Bio coming soon!

Mr. Don Amerson has attempted to change the world paradigm through the arts and public policy. He achieved a Master of Fine Arts in drama/theatre for young audiences from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. Mr. Amerson has worked with the Mayor's Office of Detroit, Community-Oriented Policing Services through the U.S. Department of Justice, and Budget Management through the Executive Office of the President of the United States. His artistic career started in New York as an actor, writer, and director of fringe projects. Mr. Amerson currently teaches at OCSA where he is the passionate Thespian Troupe Director. He teaches acting, improvisation, experimental theatre, and theatre for social justice. Mr. Amerson is very proud to have had a play produced in London, studied Commedia Dell'Arte in Italy, created theatre curricula for several schools, and privately coached many successful students.

Ms. Elise Arndt is a San Clemente native and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in musical theatre from American University. The granddaughter of a Broadway veteran, Ms. Arndt always knew she wanted to be on stage. She spent 8 years living in New York City to continue her training with the best in the business while developing her parallel career in teaching. Ms. Arndt has performed in theatres regionally, toured, worked off-Broadway, performed in countless cabarets and has credits in the television, film, and commercial space. Her biggest artistic achievement to date has been the inception of her award winning one woman show Sing, Bibi, Sing!, which she wrote and starred in, that chronicles the life of her grandmother, Bibi Osterwald, who was an accomplished Broadway performer. She continues to audition, work, and train across mediums which allows her to bring a very present real world experience to her teaching and her students. Ms. Arndt has taught at schools all over New York City, multiple performing arts studios around Southern California, and continues to privately coach young students across the country in voice, acting, and audition prep. Ms. Arndt has been teaching for a decade and is thrilled to be joining such incredible colleagues at OCSA. 

Mr. Rod Bagheri is a local actor, music director, pianist, and improviser. He has worked as a music director on shows and readings for A Noise Within, The Candlelight Pavilion, and 3D Theatricals among others. Additionally, he served as the assistant conductor for The Pageant of the Masters, and currently teaches voice, piano, and improv in Orange County and Los Angeles. Mr. Bagheri was recently in the National Tour of Million Dollar Quartet as the Jerry Lee Lewis understudy. Other regional credits: Davey in Newsies (3D Theatricals), Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (The Candlelight Pavilion), Jesus in Godspell and Henry in Next to Normal (The Wayward Artist).

Ms. Crystal Dancer is thrilled to be teaching at OCSA! She has been dancing, roller skating and doing musical theatre in Orange County since she was a kid. She danced down the streets of the Disneyland Resort for 15 years. She’s worked for Tokyo Disney Resort as a roller-skating pixie. Ms. Dancer also choreographed and starred in her own 50’s roller-skating swing dance show at Universal Studios Japan. She has been working in entertainment production for the past 10 years at the Disneyland Resort and Knotts Berry Farm. Ms. Dancer is an Orange Country School of the Arts, Musical Theatre alumna and a teacher for both the Musical Theatre and Arts & Enterprise conservatories. She also owns CPDW, her own production company that works with multiple event companies across the US, including The Young Americans. Ms. Dancer is a choreographer for Knott’s Berry Farm and OCSA’s Musical Theatre. She teaches dance, acting and production at Stagelight Performing Arts in Brea, workshops at Musical Theater West, and is a substitute teacher for OCSA’s sister school, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley. When she has time, Ms. Dancer can be found baking with her two kids or loving her menagerie of animals, all named after desserts. 

Ms. Barbara "B.J." Dodge is a semi-retired teaching artist. She worked at California Institute of the Arts, from 1984-2017, in the School of Theater, and with Community Arts Partnership at Plaza de la Raza, making original plays and adaptations of plays with youth from Lincoln Heights, CalArts students and alumni, and artists from Los Angeles and beyond. In the past 30 years, Ms. Dodge has worked for South Coast Repertory Theatre’s Youth Conservatory, Center Theatre Group Education, and Shakespeare Los Angeles. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre arts from CSULB, and her Master of Fine Arts in speech and dramatic arts from the University of Iowa. In addition to working with Musical Theatre and Acting conservatories at OCSA, Ms. Dodge teaches and directs occasionally as an adjunct for Cal Poly Pomona, CSULB, and at Plaza. She also serves as the Theater Chair of California State Summer School for the Arts, an immersive, multi-discipline residential program.

Vanda Eggington teaches as an adjunct professor at Vanguard University and Concordia University. She also teaches in the Musical Theatre Conservatory at Orange County School of the Arts. Specializing in vocal and piano pedagogy, composition and choral conducting, she is a graduate of California Lutheran University and Sherwood Music Academy. Ms. Eggington has her Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in English from American College of Education. She was on a full-time staff for Lamb’s Players Theatre in San Diego for 25 years as a performer, and the resident musical director and composer.  She has written numerous arrangements and original compositions for a variety of productions.  She is the co-creator of the critically acclaimed hit shows Boomers, American Rhythm, Love Makes the World Go ‘Round and The Beat Goes On.  She is currently working on a new production for Lamb’s Players Theatre entitled R-E-S-P-E-C-T: The Amazing Music of the Women of the 60’s which will debut in April 2022.

Cynthia Karim has worked as a professional makeup artist and licensed Aesthetician since 1975. She began her tenure at the OCSA as a designer and teacher in Special Effects Makeup, Hair, and Wig Design in 2001. She also works at the university level and in the industry including SNL and MadTV. Mrs. Karim also earned her special effects makeup certification from Paramount Studios, Hollywood.

Ms. Jenny Moon Shaw started performing professionally from the age of six. She holds a bachelor's degree in drama and theatre arts from Birmingham University, England and trained to teach theatre at the London Central School of Speech and Drama. She was Director of Performing Arts and Head of Drama at a high school for nine years, and was twice nominated for National Teacher of the Year. Ms. Shaw’s excellent skills in the art of teaching earned her the county position of Advanced Skills Teacher. She moved to America in 2012 where she began performing professionally in regional theatre. Ms. Shaw became a resident teaching artist for Segerstrom Center for the Arts and has been there for eight years. She also works as a freelance director and choreographer.

Bio coming soon!

Jay Wallace recently returned to OCSA after serving as Chair of Theatre and founding the Acting and Musical Theatre conservatories at OCSA’s sister school, California School of the Arts - SGV. Directing credits include:  Splendor In the Grass, Rumors, The Diviners, Pippin, Newsies, Steel Magnolias, Charley’s Aunt, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and August Osage County as Adjunct Professor and Guest Director at Santa Ana College.  As an actor, Mr. Wallace has performed on both stage and screen over the past two decades. He has received his Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Emporia State University and Masters of Fine Arts in theatre from California State University, Long Beach.