intern and now on faculty. To date he has shot over 50 projects ranging from commercials to feature films and his short #RefugeesWelcome, was an official selection at South by Southwest.
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GABRIEL GRILLI
Acting/Devised Theatre
Gabriel is an actor, director, writer and teacher who has taught at The New School, NYU, Penn State and the School of Visual Arts. He has a BFA in Acting from Hofstra University and an MFA in Directing from Penn State. Gabriel was the Artistic Director of his theatre company Bric-A-Brac for over 8 years. His career includes collaborations with theatres such as Berkeley Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, 42nd Street Moon and 59e59.
JOE BOOTHE
Screenwriting/Film
Joe is professional screenwriter in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BA in English. He has written for television and film including Artista Obscura, The Librarians and Love and Baseball starring Max Arciniega. He has adapted multiple books into features, as well as the graphic novel NOBLE for EOne and has sold multiple original feature scripts. He is an alum of the Groundlings Sunday Company in Los Angeles.
SHAUNA MEDINAH
Music
Shauna is a musician in Los Angeles. Her industry experience includes writing, performing, producing, scoring, engineering, mixing and editing. She wrote and scored the music for the documentary Occupation 101 and sang lead vocals in the Sony animated film The Swan Princess. She wrote, sang and co-produced on the soundtrack of the The Obama Effect with Grammy award winning artist Ce-Lo Green.
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EMILY FIRTH DWYER
Acting/Musical Theatre
Emily is an actor, singer and performance coach in Cork, Ireland. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster Conservatory. She spent 12 years in New York working as an actor, acting coach and voice teacher. She has worked with The Flea Theatre, Theatre Raleigh, Downtown Dance Factory, Songful Artists, Timber Lake Playhouse, and had five national tours with Theatreworks USA.
DAN MILNE
Movement/Directing
Dan is an actor, director and film producer in London. He trained at Drama Studio and has an MA from Cambridge University. Recent credits include the world tour of Lionboy with Complicité and From Morning 'til Midnight at the National Theatre. Dan has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and was a company member of the Young Vic Theatre for 6 years. He has taught at Drama Centre, Central School of Speech and Drama and East 15.
DUANE DANIELS
Acting Techniques
Duane has had a professional career in stage, film and television for the past 30 years. He was a series regular on Veronica Mars in the role of Principle Van Clemmons, a role which he reprised in the recent movie version of the show. Duane has won the Drama-Logue Award, ACT Award, Patte Award and the Blitz Award. He has logged over 3000 performances in Triple Espresso in venues from San Diego to Dublin.
GREG AINSWORTH
On Camera/Writing
Greg works as an actor, writer and producer in Los Angeles. His first drama pilot was nominated for a Humanitas New Voices Award and is in development with Norman Lear. He produced the thriller Never Here (starring Mireille Enos and Sam Shepard), and the documentary The Longest Game for PBS. Greg studied acting with Diana Castle and completed a 2-year conservatory program at the William Esper Studio.
CECILY NASH
Acting
Cecily is an actor and singer from London. She completed a two-year professional training course at the prestigious École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Recent stage credits include The Wind and the Willows for Gobbledigook Theatre, Dial M For Murder with London Repertory Players and The Frida Kahlo Of Penge West for KP Productions at The Bridge House Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
SOPHIE WILLISON
Photography/Design
Sophie is a fine art photographer, publisher, and designer. She founded her own magazine in 2014 - Terra Firma, showcasing the work of international artists. She currently works as a photography assistant assisting with exhibitions, launching magazines, designing catalogues and website design. She is also the founder and director of Sandalwood projects, an online gallery showcasing the work of international artists.
PAIGE SEBER
Stage/Screen Design
Paige is a professional lighting designer based in New York. She is a graduate of Webster Conservatory where she majored in Lighting Design and attended HSPVA where she studied Acting and Design. Recent credits include American Buffalo at Circle in the Square Theatre, the national tour of Marry Poppins, Screen Door Music festival and House of Women at the Riverside Theatre.
JANE NASH
Acting
Jane is an actor and director in London. She is a Lead Trainer for Narativ UK and teaches Personal Storytelling to a range of corporate clients including the NHS and the Department of Education. Jane has worked as an actor, writer and theatre maker for over 35 years and has credits in film, television and stage including The Infinite Worlds of HG Wells, Sleepers and the shows Big Space and Small Space which she write, directed and starred in with her husband Dan Milne.
LAURENS BOERSMA
Painting/Drawing
Laurens is a professional painter from Holland. He was educated at the Academy of Visual Arts in Groningen and exhibits regularly in Holland, Germany and France. He works in and teaches a wide variety of mediums including watercolour, acrylic, oil, pastel and pencil. He recently relocated to Normandy where he built a studio and gallery in an 18th century farmhouse.
BOGDAN SILAGHI
Head Chef
Bogdan is an actor and chef in London and Originally from Romania, has experience in kitchens around the world as well as on stage and both in front of and behind the camera. He trained as an actor at East 15 where he received an MA in Performance. He is also a Script Supervisor with recent credits on the TV series Psyched! and the short film Stay.
OLLIE BARNETT
Program Assistant
Ollie is an actor in London. He is a four-time Berridge alum and decided to pursue an MA in Shakespearean Acting at Bath Spa University after studying at Berridge. He was recently chosen to attend the prestigious National Youth Theatre summer masterclass series. Recent credits include Lysander in Midsummer Nights Dream and Ferdinand in Love's Labour's Lost.
KATIE ROYER
Associate Director
Katie is an actor, writer and producer in Los Angeles. She came to Berridge in 2008 and has been a part of the program every summer since. She wrote and directed the films Cremation, The Snow Factory and When We're Alone and starred in films including The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek that made the festival circuit including Sundance and Cannes.