NYFA
Faculty Directory

Faculty Directory

Jonathan Appell

Sound instructor Jonathan Appell has had an unusually diverse career. His work can be heard on TV shows like Ed and The Dana Carvey Show; movies like First Wives Club and Coyote Ugly; recordings by legendary artists like Carole King, Bette Midler, Billy Porter, and Grover Washington, Jr.; anime cartoons like The Gokusen and Shura No Toki; and literally hundreds of television and radio commercials – including several for which he also provided the voiceover (we said he’s diverse!).

In addition to his ongoing freelance audio work, Jonathan has also been teaching for the last 15 years. Beyond his impressive resume, his credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Audio Technology Instruction from SUNY Empire State College, an AVID Certified Pro Tools Instructor, a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), and an active member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES).

Charissa Bertels

CHARISSA BERTELS is a Broadway actress and champion of new musicals. Charissa recently toured the country in the first national tour of If/Then, starring Idina Menzel, La Chanze and Anthony Rapp. She made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of Pasek & Paul’s Tony-nominated musical A Christmas Story, and later reprised her role at Madison Square Garden. As part of the singing ensemble for New York City Center Encores’ productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Lady Be Good, her work can be heard on the subsequent cast recordings, featuring Megan Hilty and the legendary Tommy Tune.

Charissa starred to rave reviews in her original one-woman musical, My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend, at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT), for which she received an IRNE award for Best Solo Performance. Her newest collaboration, The Uncivil Ones (Finalist: Rhinebeck, NextFest @ Latte Da, Live & In Color; Semi-Finalist: NAMT, O’Neill), features unheard female, trans and non-binary voices from the Civil War and garnered the 2019 Special Mention for the Women in Arts & Media Coalition Collaboration Award.

She can be seen in two of NYFA’s original musical films: “Gingerbread House” and “It Is What It Is”.

www.charissa.nyc

Sarah Bierstock

Sarah is the Owner and Creator of Pass the Salt Productions. She is well known for her work as an actor on both stage and television and as a prolific playwright- where she’s been honored to receive multiple awards, commissions, and nominations. She serves as an adjunct professor of Theater at Marymount Manhattan College and is proud to be a part of the New York Film Academy faculty.

Kyle Branzel

KYLE BRANZEL is a highly sought-after musical theatre coach, trusted by some of Broadway’s most thrilling performers. Drawing from a wide variety of theatrical experience as Director, Music Director, Actor, and Pianist, Kyle empowers actors in NYC and around the world to develop their artistry holistically and navigate their careers with integrity. His innovative approach to physical acting training and physiological vocal coaching have helped many clients and students book roles in films, TV shows, Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, national tours, regional productions, and cruise ships. Current teaching appointments: Musical Theatre Instructor at New York Film Academy, Musical Theatre and Movement Instructor at Jen Waldman Studio, Guest Lecturer of Musical Theatre at Western Illinois University, Head of Acting at Omaha Conservatory of Music’s SoundWaves Summer Institute. Previous: Hartt School of Music, Roosevelt University. Founder: Rock U, a comprehensive and dynamic approach to performing popular music. Member: Actors’ Equity Association. BFA Musical Theatre: Roosevelt University. kylebranzel.com

Todd Buonopane

Todd Buonopane is an award winning actor, singer, director and story-teller. On Broadway, he starred as Jean-Michel in Cinderella, Amos in Chicago, Roger in Grease, and many characters in …Spelling Bee. He appeared Off-Broadway in The Butter & Egg Man, Henry & Mudge, and The New Yorkers at Encores! Touring audiences have seen him in The Play That Goes Wrong, Godspell, & Chicago (which he also performed in Tokyo, Seoul and Dubai.) Regionally, he has performed at the Alliance, The Old Globe, Asolo Rep, MUNY, Signature, Pasadena Playhouse, 5th Avenue, Ordway, Papermill Playhouse, Goodspeed, Maine State, the Argyle, North Shore and Barrington.TV credits include “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Braindead”, “Law & Order:CI”, and “30 Rock” (as Weinerslav). Todd is also a director, having directed productions of The Prom, Urinetown, Legally Blonde and Spelling Bee. toddbuonopane.com

Andrea Marie Bush

Andrea Marie Bush (she/her) is a multi-faceted teaching artist and performer based in New York City. She holds a BM and MM in Vocal Performance as well as an advanced certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from NYU Steinhardt, where she also served as Adjunct Instructor of Voice for three semesters. She is a graduate of the Summer Vocology Institute at The University of Utah.

A year after her undergraduate studies, Andrea was selected by Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher to join the 1st National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof as a principal and ensemble swing (500+ performances). Additional performing credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti), Brigadoon (Fiona MacLaren), Titanic (Caroline Neville), and other featured roles. Film and TV work include SNL (NBC), The Night Agent (Netflix), Dexter: Resurrection (Paramount+), and The Devil Wears Prada 2 (20th Century Studios).

A self-proclaimed “voice nerd”, evidence-based vocal pedagogy is at the core of Andrea’s education and teaching style; she has been fortunate to learn directly from leading voice scientists in the field of vocology, including Dr. Ingo Titze, Dr. Marco Guzman, Dr. Kittie Verdolini Abbott, Lynn Helding, Dr. Ana Flavia Zuim, Dr. Aaron Johnson (NYU), and many others. She was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Voice and Speech Review for her book review on philosophical practices in the private voice studio. Andrea is a proud member of NATS and MTEA, both organizations in which she continues to pursue opportunities to further her education as a teaching artist.

Kristy Cates

Kristy Cates has been a professional actress in New York City for over two decades. She made her Broadway debut in the Original Broadway Cast of the smash hit, Wicked, as the understudy to Idina Menzel, and can be heard on the iconic cast recording. She went on to play the lead role of Elphaba in Wicked (Broadway, First National Tour, Chicago), Miss Bassett in Finding Neverland (Broadway), Grandma Josephine in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Original Broadway Cast/Cast Recording), Jerry Springer: the Opera (Carnegie Hall), as well as numerous off-Broadway and Regional productions.

She is a professional voiceover artist and has been heard on national tv/radio commercials for such brands as Subway, Almay Cosmetics, Chase Bank, PNC, and more. Kristy is an original member of NYFA’s Musical Theatre faculty dating back to 2009 and has taught master classes in musical theatre technique worldwide. In 2019, she was named “Young Alumni of the Year” by her esteemed alma mater, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, for her combined accomplishments in performance and teaching. Kristy is honored to be the current Chair of Musical Theatre for the Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre at The New York Film Academy.

Ricardo Coke-Thomas

Originally from London, England, Ricardo Coke-Thomas brings nearly three decades of professional experience to
NYFA. His stage career has spanned the West End, Broadway, national and international tours, and film. London
audiences will remember him as Simba in Disney’s The Lion King, Donkey in Shrek the Musical, Tyrone Jackson
in Fame, and Lucky Gordon in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world premiere of Stephen Ward. He has also appeared in
beloved productions such as Hairspray, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, A Chorus Line, Oliver!, The Harder They
Come, The Pajama Game, Fela!, and One Love: The Bob Marley Musical. On screen, Ricardo is credited
in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Gulliver’s Travels, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat alongside Donny
Osmond.

Since moving to the U.S. in 2018, Ricardo has performed on Broadway and across the country returning to the show
The Book of Mormon, a show he also performed in on the West End. His directing credits include the plays Many
Loves, Ain’t No Fairytales In Section 8, House of Bernarda Alba and Sunshine on Peachtree. For NYFA he has
directed summer showcases and the musical theater department’s fall musical The Prom. He was also the Resident
Director for Dreamgirls the UK Tour directed by Casey Nicholaw. Beyond the stage, Ricardo is the founder and CEO
of Square Mile Management, a London-based talent agency representing performers across theater, film, and
television.

Christine de Frece

Christine has been teaching vocal technique for 19 years. Her students can be seen performing on Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, cruise ships, and in regional theaters across the United States, Canada and internationally. She is currently a voice specialist at New York Film Academy and former Chair of Vocal performance at Circle in the Square Theatre School. As a Musical Director, Christine has directed productions of Cabaret, Urinetown, The Music Man, Gypsy, Meet Me in St. Louis and A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To The Forum. Christine is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge (BMus Vocal Performance) and Circle in the Square Theatre (Professional Musical Theatre Workshop). As an actress, Christine has been seen in productions such as Titanic, It Shoulda Been You, Ragtime, Rumors (Carbonelle Award Winner), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Follies, And The World Goes ‘Round, Cinderella, and many more.

Cayli Dobbs

Lincoln Center: Golden Night Concert (Soloist). Carnegie Hall: Berlin in the Battery (Soloist), Sabor y Pasión (Soloist). Regional: Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Dance Captain), Footloose, A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia, Sound of Music, Rocky Horror, Mary Poppins. International: Tap in Rio (Rio de Janeiro). Digital: Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies’ “Formation” Music Video.

Rose Van Dyne

Rose Van Dyne is a multifaceted artist and educator in New York City. Rose has worked as both a performer and a pianist on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally, and on national and international tours. Selected credits include 1776, Waitress, Beau, The Lonely Few, Interstate, Cambodian Rock Band, and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in Concert. She is the co-founder of @BroadwayCooks, an organization that provides fresh food for houseless and hungry community members in Times Square and the five boroughs. Rose earned her MFA in Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, as well as dual degrees of BA Musical Theatre and BA Piano from the University of Northern Colorado. Rose’s research centers on the intersection between race and identity in the musical theatre vocal studio. Rose currently teaches in NYC at Pace University, Marymount Manhattan College, New York Film Academy, and with BroadwayVox Studios

Taylor Gordon

Taylor Gordon, an international dancer, creator, and educator based in NYC since 2005 and teaching at NYFA since 2023. Performance credits include: Metropolitan Opera Ballet (Lincoln Center), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (4 seasons), Angelina Ballerina (off-Broadway/US tour), Kennedy Center, & Carnegie Hall, NY City Center Encores! pre pro, Exit12 Dance Company, Black Iris Project. Choreography credits include: Princeton University, STEPS Beyond Foundation, Dixon Place, “Juliette’s Miracle” film, Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Uptown Rising, Asian-American Film Awards, Women in Motion, Queens Outdoor Dance Festival, DanceAction Garden Series, Nacre Dance Group, T2 Dance Company, LILA Dance Festival. Teaching: NY Film Academy, United Nations Ballet Club, BDC, India, Japan, Indonesia, Peridance, Gibney Dance, Ailey Extension. Featured in NYTimes, CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX5, The Times of India, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, & Dance Teacher Magazine. She’s been a Resident Director for Dublin Worldwide Productions since 2019. Taylor recently attended Dance Lab NY’s Broadway Choreography Intensive under Josh Prince & has assisted several Broadway choreographers as a Show Supervisor for RWS Global, including Sara Edwards, Chip Abbott, John Scufka, and JoAnn Hunter.

Drew Hirshfield Acting for Film Instructor

As an actor Drew Hirshfield has appeared in new and old plays around the country (at places such as Magic Theatre in San Francisco, Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York, and many others). Other credits include a first Broadway National Tour, network TV, and independent film. He’s been nominated for a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award and he once played a lemur, professionally. Drew has trained with, and completed a pedagogical teacher-training program under, clown and physical acting master teacher Christopher Bayes and has studied with the renowned clown Aitor Basauri of Spymonkey. He is a trained practitioner of the Michael Chekhov Technique. Drew is a an alum of the National Alliance of Acting Teacher’s Teacher Development Program.

Bob Kale Acting for Film Instructor

A partial list of the projects Bob has worked on as a casting director would include: Broadway (Most for Nat’l Tour as well)— Souvenir, King Hedley II (August Wilson), An Inspector Calls, A Tale Of Two Cities, Little Women-The Musical, The Who’s Tommy, Titanic-The Musical (1996), The Life, Jekyll & Hyde (1996), The Scarlet Pimpernel. Off-Broadway includes—Frank McGuinness’ Gates Of Gold, Dracula, Dietrich & Chevalier, Over the River and Through the Woods, Avow, The Deep Throat Sex Scandal, Tap Dogs. Tours include—The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas starring Ann-Margret, Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, Nunsense (25th Anniversary Tour), Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk starring Savion Glover; Television—HBO’s Scarred City, Due South, Elmo’s World: Happy Holidays!, PBS Sesame Street, Cosby Mysteries, As The World Turns, and the miniseries Sally Hemmings (NY Casting). Feature Film includes—Jack & Jill (additional NY Casting), You Don’t Mess With The Zohan (additional NY casting), I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (additional NY casting), Beavis and Butthead Do America (NY Voice Casting), The Quest for Camelot (NY Voice Casting), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (NY Voice Casting), Big Daddy (NY Casting), Little Nicky (NY Casting).. See www.bobkaleonline.com for more information.

James Lane

James T. Lane- From Philadelphia. West End: The Scottsboro Boys, A Chorus Line – Revival (Palladium Theatre). Broadway: Kiss Me, Kate (Paul), King Kong the Musical ,The Scottsboro Boys (Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates), Chicago and A Chorus Line (Richie Walters). National Tours: Jersey Boys, Cinderella, Fame the Musical. Regional Theatre: Mary Poppins (Bert) Drury Lane Theatre, The Wiz (Tin Man), Broadway at Music Circus,The Old Globe, The Little Mermaid (Sebastian) The Muny, A.C.T and Dallas Theatre Center. Encores/Off Center: Promenade,Grand Hotel, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope Concerts: Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, Ottawa Symphony and many more. Mr. Lane teaches music theatre dance when and wherever anyone will let him! Instagram: @jamestlane www.jamestlane.com

Jack Lipson

Multi-musical-hyphenate Jack Lipson composed the theme and score to zenroom, a new sitcom starring Cheri Oteri. The LA-native-turned New Yorker co-writes music, lyrics, and -stars alongside his twin brother in Jack & Benny Lipson’s “sensational, clever, and astute” revues across the country. They also penned Miranda, Please!, an “opera buffalo,” and Brainstorm, a song cycle of their material.

The LA Phil commissioned Jack to co-curate and -arrange a Weimar-era Berlin cabaret for their 2020 Weimar Festival. MD highlights include 3 shows with writer Mark Saltzman: Romeo & Bernadette (off-Broadway 2022), Another Roll of the Dice (arrangements/orchestrations, world premiere 2019), and Alice, Formerly of Wonderland (vocal arrangements); Sweet Charity (dir. Kathleen Marshall with Laura Bell Bundy, Reprise 2.0), Dot Dot Dot (TheatreWorksUSA), and on Welcome to Chippendales (with Andrew Rannells, Hulu).

Jack has piano’ed and sung supporting Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, esperanza spalding, Darren Criss, Broadway legend Barbara Dixon, and many more at venues from The Hollywood Bowl to Disney Hall. Jack currently writes in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop and earned his Bachelor’s in music composition at UCLA.

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