ACT was founded by the finest classical actors in Arizona. Each one is a veteran of the professional stage. All are experienced performers, educators, instructors, and teachers. Read our actor bios below.
JAMES D. PORTER - James founded ACT in 2009 on a shoestring and a prayer. He is a 10-year veteran of the professional stage and has taught theater and Shakespeare to schoolchildren for 7 years. He was a member of the nationally-acclaimed Looking Glass Theater performing original works in schools all over New England.
DANETTE D'ANJOU - Danette has a degree in Musical Theatre Performance from the American Musical Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles where she studied singing, acting, and dance. Her background also includes extensive stage combat as well as fencing. Danette worked with Childsplay Inc. where she conducted school workshops on acting and improvisation.
STEFAN DOLLAK - Director of Bartholomew Faire (the valley's most eclectic medieval/renaissance band) and Green Street (a vocal ensemble that specializes in 'forgotten' American singing traditions), Stefan Dollak is a veteran presentor and performer on dozens of instruments, many of which are representative of Shakespeare's time: the lute, pipe & tabor, hurdy gurdy and shawm, to name a few. In addition to being an early music specialist, Stefan is a scholar of Middle English, can use an astrolabe, can ramble eloquent on folklore and mythology, and can throw the boomerang.
ERIC SCHOEN - Pic and bio unavailable.
JIM COATES - Jim Coates is a professional character actor, a private teacher of the Alexander Technique, an acting coach, a theatre raconteur, and a lecturer and consultant on Theatre Arts and the Humanities.
DIANE SENFFNER - Diane honed her craft at the venerable University of Cincinnati CCM and the famed Piven Theatre workshop and has an MA in Curriculum Design. Theatre has been her passion for almost 40 years; teaching, performing and directing. She is also a busy dialect coach, specializing in dialects of the U.K. and Ireland.
KAITLIN O'NEAL - Kaitlin has an MFA in Theater from the University of Delaware, a BFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University, and she is an 8-year veteran of the New York City stage. She recently appeared opposite René Auberjonois at The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. to great critical acclaim.
KEATH HALL - A graduate in History from San Diego State University, Keath has performed in over twenty professional Shakespeare productions. He also has the distinction of having appeared in twenty-nine of Shakespeare's works over four days during Southwest Shakespeare Company's Shakespeare Marathon in 2008.
JOHANNA CARLISLE - Johanna is an award-winning actress and long-time veteran of Valley stages. She has extensive experience in musical theatre and has appeared most recently as Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers to great critical acclaim.