Adjunct Faculty

Anna Maria Cianciulli (Scene Study, 6-Wk Acting Conservatory, Meisner Technique) has been working as a director, actor and producer in New York since the early 90s. Her film, STAY has been included in the Official Selections of the Manhattan Film Festival, the Central Florida Film Festival, The New Filmmakers New York in 2014, and has received a Special Mention citation from the Ouchy Film Awards Winter 2016. She has received a nomination for Best Actress from the International Festival of Cinema and Technology. In 2015 she played a principal role in STEALING CHANEL, a feature directed by Roberto Mitrotti, distributed by Lifetime Network. She was honored by Sanford Meisner with the exclusive rights to translate the Italian edition of "Sanford Meisner On Acting" - "La recitazione" - published in 2007.

Her work as director and actor has been seen at: The Kitchen - for a BAM Event; Vanderbilt Hall of Grand Central Station; Joyce Soho; St. Peter's Church; American Museum of Natural History; Theater for the New City; Access Theater; The Players Club. Collaborations staged with Domenica Cameron-Scorsese; Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon; Susan Batson, Brian Dennehy, and Roberto Benigni. As a Theater Director, her work has been daring and experimental.

Most recently Anna has produced and co-written "Life After Her," a 30 minutes film shot in New York, released in 2017. She has Co-Produced TRIBECA IN ROME - a cultural partnership between the Tribeca Film Festival and the Rome Film Festival ‘s first edition- including the Steps and Stars Award received by Robert De Niro. She has also produced Discovering the New Italian Cinema - a film festival presented at the Quad Cinema.

As an acting coach, Anna Maria consulted with Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, Alessandra Mastronardi, Kick Kennedy, and Santigold. She was the on-set Acting Coach of YELO, a short film directed by Adrien Boublil (Cannes 2013.) She is a member of the senior faculty of The Acting Studio - New York where she trained as actor and instructor under James Price in the Meisner approach, and of the New York Film Academy (NYFA).

Valeria Cossu (Body Percussion) After finishing her artistic studies in Rome, Madrid, and New York, Valeria began her professional career as a performer at the Opera Lirica in Italy dancing in prestigious productions. She went on to join several different international dance and theatre companies throughout her career, such as MAYUMANA, YLLANA, and KALEIDO. Valeria's versatility led her to grow into different roles onstage and off. She has worked in Europe as the assistant director for John Rando on THE WEDDING SINGER (Spain) and as associate director/choreographer on ECOPOLIS THE SHOW and GORMITI THE SHOW (Spain and Portugal). 

Upon moving to NYC, Valeria´s choreography has been seen in SER O NO CER...VANTES, RL'S 2011 CHOREOGRAPHERS' FESTIVAL and THE CHANUKAH MIRACLE SHOW. She worked as part of Salgado Productions with the Director/Choreographer Luis Salgado as assistant director/associate choreographer on CANDELA FUERZA Y PASION (Perú), DC-7 THE ROBERTO CLEMENTE STORY (Off-Broadway), ZAPATA THE MUSICAL (NYMF), AMIGO DUENDE A NEW MUSICAL (Museo del Barrio), SONG OF SOLOMON (Thespis Festival, Awarded Best Director ), ZUCOTTI PARK (Venus/Adonis Festival, Awarded Best Director). As a director, Valeria has directed both CAROLINA CHICKPEA and UNDER YOUR SKIN for Chelsea Repertory Company.

Marcus Herndon (Voice/Speech 1&2, 6-Wk Acting Conservatory, Singing Vocal Technqiue, Song Analysis, Singing Audition, Vocal Coach, Private Singing Lessons and coaching) completed his final year at NYU Steinhardt as a Master's candidate in Vocal Performance studying Music Theatre and Vocal Pedagogy. He is currently studying with Jeremy Aye (The Metropolitan Opera Chorus). A Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Michigan State University allowed him to work with Broadway veterans such as Glenn Seven Alen (Light In The Piazza), Greg Reuter (Shrek the Musical), and Kris Koop Oulette (Phantom of the Opera). His teaching is a combination of Linklater, Alexander Technique, and his training as a singer.

Additionally, Marcus has trained as an actor at The Acting Studio - New York with James Price, John Grabowski, and Bruce Hermann. As an actor, he has appeared in RULES OF COMEDY, as part of the Director's Choice: SRINGFEST 2018, and in NEED, as part of the Chelsea Rep LAB 2017 e-MERGING ARTISTS FESTIVAL. He was most recently seen in NYU Steinhardt's production of THE MAGIC FLUTE as Tamino. He was also seen in as Fats Waller in MYSTERIES AT THE MUSEUM. Other credits include L'ENFANT ET LE SORTILEGES, CLOSER THAN EVER, HAIR, CHESS, and HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Ogunquit Playhouse.)

Grant Neale (Movement/Mime) holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting and Theatre from Siena Heights College and studied advanced technique under James Price at The Acting Studio. He has performed extensively throughout the country, including three years as member of NY's famed Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre and is currently a member of The Ridiculous Theatre, Nomad Theatrical and Chelsea Repertory Company. In addition, Grant has performed in London and Edinburgh and most recently performed in POLANSKI POLANSKI, a one-man play written by Saviana Stanescu and received wonderful reviews in NY for both acting and directing in THE FOOL'S LEAR by Randy Neale.

Aaron Smallwood Jr, (Self-Tape Audition) is a working actor (SAG/AFTRA, AEA ) who is based out of Brooklyn. Since completing his training in 2019 Aaron has almost exclusively auditioned and booked all of his television from self tape submissions. His most recent credits include Amazon’s THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL, and several episodes in season 2 of the HBO Max show THAT DAMN MICHAEL CHE and several more to yet be announced upcoming shows. Aaron is a graduate of The Acting Studio – New York’s two-year professional Meisner training program (2019), and an alumni of HBCU, Hampton University where he obtained is B.A in Dramatic Arts. 

Maggie Surrovell (Voice&Speech) is an associate Fitzmaurice Voice Teacher and experienced Dialect Coach. Maggie has coached Off-Broadway theater productions at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Cherry Lane Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Saint Anne’s Warehouse, P.S 122 and TBG Arts Center and several theatres on Theatre Row. Her regional credits include New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre Company and Fordham University. Maggie has taught voice and dialects in the graduate program at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Yale School of Drama Summer Program, Sarah Lawrence College, Wagner College and University of Georgia. Professionals clients at major corporations and law firms include American Express, Merrill Lynch, Omnicom, and Milbank Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She currently teaches voice and dialects at Circle in the Square, New York Conservatory For Dramatic Arts, AcTeen, & with Rosky Legal Education.

Anne Phelan is a two-time Edward F. Albee Foundation Fellow and former member of The Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Workshop. Anne has been a Guest Artist at The Juilliard School and in the Play Lab at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference.  In 2012, she workshopped The Benders as part of her second residency at the William Inge Theatre Festival.  A Trinity Rep Conservatory graduate, Anne’s plays have been produced in New York City, and throughout the US. Three ten-minute plays are published by Smith & Kraus.  Last year, she wrote two commissioned plays: Olmsted in Autumn for Open Source Gallery, and The Skull Beneath the Skin for Fool’s Progress Productions.  Anne continues to work on a new musical with composer/co-lyricist John Prestianni.

www.annephelan.com
 

Victor Verhaeghe (Acting/Audition for the Camera, Singing For Actors, 6-Wk Acting Conservatory, Private coaching) studied the Meisner Technique at the Acting Studio with Sanford Meisner protégé, James Price.  He began working steadily in Off-Off Broadway Theater through the 80’s and into the 90’s when he began to write and perform his own material.  He has written several plays, including his most recent play, THE DOORMEN, featured in the 2014 New York International Fringe Festival.  He has written and produced several short films and one feature film, THE DISILLUSIONMENT OF MIKE AND EVA, that very few people saw. Television and Film work includes upcoming work on the untitled Steven Spielberg Cold War Project and a recurring role in the upcoming HBO mini-series, CRIME, starring John Turturro.  Other recent work:  The recurring role of Damien Fleming in the HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE, starring Steve Buscemi, for three seasons; a featured role on the NBC Pilot, COERCION; guest starring roles on PERSON OF INTEREST,  BLUE BLOODS, THE GOOD WIFE, FRINGE, and several LAW & ORDERs.  He has also had featured roles on DAMAGES, BORED TO DEATH, UGLY BETTY, SEX AND THE CITY and SPIN CITY. Many theatrical productions as an actor, including the US Premiere of Lisa Tierney-Keough’s, FOUR LAST THINGS, at Royal Family Productions; PRATFALLS, at the Abingdon Theater with Ground Up Productions.  Also played Pale in BURN THIS and John in BABY WITH THE BATHWATER with Ground Up.  Off-Broadway, he starred in MAGIC HANDS FREDDY with Ralph Macchio at Soho Rep.  Many productions with Chelsea Rep over the years, most recently as Raulito in John Guare’s LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, directed by John Grabowski.  Victor recently shot a television pilot he wrote called COP-DOC, which was produced for a 12 episode web series in 2008, as well as the recently shot short film, THE PARKER.