Melissa has an affinity for play and an obsession with being in the moment.
She commits to her work fully and fearlessly, always in pursuit of joy, freedom, and open-hearted vulnerability. These are her core values, not only as an artist, but as a teacher. Her passion for performance is infectious, and her wide-ranging skill set allows her to bring out the best in every student, whether through a physical comedy workshop, a scene study class, or a monologue coaching session. She believes that anyone, regardless of their age or experience level, can benefit from studying acting.
Melissa trained at the Atlantic Acting School (affiliated with the Tony-award winning Off-Broadway Atlantic Theater Company) through NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She has studied Theatrical Clowning with teachers from around the world, including Christopher Bayes (The Pandemonium Studio), Philippe Gaulier (École Philippe Gaulier), and Angela de Castro (The Why Not Institute), as well as Jacque Lecoq’s Pedagogy of Physical & Generative Theatre with Richard Crawford and Emmanuelle Delpech (Movement Theater Studio).
Melissa is currently an adjunct instructor at NYU Tisch and a faculty member of the Atlantic Acting School. She has worked as a teaching artist throughout New York City and has led workshops all over the country at events such as the International Thespian Festival and the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
“Melissa creates an environment that is safe to explore despite one’s individual insecurities. She is such a wonderful guide, and opens the door through which the curious can trespass and get a glimpse into the practice of acting. ”
“Melissa has helped me discover that my artistic strength is much greater than I believed. She has an incredible wealth of knowledge about the industry, provides pertinent feedback and truly cares about your progress. ”