Master Teacher

Michael Lugering is a master teacher of voice, movement and acting. Mr. Lugering has spent over 15 years researching the physical, psychological, behavioral and aesthetic aspects of human expression. The Lugering Method marks a revolutionary departure from traditional methods of actor training. In this truly integrated technique the voice and body, thought and feeling, sound and movement, psyche and soma are synthesized in the practical exploration of expression action. Mr. Lugering’s new book THE EXPRESSIVE ACTOR: An Integrated Method of Voice, Movement & Actor Training is published by Heinemann Drama Books. Mr. Lugering has taught master classes in acting, voice, movement and classical text at theatre conferences and Professional Acting Training Programs throughout the United States, Korea and in the United Kingdom. Recent acting credits include JOE: preformed in Las Vegas, Monaco, Scotland, Los Angeles, Liverpool, Japan and Quebec. Additionally, Mr. Lugering is a passionate director noted for his innovative approach to the classics. He has served as a professional voice coach for the Utah Shakespearian Festival and the Nevada Conservatory Theatre. Mr. Lugering is a member of the theatre faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

email

Associate Teacher

Jonathan E. Shultz received his MFA in Performance from UNLV in May, 2004, and he's also earned his BA in Theatre from UNLV and an AA in Theatre from Grayson County College. During his time at UNLV, he studied extensively with Mr. Lugering for 10 consecutive semesters and has taught the Lugering Method for six consecutive semesters. The work has now become the foundation of his craft. Mr. Shultz also has a specialized teaching interest in speech and dialect training. Some of his credits include: Kari Margolis' THE HUMAN SHOW (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), title roles in Wole Soyinka's OYEDIPO AT KOLHUNI (Delphi, Greece), TARTUFFE, and supporting roles in HAMLET, ANGELS IN AMERICA, PT. 1, OF MICE AND MEN, CABARET, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, and TEXAS, THE MUSICAL DRAMA. He plans to pursue a profession acting career in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as to continue to teach the Lugering Method.

Associate Teacher

Sean Boyd completed his MFA in Performance from UNLV in May, 2004. Additionally he holds a MA in Theatre Performance from Oklahoma State University and a BS in Communication from East Central University. Sean has spent the three years at UNLV immersed in the Lugering work as both a student and instructor; using the work to create roles as diverse in style as Macduff in MACBETH to Frank Butler in ANNIE GET YOU GUN. Sean has spent the last 6 years specializing in the study of the physical life of the actor. He is a recognized Fight Instructor with Dueling Arts International, Actor/Combatant with the SAFD and holds a 1st Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. He has appeared in various regional theatres in roles such as: Laertes in HAMLET, Oscar in THE ODD COUPLE, Oberon in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Nick in WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?. After graduation, Sean will continue his work as both an actor and instructor in the Lugering Method.

Certified Teacher

Julie Heaton holds an MFA in Acting from UNLV where she performed such roles as Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, Elmire in Tartuffe, Luciana in Comedy of Errors, and Lady MacDuff in Macbeth. The diversity in these roles clearly demonstrates her newfound flexibility as an actress using the Lugering Method. During her time at UNLV, Julie also taught the technique for 4 consecutive semesters and plans to continue after graduation. In addition to her MFA, Julie holds a BA in Theater from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City where she appeared in over 40 plays and musicals. She recently joined AEA, performed in Beauty and the Beast at the North Shore Music Theater.

Certified Teacher

Stephen Reyes is a New York-based performing artist/instructor. He is co-founder of the Kinetic Space Theatre Ensemble. He received his MFA in Theatre Performance from UNLV in 2001. He also holds a B.A. in Spanish & Drama from the University of Arkansas. He has taught the Lugering Method for 5 consecutive semesters at UNLV and has studied under the supervision of Mr. Lugering for 3 years as a student, instructor, and actor in performance. His performance credits include Romeo in the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival’s Romeo and Juliet and the title role in Nevada Conservatory Theatre’s inaugural season production of Hamlet. He has also performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s Pirates of Pinzance and The Tempest. His New York credits include Alyosha in Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov Pt. 1 (The Culture Project), Laertes in The Hamlet Project (La MaMa E.T.C.), and dancer in The Breasts of Tyresias (Williamsburg Arts Center). At present, Stephen is training and introducing the Lugering Method as a guest artist at the performance studio Espacio Seis with the Colectivo de Arte 619 and teaching English Expression & Language Arts with the faculty at the Villa Maria Academy in Santiago, Chile.

Certified Teacher

Laura Sydonie graduated from the University of Birmingham with a first class honors degree in Drama and Theatre Arts She has also studied across the Atlantic at TVI Studios in LA. Stage roles include Carol in Shakers on an International Tour for On Cue Productions; Aladdin for Extravaganza Productions in Middlesborough and Tell Tale Productions in Boston; Jane in Dream Catcher at CPT, London; soloist in Bernstein's Mass at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London; soloist for National Tours L'of a Night and Just for You; Jadis in the French speaking production of Un Pont ver le Passe for the European Theatre Company; George's Mum in the national tour of George's Marvellous Medicine and Aunt Gwen in Tom's Midnight Garden for Birmingham Stage Company'; Crystal in Kissing Sid James at the Eye Theatre; Sister Leo in Nunsense at the Nuffield, Southampton and Electra at Aspendos in Greece for Actors of Dionysus. On television Laura has worked on the Switch for the BBC. She is the Artistic Director of Sulis Productions which recently toured Adelaide, Montreal and Avignon. Her one woman show A Friend of Dorothy has toured the world over and was nominated for the Best Production 2004 at the Montreal Fringe Festival. Laura met Michael Lugering while they both were performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She subsequently came to NYC to study the "Lugering Method." Subsequently, her production company Sulis Productions brought the "Lugering Method" to the England for the first time with a multiple city tour featuring workshops at the Actor Centres in London, New Castle, Birmingham and Manchester. Later, Laura returned to United States to study exclusively with Michael Lugering at his home in Las Vegas, NV. She is the first member of the Expressive Actor Faculty in the United Kingdom.

Certifed Teacher

Chrisy Wright received her MFA in Theatre Performance from UNLV in 2001. As well as being a professional actress, she is the Head of the Dance Studies Program at American Heritage in Plantation Florida. Being involved in theatre and dance her entire life, Chrissy’s work; not only, as a performer but also a Director/Choreographer, has been seen all over the world. She was introduced to the Lugering Method during its inception at UNLV. Through the work she discovered an integrated method of voice and movement training that is not only appropriate for actors, but for singers and dancers as well. In the Fall of 2007, Chrissy re-organized the voice, movement program at Amercian Heritage introducing the Lugering Method as the primary method of training.

Certifed Teacher

Mathew Sandoval is the Artistic Director and Founder of first function. He is an NYC performance artist dedicated to re-envisioning contemporary dance & theatre. He produced, directed, & acted in first function’s production, I , which premiered in November 2003at the Producers Club. He has collaborated w/ “23 Elephants”, most recently directing their original comedy “The Unspeakable Act” at the New York Comedy Club. He also played Iago in their production of Othello at the Creative Place Theatre. Mathew performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2000 w/ the Velvet Vipers under the direction of Davey Marlin Jones. In 2001 he returned to the Edinburgh Fringe w/ choreographer Louis Kavouras to perform Kavouras’ duet My Brother, which subsequently went on to tour in Guatemala. Mathew has also danced in the Erick Hawkins Legacy Forum Concert at Hunter College in 2002. Mathew is trained in the Erick Hawkins technique of Modern Dance, has studied integrated voice & movement w/ master teacher Michael Lugering, & Clown w/ NYC’s Vaudeville icon Eric Davis. Mathew holds a bachelors degree in English/Literature from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Certified Teacher

David Shamburger is Assistant Professor of performance at Huntington College, IN where he is head of performance studies. David has worked professionally as both actor and director and has taught theatre at Middle Georgia College, GA and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. David holds an MFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he gained extensive training under Michael Lugering, building on an already great interest in performing and teaching Shakespeare. The acting and voice technique he teaches is based on the Lugering Method with influences from Linklater, Alexander, Leban, Stanislavsky and the external method of Susanna Bloch's, Alba Emoting. Focusing on grounding, releasing unwanted tension, and the exploration of reflexive response, he stresses the importance of integration and synthesis of the voice with language and movement. David has been a resident member of the Granbury Opera House in Texas, the Horse Cave Repertory Theatre in Kentucky, Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (CAST) in Iowa, McLeod Summer Playhouse in Illinois and Saint Michael's Playhouse in Vermont.