2010 MFA Acting Graduates
Brooks Asher
"The Professional Actor Training Program at UNLV involves three years of intense and technical coursework. The strength of the program lies in the practicality of its work. Whereas many conservatories limit your stage experience to your second or third year, UNLV encourages the casting of their MFA students beginning your first year."
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Brooks Asher, a master’s candidate in performance has earned his bachelor’s degree in theatre-acting from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Originally from Venice Beach, Calif., Asher has lived between Costa Rica and Connecticut and has performed from Adelaide, Australia to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Sin City the Golden Years: Max Roberts; Fiddler on the Roof: Perchik; The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: Gordon Lowther; Music Man: Charlie Cowell; The Cradle Will Rock: Larry Foreman; The Importance of Being Earnest: Merriman; King Lear: Gloucester; All My Sons: Chris Keller; Christmas Carol: Bob Cratchit; Company: David; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Oberon
Scene Study Roles
Death of a Salesman: Biff Loman; The Time of Your Life: Joe; Anna Christie: Matt Burke; Oleanna: John; The Shape of Things: Adam; Henry V: Henry V; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Oberon; The Guru: Valere; The Way of the World: Mirabell; Uncle Vanya: Astrov; Hedda Gabler: Judge Brack
Rob Barusch
“My experience at UNLV has been nothing short of priceless in my growth as an actor. The technique of expressive action and sound/movement taught in the program is truly a rare, one-of-kind curriculum among graduate acting schools I considered attending.”
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Rob Bartusch has been performing in theatre productions since the age of 10. After a long break from acting, during which he received his bachelor’s in social sciences from the United States Air Force Academy, he returned to acting in 2003. Since then, Bartusch completed nearly five years of active duty as a captain in the Air Force. In his free time, he took part in numerous theatre, television and film projects and was fortunate enough to secure his SAG eligibility in 2006. He was recruited by UNLV in 2007 as a result of his U/RTA audition in NYC to join the MFA program for the class of 2010.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Amadeus: Baron Van Sweiten; Fiddler on the Roof: Constable; Come Back Little Sheba: Bruce; The Hair Ape: Engineer (College of S. NV-Backstage Theatre); The Tragedy of King Lear: Edgar/Poor Tom; The Marriage of Bette and Boo: Matthew Hudlocke; The Cradle Will Rock: Dr. Specialist; The Music Man: Salesman/Ensemble; A Christmas Carol: Topper/Business Man; The Little Dog Laughed: Mitchell Green; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Robin Starveling
Scene Study Roles
Cat on A Hot Tin Roof: Brick; A Hatful of Rain: Johnny Pope; The Time of Your Life: Joe; Beyond Therapy: Bruce; Good Business: Frank; Henry V: Henry; The Winter’s Tale: Officer; Hamlet: Bernardo; The Way of The World: Fainall; Tartuffe: Damis; Three Sisters: Andrey Prozorov; Saint Joan: Dauphin, Charles VII
Elisabeth Bokhoven
“The training I have received at UNLV, particularly Michael Lugering’s Expressive Actor Technique, has been absolutely invaluable to my growth as an artist. By integrating the study of Acting, Voice, and Movement, my work has become more specific and expressive.”
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Elisabeth Bokhoven holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre performance from Greensboro College, in North Carolina. She spent several summers at the North Carolina School of The Arts studying drama, vocal performance, and filmmaking; and also completed an apprenticeship at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Most recently, Bokhoven served as a vocal coach on the Las Vegas production of Julie Taymor’s The Lion King.
Roles Performed at UNLV
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: Miss Mackay; Mrs. Montgomery: The Heiress; Take Me To Monaco: Candace; Wet Desert: Beatrice; King Lear: The Fool; Me and My Manfish: Nancy; The Importance of Being Earnest: Miss Prism; Cradle Will Rock: Dauber the Artist; Reasons To Be Pretty: Carly; Christmas Carol: Martha Cratchit/Missy Watkins; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Hippolyta
Scene Study Roles
Golden Boy: Lorna; Anna Christie: Anna; Beyond Therapy: Prudence; Top Girls: Marlene; Merchant of Venice: Portia; The Tempest: Miranda; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Fairy; Way of the World: Mrs. Fainall; Guru (an Adaption of Tartuffe): Dorine; Uncle Vanya: Sonya
Lisa Ferris
“UNLV offers a comprehensive program encouraging students to grow as complete artists. Sound and movement technique, voice and speech training, wide-ranging scene work, modern and ballroom dance, Pilates and yoga, fully integrate the voice and body providing essential preparation for a dynamic career in the American theatre.”
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Lisa Ferris from Portland, OR received her bachelor’s in musical theatre from The Catholic University of America. While an undergraduate, she studied abroad at The London Dramatic Academy, worked at the Kennedy Center and other regional theatres, won the title of Miss D.C 2003 and competed for Miss America. Graduating Cum Laude, Ferris moved to New York and was hired by The Utah Shakespearean Festival in 2007. While pursuing her graduate work in Las Vegas, she returned for the festival’s 2008 and 2009 seasons playing Bianca, Adriana, and Olivia (The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night), Hodel (Fiddler on the Roof) and Rose Lennox (The Secret Garden). At UNLV roles have included, Amy (Company), Belle (A Christmas Carol), Ellen (The Little Dog Laughed), Margot Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank), Margaret Brennan (The Marriage of Bette and Boo), and The 1st woman of Athens (Lysistrata).
Roles Performed at UNLV
Fiddler on the Roof: Hodel; The Golden Years: Minnie Pryce; Lysistrata: 1st Woman; The Marriage of Bette and Boo: Margaret Brennan; The Diary of Anne Frank: Margot Frank; The Music Man: Ensemble/Marian Paroo u/s; Company: Amy; A Christmas Carol: Belle/Alice; The Little Dog Laughed: Ellen; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Hermia
Scene Study Roles
A Streetcar Named Desire: Stella Kowalski; The Time of Your Life: Mary; Waiting for Lefty: Edna; Oleanna: Carol; The Shape of Things: Evelyn; Macbeth: Lady Macbeth; Richard III: Lady Anne; Tartuffe: Marianne; Way of the World: Millamant; The Seagull: Nina; Hedda Gabbler: Thea Elvsted
Ryan Fonville
“The program at UNLV can be described in a word- “Technique.” You are taught the essentials that are necessary to every performers craft and learn how to apply them, not display them. In the end, you leave with more tools in your belt than when you arrived.”
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Ryan Fonville grew up in Montgomery, Ala. where his love for acting began. Upon graduation from high school, he moved to Abilene, Texas to attend Abilene Christian University. Fonvolle graduated with a bachelor’s in acting and directing and moved to Dallas where he quickly jumped into the commercial and film arena, participating in a short film. He signed with the Campbell Agency, working in principal roles in several regional and national commercials, and then moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV. Between years in Las Vegas, Fonville has had the pleasure of working at several professional summer companies throughout the country. Upon graduation, he will move to the east coast to join the rest of the professional artistic working force.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Amadeus: Male Venticelli; The Heiress: Morris Townsend; Lysistrata: Spartan Ambassador; King Lear: Edmund; Replica (one act festival): Hodge; The Importance of Being Earnest: Jack Worthing; The Chasm: Inktomi; The Cradle Will Rock: Coach Trixie; The Music Man: Tommy Dijilas; Reasons to be Pretty: Greg; A Christmas Carol: Jacob Marley; All My Sons: Geroge Deever; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Demetrius
Scene Study Roles
Death of a Salesman: Happy; Our Town: George Gibbs; True West: Lee; Proof: Hal; Merchant of Venice: Bassanio; Richard III: Richard III; A Midsummer Nights Dream: Puck; Tartuffe (adaptation “The Guru”): Orgon; The Way of the World: Mr. Fainall; The Seagull: Trigorin; A Dolls House: Krogstad
Kate Mazzola
“The most important thing that I can say about the MFA program at UNLV is that it gave me a process with which to work on a role. Whether it’s Chekhov, Shaw or Shakespeare, just to name a few, I can feel confident that I will enter the rehearsal room as a well-rounded, informed and highly prepared actor. That kind of confidence is priceless in this profession.”
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Kate Mazzola, originally from Philadelphia, received her bachelor’s in theatre from DeSales University. While in college, she studied as an apprentice at The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and The Williamstown Theatre Festival. After graduation, Mazzola spent the following year touring the country with The National Players, a program of the Olney Theatre Center. After touring, she moved to Washington DC, where she studied at the Studio Theatre and worked at various theatres, including The Shakespeare Theatre. Anxious to gain more experience, she then moved to New York City, and immediately began a routine of auditioning and waiting tables. While in New York, she became a member of The Actors Alliance and took numerous classes at Endeavor Studios. Earning a master’s of fine arts had always been a priority, so after almost two years in NYC, Kate auditioned at URTA and was happily recruited by UNLV.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Amadeus: Venticelli 2; Archaic Friendship (One Act): Emma; Come Back Little Sheba: Mrs. Coffman; Lysistrata: Lysistrata; Shining City: Neasa; The Importance of Being Earnest: Gwendolen Fairfax; The Diary of Anne Frank: Miep Gies; The Music Man: Dancer (Captain); Company: Kathy (Dance Captain); A Christmas Carol: Mrs. Cratchitt/Woman #2; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Titania
Scene Study Roles
Cat on A Hot Tin Roof: Maggie; The Time of Your Life: Mary; Our Town: Emily; Closer: Anna; This Is our Youth: Jessica; The Winter’s Tale: Hermione; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Titania; The Guru (adaptation of Moliere’s Tartuffe): Elmire; The Country Wife: Mrs. Pinchwife; Three Sisters: Natasha
Jaime Puckett
“Before I began the M.F.A. Performance program at UNLV, acting was a hobby. Thanks to the expert guidance and support of my colleagues and professors I now consider acting my passion. I arrived at UNLV a curious amateur but I will graduate a serious professional.”
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Jaime Puckett was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After a high school career filled with civic, social, and athletic activities, she attended Oakland University in Auburn Hills, MI on a full-ride volleyball scholarship, and earned a bachelor’s in rhetoric and communications. She moved to Chicago, and following a year of success and promotions with a top freight broker, she realized the world of cubicles, computers, and communications was not for her. She began to study acting and work as a singing-dancing-cocktail-waitress and after a brief stint of working and auditioning in L.A., she and her husband, a dueling piano player, moved to Las Vegas where Puckett pursued acting full time.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Brick: Stevie; Take Me to Monaco: Reverand Milan; Lysistrata: Peace; King Lear: Goneril; The Marriage of Bette and Boo: Bette; The Cradle Will Rock: Ella Hammer; The Music Man: Ethel Toffelmier; Reasons To Be Pretty: Steph; A Christmas Carol: The Ghost of Christmas Past; All My Sons: Sue Bayliss; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Helena
Scene Study Roles
The Crucible: Elisabeth Proctor; A Hatful of Rain: Celia; Burn This: Anna; Top Girls: Joyce; Time of Your Life: Mary; Henry V: Alice; Othello: Emilia; Julius Ceasar: Portia; The Guru (Tartuffe): Elmire; Way of the World: Mrs. Marwood; Moon for the Misbegotten: Josie; Something in the Basement: Mary; Loose Ends: Susan; Three Sisters: Masha; St. Joan: Joan; Medea: Medea; Midsummer Nights Dream: Helena; Jack, or The Submission: Mother; Major Barbara: Major Barbara; George Dandin: Angélique; Dinner with Friends: Beth
Savannah Smith
“UNLV’s performance training is unique in that it offers tools that are new and effective in voice and movement techniques as well as speech…I was able to develop my own process and way of working through exposure to these techniques and I am walking away with an almost excessive amount of tools to choose from when working on my craft.”
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Savannah Smith was born in Garland, Texas and was lucky enough to discover her first love in life in second grade...performing. Since then, Smith has taken every opportunity to perform, including stage productions, praise and worship teams and other venues in Dallas and surrounding areas. For nine years she studied both music and theatre in elementary school, middle school and high school. She became involved in every play, musical and band concert she could. After high school graduation, she earned her associate’s degree from Lon Morris College, where she starred in more than 10 productions. She received her bachelor’s in acting and directing from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, where she really found her voice as a director and performed in and directed numerous musicals. She decided UNLV was the best fit for her for grad school, and it was there where she found who she was as a performer, an artist and a person. Smith landed her first professional job in the summer of 2009 at Sacramento Music Circus where she received her equity card.
Roles Performed at UNLV
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Peasblossom; Amadeus: Constanze; Fiddler on the Roof: Tzeitel; Come Back Little Sheba: Marie; Lysistrata: Myrrhina; Romeo & Juliet: Juliet; King Lear: Regan; The Importance of Being Earnest: Cecily Cardew; The Cradle Will Rock: Moll/Sadie; Music Man: Principal Dancer; Company: Sarah; A Christmas Carol: Fan/Bess; All My Son's: Anna
Scene Study Roles
Streetcar Named Desire: Blanche Dubois; View from the Bridge: Katherine; Proof: Catherine; Closer: Alice; Othello: Desdemona; Winter’s Tale: Paulina; Guru (Tartuffe): Dorine; The Way of the World: Mrs. Marwood; Uncle Vanya: Yelena; Doll’s House: Nora
Griffin Stanton-Ameisen
“UNLV’s program gives its students the opportunity to work on-stage right away, which is invaluable. Having the program alongside the Nevada Conservatory Theatre gives its students the chance to work with Equity actors and directors who may be able to cast them beyond their career at UNLV.”
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Griffin Stanton-Ameisen is a Pennsylvania native from Bryn Mawr. After doing theater in high school and knowing it was the career he wanted to pursue, he received his bachelor’s in theatre from Temple University, where he both acted and directed. Being in metropolitan Philadelphia he also had the opportunity to explore the city’s theatrical community, working with independent companies like Insperado Theatre Company and The Cardboard Box Collaborative, as well as collaborating on shows for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival three years in a row. During his time at Temple, he had the privilege of studying acting for a semester in London at Middlesex University. At Temple University he was given the opportunity to work on many shows with many different people and he was exposed to a variety of acting techniques. In his senior year he decided to pursue a graduate degree in acting to develop his craft further at UNLV.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Amadeus: Mozart; Fiddler on the Roof: Ensemble; Freedom Deck (MFA playwrighting thesis play): Jon; Lysistrata: Cinesias; King Lear: Earl of Kent; Playdaters (MFA playwrighting one-act play): Spencer; The Importance of Being Earnest: Algernon; The Chasm (MFA playwrighting thesis play): Benny; The Cradle Will Rock: Editor Daily/ Stevie; The Music Man: Harold Hill Understudy; Reasons to be Pretty: Kent; A Christmas Carol: Young Scrooge; All My Sons: Frank Lubie; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Puck
Scene Study Roles
Golden Boy: Joe; Time of Your Life: Joe; A View From the Bridge: Rodolpho; Burn This: Pale; True West: Austin; Henry V: Williams; The Winter’s Tale: Leontes; Hamlet: Hamlet; The Way of the World: Mirabel; Tartuffe: Tartuffe; Uncle Vanya: Uncle Vanya; The Seagull: Konstantin; Hedda Gabler: Tesman
Clifton Yada
“My time at UNLV has helped me, exponentially in my development as an actor. Through Michael Lugering’s sound and movement work and Expressive Actor technique I have been able to hone my ability to perform expressive actions in the service of playscripts for all styles and genres.”
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Clifton Yada was born and raised in Fresno, Calif. He earned his bachelor’s majoring in theatre (performance), from San Diego State University. During the last year of his studies in San Diego, Yada was accepted to UNLV’s MFA acting program via the U/RTA auditions in San Francisco in 2007.
Roles Performed at UNLV
Amadeus: Ensemble; The Heiress: Arthur Townsend; Odd Ducks: Phil the Duck; Take Me to Monaco: Matt; The Tragedy of King Lear: Duke of Albany; The Marriage of Bette and Boo: Boo; Sin City ’67: On The Air: “Happy” Max Roberts (also performed at Adelaide Fringe Festival: Adelaide, Australia); The Music Man: Dance Captain/Ensemble; A Christmas Carol: Fred; A Midsummer Night's Dream: Peter Quince
Scene Study Roles
The Crucible: John Proctor; This is Our Youth: Owen; Waiting for Lefty: Joe; Busstop; Macbeth; The Tempest: Ferdinand; Henry V: John Bates; The Country Wife; Three Sisters: Vershinin and Old Man; Man and Superman: Jack
