Teaching Artists

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All of the Compass Rose Theater faculty are teaching artists with a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in theater from an accredited institution. Some have Masters Degree's in theater as well. All of our faculty have teaching experience with a range of student populations and a depth of knowledge of how to challenge and stimulate the creative process within students individually and as an acting ensemble. They also work professionally in the theater world.

 

Matthew Crawford, Teaching Artist

 

Matthew Crawford is a local DMV actor. You might recognize him from his amazing performance for Compass Rose Theater in The Sneeze. He attained his B.A. in Theatre and has been performing professionally since 2010. 

Some of his favorite roles include Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Bill in Perfect Wedding, Thenardier in Les Miserables, James in James and the Giant Peach, and the Ernie Mac in Puffs.  He has been performing with and for children for several years. 

He continues his education as a certified intermediate actor combatant via numerous stage combat classes.  He takes great joy in helping children discover the ability to break through their  personal barriers and better themselves as performers.

Students can work with Matthew through the Compass Rose Theater Camp, its classes at Maryland Hall as well as off-site in schools by request.

 

Teaching Artists

Stephanie Ichniowski

Role: 
Teaching Artist

Stephanie Ichniowski is a recent graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and received her BFA in Drama with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She is a local actor who loves musicals, Shakespeare, and discovering new works. During her senior year of college, she was a part of Stella Adler Studio of Acting's Outreach Tour production of Two Gentlemen of Verona, where she and her fellow cast mates brought the show to several communities that may not get exposed to Shakespeare, or theatre in general. Through this experience, she found a passion for teaching and helping others discover a love for theatre. She is excited to work as a teaching artist with Compass Rose Theater, and bring theatre to students so that they may not only grow as artists, but as people as well.  

Andy Clemence

Role: 
Teaching Artist

Andy Clemence has been a professional stage, film, and voice actor for 35 years, appearing in lead roles at The Kennedy Center, Ford's Theatre, American Century Theatre, and Folger Shakespeare Theatre. Andy does extensive voice acting for Graphic Audio Productions and performed for 15 years with the political comedy troupe The Capitol Steps, portraying President GW Bush all across the U.S. and Off-Broadway. In Hollywood, Andy starred in a number of films for Syfy-Universal including Black Forest with Academy Award™ winner Ben Cross, Super Cyclone with Ming-Na (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD), and Rise Of The Zombies with LaVar Burton and Danny Trejo. He also appeared as the Secretary of Labor on House Of Cards opposite Academy Award™ winner Kevin Spacey. Andy is a teaching artist and private acting coach to both youth and adult actors, many of whom have signed with top agents from NY and LA as a result. He has taught Masterclasses in “Acting and Auditioning for Film & Television,” “Self-Taping Auditions for Actors,” and “The Business of Acting” at The Actor's Center, The Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, Adventure Theatre MTC, The Drama Learning Center, and Carroll County Community College. He provides Video Audition taping services, on-camera coaching, audition preparation, scene study, and career & industry consultations. Andy holds a BFA degree in Acting from The Catholic University Of America. He is represented by Jordan, Gill, and Dornbaum Talent Agency in NYC, and is a life-long member of the Screen Actor's Guild and Actor's Equity Association. 

Marshall Bailey

Role: 
Education Coordinator
Teaching Artist

Marshall Bailey is a BA Theatre Arts graduate of Salisbury University. He couldn’t be more excited to be apart of the Compass Rose teaching team. Marshall discovered the theater and acting in high school and has never looked back. He continued to act in several productions throughout his college career, playing characters such as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Harcourt in The Country Wife, and Soranzo in Tis’ Pity She’s a Whore. In 2018, he found himself in the amazing acting company at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Marshall first began teaching during his education internship at the Salisbury Zoological Park where he found great joy in connecting with families and children about the fascinating animals of the world. Marshall is delighted at every chance to help Compass Rose Theater reach out to our community and make new connections and partnerships.

Rebecca Downs

Role: 
Teaching Artist

Rebecca Kyler Downs has worked for more than 20 years in LA and NY. She has looped movies, recorded voice-overs and video games, (including multiple characters for the entire World Of Warcraft series) and appeared in TV and on film. Some of her TV credits include  CSI Miami, Robbery Homicide Division, Will And Grace, Another World and One Life To Live.  On film she’s worked with wonderful actors like Robert Hayes, James McCaffrey and Alexandra Wentworth. Commercials you have seen her in include Fed-Ex, Nyquil, Toyota, Applebees, Taco Bell, AT&T and Verizon. A professional jazz singer and published songwriter, Rebecca also collaborated on music for films like The Wedding Crashers, Monster-In-Law,  The Cooler and Down With Love. Since her recent move to  Annapolis she has kept busy working with The Colonial Players in several local productions, including 33 Variations (WATCH award nominee), Nine and Masha Sonja Vanya and Spike.

Mallory Shear

Role: 
Teaching Artist

Mallory Shear has over a decade of teaching experience at theatres and schools such as Signature Theatre, Adventure Theatre, The Folger Theatre, Holy Child and The Landon School.  She is a classically trained actor who completed an apprenticeship with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and went on to specialize in stage combat, stunt work and intimacy choreography.  She is certified in numerous weapons through the Society of American Fight Directors and a certified Intermediate Actor Combatant with Fight Directors Canada.  She has choreographed for Molotov Theatre, Pinky Swear Productions, Venus Theatre, Flying V, and Studio Theatre Conservatory, among many others.  She stunt coordinated the award winning short: The Croquet Calamity and is a resident fighter with the Maryland Renaissance Faire.  She completed stunt training abroad and is also a proud Associate Member of SDC.

Matthew Crawford

Role: 
Teaching Artist

Matthew graduated Suma Cum Laude with his Bachelors in Theatre from SUNY Plattsburgh.  He has performed in New York and Colorado, but has been performing in the DMV area since 2011.  Select credits include joining the acting company at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, Bernard in Boeing Boeing, James in James and the Giant Peach, & Thenardier in Les Miserables.  He is excited to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of actors as a teaching artist.