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.

Janine received her MFA from the University of Michigan and her BFA from The Ohio State University. She attended Jacob's Pillow dance for 2 summers. In  NYC she was a member of The Doris Humphrey Repertory Co,Eva Dean Dancers,and Mark Dendy Dance just to name a few. She also performed her own work at dance festivals in and around NYC.Later she attended The William Esper Studio for a 2 -year program in theatre. She has performed in commercials,TV and Indie films. She also was the host of "The Turkish Hour" for 2 seasons on Ebru TV. Her teaching credits started as an apprentice at The National Dance Institute,founded by Jacques D'Ambroise. Recently she completed an education course at The 92 St Y in the Dance Education Laboratory(DEL) and also subs at Peridance. Union member of SAG and AFTRA.

Worked for 13 years performing in tours and regional shows all over the U.S. and Europe. U.S. national tours: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Mame, Carousel, The Goodbye Girl and West Side Story. European tours:  Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story. Performed for four years in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Director/choreographer: National tours of The Full Monty; Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels starring Joe Piscopo (director); Dames at Sea; Barnum; The Wedding Singer; Urinetown; and Little Shop of Horrors. In the past two years, Keith has directed and/or choreographed over 25 productions, including two world premiere musicals: The 7 Little Foys and Cold as Ice, the latter starring gold medalist Oksana Baiul. He also directed The Full Monty starring Sally Struthers, Adrian Zmed and Broadway star Hunter Foster. In his brand-new area of expertise, ice skating, Keith is very proud to have directed Stars, Stripes and Skates, a yearly benefit for the survivors and families of the 9/11 tragedy, and Home for the Holidays, staring 2008 National Ice Dancing Gold Medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto and 2008 National Men’s Champion Evan Lysacek.

Ronald Bemrich has been a member of the voice faculty at AMDA in both New York and Los Angeles. With degrees in Music Education, Voice, Opera, and Choral Conducting, he has worked as a teacher, performer and conductor in both Europe and North America. He has taught as a faculty member at institutions such as the University of Miami, Florida International University, New World School of the Arts, the International School of Brussels and the University of Windsor in Canada. As a conductor and music director, he has prepared and led numerous professional and amateur choral and orchestral organizations such as the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Carnegie Hall Link-up Concerts Chorus, the Monmouth Civic Chorus and the Cocoanut Grove Playhouse. Mr. Bemrich's singing credits include solo work with the Opera of Flanders, the Royal Theatre of Mons, the Vlaams Kameropera, and the Cocoanut Grove Playhouse in Miami, plus numerous solo recitals including a series for the Ministre de la Culture Franç aise.

Michelle made her Broadway debut in Chicago: The Musical. She played Sheila in the national and European tours ofA Chorus Line and appeared in the national tours of La Cage aux Folles, Grease andDamn Yankees. Regionally, she was critically acclaimed as Velma in Chicago and has performed in Anything Goes, Brigadoon, The Full Monty and many others. Yoga and dance instructor for pre-K through 6th grade, taught musical theatre at NYU’s Playwrights Horizons program. Website: www.skylineartists.com.

David Caldwell was the music director of Forbidden Broadway for five years. He conducted the American premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden and recently music-directed The Road to Qatar at Lyric Stage in Irving, Texas. He is the composer and lyricist of All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Uh-Oh Here Comes Christmas and Third Wish, all based on the writings of Robert Fulghum.

Musical director, vocal coach, operatic stage director. Broadway: The Producers, keyboard. NYC Opera, world premiere chorus, Haroun and the Sea of Stories; La Fanciulla Del West; Cendrillon. Performances: Cosi fan tutte (Don Alfonso), Mikado (Koko), Yeomen of the Guard (Jack Point), Patience (Bunthorne). Teaching experience: Juilliard School Drama Division, NYU Tisch School, CAP21, Cornish College of the Arts, University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program.

Performing credits include: A Stoop on Orachard Street (West Coast Tour) Laura Ingalls Wilder (Artspower). Choreography and Assistant Choreographer credits include: A Night at The Carlyle (Algonquin Theatre), Sessions (Algonquin Theatre), Vita (Merce Cunningham), Between The Bricks (West Village Music Theatre Festival), Click It! (Broadway Bares). Dance credits include: Shifters , Avatar, Urban Tao(Overground Dance Compnay). Cecilia will be performing this summer at Dance Theatre Workshop and at the Joyce theatre in May 2012!  Teaching Credits: Dreammakers Dance Academy, Bronx NY- Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, New Dance Group New York, NY – Jazz, Tap, Vinyasa Yoga0Yoga Alliance certification.  Writer/Lyricist of Between The Bricks presented at the BAX Theatre and The West Village Music Theatre Festival

Director, producer, story consultant. Creative consultant on award-winning feature film Kissing Jessica Stein. Director, New York and LA workshops of Kissing Jessica Stein. Other film credits as director/producer include the recently wrapped Remember (shot on location in Puerto Rico), Making Putzel, Scenes from Polite Society and The Suzy Prophecy. He was the co-creator and director of Off the Page for HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. New York and regional theatre credits include Black Wannabe, Talk Radio, In Fireworks Lie Secret Codes, Acapulco, Worker Bee, All Men Are Whores, Seven Pages Unsigned, Laughter on the 23^rd Floor andCrossing Delancey. Assistant director to world premiere of David Mamet’s No One Will Be Immune and New York premiere of Arthur Miller’s Elegy for a Lady. He has worked to develop and present new work of playwrights including David Mamet, Arthur Miller , Stephen Adly Guirgis, Christopher Shinn and Adam Rapp. Upcoming films as director: Family Plot and the feature film Putzel, executive-produced by Mary Jane Skalski (The Station Agent, The Visitor).  He is represented by the Gersh Agency.

Soprano. Debuted with Igor Stravinsky and Santa Fe Opera in Die Nachtigal; performed Micaela in Bizet’s Carmen. More than 65 operatic roles in the U.S. and abroad: Metropolitan Opera, Met Studio, NYC Opera and many other U.S. companies including San Francisco, Boston, Houston, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Detroit, Miami and Charlotte. Guest performances in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Premiered works by Finnish composer Heikki Sarmanto in NYC and Europe. Appeared in oratorio, chamber music and symphony engagements with Lincoln Center Mozart Festival and the New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Israeli and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras. Known Viennese specialist, featured in Evenings of Viennese Music with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. Sang in several musicals, including The Most Happy Fella (Rosabella), Camelot (Guinevere) and the American premiere of  Robert & Elizabeth (Elizabeth). Catherine has made over 100 commercials, appeared in over 25 films and recorded for CRI.

Pianist, musical director, coach. Broadway credits include James Joyce’s The Dead. Regional theatre musical director credits include Tintypes; Something’s Afoot; The Sound of Music; Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Oklahoma; I Do, I Do; and Damn Yankees. Pianist for National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Opera Repertoire.