Theatre360 Performing Arts Instructors
Devon Yates, Artistic/Executive Director
Devon is the co-founder and the Executive/Artistic Director of Pasadena Junior Theatre. An accomplished vocalist, actress and dancer, she has been performing professionally since age nine. As an actress and vocalist she has performed numerous roles in musical theatre plays, has been as a guest singer with the San Diego Repertory Theatre and the Alex Theatre, and has been a featured singer touring Europe with the San Diego Jazz Band. Some of her favorite roles have been Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Ruby in Dames at Sea, Gladys in The Pajama Game, and Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense, where she originated the role as part of the West Coast Premiere. Devon is a two-time nominee for the Kennedy Center's Irene Ryan Achievement Award in Performing Arts. As a dancer and choreographer Devon has been working since age sixteen, when she was asked to develop the tap and jazz program for the California Ballet Dance Company, and then continued to choreograph new works for the company. During her education at San Diego State University, she developed a series of master classes for the MFA musical theatre students in dance performance. Devon has also had the opportunity to work with such legendary performers and choreographers as Danny Daniels, Fayard Nicholas, Toni Kaye, George Burns and Milton Berle. Devon has worked as the choreographer on several music videos, as well as Jim Henson's Animal Jam, and the ABC series Alias. In addition to Devon's professional work in the community, she continues her artistic endeavors with Theatre 360, having directed and/or choreographed 19 shows in the past six years. She is thrilled to have accomplished her goal of creating a valuable children's program to encourage the love of theatre.
Johnna Allen, Voice Instructor
During her 20+ years as a teaching and performing artist, Johnna Allen Tavianini has had the pleasure of training and coaching professional artists as well as teaching amateur students at both the primary and secondary levels of their education. A classically trained singer and pianist with extensive experience performing a variety of styles of music herself, Johnna has gained a reputation for being able to help students develop a technique that enables them to slip as easily into a belt number as they might a lyric operatic aria. Through her experiences with Alexander Technique as well as Lessac Voice and Body work, she has created a holistic approach to the human “instrument,” always mindful of the voice and body connection, layered with a focus on text and intention to elevate the singer to the level of artist. Johnna is a proud member of National Association of Teachers of Singing as well as Actors’ Equity Association.
Beresford Bennett, Acting Instructor
Beresford Bennett is a Connecticut born artist who paints his pictures as an actor, writer, director, filmmaker, musician, and voice-over artist. He started in theater as a freshman, working backstage, but when he stepped on stage, he was hooked on performing. Beresford received a BFA in Acting from Boston University’s prestigious acting conservatory, on a Dean Scholarship, and graduated on the Dean’s List. He then moved to New York (Brooklyn to be specific) where he spent 14 years living and working as an artist, before moving to the palm trees of Los Angeles. On Stage, he’s performed a variety of characters from the title role in Julius Caesar, Treplev in The Seagull, to Fick in Balm in Gilead. His big screen credits include roles in such feature films as MIRAMAX’s critically acclaimed Squeeze, the indie Slow Jam King, the upcoming Turntable and Stolen Lives (opposite Mad Men’s Jon Hamm) and multiple roles on television’s Law & Order. His feature script, Mood Indigo, won Urbanworld Film Festival’s screenplay competition, and Companions (a short film he wrote, directed, produced, and stars in) has been in over a dozen film festivals as well as the cable network, BETJ. He has written many feature screenplays, shorts, and stage plays. His voice can be heard on television and radio, as well as the BBC Radio play, Boy Steals Train. For several years, he’s been the narrator for a live touring multi-media show that has taught nearly 50,000 grade-school students the history of jazz music. Arts in education is an extreme passion for Beresford. He’s been a Teaching Artist for nearly two decades, teaching acting, theater, writing, and filmmaking to grade school students across the country. He’s worked for such illustrious arts programs as the Lincoln Center Institute. The several instruments that he plays, and/or has played, include the saxophone, guitar, bass, and percussion. Presently he plays percussion in the band Sorry, Nelson, doing shows from Disney to the Sunset Strip. The many audiobooks that he’s narrated include the entire Little Black Girl Lost series, the civil rights narrative Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour, So You Call Yourself A Man, and The Honeymoon Is Over.
Victoria Brown, Dance Instructor
Victoria Brown, a native of California, has over 15 years of training in Contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and ballet. She’s a future graduate of San Jose State University, with a BA in Dance minor in Business. Victoria is also a graduate of Broadway Dance Center Fall 2006 Internship program and The Historic Jacobs Pillow Summer Dance Intensive 2005. Throughout college Victoria was a member of San Jose Spectrum Dance Team as well as a company member of University Dance Theater under the direction of Gary Masters. She has won several awards such as showmanship award 2003 and the 2005 Carol Ann Haws Award Excellence in Performance. Victoria has taught and choreographed for various high schools and dance schools in California. Professional choreography include Good Day LA (MashUp Contemporary Dance Company), Moving Through Keys TV Pilot, NBAD Anaheim Arsenal A-list dance Team, and much more. She has also performed in numerous shows such as Dance Rehab, Ron Allen’s Theater Production of “Eye Mouth Graffiti Body shop,” Las Vegas Annual International Concert, and many others. She is currently the Artistic Director of MashUp Contemporary Dance Company and Dance Teacher/Competition Choreographer for Academy of Music & Dance.
Bixby Elliot, Master Class Instructor
Bixby Elliot is a New York based playwright, director and actor. A graduate of Columbia University’s MFA program Bixby has had plays produced in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Edinburgh, Scotland. Productions include; BLUEPRINT (dir. Jonathan Silverstein, NY: S.P.F. Summer Play Festival, Kirk Theatre), PN1923.45 LS01 Volume 2 [The Book Play] (dir. Stephen Brackett, NY: NY International Fringe Festival 2007), HOTEL ORACLE (dir. Stephen Brackett, NY: WalkerSpace), DREAMING OF CHEKHOV (dir. Pesha Rudnick, Ithaca: The Hangar Theatre), STREETS OF LAREDO (NY: Culture Project) I AM NOT PETER PAN (dir. Cary McLelland, NY: Cherry Lane Alternative & Scotland: Edinburgh Fringe Festival – “Best of Fest” Award), TRUCK STOP LOVE (Chicago: Bailiwick Theatre Company), and LUCKY (Chicago: Brown Couch Theatre). Recognitions: Finalist for the prestigious 2010 O'Neil Playwrights Conference, Semi-Finalist for the 2011 O’Neil Playwrights conference, Finalist for the 2010 Seven Devils Conference, Semi-Finalist for the Princess Grace Award, Semi-Finalist for New Dramatists 2010, Finalist for the Juilliard Fellowship, recipient of the Howard Stein Fellowship and a Dean’s Fellow at Columbia and a finalist for the BMI Lyricist Workshop. Bixby’s new play will be presented at Chicago’s The Pavement Group in Chicago in July. He is currently working on several television projects and a new play inspired by the pop rock duo Milli Vanilli. Bixby has taught at the illustrious Strasberg Acting Program as well as Syracuse University’s Tepper Semester for Directors in NYC. He is also proud to have taught at Theater 360, L.A. and the Theater 360 NYC Immersion Program.
Eddie Korbich, Master Class Instructor
Eddie Korbich's Broadway credits include THE LITTLE MERMAID, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (Drama Desk Nominee), AFTER THE NIGHT, WICKED, SEUSSICAL, CAROUSEL (Lincoln Center), SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, and SWEENEY TODD (Circle in the Square). Off-Broadway he appeared in ASSASSINS, GODSPELL, THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI, FLORA THE RED MENANCE, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, and EATING RAOUL. Regional credits include THE GAMESTER at St. Louis Rep., DRACULA at North Shore Music Theatre, 3HREE at the Ahmanson, GEORGE M (George), TINTYPES (Charlie), and MAN OF LA MANCHA (Sancho). National tours include SHOWBOAT (Frank) directed by Harold Prince. Television credits include guest-starring roles on LAW & ORDER, NEW YORK UNDERCOVER, and OUT OF THE BOX. Saturday morning cartoon fans may recognize his voice as a regular on Nickelodeon’s DOUG and PB & J OTTER. He may also be seen in the feature films JENNIFER 8 and QUIZ SHOW. Eddie received the 2000 Obie Award for his performance in TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE at the York Theatre.
Rebecca Martin, Voice and Acting Instructor
Rebecca is a professional actress, musician and storyteller. She has performed and directed musical theater for children at many school and after-school programs, including being the drama teacher and musical director at a Montessori school. She studied acting, voice and music/composition in college, graduating with high honors from UCSB in 1997. She worked through school at a bookstore, where she happily took over the Saturday morning story hour. Parents and teachers began to invite her to perform outside the bookstore, and so began the storytelling branch of her career. Her love of music started early - she started studying piano at 10, flute at 14, voice at 15. And even earlier - she comes from a music family, her mother a vocal performer and the family often singing around the piano. After college, she performed in a Shakespeare company, travelled abroad, and moved to Los Angeles. These days she regularly performs stories and songs for children at libraries, schools and community functions, as well as teaching music and drama in local schools (while raising her family.) She also performs monthly with a comedy improv group in North Hollywood, and acts in plays, films and commercials. She has helped many children with acting, music, storytelling and writing their own plays.
Margaret Pett, Dance Instructor
Margaret recently earned a B.A. in English from UC Santa Barbara. She's been dancing since the age of four, and her well-rounded training encompasses ballet, pointe jazz, hip-hop, salsa, tap and lyrical jazz. Margaret's many professional appearances include ABC television, the Los Angeles Music Center, the California Special Olympics, and numerous industrials. Margaret has taught dance for the last eight years and focuses on strong technique, discipline and positive reinforcement in her classroom.
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