Chad Scheppner
Director
Chad has been working as a director, instructor, writer, and administrator of the performing arts for children over the last 20 years. He has taught at Regional Theatres, Shakespeare Festivals, Universities, Studios, Camps, and Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. He has worked as a Director and an Instructor in several capacities with ages 3 to adult, instructing up to 140 students per class.
His diverse work history in LA ranges from creating plays with at-risk youth and multi-generational gang families in East LA, to producing and directing scores of children's musicals each year in Santa Monica, to musical directing and conducting children's choirs in Manhattan Beach.
His overall objective for JAMS Theatre is to provide fun, non-competitive performing arts classes in which each student is given an opportunity to strengthen their awareness, concentration, and communication skills, to enhance their abilities to perform and to collaborate, and to provide each child an opportunity to build self-esteem, courage, confidence, and compassion in their lives and their art.
Director
Chad has been working as a director, instructor, writer, and administrator of the performing arts for children over the last 20 years. He has taught at Regional Theatres, Shakespeare Festivals, Universities, Studios, Camps, and Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. He has worked as a Director and an Instructor in several capacities with ages 3 to adult, instructing up to 140 students per class.
His diverse work history in LA ranges from creating plays with at-risk youth and multi-generational gang families in East LA, to producing and directing scores of children's musicals each year in Santa Monica, to musical directing and conducting children's choirs in Manhattan Beach.
His overall objective for JAMS Theatre is to provide fun, non-competitive performing arts classes in which each student is given an opportunity to strengthen their awareness, concentration, and communication skills, to enhance their abilities to perform and to collaborate, and to provide each child an opportunity to build self-esteem, courage, confidence, and compassion in their lives and their art.
Katey Mushlin
Assistant Director
Katey is excited to be working with the young performers at John Adams Middle School. She is a graduate of both Second City and I.O. West. She is an acting instructor with the Lee Strasberg Institute in Hollywood, as well as with the American Musical and Dramatics Acadamy (AMDA). Katey also works in inner-city schools with LA City Stage, and has spent several years directing children’s musicals in West L.A. She runs the improv portion of Comedy Playground, a teen improv and stand-up program at the World Famous Improv. She can also be seen performing in several improv and theatre troupes in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Assistant Director
Katey is excited to be working with the young performers at John Adams Middle School. She is a graduate of both Second City and I.O. West. She is an acting instructor with the Lee Strasberg Institute in Hollywood, as well as with the American Musical and Dramatics Acadamy (AMDA). Katey also works in inner-city schools with LA City Stage, and has spent several years directing children’s musicals in West L.A. She runs the improv portion of Comedy Playground, a teen improv and stand-up program at the World Famous Improv. She can also be seen performing in several improv and theatre troupes in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Miles Crawford
Choreographer
Miles Crawford is a lifelong drummer and percussionist. He's performed as a cast member in the NY and touring companies of STOMP. In the studio and on stage, he's drummed for a variety of musical acts including Ringo Starr, Eminem, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Art Garfunkel, Darwin Deez, and Bronagh Gallagher. He has also conducted workshops with young people around the United States and in the favelas of Brazil. Miles also directs for camera. His “DNA,” was nominated for a UK Music Video Award; short film, “Drum-Off,” was featured at LACMA and on The Huffington Post; “I Forgot My Phone” has been viewed over 51 million times.
Choreographer
Miles Crawford is a lifelong drummer and percussionist. He's performed as a cast member in the NY and touring companies of STOMP. In the studio and on stage, he's drummed for a variety of musical acts including Ringo Starr, Eminem, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Art Garfunkel, Darwin Deez, and Bronagh Gallagher. He has also conducted workshops with young people around the United States and in the favelas of Brazil. Miles also directs for camera. His “DNA,” was nominated for a UK Music Video Award; short film, “Drum-Off,” was featured at LACMA and on The Huffington Post; “I Forgot My Phone” has been viewed over 51 million times.
Beverly Jane Bautista
Choreographer
Beverly Jane Bautista is a dance educator, choreographer, and creative director who has traveled internationally with multi-platinum rapper, Nicki Minaj, shooting a national commercial with Pepsi and performing in Japan, China, and Jamaica. She has performed in music videos, The Billboard Music Awards, and Good Morning America. A Chicago-Native, Beverly majored in dance at Ball State University and trained with the Monsters of Hip-Hop Convention. Beverly serves as a mentor and dance teacher for Pacifica Christian High School. She is inspired to create movement from personal experiences and issues that matter.
Choreographer
Beverly Jane Bautista is a dance educator, choreographer, and creative director who has traveled internationally with multi-platinum rapper, Nicki Minaj, shooting a national commercial with Pepsi and performing in Japan, China, and Jamaica. She has performed in music videos, The Billboard Music Awards, and Good Morning America. A Chicago-Native, Beverly majored in dance at Ball State University and trained with the Monsters of Hip-Hop Convention. Beverly serves as a mentor and dance teacher for Pacifica Christian High School. She is inspired to create movement from personal experiences and issues that matter.
Farley Crawford Bliss
Tech Instructor
Farley is delighted to have been collaborating with Theatre 31 as a set designer, scene painter, prop maker and tech instructor since 2013. She grew up in the Northeast before making her way to California to study at UC Santa Cruz. Over the years, in addition to extensive traveling and living abroad, she has led after-school and summer-camp art workshops for young people in California, Oregon, Massachusetts and New York. She also paints murals, illustrates books, designs graphics and productions, plants gardens, and scouts locations. You can follow her travels on instagram @farl.
Tech Instructor
Farley is delighted to have been collaborating with Theatre 31 as a set designer, scene painter, prop maker and tech instructor since 2013. She grew up in the Northeast before making her way to California to study at UC Santa Cruz. Over the years, in addition to extensive traveling and living abroad, she has led after-school and summer-camp art workshops for young people in California, Oregon, Massachusetts and New York. She also paints murals, illustrates books, designs graphics and productions, plants gardens, and scouts locations. You can follow her travels on instagram @farl.
Amy Beeman-Solano
Producer
Volunteer Producer Amy Beeman-Solano is an avid supporter of JAMS-SMASH Theatre who produced Anything Goes and Willy Wonka. Currently, she is a Samohi parent where she serves on the Theatre and Choir Steering Committees. Amy has also been an English Language Arts teacher at JAMS (2011-present), Samohi (1999-2012), and Instituto de Psicopedagogía Integral. She has an M.Ed. in Education from UCLA, and a BA in Psychology and Spanish from UC Berkeley. She has National Board Certification, is a BTSA Support Provider for new teachers, and is the ASB/Leadership teacher. She sings in the car.
Producer
Volunteer Producer Amy Beeman-Solano is an avid supporter of JAMS-SMASH Theatre who produced Anything Goes and Willy Wonka. Currently, she is a Samohi parent where she serves on the Theatre and Choir Steering Committees. Amy has also been an English Language Arts teacher at JAMS (2011-present), Samohi (1999-2012), and Instituto de Psicopedagogía Integral. She has an M.Ed. in Education from UCLA, and a BA in Psychology and Spanish from UC Berkeley. She has National Board Certification, is a BTSA Support Provider for new teachers, and is the ASB/Leadership teacher. She sings in the car.
