Sam, a native of Sioux City, IA, holds bachelor's degrees in vocal performance and in music education from Simpson College in Indianola, IA and a master's degree in music history/ literature from the University of Houston. He recently co-directed the world premiere of Chance Productions' Kissless the Musical at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He has also directed HFAC's Teen Actors' Guild productions of Into the Woods, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables and Twelve Angry Jurors and music directed HFAC's mainstage productions of West Side Story, Oklahoma! and A Christmas Carol and TAG productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Anything Goes and Wonderland. He has also served as director, musical director and/or conductor for Into the Woods, Jekyll and Hyde, Children of Eden, The Pajama Game, Sweeney Todd, Ruthless!, Seussical, Guys and Dolls, Once on This Island, Once Upon a Mattress, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan and Godspell at Masquerade's Tribble School and has music directed I Do! I Do! at HCC, Joseph...Dreamcoat and Seussical at the Jewish Community Center and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with Wildfish Theatre. Acting credits include the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar with Ben Vereen at the Wortham with the Musical Theatre of Houston, West Side Story (Tony) with Houston Family Arts Center, Sweeney Todd (Pirelli), the title role in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Beauty and the Beast (Maurice), The Music Man (Mayor Shinn), Evita (Magaldi), Seussical (Mr. Mayor), Guys and Dolls (Arvide), Forever Plaid (Sparky) and Man of La Mancha (Padre) with The Masquerade Theatre, Little Women (Professor Bhaer) with The Queen Theatre and The Sound of Music with Theatre Under The Stars.

Soprano Robin Cobb has performed many roles from the Lyric Soprano musical theater and operatic repertoire and is one of the foremost vocal pedagogues teaching the "crossover" classical and musical theater, contemporary singing styles techniques in Houston.

Her students are performing on Broadway, Off Broadway and in current National and International Tours. Her Sam Houston State University graduated college students performing professionally are: Katie Rose Clarke, just finished a two year run as the current Glinda on Broadway in Wicked and starred as Clara Johnson taking over for Kelli O'Hara in "The Light in the Piazza"at The Kennedy Center in 2006, toured as Clara in the National tour through 2008 and toured as Glinda in "Wicked" through 2009, now touring as Glinda through 2013; Margaret Hoffman, who opened at The Apollo Theater in NYC as Michelle in the Equity International and National Tours of "Dreamgirls" in November 2009, and toured through January of 2011, currently starring as Maddie in the new Off-Broadway production of "City Club"; Nkrumah Gatling currently touring as a Tribesman in "Hair" and on Broadway at the St. James Theater in summer 2011; also Onyie Wachachunie who toured as Joanne in the 2007-2009 National and International Tours of "Rent". She also has students who are currently or have recently performed on Carnival, Holland America and Royal Carribean cruise lines in addition to Regional theaters across the country.

She holds a B.A. and M.M. in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Cobb has been a member of the National Association of Teachers of singing for the past 20 years; she served as Co-Vice President of Auditions for the Houston chapter from 2002 - 2004 and College Vocal Music Fair Representative from 2006 -2008.

As a former Adjunct Faculty member at Sam Houston State University in both musical theater and classical voice for 7 years, her expertise are in musical theater/classical crossover vocal techniques. She is now a private Vocal Coach for Houston Family Arts Center and teaches in various locations around Houston; North Houston, and the Memorial Area. She is also the owner and founder of Musical Theater/Broadway (MTB) Audition Workshops and Clinics and the soon to be opened Artists Agency…connecting theaters in Houston, Austin and San Antonio with pre professional and professional Houston singers and talent.

Ellen loves teaching dance! She began dancing at the age of 4 when her mother asked her if she wanted to jump in the sponge pit off trampolines and take gymnastics or stand at the barre and do plies- she promptly replied ballet. And has loved it ever since! Ellen danced in the Waltz of the Flowers in The Nutcracker with Ballet Forte in Sugar Land. She grew up taking dance at Kathleen Parker Studio, and Fort Bend Academy of Dance and continued her training at the University of Houston with Dwight Sheldon former ABT dancer. Ellen also has an extensive background in musical theatre. She has performed all over Houston including The Alley Theatre (you can see her in The Seagull this Spring 2012), Main Street Theatre, and with Broadway producer, Stuart Ostrow. This past fall she choreographed a new musical called Kissless for HFAC that went to the Off-Broadway New York Musical Theatre Festival and was praised for it's choreography. Other HFAC choreography credits include: Anything Goes, Little Shop of Horrors, Oklahoma, Thoroughly Modern Millie, West Side Story, and Oliver. Ellen teaches ballet, tap, and jazz to students ranging from 2.5 years to 18 years old. She is very excited to be teaching for HFAC's Actor's Academy again this year!

Harry Perrin is a native Houstonian and proud alumni of The Humphrey's School of Musical Theatre at Theatre Under the Stars and the Houston Family Arts Center. He earned his Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at The University of Oklahoma. While he was there, he served as President of the Dean's Council at the Fine Arts College.

After college, Harry moved to New York City, and has been there for the last two years. He made his NY debut, with Sanguine Productions at The Tank NYC, in a production of FUGUE, by Toby Scales. He recently was a featured vocalist for the YOU MADE THIS TOUR concerts in NYC, featuring the songs of Brian Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan. The concerts were directed by Daniel Goldstein, who directed the 2011 Revival of GODSPELL. Harry also is a featured/backup vocalist for other new musical theatre concerts, singing the songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt, Drew Gasparini, Rob Rokicki, and Adam Gwon. Harry also had the honor of performing at the 27th Annual Drama League Benefit, honoring Patti LuPone. The benefit took place at the Hotel Pierre where Harry shared the stage with Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Christopher Seiber, Chad Kimball, Montego Glover, and others. As a singer/songwriter, Harry has had the privilege of performing in New York City at Rockwood Music Hall, Les Poisson Rouge, Googie's Lounge, and Joey & Gavin DeGraw's The National Underground.

Some of Harry's favorite regional credits include: The title role in PIPPIN (Theatre Under the Stars), The Club Owner in MISS SAIGON (Music Theatre Wichita), Chip Tolentino in 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Linus in YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, and Man #1 in SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM (The Sooner Theatre), and CAROUSEL (TexArts, Paramount Theatre). He also starred as Daniel in a workshop reading of the American Harmony Prize winning Ruby/Rokicki musical, LOVE, NY. Harry also enjoyed being a featured vocalist for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Pops Chorale during the 2007-2010 seasons.

Harry has returned to Houston, TX for the 2012 spring season to appear as Icarus in MYTHS & HYMNS with Phoenix Productions. He will also be an adjunct staff member for the Houston Family Arts Center's Actor Academy, one of the premiere professional theatre training programs in southeast Texas. There, he will provide private voice/performance coaching sessions and serve as the Academy's webmaster. With HFAC, Harry has appeared as the Tin Man in THE WIZARD OF OZ and the voice of Audrey Two in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. He also directed COMIC BOOK ARTIST and assistant-directed TWELVE ANGRY JURORS for the Actors Academy.

Originally from Austin, TX.  Mr. Rush is an actor/writer/director who moved to Houston in 1998 where he finished his degree in acting/directing at The University of Houston.  There he studied with Edward Albee, Jose Quintero, and Stuart Ostrow.  Since moving to Houston, he has performed in over 50 productions at Alley Theatre, Main St. Theater, Stages, as well as many others.  He is the author of the musicals, The Tale of Young Goodman Brown (2001) and Happy Ending (2009).  He has authored two screenplays;  The Beat Inside (2010), and Women and Wallace (adaptation) (2012).  He has two published children’s plays, Casey at The Bat (2009), and 40 Presidents in 40 Minutes (2010).  Mr. Rush is honored to be part of the teaching team at HFAC, his recent HFAC credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, (Asst. Director/Sound Design) and Twelfth Night (Asst. Director/Sound Design)

Originally from Iowa, Dana Stephens dancing at three and began performing on stage professionally when she was nine years old. By the time she finished high-school she had already performed many coveted female roles for Lyric Theatre, Jewel Box, Illinois Repertory Theatre and Chopin Theatre in shows like Les Miserables, Sound Of Music, West Side Story and Beauty & The Beast. She studied Vocal Performance (BM) at Oklahoma City University which is world-renowned for its demanding and professional vocal training, producing award-winning vocalists such as Metropolitan Opera legend Leona Mitchell, Chris Merrit, Marquita Lister, Sarah Coburn, and Broadway superstars Kristin Chenoweth and Kelli O'Hara. While in Oklahoma she also studied dance under OCU's Patricia Oplotnik and Billie Thrash winning numerous awards in competitions. In 2007 she became teaching certified in Speech Level Singing (SLS Level 1) and KinderMusik. Dana's talents have taken her to Branson, Los Angeles, Chicago, Mexico, Europe and South America in various touring companies, showcases and even "The Moscow Circus". In addition to training and experience Dana owned, operated and taught piano, dance and voice at Academy of Music & Dance in Oklahoma. She has worked and collaborated with multiple, award winning recording artists such as; Toby Keith, Point of Grace, Amber Hayes, and Shiny Toy Guns. Many of her past students have recorded albums that have been featured on soundtracks or received radio air time and several are currently acting in shows in New York, dancing in Disney, performing in Branson, MO, or acting in film in California. After recently relocating to Houston and taking some time off to raise her children, Dana is excited to be a part of the HFAC family and ready to return to the two things she loves to do most...theatre and teaching!