Instructors

Catherine Petrouleas – Acting

Catherine is currently pursuing a BA in Theater concentration in performing arts at Marymount Manhattan College NYC. She has studied in NYC with T. Schreiber Studio, Michael Howard Studio, Chicago City Limits, Theater in the Woods and privately with Larry Singer and Bob Luke. She has been seen in two Marhel Film productions where she landed leading roles in FAN and THE THEATER. She has also been seen in several plays at Theater in the Woods and The Michael J Petrides School and won the New York City Shakespeare Competition in 2008. Upon graduation she will continue her studies in pursuit of a masters degree.

Nick Caccese – On Camera/Screen Writing


Caccese is a graduate of St. John’s University with a bachelor’s degree in Film & Television Production, as well as The New School with a Master’s in Film & Media Studies. He currently works as a script analyst as well as a professor in the Film Department at St. John’s University. He has written and directed numerous shorts, music videos and independent features, including “17 to Midnight”, which screened at the Staten Island Film Festival in 2010, winning the award for Best Local Film.

His previous collaboration with Theater in the Woods resulted in the independent feature film “Fan”, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor at the Staten Island Film Festival, and won the award for Best Feature Screenplay.

Rachel Caccese – Acting

Rachel Caccese is a classically trained actor. She studied at New York Film Academy and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. She is currently a student at The New School for General Studies majoring in literature and psychology. Her credits include stage and film. Some film credits include Fan, The Forgery, 17 to Midnight, Guilty Pleasures, Her Internet World, The 7 Day Diary, and The Robin and John Project. She is an active member of the Guild of Italian American Actors and Actors Equity Association. Rachel plans to pursue an MFA in theater arts. She loves turtles and infant elephants.

Ashley Martinez – Voice/Yoga

Ashley’s acted with numerous companies nationally including PCPA Theatrefest, Glendale Centre Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Festival and she grew up here at the Norris Theatre. Some favorite productions include Into The Woods (The Bakers Wife), As You Like It (Phebe), Nunsense (Sister Robert Anne), A Chorus Line (Diana Morales), Honk (Maureen, Queenie, etc.), Out Town (Stage Manager), and Louis Prima’s The Wildest (Marie). She has worked in direction and choreography on productions with INTIMAN Theatre, PCPA Theatrefest, The Negri Learning Center and Cornerstone Theatre Company. She serves as an artist representative on the board of Inside Out Community Arts. Inside Out works with underserved youth from all over Los Angeles, using the arts to build self-esteem and greater individual and inter-cultural awareness. Ashley is the director of the Acting Army formerly known as Theatre Dynamics Company. The Acting Army will be touring middle schools in the South Bay later this year performing their original play created by the teens involved. Ashley is also currently producing documentary style industrial films such as The Negri: A Dream Realized, Nike: Back My Block, and FIGMENT: NYC for the participatory arts festival.

Alexandra Mazzucchelli – Voice

Alexandra Mazzucchelli is currently a student at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Music Theatre. In 2009, she was selected to study at the New York State Summer School of the Arts and in 2008, she was crowned Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen. She has performed for various organizations such as the March of Dimes, The American Cancer Society and Borough President sponsored events. Alexandra has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and Borough Hall. Her past theatre credits include: Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Into the Woods (Cinderella), Peter Pan (Peter), The Sound of Music (Maria), West Side Story (Maria), The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy), Annie (Pepper) etc.

Brandon – Consultant


Brandon is a filmmaker and photographer who works closely with Theater in the Woods. The first “On-Camera” instructor, his current involvement consists of photographing headshots for our young actors, teaching the occasional special seminar, and producing the Theater in the Woods commercials for local cable. He runs a photography club that holds monthly shoots in Manhattan, and he is currently working on a series of short videos with a published author. He is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Film & Television Production) and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.