Ms. Billings is the Viewpoints Associate at The Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, and has taught at the Steppenwolf Schools in both Chicago and Los Angeles since 1998. Alexandra has studied Viewpoints under Tina Landau, one of the originators of Viewpoints along with Anne Bogart. She has also taught Viewpoints - as both an acting tool and a rehearsal technique - at Universities and theaters across the country since 1995, including the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Louis University, Depaul University, and has been on staff at both Act One Studios and for the Illinois Theatre Alliance.

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Shannon Cochran is an actress and director who has been working in theatre, film, and television for 25 years. She is a member of the teaching staff at The School at Steppenwolf in Chicago, as well as Steppenwolf West. She taught text discovery/scene study at DePaul University, and has conducted individual workshops in Chicago for several theatre companies.

Abigail Deser, an associate artistic director of the Ojai Plawrights Conference and freelance director, she has directed many award-winning productions in Chicago, some for the Steppenwolf Theater Company. In addition to teaching and coaching, she has most recently been working on new play development including Susan Miller’s award-winning A Map of Doubt and Rescue, TD Mitchell's Beyond the 17th Parallel, Lee Blessing's Flag Day all at the OPC, and Jessica Goldberg’s Get What You Need at the Mark Taper Forum. Last season, Abigail directed Thursday by Adam Bock for the Echo Theater Company here in LA .

Mr. Irwin has been involved as an actor or director in over 50 productions with Steppenwolf theatre since joining the ensemble in 1979. Tom has been on the faculty of The Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University, Columbia Collage and The School at Steppenwolf.

Mr. Perry is a co-founder of Steppenwolf Theatre, the School at Steppenwolf, Steppenwolf Films and Steppenwolf Classes West. Since 1976, Jeff has taught two-person, ensemble and Chekhov scene study classes in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

Mr. Peyankov has been teaching Advanced Acting at UIC as a visiting profesor since 1999. Yasen has also taught 'Faith and Naivette' (Beggining Stanislavski) at the Steppenwolf Summer School, 'Performing Chekhov' at the University of Chicago, and has taught at The Audition Studio in Chicago

(Bio to come)

Eric has studied, performed, directed, and taught improvised theater non-stop for the past 15 years. He is a member of the acclaimed Chicago improv ensemble The Reckoning, and has traveled across the continent performing and teaching the art of long form improvisation. Eric is an alumnus of The Second City Chicago, Improv Olympic Chicago, and Comedy Sportz and currently teaches and performs at Improv Olympic West, as well as directing shows at the UCB Theatre, Comedy Central Stage, and iO West among others.

Emmy and Artios Award winning casting director currently casting ABC's Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, NBC's Friday Night Lights.

Graduating from Illinois State University, actress Laurie Metcalf is one of the charter members of Chicago's groundbreaking Steppenwolf Theatre troupe. She moved on to New York in the early '80s, winning a 1984 Theatre World Award and an Obie for her performance in "Balm in Gilead." In films since 1985, Ms. Metcalf has been seen in director Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and Making Mr. Right (1987), and also in several other highly regarded productions, notably Uncle Buck (1989), JFK (1991), and Mistress (1992). Metcalf is best known to the TV-watching public for her Emmy-winning portrayal of Roseanne Conner's police-officer sister, Jackie Harris, on the long running sitcom Roseanne.

Ms. Rooney has directed eight television movies and over one hundred episodes of prime-time network shows, including the critically acclaimed Alley McBeal, Dawson's Creek, Ed, The Gilmore Girls, Boston Public, and Crossing Jordan.

Ms. Schuringa was the Casting Director for over 100 plays at Steppenwolf in Chicago, as well as being
the Assistant to the Artistic Director (Randy Arney). Phyllis was also the Box Office manager for 2 and a half years. In Chicago and Los Angeles Phyllis has taught scene study and auditioning classes. She is now in her fifth season as the Casting Director and the Assistant to the Artistic Director for the Geffen Playhouse.