Performing Arts - Faculty
Clare Davidson
Assistant Professor
Certificate in Voice and Speech, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Clare Davidson joined the college in 1999. She trained as an actor in London and has directed for 30 years. She taught at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and New York University, and was dean of the British American Drama Academy.
Davidson has worked with and trained such actors as Stacey Keach, David Schwimmer, Sting, Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson, Bob Hoskins, Stephen Rea and Jennifer Beales.
George Johnson
Assistant Professor and Technical Director
B.A., University of Texas at Austin
George Johnson has worked in production, lighting, set design and technical direction at A Contemporary Theater, Seattle Children's Theater, Third Coast Jazz Dance Company, The Capital City Playhouse in Austin, Themescapes and The Honolulu Theater for Youth. He taught at the University of Washington, the Capital Academy of the Performing Arts, the Rio Rancho Fine Arts Academy and the drama program at Santa Fe Prep.
Mr. Johnson was the Technical Director for Santa Fe Stages International Theater Festival and the Garson Theater Company and helped to open the renovated Lensic Theater, where he served as the Lensic's Technical Director and created their professional internship program. George has also enjoyed working for the Folk Art Museum, Adobe Productions, New West Productions, Hogle's Theatrical, Santa Fe Performing Arts, Pandemonium and the Wise Fool Circus. He has designed for theaters around the state in Albuquerque, Clovis and Pecos. His work on feature films in New Mexico includes No Country for Old Men, The Astronaut Farmer, The Flock, Comanche Moon and Beerfest. He is a member of IATSE Local 480 and a Professional Ski and Snowboard instructor.
David Minkoff
Assistant Professor
B.A., New College of Florida
M.F.A., University of Florida
David Minkoff served as Technical Director for the Visual Arts Program at the University of Chicago from 2000 to 2005, as Resident Scenic Designer and Visiting Professor of Theatre at Indiana University - South Bend from 2005 to 2006, and most recently as Assistant Technical Director for the University of Hawaii. His Theatre and Graphic design work has been featured throughout Europe and the United States.
Mr. Minkoff's work has been recognized for awards in Honolulu for Over My Dead Body (2007), as well as the Kabuki play The Summer Festival: A Mirror of Osaka (2000); in Sacramento, for The Love Suicides at Sonezaki (2003); and in San Francisco at the first US Red Bull Flugtag (flying design competition, 2002).
Recent set designs include The Giver, Hana's Suitcase, Over My Dead Body; Private Eyes, The Ugly Duckling, The Imaginary Invalid, Freedomland, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Pacific Tales for Young People, and Turandot.
Cheryl Odom
Professor
B.F.A., M.F.A., University of California-Los Angeles
M.A., University of Santa Monica
Professor of Performing Arts Cheryl Dee Odom joined CSF over 20 years ago; prior to College of Santa Fe she taught at UCLA, California State University, California Institute of the Arts and Loyola-Marymount University.
Odom teaches courses in costuming and makeup and has designed costumes for numerous CSF productions. Odom established and created the College of Santa Fe AIDS Memorial Garden.
Thomas Salzman
Professor and Chair
B.F.A. Carnegie Mellon University
M.F.A. Carnegie Mellon University
Professor Thomas Salzman, Chair of the Performing Arts Department, served as the general manager and artistic associate of the Caldwell Theatre Company in Boca Raton, Florida. At the Caldwell, he designed the lighting for over 70 productions including eight world premiers. His work garnered him two Best Lighting Designer Carbonell Awards, which are South Florida's answer to the Tony Awards.
Prior to joining CSF, he also operated his own design studio with an emphasis on theatrical lighting & special events coordination. His clients included Coconut Playhouse, Cleveland Play House, City Theatre Company, Playhouse Square Foundation, Florida Philharmonic, Heinz USA, PPG Inc., G.E. as well as others. He is a member of United Scenic Artist local #829, as well as an Equity Stage Manager. He has also taught at Penn State University and University of Miami.
Gail Springer
Professor
B.M.Ed., University of New Mexico
M.M.Ed., University of New Mexico
Professor of Performing Arts and Musical Director Gail Springer has coached actors in stage voice, dialect and singing at CSF since 1980. Her performing experience includes musical theater, classical and contemporary song, dance and piano.
In New Mexico she has soloed with Serenata of Santa Fe, Canticium Novum, the Santa Fe Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Desert Chorale, Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, and Santa Fe Community Orchestra. She has also performed in Colorado, New York, Utah and Singapore.
John Weckesser
Professor Emeritus
B.A., College of Wooster
M.A., Wayne State University
Graduate Study: New York University
Professor Emeritus John Weckesser taught at CSF for over 30 years. Prior to his tenure at CSF, Weckesser served as the general manager of the New York City Theatre Workshop for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and as assistant casting director and subscription administrator for the Lincoln Center Repertory Theatre. In 1991, in recognition of his contribution to the college, the CSF community dedicated the laboratory stage theater in the Greer Garson Theatre Center as the Weckesser Studio Theatre.
Peter Zapp
Associate Professor
B.A., Baldwin Wallace College
M.F.A., California State University - Long Beach
Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Peter Zapp joined the college in 2001. He is a veteran theater professional with 30 years of acting and directing experience in venues all over the United States. He has performed for many of the country's leading regional theaters, including the Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Center Stage, The Cleveland Playhouse, American Conservatory Theater, The Old Globe, Philadelphia Drama Guild, La Jolla Playhouse, The Longwhartf Theater and Portland Repertory.
Zapp has performed on and off-Broadway, on television and in film. Apperances include "M*A*S*H," "L.A. Law," "21 Jump Street," and "One Life to Live." Prior to CSF, Zapp taught at California State University-Long Beach, and served as head of the B.F.A. Acting Program at the University of North Dakota.
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