FACULTY Directory

With a passion for the performing arts and a devotion to developing and inspiring new talent, there is no better person to creatively and artistically lead AMDA than David Martin. As a producer, director, actor and teacher, Martin has done it all, from staging New York, London and regional productions of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen and Wilde, to producing numerous television shows with actors John Houseman, James Earl Jones, Edward Herrmann and Sam Waterson, to gala events such as Broadway Plays Washington at the Kennedy Center featuring Beatrice Arthur, Pearl Bailey, Ellen Burstyn and Debbie Reynolds. In his early days at AMDA, Martin produced and directed many critically acclaimed fundraising productions that helped establish the school’s reputation as a world-class performing arts conservatory, includingSing Happy, a tribute to John Kander and Fred Ebb starring Liza Minnelli, Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera; You’re the Top, a tribute to Cole Porter featuring Kevin Kline, Dick Cavett and Lucie Arnaz; and Hey, Look Me Over, a tribute to Cy Coleman starring Neil Simon, Imogene Coca and Mel Torme. Then, in the late 1970s, AMDA founder Philip H. Burton passed the torch on to Martin, who took over as Artistic Director. In the three decades since, Martin has overseen significant expansion, transforming the school into a thriving, fully accredited institution with campuses in both New York and Los Angeles.

Actor. Performed on Broadway in Grand Hotel, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Prince, A Change in the Heir and Play Me a Country Song. Off-Broadway and national tour credits include Nunsense, Annie Warbucks, Shylock and Torch Song Trilogy. New York City Opera performances include Candide, Pajama Game, Music Man, Sweeney Todd and South Pacific. Performed regionally in Shirley Valentine, The Sisters Rosensweig, Dancing at Lughnasa, Blithe Spirit, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, The Merry Window, Jane Eyre, Gigi, George Abbott’s Broadway, Sweeney Todd and Carousel. Additionally, has performed with Cincinnati Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Pittsburg Public Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Alley Theatre, California Music Theatre, Encore LA and Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities. TV credits include CSI, West Wing, Without a Trace, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Alley McBeal, Dharma & Greg, The Practice, Judging Amy, The Guardian, Any Day Now and Party of Five. Film credits include Erin Brockovich, Life, Annie, Song of the Lark, Anastasia, The Thirteenth Floor and Never Get Outta the Boat.

Actor, teacher, stuntwoman and fight director. Recognized as a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Acting and stunt performance credits in film/TV include The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Andrew Jackson, Mulletville, M.O.G., The Three Musketeers, Going Straight, Merv’s Tavern, B.U.S.H. League andThe Accordian Killer. Stage: Enchanted April, Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, All in the Timing, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Henry V, Voice of the Prairie, Belle of Amherst and Chapter Two. Fight direction credits include In the Heart of America, Romeo & Juliet, R (The Swashbuckling Tale of Anne Bonny and Mary Read), Chapter Two, 1001 Arabian Nights, Two Noble Kinsmen, Stages, Music Man and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Listed on file with the Metropolitan Opera Studio. Performed in various productions including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Ralph Vaughn Williams’s Riders to the Sea, as well as musicals including Gilbert and Sullivan. Since retiring from performing, she has coached students who have been chosen for prestigious music programs such as the San Francisco Women’s Summer Opera Program and Voice of America Summer European Tour. Trained with Jack Prenner, coach for Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

Performing Artist, Actor, Singer. Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera- Christine; The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber; Featured soloist at Radio City Music Hall. International Theatre: Sunset Boulevard-Betty Schaefer-Sydmonton Festival, England; The Phantom of the Opera- Christine-Livent World Tour; The Sound of Music-Maria Von Trapp- Far East Tour. Regional Theatre: The King and I- Anna at Lyric Stage; The Sound of Music-Maria at Walnut Street Theatre; Master Class-Sharon at Denver Center Theatre; My Fair Lady-Eliza Doolittle and Music Man-Marian at Austin Music Theatre; Ragtime-Mother at Gateway Playhouse; Oklahoma-Laurey at Casa Manana and at NC Theatre. Teaching Experience: Voice and Individual Voice, Southern Methodist University; Individual Voice, Navarro College. Private voice lessons since 2011.

Voice, Performing Artist, Pianist, Conductor, Musicianship/ Music Theory.  Garineh Avakian, mezzo-soprano, is originally from Los Angeles. In addition to being on voice faculty at AMDA, she is also the Music Director at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Granada Hills, Calif. She has appeared as Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aenaes, Madame de la Hartiere in Massenet’s Cendrillon, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Arsamene in Handel’s Xerxe, Arnalta in Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea, Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Athamus in Handel’s Semele and Rosina in Scarlatti’s The Triumph of Honor. Recently Ms. Avakian sang the role of Fay Doyle in the West Coast premiere of Lowell Liebrmann’s Miss Lonelyhearts, based on Nathanael West’s novel. In 2006, she received an honorable mention at the Western Regional Finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Described by the San Francisco Classical Voice, “Avakian is a singer of student age, not a student singer. The young mezzo sings with power and charisma, showing a veteran’s stage presence, delivering every note on the money, with great diction.” Ms. Avakian is equally at home on the operatic as well as the concert stage. She has performed as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the San Francisco Symphony and alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Maestro Carl St. Clair conducting the USC Chamber Orchestra and Choral Artists. She has performed with the San Jose Symphonic Choir as a soloist in Bach’s St. Mathew Passion and with the Monterey Symphony in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. In the early 1990s, Ms. Avakian released two cassette tapes, E Zen Hayer and Ganche Hoghin, consisting of Armenian patriotic and national songs in support of Armenian orphans living in Armenia. The proceeds, totaling over $65,000, were sent primarily for the children and their families. In addition to her professional engagements, Ms. Avakian regularly performs for nonprofit organizations such as the Lark Musical Society and Hamazkayn Armenian National Committee and at various fundraising functions throughout the United States.

Acting, Directing, Scene Study and Audition Technique.  London West End Theatre Credits; Mother Courage and her Children,  The Power Book at The Royal National Theatre starring Fiona Shaw and directed by Deborah Warner (CBE) Julius Caesar- West End and International Tour- Directed By Deborah Warner (CBE) Staring Ralph Fiennes and Fiona Shaw. Troilus and Cressida- West End and International tour for Cheek by Jowl, Directed by Declan Donnellan.   Mother Claps Molly House- The Royal National Theatre and West End Transfer- Aldwych Theatre-Directed by Nicholas Hytner. Lady Salsa-  The New London Theatre. You Can’t Take It With You- Southwark Playhouse.  Other Theatre (UK): Baghdad Othello-The Tricycle Theatre, Lettuce and Loveage-Birmingham Alexander Theatre, Glow, Theater Centre-National Tour,  The Wedding Dance- Bolton Octagon-National Tour. Macbeth and The Tempest-Edinburgh Festival. Theatre (US): Follow-  The Company of Angels Theatre Co. (LA).  Television: “Oscar Charlie”, “Murder in Mind”, “Down To Earth”, “Holby City”, “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries”, “The A-Z Of Politics”, “The Message, New Street Law”, and “EastEnders” - all exclusively for the BBC.  Film: “10/34”(Sussed Productions),“Plato’s Breaking Point” (Robark Pictures), “Virtuality” (Burnt Orange Productions), Psychi (Icontact Films), “Trace” (Kuruji Films).  Film (US): “Room 712” (Title01 Productions), “Snow” (USC Productions, LA).  Directing Experience: Shakespeare Project 2010 AMDA (LA), Henry IV Part 1, The Winters Tale, Faith Hope and Charity 2009 Birmingham Theatre School (UK).  Assistant Director- 2009 (Graduation Show) Birmingham Theatre School (UK).  Premiere and the first drama school in the world to perform the epic 7 hour Russian masterpiece as listed on Wikipedia.