Conservatory Leadership

JOHN WALCUTT

JOHN WALCUTT

Director, El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory

Teaches: Acting for the Camera I, Voice and Movement

john.walcutt@ocsarts.net

Mr. John Walcutt earned a Master of Fine Arts from USC’s professional actor training program; he also studied at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in Los Angeles. He has more than 35 years of experience on stage and screen as a professional actor and director, a film and theatre producer, and a screenwriter.

Mr. Walcutt has worked on nearly 200 film and television projects with more than 100 guest-starring roles including TitanicMulanLittle Miss Sunshine, LostCriminal Minds, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. For many years, he was the artistic director of Shakespeare Orange County, where he played Macbeth, Malvolio, and Richard III, among many other roles. Mr. Walcutt has won the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Ace Award, as well as the award for Best Director at the Indie Fest and the Las Vegas Film Festival. He was named by Orange County Register as one of the Most Influential People in Arts and Culture for 2014.

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Donald Amerson

Donald Amerson

Manager, El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory

donald.amerson@ocsarts.net

Mr. Don Amerson has demonstrated a long-term passion for education and the arts. He began his journey by earning a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University, majoring in international relations. He earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, specializing in forming and managing non-profit organizations. Cementing his artistic commitment, Mr. Amerson also obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre for the Young from Eastern Michigan University.

In California, Mr. Amerson has helped shape young minds and nurture talent across different institutions and communities. As a Dual Enrollment Professor at Santa Ana College, he teaches theatre arts, instilling in students a deep appreciation for dramatic literature and acting methodologies. Mr. Amerson has been a stalwart educator at Orange County School of the Arts, having taught a myriad of subjects ranging from acting to theatre history while fostering creativity and critical thinking among his students.

Not content with traditional classroom settings, Mr. Amerson has extended his reach far and wide. From serving as an Executive Board Member of the California State Thespians to coaching aspiring actors at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, hehas left an indelible mark on many local and state programs. Mr. Amerson's dedication to using theatre as a tool for social justice is evident in his work, whether it's facilitating workshops on political theater or directing productions addressing issues of intolerance and discrimination.

Beyond teaching, Mr. Amerson has excelled in theater management and directing, bringing to life many devised productions that resonate with audiences on a profound level. His directorial ventures, such as "Enemy/Flint" and "Sadako and a Thousand Cranes," showcase his commitment to using theater as a vehicle for social change and empowerment. His illustrious career at South Coast Repertory began in 2012. 

As the President and CEO of Drama In Action, he spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering artistic expression and community engagement by bringing high quality workshops to underserved schools and communities.

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Advisory Board

 Michael Nehring

Michael Nehring

Professor

Theatre Department, College of Performing Arts

Chapman University

Bio coming soon!

Mary Joan Negro

Mary Joan Negro

Associate Professor of Theatre Practice and Director of BA Acting

School of Dramatic Arts

University of Southern California

Bio coming soon!

 Kevin Kuhlke

Kevin Kuhlke

Arts Professor specializing in acting (advanced scene study), directing, improvisation, and physical theatre

School of Acting, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts' Department of Drama

New York University

Mr. Kevin Kuhlke has acted with Anne Bogart, Robert Wilson, Mabou Mines, the Builders Association, the Iowa Theatre Lab, and the Holderness Company regionally and in New York including Lincoln Center, the Public Theater, PS 122, Danspace, MOMA, the Franklin Furnace, the Culture Project, and La Mama.

Mr. Kuhlke’s directing work includes over 30 productions in various venues including the Atlantic Theater Company, Seattle Rep, the Huntington Theater Company, Theater for a New Audience, ICA in London, Warsaw Theater Festival, Moscow Arts Theater School, the City Theater in Iceland, the A.R.T. Institute, and theatre schools in New York, the Netherlands, and Greenland.