Nevada County Teaching Artists
Drama • Juggling • Stagecraft • Puppetry • Storytelling • MagicDirectory
The following list of drama educators primarily includes those who live in Nevada County, but also some who live in surrounding counties. We endeavor to make this list as complete and accurate as possible, but information changes continually.
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To revise existing info, or be added to the directory (no cost), contact Paul Harrar at 478-6400 x 212 or email:
paul@
This directory was last updated Oct 12, 2007
Unless otherwise noted, all phone number area codes are 530
Drama
JOYCE BORGMAN ERCOLINI / Child Centered Theatre
Address: 121 Martin St., Nevada City
Studio Address: Miners Foundry Cultural Center, Nevada City
Phone: 470-8576
E-mail: joytahoe4@theunion.net
Teaches: Drama incorporating music, musical theater, dance and visual art. Instruction culminates in performances of children’s plays.
Students: Youths age 5-10
Experience/background: Masters in Education. California teaching credential. Fulbright Teaching Scholarship to England. Classroom teacher in Nevada and California. International teaching in England and Italy. Developed Art From the Heart, Child Centered Theater Productions in 2003 and directs several productions a year.
FOOTHILL THEATRE COMPANY (Apprentice Program)
Contact: Paulette Rudolph
Phone: 265-9320
Address: 404 Spring St., Nevada City; P.O. Box 1812 Nevada City
E-mail: info@foothilltheatre.org
Internet: http://www.foothilltheatre.org
Teaches: Technical training in the theater arts.
Students: Qualified high school students
Notes: Apprenticeships are available in the scene and costume shops, as well as lighting and sound design. Apprentices work along side the professional staff.
SHAWNNA FRAZER / Little Players
Phone: 273-8899
Address: 14335 Highland Dr. Grass Valley, CA, 95945
E-mail: dragonlady@hippi.net
Teaches: Performing arts with emphasis on theater. Day, after-school and summer programs
Students: Youths age 7-15
Experience/background: Shawnna is the activities/artistic director of Little Players. Currently teaching drama at Union Hill School’s Home Study program. Taught after-school drama courses at Scotten Elementary, Lyman Gilmore Middle School and Nevada City Elementary. Have choreographed 30 dances since 2002. Produced or directed 52 plays since 1999. Also involved with Youth United, a cultural diversity education group with clubs on several local school campuses.
MILA JOHANSEN / Nevada County Performing Arts Guild
Phone: 432-4344, 477-5575
E-mail: N/A
Internet: http://www.nevadacountypag.com
Teaches: Drama, musical theater and drama games for youths as part of the Nevada County Performing Arts Guild Students: Youths
Experience/skills: Founder and Artistic Director of the Nevada County Performing Arts Guild. Author of two books, “101 Theatre Games” and “50 Scenes To Go” that circle the globe, along with twenty-two plays and musicals. She is currently finishing her third book—101 More Theatre Games.
PAULETTE RUDOLPH / Nevada County Performing Arts Guild
Phone: 273-4254, 530-277-7100
E-mail: ptrudolph@sbcglobal.net
Internet: http://www.nevadacountypag.com
Teaches: Musical theater for youths as part the Nevada County Performing Arts Guild; choral music and voice
Students: Youths
Experience/skills: Executive Director of the Nevada County Performing Arts Guild. Has directed 22 theatrical productions
RICHARD WINTERS / Winterstage Productions
Phone: N/A
E-mail: winterstage@sbcglobal.net
Internet: http://www.winterstage.com
Teaches: Acting and comic improvisation classes
Students: Youths (age 6-15) and adults.
Experience/background: More than 20 years teaching in school and community programs. Has taught at Granite Bay, Nevada Union and Bear River high schools; Forest Charter School, Seven Hills Middle School, Pleasant Valley School. Teaches an ongoing schedule of acting classes at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley. Has worked professionally with B Street Theatre Company, The Sacramento Theatre Company and many other companies from New York to Los Angeles.
JUGGLING
IZZI TOOINSKY / Little Giant Theatre
Phones: 477-7843 cell: 210-5387
E-mail: izzitooinsky3000@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.izzitooinsky.com
Teaches: storytelling, juggling, comedy writing. Teaches tolerance with “It’s OK To Be Different” program. Does in-class workshops and large assembly performances. Performance titled “The Amazing ‘49ers” combines juggling with stories of California historical figures.
Students: Youths (juggling for grades K-12); storytelling (K-6); comedy writing (4-12)
Experience/skills: A master juggler and storyteller who has performed throughout the world at festivals and schools. and on national television (several countries). Has performed assemblies in most Nevada County schools. A California Arts Council Touring Artist grant recipient for 10 years. A published author (“The Turkey Prince,” Penguin Books). Has recorded several CDs of stories.
RIC O’SHEA / a.k.a. Richard Brown
Phone: 272-1939
E-mail: none
Mailing address: 403 ½ Henderson St. #3 Grass Valley, CA, 95945
Teaches: Beginning to advanced juggling.
Students: Youths (age 8 and up) and adults
Experience/background: Has taught juggling at Seven Hills Middle School for more than 10 years, and at Yuba River Charter School. Also performs and teaches during local fairs and festivals (Celtic Festival, World Music Festival). Has taught thousands of people from age 8 to 80. Has toured extensively has a juggler. Also makes balloon animals.
PUPPETRY
Information will be available soon.
STORYTELLING
LINDA KENNEDY
Phone: 478-1604
E-mail: linderfolk@theunion.net
Internet: http://www.foothillstorytelling.com
Teaches: storytelling workshops
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/skills: Taught kindergarten and 4th grade for 10 years. (Has California teaching credential). Is a performing storyteller with stories for children and adults.
LUCINDA SAHM deLORIMIER
Phone: 272-5127
E-mail: ucindel@oro.net
Teaches: storytelling
Students: Youths and adults
Experience/skills: Current Nevada County Children’s Librarian. Has performed as professional storyteller. Certificate in storytelling from Dominican College. Has taught drama and storytelling at Nevada City School of the Arts, John Woolman School.
IZZI TOOINSKY / Little Giant Theatre
Phones: 477-7843 cell: 210-5387
E-mail: zzitooinsky3000@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.izzitooinsky.com
Teaches: storytelling, juggling, comedy writing (see LITERARY listings). Teaches tolerance with “It’s OK To Be Different” program. Does in-class workshops and large assembly performances.
Students: Youths
Experience/skills: A master juggler and storyteller who has performed throughout the world at festivals and schools. and on national television (several countries). Has performed assemblies in most Nevada County schools. A California Arts Council Touring Artist grant recipient for 10 years. A published author (“The Turkey Prince,” Penguin Books). Has recorded several CDs of stories.
MAGIC
BRUCE GAUTHIER / Nevada County Magician’s Guild
Phones: 272-8258 (Magician’s Guild contact number)
E-mail: bruce@gauthier.us
Teaches: The art of magic and illusion
Students: Youths (age 7 and up) and adults
Experience/background: Founded Nevada County Magician's Guild in 1990. Has taught magic and illusion privately, in after-school programs and community classes (but does not teach currently). Can be contacted to reach the Magician's Guild and other teaching magicians in the area.
PETER FRANCHINO
Phone: 477-0906
Teaches: Designing and performing the art of illusions.
Students: youths grades 3-up, adults
Experience/background: Has taught magic in after-school enrichment
programs at Pleasant Ridge, Alta Sierra, Deer Creek, Twin Ridges Home
Study schools and Bear River High School, Also teaches privately. Member
of Nevada County Magicians Guild.