Our Winter Series Instructor Bios

Roque Berlanga

A California native, Roque is a director, actor, teaching artist and proud Associate Member of SDC. While in California, Roque trained with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Second City. Roque has served as a teaching artist for the past 15 years and specializes in teaching Viewpoints, Linklater, and Second City Improv.

Roque is currently the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Theatre [Untitled] and their educational branch Actor’s Professional Theatre Conservatory (APTC) based in New York City. Roque spent three years as resident director at Stagedoor Manor, a professional theatre training camp for young artists in upstate New York. He also served as Artistic Director of the Allenberry Playhouse for three years in Pennsylvania.

Select directing credits include:The Whale Play (The Drama Book Shop), Bye Bye Birdie (Forestburgh Playhouse), The Theory of Relativity (Stagedoor Manor), Rent (Stagedoor Manor), Spamalot (Stagedoor) Into the Woods (Stagedoor Manor), Chicago (Allenberry), Footloose (Allenberry), The 39 Steps (Allenberry), Wait Until Dark (Allenberry), The Wedding Singer (APTC) and 13! (APTC).

Brian Michael Hoffman

Brian starred as “Horton” in the Off-Broadway revival of SEUSSICAL and returns to Forestburgh’s (insert whatever we’re calling this) Series after directing last year’s Spring Break MT Intensive and managing mischief as “Uncle Fester” in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Favorite regional credits include the “cognitively challenged” “Jiggs Thomas” in the Broadway- bound BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE, “Seymour” (LITTLE SHOP…), “Patsy” (SPAMALOT), “Sancho” (MAN OF LA MANCHA), “Billis” (SOUTH PACIFIC), “Barfee” (..SPELLING BEE), “The Cowardly Lion” (THE WIZARD OF OZ), “Czolgosz” (ASSASSINS), “Charlie Brown” (YOU’RE A GOOD MAN…), “Filch” (THE THREEPENNY OPERA) and “Mr. Grimes” (ON BORROWED TIME, directed by Joel Grey). A graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts and Syracuse University, Brian’s performed at theatres across the country including Madison Square Garden, 54 Below, the Goodspeed Opera House, Sacramento Music Circus, the MUNY, Maine State, Syracuse Stage, Marriott Lincolnshire, Ogunquit Playhouse, Pioneer, Ivoryton, Two River, Alabama Shakes, Lyric Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh CLO. He led a barbershop quartet at Tokyo Disney Sea in Japan for 3 years, has performed in over 2,300 performances of ANNIE (some with Broadway’s original red-head, Andrea McArdle, and in the 2014 movie!) and can be heard on the SEUSSICAL, ANNIE: 30th Anniversary, ANNIE 2 and THE DRAGONSLAYERS cast recordings. Broadway/WBTA: LEGALLY BLONDE, THE ROYAL FAMILY, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, THE AUDIENCE (starring Dame Helen Mirren), LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL (starring Audra McDonald), NBC’s PETER PAN LIVE & THE WIZ LIVE, SNL, Sesame Street and HBO’s “High Maintenance.” WWW.BRIANMICHAELHOFFMAN.COM

Andy Hudson

Andy Hudson is grateful to the Forestburgh Playhouse Academy for allowing him to continue to work with talented young artists! At the Forestburgh Playhouse, he has directed Madagascar and Seussical and music directed Into the Woods, Shout!, The Addams Family, The Little Mermaid, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Mamma Mia!, and The Rocky Horror Show. Other favorite music direction credits include: The Fantasticks, Mame, The Marvelous Wonderettes (Allenberry Playhouse), Hairspray, Beehive, The Great American Trailer Park Musical (The Little Theatre on the Square), Little Shop of Horrors, Peter and the Starcatcher (Creede Repertory Theatre), and Memphis (Red Mountain Theatre Company). SuperKids, his third musical for young audiences, enjoyed its world premiere in 2018. Love always to Mom, Dad, Dan, and Brian. Find him online at AJTHUDSON.COM.

Stephanie Pope

Stephanie Pope is an actress, singer, dancer, writer, voice over artist, producer and a musical theater veteran with a career spanning over 35 years. Highlight: Playing the role of Tanya in the Forestburgh Playhouse production of Mama Mia! Broadway and touring credits include the revival of Pippin, for which she received an Astaire Award nomination, an ACCA Award and the beloved Legacy Robe, Chicago (Velma Kelly), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Muzzy Van Hossmere), Fosse (Leading Player), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Brenda), A Funny Thing… Forum(Gymnasia), Kiss of The Spider Woman (Stand-by for Ms. Chita Rivera), Jelly's Last Jam (The Hunnies) and The Will Rogers Follies... just to name a few.

Stephanie has the distinct honor of having been hand-picked to work with the legendary director/choreographer, Bob Fosse, along with his wife and muse, Gwen Verdon on her first two Broadway shows, the revival of Sweet Charity starring Debbie Allen and Bebe Neuwirth and Bob Fosse's Big Deal. She holds the distinct and treasured title of "Fosse Dancer" and is one of a handful of performers who teach Fosse Master Classes on behalf of The Fosse Estate and The Verdon Fosse Legacy LLC.

When not performing Stephanie enjoys teaching hot yoga and spending quality time with her husband, Aarne Lofgren and their daughter, Mari.

Julio Rey

Julio Rey is a professional actor based out of New York City. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, he attended Penn State University and pursued a BFA in musical theatre. He appeared as part of the resident company at Forestburgh Playhouse in 2016 and 2017 where he played the roles of Davey (Newsies), Jetsam (The Little Mermaid), and many others. Since then Julio has gone on to perform with companies such as Pittsburgh CLO, Ogunquit Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, The Rev Theatre Company, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, working with some of the biggest names in the theatre industry. Julio was also the male recipient of the Roger Sturtevant Musical Theatre Award in 2019 through the Actors Equity Foundation. @julio.iguana

Hannah Stephens (Resident Director)

Hannah Stephens is a New York City-based theatre director, actor, and educator, and she is proud and thrilled to be a member of the Theatre [Untitled] team! A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Hannah holds a BFA in Acting from The University of Montevallo. She has completed national tours with both The Missoula Children's Theatre and The National Theatre for Children. Currently, Hannah is a resident teaching artist, director, and the Communications Director at The Play Group Theatre. Hannah has served as the Associate Director on Claire circa 2007-2016 and The Voice of Broadway. She also works with APTC as a teaching artist and director.

Chaz Wolcott

Chaz Wolcott is a theatre artist based in New York City. He has directed & choreographed multiple Forestburgh Playhouse productions over the past few seasons including Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Me and My Girl and Kiss Me Kate. He served as choreographer of Crazy for You and Mary Poppins and is thrilled to be part of Forestburgh Playhouse’s Academy. Other Director/Choreographer credits: Broadway: Red Bucket Follies, Broadway Backwards, Gypsy of the Year; Regional: Newsies (5x), Cats, Bright Star and La Cage aux Folles. As a performer, you can catch Chaz in Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical (available digitally). He has appeared on TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, and on the National Tours of Cats and Newsies. Chaz is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in New York City, and travels across North America teaching for conventions and theatre organizations. For more, visit www.chazwolcott.com or follow @dancinchaz.