Mirla Criste
(646) 246-4415
email: mirlacriste at cristeworks dot com
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Master of Fine Arts, Drama, University of California, Irvine, CA., December 1998
| Thesis: |
"On Teaching and Teaching Acting: With a Suggested Model for the Acting Classroom"
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| Courses of Study: |
Robert Cohen acting technique; Fitzmaurice and Linklater Voicework for the Actor; International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA); stage combat; acting and marketing for the camera; musical theater; playwrighting; theatre pedagogy; dramatic literature; script analysis; mask; and a varied movement sampler (including Chekhov's psychological gesture, LeCoq mime, tai-chi, period dance); classical jazz dance
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Bachelor of Arts, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, May, 1985. Theater Major, Dance Minor
| Courses of Study: |
acting (Stanislavsky); dance (modern, ballet, contact improvisation); western theater history; dance history; technical theater; theater production; Shakespeare and dramatic literature
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The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Conservatory, Los Angeles. 1998 - 1999
The Wynn Handman Studio, NYC, 1993-1995
The Merce Cunningham Dance Studio, NYC. 1985-1995
The Riverside Shakespeare Company, NYC. 1988-1989
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
| 8/04 - |
University of Georgia, GA. Department of Theatre and Film Studies.
Assistant Professor teaching Undergraduate acting, voice and movement, as well as graduate voice and movement.
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| 7/03 - 6/04 |
Hamilton College, NY. Department of Theatre and Dance.
Visiting Assistant Professor teaching Acting Techniques and Mask Studio.
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| 7/00 - 6/02 |
Oberlin College, OH. Theater and Dance Program.
Visiting Assistant Professor teaching Acting Techniques, Voice and Movement for the Actor, Musical Theater, and Acting for the Camera.
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| 1/00 |
Oberlin College, OH. Theater and Dance Program and Oberlin Film Cooperative
Visiting Instructor teaching ten-day intensive workshop in Acting, Audition & Marketing, and Directing of Actors for the Camera.
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| 9/96 - 6/98 |
University of California, Irvine, Department of Drama
Teaching Assistant serving as primary instructor to undergraduate drama students in acting improvisation, monologue and scene study, and dramatic literature.
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| 2/96 - 6/98 |
ArtsBridge (an outreach program of the University of CA, Irvine, School of the Arts)
Artist/Educator (inaugural team) teaching arts workshops in acting, singing, music & movement, and storytelling in the Orange County school system.
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6/96, 6/97,
6/99, 6/00 |
Trollwood Performing Arts School, ND
Instructor/Designer of hands-on four-week workshops in advanced acting, improvisation, voice & movement, musical theater, vocal technique and audition/marketing techniques.
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| 12/97 |
Karen's School of Dance, MA
Visiting Instructor conducting a series of workshops in Musical Theater Dance Auditioning and Repertory.
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| 8/94 |
Broadway Sundays (a project of CristeWorks, Inc.), NYC
Director/Educator in a series of workshops in acting and musical theater.
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| 1/93 - 9/95 |
BroadwayNow!™ (a division of Visionary Enterprises, Inc.), NYC
Director of Operations, Partner and key figure in seminar/convention company, providing master classes in acting, singing, dance and the business of professional theater.
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| 1/94 - 12/94 |
Teamworks (a project of the American Place Theater) & Young Audiences, NYC
Artist/Educator in programs designed to bring theater professionals and urban schoolchildren together in a learning environment.
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CREATIVE ACTIVITY
| 2007 |
Urinetown. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Director and Choreographer.
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| 2007 |
Hamletmachine. 7 Stages Theatre, GA & University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Ophelia (lead actor).
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| 2006 |
The Man Who Came To Dinner. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Director
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| 2006 |
DRIP. (staged reading). New South Festival, Horizon Theatre, GA. Director
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| 2006 |
Polaroid Stories. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Director
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| 2006 |
Noises Off. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Movement Consultant.
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| 2005 |
Anna in the Tropics. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Voice and Dialect Coach
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| 2005 |
Beauty and the Beast. Music Theatre Louisville, KY. Director and Choreographer
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| 2005 |
Pippin. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Co-director and Choreographer
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| 2005 |
The Importance of Being Earnest. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Style and Dialect Coach
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| 2004-2005 |
The Lover. University of Georgia, Department of Theatre and Film Studies. Director
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| 2004 |
Peter Pan. Music Theatre Louisville, KY. Director and Choreographer
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| 2004 |
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Music Theatre Louisville, KY. Choreographer
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| 2002 |
In the Garden of Live Flowers. SRU Theatre, PA. Director and choreographer
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| 2002 |
This Is Our Youth. Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program. Director
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| 2002 |
Blood Wedding. Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program. Director and choreographer
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| 2001 |
Company. Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program. Choreographer
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| 2001 |
Equus. Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program. Choreographer
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| 1997 |
Archipelago. SOTA Playwrights Festival, UCI. Director and playwright
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| 1996 |
Cage: and Bride Within. SOTA Playwrights Festival, UCI. Director and playwright
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| 1996 |
A Midsummer Night's Dream. UC Irvine Department of Drama. Choreographer
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| 1996 |
Women of Troy. UC Irvine Department of Drama. Co-choreographer
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| 1995 |
"Songs From My Childhood." NYU Delta Kappa Epsilon. Director and choreographer
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| 1995 |
Gossard International Fashion Show. Gossard International, Ltd., NYC. Choreographer
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| 1993-1994 |
"The Women of Miss Saigon." Broadway Cares/Equity FightsAids, NYC. Director
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| 1992 |
A Marriage Proposal. Lahi Philippine Performing Company, NYC. Director |
ORIGINAL WORKS
Water: Drought (Adagio), a Contact Theatre work (excerpt). Presented at Performatica, Cholula/Puebla, Mexico, 2008.
Savage/Love, a Contact Theatre adaptation. Presented in "Dancing for Dancers," Floorspace, Athens, GA, 2007.
Questions, Boundaries, Intentions, a Contact Theatre work. Presented as part of the Zen Monkey Project 2007 showcase, Floorspace, Athens, GA, 2007.
"Opening at Ciné," a dance theatre work. Presented at Ciné, Athens, GA, 2007.
Archipelago, a contemporary opera. Staged reading at SOTA Playwrights Festival, UCI, 1997.
Cage: and Bride Within, a play with movement/media. Staged reading at SOTA Playwrights Festival, UCI, 1996.
CONFERENCES & COLLOQUIA
Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2008 Conference, Denver, CO, August 2008. Session Coordinator and Presenter, "Physical Improvisation Modalities in Performance/Production"
Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2008 Conference, Seminar: "What's That I Smell in the Air...": The Musical and the American Dream. Denver, CO, August 2008. Author, "Miss Saigon: An Insider's Perspective On the American Dream"
Educational Forum for Globalization on Culture, Research, and Teaching, Georgia Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, April 2008. Author, "The Philippines: Recollections Of A Pre-Martial Law Childhood"
Performatica, Foro Internacional de Danza Contemporánea y Artes de Movimiento, Cholula/Puebla, Mexico, March, 2008. Workshop/demonstration presenter, Contact Theatre workshop.
Department of Theatre and Film Studies, UGA, 2006. Author, "Contact Improvisation and Contact Theatre in Polaroid Stories"
East of California Retreat and Annual Meeting, Oberlin College, 2001. Roundtable Chair/ Discussant, Teaching Asian American Theatre in Middle America.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
Marquis' Who's Who in America, 2005
UCI Playwrighting Achievement Award, 1997
UCI Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, 1995
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITES
| 1987-present |
NYC, Los Angeles, and regions. Professional film, television and stage actor.
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| 1998-2000 |
Clair Sinnett Casting, Los Angeles. Casting and administrative assistant.
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| 1991-1995 |
Miss Saigon, Ltd., NYC. Original Broadway cast member.
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| 1985-1987 |
Nadine Tringali and Dancers, NYC. Professional dance company member. |
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Screen Actors Guild
Actors Equity Association
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)
Association of Theatre Movement Educators
Theatre Communications Group
Oberlin College Alumni Council
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