NYFA
Faculty Directory

Faculty Directory

David Vando

Mr. Vando’s works include the award winning THE KING’S CLOWN performed both in America and England, the book and lyrics for a musical adaptation LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST for the Folger Library Theatre, an English adaptation of THE THREEPENNY OPERA, BUGLES AT DAWN a musical based on THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE, SONG OF THE LARK, a musical passion play of Saint Joan, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LEONARDO DA VINCI, EROICA, about the deafness and death of Beethoven and SHAKESPEARE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, now in its third printing, which teaches you how to “translate” and use quotes from the Bard in the new millennium for everything from corporate mottos to epitaphs with over 700 outrageous examples. His latest work is the film HAMLET/HORATIO, the story of Hamlet told through eyes of Horatio, in which he wrote the screen play and acts two roles.

Amy Van Horne Acting for Film Creative Director

Creative Director of the Acting for Film Department in New York

Amy Van Horne is an actor, teacher, and professional on-camera audition coach. She holds an MFA from Rutgers University-Mason Gross School of the Arts where she studied under the tutelage of Master Teachers William Esper and Maggie Flanigan. Amy has been a professional film and television actress for over 20 years, working in both LA and New York. Having firsthand knowledge of the many technical challenges actors face working in front of the camera on professional film/TV sets, Amy developed and led on-camera acting technique, scene study, and audition technique classes that she taught for over 10 years in LA. Teaching actors to find freedom on camera became Amy’s passion, and she returned to New York in 2013 to train as a master teacher under her mentor Maggie Flanigan. Selected film/TV credits include: Cost of Living, The City, The Big Easy, Hitz, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Push, Veronica’s Closet, Family Rules, The Beach Boys: An American Family, Judging Amy, Strong Medicine, Cold Case, and Final Sale. She has also appeared in dozens of national network commercials. Amy joined the New York Film Academy in 2017.

Vladimir Velev

Vladimir Velev grew up in Sofia, Bulgaria admiring American movies and television from afar. He has studied Latin American and Ballroom dancing from the age of six and trained with the top teachers in the competitive dance world as well as in other styles of dance. Vladimir is a former Austrian national champion and quarterfinalist of both the World and European Professional Latin Championships. Since moving to the United States, he has established himself as a sought-after instructor, performer, and competitor. He joined the Musical Theater department of the New York Film Academy in 2016.

Victor Verhaeghe Acting for Film Instructor

Victor is currently workshopping a musical he wrote: Doormen, The musical, with Royal Family Theater. COP-DOC, a short film/web series that he wrote, produced and starred in, has picked up several awards in festivals this year, with more on the way. Currently in development with a production company. As an actor, Victor continued his work on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” as Antonio, the doorman, which is ironic since he is writing a musical about doormen. He shot the feature film, Bad Education, with Hugh Jackman, Alison Janey and Ray Romano, that is now running on HBO.

Other recent work: Feature Film, Peel with Emile Hirsch and Amy Brenneman, guest starring role on The Americans, and the lead in another feature, Bride in the Box. Victor is also producing a series of videos called, What if… based on the idea of what if we tried love instead of guns, love instead of hate. He has already produced and shot four of these videos and continues writing and raising funds for more in the series.
He also has another short film that he wrote and starred in, doing well on the festival circuit called, The Parker.

Evgenia Vlasova

Evgenia Vlasova is an instructor in Broadcast Journalism, Personal Journalism and Digital Editing. In addition, in 2020 she co-taught a three-week online Journalism Summer School for 22 early career Russian journalists, and a week-long in-person media training workshop for 20 accomplished TV professionals in Kazakhstan. (Both projects were funded by the U.S. State Department.) She co-produced and edited Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began, a feature documentary which was broadcast by 200+ U.S. Public TV stations, as well as internationally. Prior to moving to New York, for seven years she co-anchored and co-produced an award winning morning show on Channel 6TV in Khabarovsk, Russia. She began her professional career with Radio Europa Plus.

Bill Waldinger

In addition to his faculty position at NYFA, Bill is also on the faculty at The Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, Molloy College’s CAP 21 Musical Theater Program and the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Certified by Luigi to teach the Luigi Jazz Technique, Bill has recently been filmed and interviewed for the recently released feature film Uprooted which chronicles the history of Jazz Dance. He has coordinated workshops bringing together the techniques of Luigi and Matt Mattox with classic musical theater choreography. Bill also frequently travels the world As a Master Teacher. He has also developed absolute beginner “Dance Classes For Singers” at The Singers’ Forum. As a performer, Bill has appeared in musical theater, concert dance, commercials, music videos, television and industrials. Highlights include regional and Off-Broadway productions of A Chorus Line (Paul in the first regional production), Carousel (Carnival Boy), Kismet, Drood, Oklahoma! (Dream Curly), A Funny Thing…, Guys and Dolls and Godspell. He was a company member of The David Storey Dance Works and Labyrinth Dance Theater. He has danced in commercials, music videos, was a featured dancer on the television show Soul Alive and appeared in videos for the Theater Dance Workshop.

Paul Warner

Paul Warner is an award-winning director and educator, whose more than 50 productions span film, theater, and opera. He most recently directed the feature film, HAMLET/HORATIO, which premiered on Amazon in June 2021, and subsequently enjoyed limited theatrical release in 2022. HAMLET/HORATIO has been the recipient of 15 international festival awards. Prior to HAMLET/HORATIO, Warner directed a new musical, RIVER OF STONE by Drama Desk nominee Peter Melnick with book by Ty Defoe which premiered at the Jaffa Festival as well as Wendy Whelan of the New York City Ballet in the premiere of WOMEN: THE WAR WITHIN, a dance-opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Du Yun and Obie-winning writer Matthew Maguire, which premiered at The Baryshnikov Arts Center. Film credits include the feature FALL TIME (Lionsgate) starring Mickey Rourke (nominated for The Grand Jury Prize in competition at Sundance), IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (Sundance premiere), the disco movie musical, KAYA: TASTE OF PARADISE (lyrics and music by Anna K. Jacobs (Teeth) and book by Jerome Parker as well as David Michalek’s PORTRAITS IN DRAMATIC TIME, with Alan Rickman, William H. Macy, and Holly Hunter (Lincoln Center Festival premiere), for which he directed the actors and served as Executive Creative Consultant. Warner is a graduate of Harvard and The American Film Institute and the recipient of numerous honors including The Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation for sustained achievement in directing. He has served on the faculties of: NYU, SVA, and SUNY Purchase, amongst others. Currently, he is a senior instructor of Directing, Acting, and Producing at The New York Film Academy. Paulwarnerofficial.com

Matthew Webster

Matt Webster is a New York City based actor and writer. As an actor, Matt has been seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, on National tours, and recently won Best Actor for his portrayal of Johnny Pope in A Hatful of Rain (BroadwayWorld.com). As a writer, Matt’s plays and musicals include: BACK; JAY AND THE CONTEST; ALEX FOX: AMERICAN HERO; and his original musical KINGDOM COME. With his frequent collaborator Taylor Ferrera, Matt has co-written several shows, including: a new 4 actor version of CINDERELLA; DEMOCRACY, DAY 1; COUNTY FAIR – A COUNTRY HITS MUSICAL; and PROPAGANDA! THE MUSICAL. Matt’s pilot script, BACK, won Best Pilot at the 2022 Santa Barbara International Film Fest. Matt received his BFA in Acting from West Virginia University where he was named the outstanding graduate from the College of Creative Arts. Matt is a founding member of the Magic Forest Theatre Company, and co-owner of the production company Propaganda Theatricals. Matt won the Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting and currently works as the Creative Director for Broadway’s Andrew Lippa. www.TheOtherMattWebster.com

Neal Weisman

Neal Weisman is an award-winning film and television producer with over 25 years of international experience in Los Angeles, London, and New York. Producing credits include The Politician’s Wife (winner of BAFTA, International Emmy, and Peabody Awards), Seeing Red (winner of Christopher Award), and My Kingdom (World Premiere of Toronto International Film Festival), which starred Richard Harris in his last leading role. Let’s Talk About Sex, a documentary, was broadcast on TLC/Discovery, digital and DVD release through New Video. Neal was the Vice President of the Edward Pressman Film Corporation, which was responsible for producing films like Academy Award winners Wall Street (starred Michael Douglas, directed by Oliver Stone) and Reversal of Fortune (which won Jeremy Irons his Best Leading Actor Oscar starring opposite Glenn Close). Also Oliver Stone’s Talk Radio, Plenty, which starred Meryl Streep, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger, David Byrne’s True Stories, and Best Directing Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow’s Blue Steel. He is a dual US/UK citizen and currently resides in New York City.

Thomas Werner

Thomas is the author of the books The Business of Fine Art Photography, Routledge, New York, and The Fashion Image for Bloomsbury Publishing, London. A creative consultant, Thomas works one on one with students, creatives, businesses, cultural institutions, and not for profits helping them refine their communications, and achieve their goals in fashion and fine arts. He is a contributor to Adobe’s Lightroom Academy, an Editor at Large for IRKmagazine, a Paris based fashion and culture magazine and website, founder of Thomas Werner Projects Podcast, the Global Editorial Director at Les Loupes des Steppes Publishing, and past Photography Program Director at Parsons School of Design in New York. Werner also led a team developing a media and literacy web site and resource center in five languages, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and English for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations/UNESCO.

He is the former owner of Thomas Werner Gallery in Manhattan’s Chelsea Art District, and a former National Board member and NY Chapter President for the American Society of Media Photographers. He has worked with the United States Department of State on cultural projects in Russia, and been a photography consultant for COACH and Rodale Publishing, among others. Thomaswernerprojects.com @Thomaswernerprojects

Jonathan Whittaker Chair of Short Term Programs

Chair of Short-term Intensive Programs

Jonathan Whittaker is a partner and founding member of ManInHat, a New York-based production company. With over 15 years of experience in the film industry, having produced, directed, and lensed short films, music videos, live concerts, commercials, TV shows, features, docs and 3D specials, he is never one to shy away from a new challenge. Nissan, Sony Pictures, DirecTV, Gillette, Hyundai, and Sports Illustrated are just a few of his clients and collaborators. When he is not on set or in an edit you can usually find him at the head of a lecture hall sharing his thoughts on the art of cinematography and the director’s craft. In addition to being a resident professor at the New York Film Academy, he has also given guest lectures all over the globe.

Jessica Wolfson

Jessica Wolfson has directed and produced many critically-acclaimed documentary films and series. In recent years she produced “Sacred” (IDFA, DOC NYC, Tokyo International Film Festival); “Revenge of the Mekons” with Fred Armisen and Jonathan Franzen (“Top 10 films of 2014” by Village Voice); “A Girl and a Gun”; “Next Year Jerusalem” and “Crazy Sexy Cancer” (SXSW, aired on TLC and OWN). She has created award-winning media content for ESPN, MTV, Conde Nast, NYU, Canon and many nonprofit organizations. At IFC TV Original Programming, she developed and produced documentaries including “This Film is Not Yet Rated” by Kirby Dick (Sundance, SXSW, Seattle International Film Festival); “Wanderlust” by Academy Award nominees Bob Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman; “The Bridge” by Eric Steele; “Greg the Bunny”; and Emmy-nominated “Dinner for Five” with Jon Favreau. Jessica directed and produced Netflix’s award-winning and critically acclaimed “Radio Unnameable” (Cine Golden Eagle, Full Frame, Silver Docs, “Top 10 Films of 2012” by the New York Daily News). Jessica is a consulting producer and mentor for filmmakers through the IFP and Tribeca Film Institute, and is currently in production for Discovery Channel.

Wysandria Woolsey

Wysandria Woolsey originated the role of The Sugar Bowl in Disney’s Broadway production of “Beauty and the Beast,” and is featured on the cast recording and in the national commercial. She performed the role of Carlotta in the Broadway production of “The Phantom of the Opera” and was in “Parade at Lincoln Center,” both directed by Hal Prince. Other original Broadway shows include: “Aspects of Love” and “Chess,” both directed by Trevor Nunn. In Europe she was Grizabella in the Austrian production of “Cats,” and has performed in numerous national tours including “Whistle Down The Wind” (dir. Hal Prince), “Zorba” with Anthony Quinn (dir. Joel Grey), “On the 20th Century” as understudy to Imogene Coca, and “Song and Dance” as stand-by to Melissa Manchester. She was a featured soloist in “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber” (dir. Arlene Phillips). Other regional and stock credits include: “City of Angels,” “Blood Brothers,” “A Chorus Line” and “Street Scene.” She has also appeared as a soloist with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra in both Cleveland and Breckenridge Colorado, and was featured in the Lincoln Center Tribute to Alan Jay Lerner and at in a “Tribute to Stephen Sondheim” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Nicholas Yellen

Nick founded NYCA, a Manhattan based literary agency representing screenwriters, directors, playwrights, TV writers, and novelists where he has set up projects at almost every major studio and TV network.

Nick co-founded Edwards-Yellen Entertainment (EYE), a literary management/film and television production company based in Los Angeles. While with EYE, the company had a 2-picture production deal with ABC-Productions. He produced I Know What You Did with Rosanna Arquette, the VH1 TV movie Out of Sync, Retribution for the SAT1 cable network, and the feature If Tomorrow Comes with James Franco. EYE also had development deals with many of the major networks and studios including ABC, Hearst Entertainment, VH1, Phoenix Pictures, Edward R. Pressman, Warner Bros., Alan Landsberg Productions, The Wolper Organization, Lifetime Network, All Girl Productions, and Wilshire Court among others. Nick also worked on the movie Intent for Columbia/Tri-Star.

Theatrically, Nick helped produce the musicals Lucky in the Rain, for the Goodspeed Opera House and Say Yes at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Nick started his career in film and television at International Creative Management (ICM), then the world’s largest talent agency. After leaving ICM, Nick managed the Geffen Records recording artist Graveyard Train. Nick began his career as an FM-Radio disc jockey in Saratoga, NY and San Antonio, TX.

Andrew Young

Andrew Young is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and professor based in New York City. His visual and lighting work has been featured in film festivals all over the world: from New York, Seoul, Edinburgh, and Cannes. Andrew loves hitting the campaign trail, having filmed and photographed progressive candidates like Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Congressman Joe Kennedy.

Andrew has an MFA in Cinematography from Boston University, and is now thrilled to be teaching film, photography, and visual storytelling at NYFA and SUNY WCC.

His creative work centers around the concept of magical realism, or finding meaning and magic in mundane things.

Joey Zangardi-Dixon

JOEY ZANGARDI-DIXON is the Director of Musical Theatre Recruitment at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) and has been in the entertainment industry for decades. He has worked in Casting for MTV, FOX, Nickelodeon, and NBC, as well as an Agent, Director, Teacher, and Performer. He now uses his industry experience to scout talent, teach workshops, and adjudicate acting and musical theatre auditions around the globe. Regional Performance Credits include: Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz, Mame, 1776, Make Me a Song, On the Town, Follies, The Immigrant, and The Who’s Tommy. NYC Casting Credits include: VH1 / Vogue Fashion Awards, Say What Karaoke, Nickelodeon Live, Jail Bait, and MTV 2 Large. Joey has been fortunate to work on projects featuring celebrities, such as Madonna, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Jay-Z.

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