Julianne Avolio is thrilled to be returning to Act One as the High School Program Coordinator. She is a Pittsburgh-based actor, improviser, and teaching artist . Some notable credits include the world premiere musicals of An Untitled New Play by Justin Timberlake with City Theare and Up and Away with Pittsburgh CLO; Plano with Quantum Theatre and Cry It Out with City Theatre. Julianne has taught with organizations like Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Arcade Comedy Theatre, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and more.  She brings 15 years of professional experience to the classroom where she is committed to helping each student find their voice and their confidence.

Delaney Bird is an actor and educator based in the Pittsburgh area. She holds a BA in Theatre and a BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology from West Liberty University, as well as an MFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Delaney works locally with Pittsburgh Performance Society and Saltworks Theatre Company. She brings energy, curiosity, and a love of storytelling to every class, offering a supportive space for creative exploration. 

Jeffrey Chips (he/him) is a local theater director, actor, and playwright residing in West View with his wife, Megan, and sons Samuel, Isaac, and Joshua. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Steel City Shakespeare Center, producing 23 productions in 10 years and directing Henry V, Macbeth, Pericles, Richard III, and The Seven Voyages of Sinbad, among others. He has also directed productions of Cymbeline and King Lear with Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks and previously worked as an understudy with the American Shakespeare Center on productions of The Tempest, Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Richard III. He also wrote the play The Heavy Gait of Night, which was produced with Steel City Shakespeare Center in 2023. He holds a BA in theatre from Allegheny College and an MLitt and MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University, earned while training at the American Shakespeare Center. Outside of the theater, he serves as the Program Coordinator at the West View Hub, a bookseller at Riverstone Books, and is active with BSA Troop 83 in West View.

Will is an Actor, Director, Filmmaker, and Producer throughout Western PA. He is an Act One Alum and holds a BA in Acting Theater from Point Park University. You may have seen Will work live with many theatrical organizations such as Off The Record, the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, or the Steel City Shakespeare Company. Will has also acted in a multitude of films and episodic series such as “The Other Side”, “Servant of the Spirit”, “Smart People”, and “Something to be Desired”.

Jared returned to ACT ONE in 2016 and has been directing and teaching "acting for film" since that time.  Jared has been acting professionally on stage and screen throughout the Pittsburgh area for over 20 years.  He is an Alum of ACT ONE and the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts.  Jared has appeared on stage at The Pittsburgh Public Theater, where he played Rudy in “Over the Tavern” and Oberon in “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” as well as Prime Stage, The Strand, and Little Lake Theatre where he is also employed as their Technical Director.  He also played a Stygian triplet in the 1999 film “Dogma” with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris Rock and Alan Rickman.  He also appeared in “One for the Money” and “Concussion” (film) and “Three Rivers,” and “Outsiders” (television).

Tawnya has been teaching at ACT ONE for over 20 years and is a favorite among our students.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting from Point Park University.  She has directed multiple ACT ONE productions including the 2014 Professional Training Program’s production of Metamorphosis.  Tawnya has performed with critical acclaim throughout the area.  She teaches Acting at CAPA (Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School) and is one of their most challenging directors.

Rachel is an Act One Alum and holds a BFA in Acting from Point Park University. She developed the curriculum and taught a musical theatre program in China for Fantasy Children’s Performing Arts School.  She completed four tours in the States as a director/actor with Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre.  She has acted and directed in New York City with several companies including 3 Voices Theatre and Queens Shakespeare.  Rachel is an Associate Director at Little Lake Theatre and part of the Midnight Radio Jr. education team at Bricolage.

Alex has been studying, practicing, teaching, and directing stage combat for over 30 years.  He currently heads the Stage Combat Progression at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has previously taught for Arcadia University, Rowan University, The North Carolina School of the Arts, Temple University, and The University of Delaware. He is also a core instructor for the annual Philadelphia Stage Combat Workshop.  Alex has directed fights in Louisville Kentucky as well as for theatres, dance companies and colleges throughout the Philadelphia area.  Alex’s choreography has been sailing across Europe for nine years with twenty different casts in Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s productions of Saturday Night Fever! and Columbus…The Musical!!

Alex is a Certified Teacher and Theatrical Firearms Safety Instructor with the Society of American Fight Directors, a three-time Barrymore Award Nominee, and was featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Project Discovery” series: Careers in the Arts; Fight Director.