STAR THEATRE COMPANY
ACADEMY INSTRUCTORS
David Schulz
Producing Artistic Director
David's been working under spotlights since he first stepped on stage at the age of 10. He grew up in the theater while working with his Producer and Director mother, Ann Schulz. After countless lead roles as a child actor, he went to Concordia University to graduate with his degree in Musical Theater. He became very successful persuing his dream, touring with Muscial Theater companies both nationally and internationally.
But David never forgot his roots and where it all started. So after getting married and settling down to start a family, he came to Oceanside to build a performing arts program. He's been producing and directing dozens of children and adult shows ever since.
David brings his experience as both a child and professional actor into the audition, rehearsal, and final performance process. Actors from beginner to veteran continue to learn & hone their craft under his experience and guidance. It is his most fervent desire to create a safe environment for actors to experiment, flourish and grow.
As a professional drummer and multi-instrumentalist, David also brings this talent to the classroom. He is devoted to his students and has created an environment within the Star Academy that allows vocalists, intrumentalists, and dancers to share their love and passion for the performing arts.
Averill Corkin
Instructor
Averill Corkin has been teaching performing arts for over 10 years; subjects including Musical Theater, Vocal Pedagogy, A Cappella and classical Choirs, Acting through Song, Movement for the Stage, and Shakespeare.
She has a B.A. from Brigham Young University in Humanities of Theater, with a minor in Piano and Vocal Performance, and an Masters in Arts in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Ed.
She is passionate about using the performing arts as a way to develop humans and build community, and is thrilled to be a part of the Star Theater Team!
Erin Colby
Instructor
Erin Colby is thrilled to be part of the Star Theatre family, where she gets to do what she loves: all things theater! With a deep passion for children's theater, she has directed in North County, San Diego, for the past 10 years.
Erin believes in giving young performers the gift of real and high-quality arts training—where children are challenged, encouraged, celebrated, and ultimately proud of their hard work. In theater, being part of something bigger than oneself expands the soul and fosters profound connections with others in ways nothing else can.
A graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, Erin studied Meisner and Stanislavski acting techniques, ballet to ballroom dance, voice, speech, and Shakespeare.
Al Valletta
Instructor
Al Valletta has been a producer, actor, director, and acting coach in the entertainment industry for over 30 years. He taught acting and speech at the college level in Boston,Massachusetts. Al has a B.S. in Acting and Directing and a Masters in Speech from Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts.
He was the Artistic Director and on the board of The Performing Arts Theatre of the Handicapped, which had its beginning at Paramount Studio. The organization’s goal was to train physically disabled actors to be hired for their talent and ability and not for their disability. He remained the artistic director for 20 years.
Al has directed over 30 theatrical shows, directed films, was an actor in film and television, and is a dialogue coach.
Al is the recipient of the Alumni Award from Emerson College and the Bronze Halo Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council for outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. Al has also directed stage plays for the Ocean Hills Country Club in Oceanside, California.
Ryan Tawa has been the choreographer for Star Theatre’s main stage productions going on 4 seasons now. He also is the choreographer and co artistic producer for 3 ShowChoir programs in Oceanside County: El Camino High School, MLK Middle School and Jefferson Middle school. His background in dance started relatively later, compared to other dancers and choreographers, in high school when he joined ShowChoir. Working with his first choreographer, Dominic Matas, he learned how to move and control his body, started to pick up choreography faster and eventually grew a strong love for dancing. He auditioned for the dance program at his high school, hoping for the bare minimum level as a PE class and was actually placed on the school’s JV Dance Team and was even made a captain. Being trained by Kim Wagner and Eleanor Keane, along with many amazing dance friends, Ryan was able to further his background in dance being choreographed in hip hop, jazz, musical theatre and contemporary numbers. Those skills and technique he was learning started to translate in ShowChoir and he soon became the dance captain for his team and even got to choreograph some parts of songs, which was Ryan’s first exposure to choreographing. He was hooked! Between moving up to the Varsity team and more training from his ShowChoir coach and choreographer, John Nettles, he started to obtain a very well rounded background in dance, choreography and performing as a whole. During the Covid Pandemic, Ryan took advantage of all the time at home, choreographing his own dances, really learning musicality, patterns and textures within music which improved his choreography. He even got to take some master classes from choreographer Richy Jackson, who choreographed for Lady Gaga for many years. He moved back to Oceanside in 2021 and was told about auditions for Star Theatre’s first musical since COVID, Anything Goes. He fell in love with the Star Theatre family and became a regular, eventually seizing an opportunity to co choreograph STYC’s production of The Little Mermaid at the beginning 2023 and fully taking the reins by the next Star Theatre Company show, Beauty and The Beast. The rest is history!
Ryan Tawa
Instructor
Ida Jackson is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer in San Diego, CA, whose greatest joy is sharing the magic and fun of dance with the next generation of artists! She has trained in a number of styles, such as ballet, jazz, musical theatre, tap, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. Growing up in Arizona, she trained at Plumb Performing Arts Center, as well as the Pre-Professional Program at The School of Ballet Arizona. Ida received her B.A. in Education with a concentration in Dance from Loyola Marymount University, where she continued studying dance and theatre while earning her California Teaching Credential. Ida is currently a resident choreographer at the Star Theatre, as well as the head of the Ballet program and a director/choreographer at Carlsbad Performing Arts Academy. Recent credits: Tap Choreographer “Something Rotten!” (Star Theatre), Assistant Director/Choreographer “Beauty and the Beast” “Descendants, Jr.” (CPAA), Assistant Choreographer “Pippin” (Star Theatre), Choreographer “The Lion King, Jr.” (Carlsbad Community Theatre). In addition to her choreography, Ida also performs throughout the area. Recent credits include: Ginger Rogers (“Too Darn Hot”, The Old Globe’s 360 Project), Manson Trio/Ensemble (“Pippin”, Star Theatre), Rosie/Two Ladies (Cabaret, Loyola Marymount University).