About Us

Wedgwood Drama Studio offers after school programs in neighborhood schools, summer camps at View Ridge Park, and classes at our studio location in Wedgwood just east of the corner of 95th St and 35th Ave NE. Join us for some fun!

Christi Cruz

Founder/Director

Christi received her BA from the University of Washington in Drama and Spanish and has been working since 1998 as professional actor in the Seattle area performing on stage, film, videos, commercials, and in voice-overs.

As a 7 year company member of Living Voices, Christi worked as an Associate Director, Actor, and Teaching Artist, performing one person shows about history. She has also performed with eSe Teatro, SIS Productions, Theater Anonymous, 14/48, Live Girls!, Book-It, Mirror Stage, ReAct, and Represent! A Multicultural Playwrights Festival, Cafe Nordo, and ACT. She is currently working on a webseries.

As an Arts Educator, she has worked with Seattle Children’s Theater, Book Pals -Performing Artist for Literacy in Schools, Franklin High School, University of Washington, Eastside Learning Community, Theater of Possibility, Laird Norton, Kids in Motion, Family Biz Kids, Wake Up Girl, and Aspiring Youth. In her work with Wedgwood Drama Studio, Christi has taught drama programs at Wedgwood Drama Studio (Dramatic play 3-5s), Wedgwood, Viewridge, Bagely, Sandpoint, John Rogers, Thornton Creek, KapKa Cooperative, Bryant, Laurelhurst and Hazel Wolf Elementary. She has worked at Wallingford Cooperative, University Ravenna Pre-3s and Woodland Park Cooperative and is the Pre-K teacher at University Cooperative School.

Christi is also a Certified Positive Discipline Parenting Educator, a Parent Education Instructor with North Seattle College, Board Member of 14/48 serving as Vice- Chair, Board Member at Living Voices, currently sits on the Advisory Committee of Brown Soul Production, and is a proud NE mom of 3.

Christi was featured in Northeast Seattle Living Magazine. You can check out the article here.

Jesica Avellone

Actor/Teaching Artist

Jesica is a Seattle-based actor and teacher, and is delighted to join the Wedgwood Drama Studio team in addition to having taught with Intiman Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Studio East, and Stone Soup Theatre.

A New York transplant, she is a founding member of award-winning CollaborationTown, and was seen at La MaMa ETC, the Ontological-Hysteric Theater, and Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, and in the Off-Broadway premiere of Pentecost, among others.

She plays the violin and was nominated for an Innovative Theatre Award for her compositions for CTown’s The Astronomer’s Triangle. In Seattle, she has performed with Book-It Rep, Seattle Shakespeare Company/Wooden O, Seattle Public Theater, 14/48, and Live Girls! Theater. Jesica received her BFA from Boston University.

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Alyssa Keene

Actor/Teaching Artist

Alyssa Keene is an actor, dialect coach, and teaching artist who caught the acting bug watching The Muppets and free outdoor Shakespeare as a kindergartener. She is a faculty member at Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Film Institute, Seattle University, and producer at Jack Straw Cultural Center. She has also been a teaching artist for Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Freehold Theatre Lab, and Family Learning Programs in West Seattle.

Recent dialect coaching credits include Jitterbug Perfume (Cafe Nordo) A Christmas Carol (ACT), Cassius Clay (SCT) A Raisin in the Sun (Seattle Repertory Theatre), Ragtime (5th Avenue). Recent acting credits include Sweeney Todd (Reboot), Why We Have a Body (Strawshop), Mother Courage (Seattle Shakespeare Company).

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Shaunyce Omar

Actor/Teaching Artist

Shaunyce Omar has performed on stages all around the world. She is a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association. Some of her credits include: Barbecue, Crowns, Black Nativity, Hairspray, Matilda, The Wedding Band, My Heart is the Drum, The Pajama Game, Rejoice, Chicago, Hi Hat Hattie, The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Menopause The Musical – National Tour. Her TV/Film Credits include The Librarians and Last Seen In Idaho to name a few. Shaunyce’s voice can also be heard as the character Madison Grant in the State of Decay: LIFELINE video game. She is also the recipient of a Gregory, Footlight, Broadway World and The 5th Ave Theater’s Subscriber’s Choice awards. In addition to stage and screen work, Omar is a Teaching Artist and has taught in both public and private schools, arts organizations and overseas as a Master Sensei in Japan.

She holds a B.A degree in Theatre from Southern University and A&M College.

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Megan Sandico

Actor/Teaching Artist

Megan is a Seattle educator, working currently in elementary and dance education. She is currently an assistant teacher at University Cooperative School, where she assists in the kindergarten class. She grew up in Mill Creek, WA and she holds a B.A degree in Educational Studies from Western Governors University.

Megan has worked in dance education for 10 years, teaching at Dance Elite, Rhythm and Soul Dance Studio, The Studios, as well as teaching various independent dance workshops for kids and adults. She has trained/taught in styles such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, and modern dance.

Megan’s dance education company, Puget Sound Movement, was started in 2022 and offers dance classes for kids with a social/emotional emphasis.

https://pugetsoundmovement.com

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Aquillah White

Teaching Artist

Aquillah lives to let her creativity fly! Hailing from upstate NY, she received her B.A. in English, with a concentration in poetry, from Cornell University. Aquillah loves writing, colorful Japanese street fashions, karaoke, auteur film and dancing. She is currently a teacher’s assistant for third grade at University Cooperative School in Seattle.

Pilar O'Connell

Teaching Artist

Pilar is a Latinx multi-disciplinary theatre artist from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She graduated Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts in 2012. In Seattle she has performed with Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Our Country’s Good), Seattle Repertory Theatre (Luna Gale), Seattle Shakespeare Company (As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew), Wooden O (The Tempest), The Icicle Creek New Play Festival (Goddess of Mercy, In Vivo), ActLAB (Fool For Love), Seattle Public Theatre (Christmastown 2015-2018, The Liar), Forward Flux Productions (Still Life) as well as many others. Pilar was the 2018 Recipient of the People’s Choice Gregory Award for Outstanding Actor in a play for her performance as Detective Morris in The Nether at Washington Ensemble Theatre. She serves as the Associate Artistic Director at Seattle Public Theater.

Marion Jacobs

Teaching Artist

Marion Jacobs is a Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Bahamian artist who teaches, writes, directs, and acts. She was born and raised in the village of Xwemelch’stn (Capilano Indian Reserve) located in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2013 she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a Bachelors degree in Performing Art Acting. She attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, graduating with honors in 2017.

She moved to Seattle in 2018 and that summer became a teaching artist for Red Eagle Soaring Native youth theatre. Marion has extensive experience working with youth. From 2006-2012 she was a volunteer teaching aid at Xwemelch’stn Etsimxwawtxw (Capilano Little Ones School) for kindergarten to grade 2 students.

Marion has recently been involved with productions by KCACTF Region 7, Kitchen Dog Theatre, and the Yale Indigenous Youth Arts Program. She is currently focused on producing her own work but she will always support youth in any way she can!

Haley Bates (She/They)

Actor/Teaching Artist

Haley loves all things loud, proud, and creative! They have lived in Seattle for 11 years, graduating from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre and a concentration in Original Works in 2016. Some favorite ways to spend the day are writing, reading, dancing, and roller skating. Currently, Haley is an assistant teacher working with second graders at University Cooperative School.

Sarah Russell (She/Her)

Actor/Teaching Artist

Sarah Russell is a Seattle based performer, teaching artist, specializing in storytelling through movement and song.She has been performing and teaching professionally for the last 10+ years. Recently, performing as Cinderella in the 5th avenue theaters production of Into the Woods. She has also taught classes with STG, Studio East, and Village Theatre. Sarah is honored to join the Wedgwood family, and share her knowledge and love of storytelling with these young artists. She believes theater should be accessible to all, and that we all are worthy to take up space and tell our story.

Patti Belle

Designer

Patti Belle has been designing with Wedgwood Drama Studio since 2008. As an Art Director and Designer with over 15 years experience, she offers both print and interactive solutions, specializing in corporate identity, branding, and collateral. Patti has extensive experience in advertising, marketing, publication design, non-profit collateral, photo styling and direction. For more information contact Patti