Teaching Artists
NCTC is fortunate to work with some of the most talented teaching artists in the Bay Area. Learn more about them below.
ALEXANDRA RIVERS
(SHE/HER)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Alexandra is so thrilled to be teaching with NCTC! Currently, she directs musicals for students ages 5-16 at Contra Costa Civic Theatre, teaches Improv and Acting with Berkeley Rep, and teaches after school drama at Emerson Elementary in Berkeley. In addition to teaching, she loves acting! Most recently, she appeared in NCTC YouthAware’s The Emperor’s New Posts as the Emperor and BACT’s A Year with Frog and Toad as Frog!
AL NIOTTA
(THEY/HE)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Al has been an actor since a nativity play at 10, and an atheist since 13. With a degree in Theatre from SF State, they have had the privilege of training and gaining experience across mediums. Al takes their passion and wit into every role and classroom. Equipped with an affinity for Shakespeare, the comedic arts, and improv, Al has made a home in several of SF’s education and community programs. Much of their professional journey has been in youth education, theatrical arts, and outdoor rec.
ALIYA BACAL PETERSON
(SHE/HER)
SATURDAY CONSERVATORY: TEEN ACTING
Aliya has performed with NCTC for the spring 2023 show Puppy Mind and fall 2023 show The Emperor’s New Post. After graduating from Sonoma State with her BA in acting, she has worked as a Teaching Artist with Marin Theatre Company teaching improv. She can also be found leading paranormal investigations with The Haunt Ghost Tours and dramatically dying as part of a murder mystery with the Dinner Detectives.
ASPEN CLARK
(SHE/HER)
GUEST TEACHING ARTIST
Born in Los Angeles, Aspen found herself in love with theatre from before she could remember. From childhood through college, she participated in school productions, and upon graduation from Loyola Marymount University’s theatre program, she spent her early acting career in Los Angeles. Aspen pivoted to working in film for a few more years but always missed her roots. Moving up to the Bay in the summer of 2022 provided her the opportunity to return to theatre and help nurture the next generation as a teaching artist. Aspen has been a member of the Edu Team since 2022 as a Teaching Artist at several SF schools. In her spare time, she loves running, playing video games, brunch and cooking with her partner.
BEKAH LYNN BROAS
(SHE/HER)
SATURDAY CONSERVATORY: MUSICAL THEATRE
Bekah Lynn is a transplant from Denver, CO where she trained and worked at The Denver Center for Performing Arts. She has called San Francisco home since spring of 2021, completed the Summer Training Congress at A.C.T. last summer and has worked with awesome local theater companies since then like SFBATCO, SF Playhouse, 3Girls Theater, and now—NCTC! When she’s not onstage, she’s behind the lens running her photography business. @bekahlynnphoto
CELESTE KAMIYA
(SHE/HER)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Celeste Kamiya is a theatre artist and educator living in Oakland. A San Francisco native, she is so excited to join the teaching staff at NCTC! Celeste has worked on staff and as a teaching artist for Youth Musical Theater Company in Berkeley since 2018, where she is currently the Marketing, Casting, and Outreach Director. She taught students around Northern California with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival while performing Macbeth on Tour, and studied theatre at The New School in New York City and at the British American Drama Academy in London.
JENNY ROSEN
(SHE/HER)
GUEST TEACHING ARTIST, ADULT DRAMA CLUB
A company member at BATS Improv since 2003 Jenny served as Dean of the BATS School of Improv for four years. She regularly performs long and short form improvisational theater at Fort Mason Center. As a teacher and coach, Jenny has worked with students from ages 2 to 102. She has taught for StageWrite, Live Oak, Haight Ashbury Cooperative Nursery School and dozens of other schools up and down the Bay Area. She enjoys using theater games to inspire collaboration, positivity, and creativity in and out of the classroom. A specialty is the incorporation of classroom curricula into theater training! Jenny has performed in Aspen, Improv Olympic (LA), The MET theater (NYC), The Moth and at the SF Fringe Festival. She has created original musicals for 64 4th graders at the Cathedral School for Boys, and can make up full length musicals on the spot. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Jenny Rosen lives in Potrero Hill with her husband and two children, Henry and Magnolia.
JESSICA FONG
(SHE/HER)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Jessica recently graduated from San Francisco State University’s Theatre Arts program. Her previous teaching experiences include working with Shakespearience and Loren Chadima’s Intentional Acting program. Jessica’s most recent acting credits are Throw Away Temple (Kunoichi Productions) and Deirdre the Queer Queen (Aurora Theatre Company/The Holy Fools). She has certification in six stage combat disciplines with Dueling Arts International. She is looking forward to meeting and working with new students!
JOEL OCHOA
(HE/HIM)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Originally hailing from Iowa, Joel moved to the Bay Area in August 2022 to earn his MFA in Acting at Academy of Art University! He was the past Director of Education at Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre and is a current teaching artist at Marin County Shakespeare. Professionally, Joel has appeared on stage and screen including Bay Area projects at Marin County Shakespeare, SF Playhouse, 42nd Street Moon and is represented by Stars Agency. When not teaching, you can find Joel on top of a mountain somewhere drinking an iced vanilla latte! He cannot wait to continue instilling love of the arts into the next generation as a teaching artist at NCTC!
MICHAEL CARROLL
(HE/HIS/EL)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Michael is an actor hailing from Los Angeles. After graduating from UC Berkeley and performing in NCTC’s production The Emperor’s New Post, Michael discovered how important theater engagement is for students. When Michael is not performing on stage, he enjoys bridging the gap between theater and youth and BIPOC communities, as well as connecting theater opportunities to the next generation of artists at Shotgun Players.
NIMA RAKHSHANIFAR
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Born and raised in the South Bay, Nima is excited to join NCTC! Passionate about fostering creativity in the next generation, Nima wants to introduce students to the art of acting through dynamic games that challenge students to develop new patterns of thinking. With a professional acting background, including performances at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Barrington Stage Company, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Nima also leads workshops and participates in talkbacks for young audiences, tailoring the experience to individual learning stages.
SARAH O’BRIEN
(SHE/HER)
SATURDAY CONSERVATORY: YOUTH ACTING & MUSICAL THEATRE
Sarah has been working as a children’s director, choreographer, and theater enthusiast for over 5 years! She’s been performing as a dancer for over 10 years and is currently getting her BA in Theater Arts at San Francisco State University. Sarah is thrilled to create fun stories and make new connections with future NCTC students!
SOPHIE IRIBARREN
(SHE/HER)
CURRICULUM SPECIALIST, SUMMER CONSERVATORY
Sophie Iribarren is an NCTC alum who now teaches acting to the next generation of students. As a student, Ms. Iribarren participated in Teen Summerstock, High School Performance Ensemble, Musical Theatre and performed in several Family Matinee productions including, The Wizard of Oz, Anansi, the Clever Spider and the title role in Rock ‘n Roll Cinderella. She is currently a 7th grade Special Education teacher with a BA from UC Santa Cruz and a Master’s in Education from SFSU.
RORY DAVIS
(HE/HIM)
GUEST TEACHING ARTIST, ADULT DRAMA CLUB
Rory Davis is the creator of RORYOGRAPHY, a follow-in-the-moment dance class that went global in 2020 with virtual dance events for celebrities like John Stamos & Darren Criss. Rory has been a MainStage performer for the SF Pride parade, is the resident choreographer for Peaches Christ Productions and the co-creator of Baloney, San Francisco’s acclaimed Gay All-Male Revue. He’s staged the west coast premiere of “Showgirls! The Musical!” and played Alec Baldwin opposite Bianca Del Rio’s “Sheetlejuice.” He also toured with Jinkx Monsoon in the national tour of “Return to Grey Gardens.” But Rory’s speciality continues to be working with people with two left feet. Learn more about Rory here: Queer Cardio for All.
TONY JIN
(HE/HIM)
SATELLITE TEACHING ARTIST
Tony is a performance artist and magician from Shanghai, China, where he taught bilingual musical theatre and acting. In college, Tony was in a few musical productions including “In The Heights”, “Once On This Island”, and “RENT”. He loves to share the magical experience with young people.