Meet the Mentors
Ansa Akyea
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I want to be a mentor because I want to make a difference in molding and supporting an aspiring artist from within the industry they want to work in.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? My parents, Professor Amadou Maddy, Hariette Pierce
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Working with Peter Rothstein and Denise Prosek on Shrek, working with Greg banks on Huck Finn at CTC, working with Tim jones and Bruce Young on Chad deity at Mixed Blood. All because I had the chance to do something new, different, challenging , and fun at a high professional level.
Cristina Baldwin
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? Mentors shaped who I am.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Ben Kyrwosz, Mari Taniguchi, Larry Weller and Dominique Serrand.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Helping to adapt, create and perform in the shows at Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Early in my career, I was allowed insight into the amount of work required from all involved to tell a story.
Michele Barber
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I love to mentor because the new generations of actors coming on board have many new opportunities and obstacles with technology being in the forefront of their lives. I love to guide students in the art of making their art. Making sure that emotional content is not lost due to ease of tools available to give a performance or monologue.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? The older actors I had the pleasure to work with throughout my career as an actor were always my mentors. Watching them work was a wonderful way to learn the steps of becoming a character. In singing, my father and brother were my mentors. My father taught me how to sing the actual melody line of a song before adding my take on a piece. And my brother taught me the technical skills in a recording studio.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? My favorite opportunity has always been the meeting and working with my husband, Michael Brindisi. We have worked together for over 35 years; starting a non-profit theatre, running summer stock managing and directing a for-profit theatre. There is always something new to learn. Every day with him is exciting in this business. And what opportunities I have been given with him.
Mark Benninghofen
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I have been very fortunate to perform for Twin Cities audiences for many years. I’d like to share my experience with younger actors. I also find the community of young talent in town very energizing!
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? I’ve had great mentors from high school in the 70’s through my years here in town. I couldn’t have developed as an actor without them. Pat Murphy, Omar Shapley, Patrick Mason, Joe Dowling.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Sweeney Todd in 2015 was my first ever musical…learned a lot about myself, my friends and the giant talent pool we have in town.
Warren Bowles
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? Theatre artists are rather marginalized. Most people associate theatre either with high school extracurricular activity or Broadway or Hollywood 'stardom' and in both cases it is thought of as fun and frivolous. Discipline, hard work, nor research are associated with it. I have had and appreciated mentor(s) who have helped direct me to and through my career. It was an enormous benefit.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Dr. Reginald Bain, professor and director at the University of Notre Dame took direct interest in me and provided guidance. Jewel Walker who led by example.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Performing Cyrano de Bergerac at Mixed Blood. It the role I most coveted and it just fell into my lap. It was also when I met my wife.
Aimee Bryant
Sun Mee Chomet
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? To engage with an exceptional mentee with exceptional potential to impact the future of the American theater.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Zaraawar Mistry- he has taught me how to sustain integrity and honor my own voice an vision as I navigate a career in the theater.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why?Playing Antigone in Seamus Heaney's Burial at Thebes under Marcela Lorca's direction at the Guthrie.
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Bradley Greenwald
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I believe I have a responsibility to pass on the knowledge, experience, and even unanswered questions I have in the middle of my life and career.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Vern Sutton: artist, singer, actor, opera director, writer, historian; Dominique Serrand: artist, actor, theater, director, designer; Maria Jette: artist, singer, writer, historian; Bain Boehlke: artist, actor, theater director, designer.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Putting my German/education major at the University on hold while I went on tour with the Minnesota Opera; I had no idea a life in the performing arts was possible and I never would have, had I not taken that chance.
Peter Moore
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I think as we climb the ladder we should help other people up.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? No mentors, but influences and inspirations include Laurence Olivier, Danny Kaye William Hobbs and Erroll Flynn.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? No single favorite. I relish and am thrilled by every opportunity.
Michelle O'Neil
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? Life can be complicated and difficult and I hope for everyone that the journey can be shared. It has been important for me to have someone I can turn to with questions about my craft, the business and my life. This sharing of knowledge has made it a bit easier to go into situations with less fear, more curiosity and confidence. If I can help someone else understand the craft or navigate the questions that come up, I think it is very important…it’s paying it forward.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? My most significant mentor was Kenneth Washington. I have known him for 32 years. He taught my first acting class, directed me in many plays and he became a life long friend and part of my family. I have had many people influence my career.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? That’s hard to say. I have enjoyed many of the projects I have worked on. I try to find out what I can learn from each project, how it will challenge me. I try to be happy with what I am doing at that moment and not wishing to be doing something different.
Angela Timberman
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I hope that me and the person I mentor gain some insight and inspiration from each other about art, theater, and the business that is theater.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Ms. Seifert, my high school teacher, and Gary Gisselman.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Six Characters In Search of An Author (summer stock), Detroit at the Jungle Theater and directing my kid's high school Shakespeare showcase.
James A. Williams
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I desire to pay it forward.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? Lou Bellamy, Horace Bond, Barbara Woods & August Wilson
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Taking the final August Wilson play from its world premiere to Broadway. Over that 3 year stretch I gained an insight into the true nature of artistic sacrifice and dedication.
Regina Williams
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? Part of my nature is to nurture. I can’t help myself. Besides everything is better when you share it.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? I have been fortunate to have always had others around me to help, advise, and encourage me. I am a better woman, mother, and artist because of those who held me up and had my back. They listen, and talk, and support, and suggest. There are too many to name. I can call about a monologue, a contract, a song, an audition or just when I am scared to death and not sure what to do next. They are friends, church elders, my voice coach, colleagues, acquaintances, but mainly people in the business.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? My favorite opportunity to date was being asked what show I wanted to do, who I wanted to write it, who would be onstage with me, and who would direct it. Then to have it produced and perform it to sold out houses. Now what?
Sally Wingert
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I feel like mentoring is a two way street. Having worked as an actor for a lot of years, I know a few things. People new to the occupation generally have great questions, fresh ideas, different inspirations and aspirations. I want that too. This is an ever renewing art form.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? My mentors have been varied and numerous. Sometimes folks have mentored me unaware. A brief list, Neal Leubke, Humanities teacher from my high school, Garland Wright, former Artistic Director, Guthrie Theater,Daniel Fish, director, Isabel Monk-O'Connor actor, Casey Stengl, director, Peter Rothstein Artistic Director Theater Latte Da, Rob Melrose, director, Barbara Brynne, actor, really, upon reflection, so many actors I work with in this community are ongoing mentors.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? I broke through a wall I had erected myself when I played Sabina in Robert Woodruff's production of THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH, Guthrie Theater 1990. If someone decides to enter into a mentorship with me, we can talk about it.
Steve Yoakam
1. Why do you want to be a mentor? I would like to be a mentor because giving back to the next generation of artists in the Twin Cities is important and vital to the health of the arts.
2. Who has mentored you and influenced your career? I had two acting mentors: Ken Ruta and Paul Ballantyne who were members of Tyronne Guthrie's original company, and Garland Wright greatly influenced my career as well.
3. What has been your favorite career opportunity and why? Probably a tie between The History Plays earlier in my career and then An Iliad a few years ago. Both experiences were reaches into difficulty and complexity that allowed me to grow at big risk.