Michelle
is an artist, teacher and community activist. She comes to The
Theatre School from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee where she served as
Head of the BFA Acting Program.
Michelle
is an associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework. She currently serves on the
board of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and is a featured coach
on accenthelp.com. Coaching credits include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival,
Goodman Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Houston Shakespeare Festival,
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Bad Soviet Habits, Stages Repertory Theatre, Jersey
Productions, Unhinged Productions, and Unity Theatre.
Michelle
has collaborated on many theatrical projects for social change. She is
a co-founder of the Royal Mexican Players with Alvaro Saar Rios. For
over a decade they have offered workshops, devised community productions, and
produced original works. Her one-woman show 500 Years was
developed in Bogotá, London, and Milwaukee. Michelle recently
had the honor of working with 371 Productions to devise and direct a live
multimedia performance of Precious Lives,
the popular weekly podcast about gun violence and young people in
Milwaukee.
Directing
credits include The Mole Hill Stories (First Stage), Precious
Lives: The Live Show (371 Productions), Enfrascada (Renaissance
Theaterworks), Decaffeinated Tragedy (2009 Prague Fringe
Festival Inspiration Award); One Hot Texican Summer (or the
summer I found out I was Mexican), Nuestra Voz, Nuestra Historia; and A
Trip Through the Mind of a 'Crazy' Mexican (Royal Mexican Players). A
proud member of Actors Equity for over 20 years, she has also performed at Mark
Taper Forum, First Stage, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act, A Contemporary
Theatre, Court Theatre, Troy Rep, and Ojai Shakespeare Festival.