Chad Scheppner
Director
Artistic Director, Theatre 31, L.L.C.
MFA, Acting and Directing, University of Missouri-Kansas City
MFA, Physical Theatre, Dell’Arte International, Blue Lake, CA
Theatre & Dance K-12 Credential, CSU East Bay
Chad spent many years as a professional actor and member of the Actors’ Equity Association, working at regional theatres and Shakespeare festivals across the country. For nearly 30 years, he has also worked as a director, instructor and administrator of arts education programs, including Theatre 31, which he initiated in 2007. With Theatre 31, he partners with a diverse group of creatives and artist/educators from the film industry, Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, and beyond, to bring high quality arts programming to communities in the greater Los Angeles area. His overall objective for the JAMS/SMASH Theatre Program is to create an inclusive theatre arts experience where students are safe to be themselves, take risks, explore and grow, and where they can build self-confidence and empathy as they collaborate to produce a large-scale musical
Director
Artistic Director, Theatre 31, L.L.C.
MFA, Acting and Directing, University of Missouri-Kansas City
MFA, Physical Theatre, Dell’Arte International, Blue Lake, CA
Theatre & Dance K-12 Credential, CSU East Bay
Chad spent many years as a professional actor and member of the Actors’ Equity Association, working at regional theatres and Shakespeare festivals across the country. For nearly 30 years, he has also worked as a director, instructor and administrator of arts education programs, including Theatre 31, which he initiated in 2007. With Theatre 31, he partners with a diverse group of creatives and artist/educators from the film industry, Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, and beyond, to bring high quality arts programming to communities in the greater Los Angeles area. His overall objective for the JAMS/SMASH Theatre Program is to create an inclusive theatre arts experience where students are safe to be themselves, take risks, explore and grow, and where they can build self-confidence and empathy as they collaborate to produce a large-scale musical
Danielle Rosario
Assistant Director & Choreographer
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Danielle grew up performing in numerous productions at The MUNY and also competed in countless regional and national dance competitions. After being cast in the Equity ensemble of a MUNY production at the age of 17, Danielle decided to further pursue her love of the performing arts and made the move out to California. Danielle graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She has performed at Cabrillo Music Theatre, Chance Theatre, and at Universal Studios Hollywood and also works as an actress in commercial and film. Danielle has been teaching and choreographing alongside Chad with Theatre 31 for over a decade and is so grateful to have the opportunity to continue sharing her passion for theatre with her students! She is thrilled to be part of the magic that these young artists create on stage.
Assistant Director & Choreographer
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Danielle grew up performing in numerous productions at The MUNY and also competed in countless regional and national dance competitions. After being cast in the Equity ensemble of a MUNY production at the age of 17, Danielle decided to further pursue her love of the performing arts and made the move out to California. Danielle graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She has performed at Cabrillo Music Theatre, Chance Theatre, and at Universal Studios Hollywood and also works as an actress in commercial and film. Danielle has been teaching and choreographing alongside Chad with Theatre 31 for over a decade and is so grateful to have the opportunity to continue sharing her passion for theatre with her students! She is thrilled to be part of the magic that these young artists create on stage.
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.
Hydeia Muhammad
Choreographer
Hydeia is a professional Ballroom & Latin dance instructor and choreographer. She has over 20 years of dance and musical theatre training and experience, specializing in over a dozen genres of dance. Hydeia began teaching at the age of sixteen and since then has traveled, performed, and competed across the country. Hydeia holds a double B.A. in Psychology and Film/Media from Mount Saint Mary's University and is currently working towards her MFA in Film & Television Production (26') at USC. Her passion for diversifying the arts inspired her to form The Blind Dance Company (BDC), a non-profit organization empowering the lives of the visually impaired through dance. The BDC offers professional dance instruction to the visually impaired community, while helping members find employment opportunities within the entertainment industry. Hydeia has been featured across numerous media platforms for her work in the community including CBS and NBC news.
Choreographer
Hydeia is a professional Ballroom & Latin dance instructor and choreographer. She has over 20 years of dance and musical theatre training and experience, specializing in over a dozen genres of dance. Hydeia began teaching at the age of sixteen and since then has traveled, performed, and competed across the country. Hydeia holds a double B.A. in Psychology and Film/Media from Mount Saint Mary's University and is currently working towards her MFA in Film & Television Production (26') at USC. Her passion for diversifying the arts inspired her to form The Blind Dance Company (BDC), a non-profit organization empowering the lives of the visually impaired through dance. The BDC offers professional dance instruction to the visually impaired community, while helping members find employment opportunities within the entertainment industry. Hydeia has been featured across numerous media platforms for her work in the community including CBS and NBC news.
Amy Beeman-Solano
Producer
Producer Amy Beeman-Solano is an avid supporter of JAMS-SMASH Theatre who produced Singin' in the Rain, Anything Goes, Willy Wonka, the Matilda & Greatest Showman workshops, Annie, Grease, and Mean Girls. Formerly, she was a Samohi parent who served on the Theatre and Choir Steering Committees. Amy has also been an English Language Arts teacher at JAMS (2011-present), Samohi (1999-2011), and Instituto de Psicopedagogía Integral in Costa Rica. She has an M.Ed. in Education from UCLA and a BA in Psychology and Spanish from UC Berkeley. She has National Board Certification, has taught in the Education Department at MSMU, is a BTSA Support Provider for new teachers in the district, and is the ASB/Leadership teacher at JAMS. She sings in the car.
Producer
Producer Amy Beeman-Solano is an avid supporter of JAMS-SMASH Theatre who produced Singin' in the Rain, Anything Goes, Willy Wonka, the Matilda & Greatest Showman workshops, Annie, Grease, and Mean Girls. Formerly, she was a Samohi parent who served on the Theatre and Choir Steering Committees. Amy has also been an English Language Arts teacher at JAMS (2011-present), Samohi (1999-2011), and Instituto de Psicopedagogía Integral in Costa Rica. She has an M.Ed. in Education from UCLA and a BA in Psychology and Spanish from UC Berkeley. She has National Board Certification, has taught in the Education Department at MSMU, is a BTSA Support Provider for new teachers in the district, and is the ASB/Leadership teacher at JAMS. She sings in the car.
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.
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.
