Associate Studio Teachers

All associate teachers are hand-picked by David Sabella-Mills for their excellence, and are recognized as outstanding professionals in their respective fields. Associate teachers offer lessons from their own private studio locations in NYC & New Jersey, and Online, via webcam.

Private Voice Teacher

Ms. Elizabeth Saunders

Adult / Professional & Junior Division 
NYC, NJ & Online
Private Voice Technique / Audition Preparation
Email Elizabeth to schedule an appointment

A uniquely experienced teacher and performer, Elizabeth is enjoying a crossover into Musical Theatre after over twenty years in the classical arena. In addition to her private voice studio, she has taught voice technique and masterclasses for the New National Theater Tokyo’s Young Artist Training Program, is currently on the private voice faculty at Trinity College, Hartford CT, and serves as Artist-Instructor for the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (teaching voice technique, Musical Theatre repertoire and private voice lessons.) As a solo performer, she has sung in the U.S., Europe and Japan. In addition to much of the standard classical Lyric Mezzo-Soprano repertoire, she has a great love of singing 20th and 21st Century less standard vocal music. As mezzo soloist for the “Ives Vocal Marathon” (a six-concert series of the complete songs of Charles Ives,) Elizabeth has performed over 50 of Ives’ solo works in concerts around the northeast since 2005. Also selected by legendary jazz/experimental composer Anthony Braxton to participate in his “Trillium” recordings, Elizabeth is particularly adept at assisting singers with finding their way technically and artistically through this type of challenging music. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California and her Artist Diploma in Opera Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

 

Private Acting Teachers

Ms. Chris McGinn

Adult / Professional & Junior Division
NYC & Online
Private Acting / Audition Preparation
Email Chris to schedule an appointment

Chris is a versatile actress, director & coach working in all aspects of the business for 25+ years. Projects include:  The Sopranos, Sidney Lumet’s 100 Centre Street, Bringing Out the Dead, Sweet & Lowdown, Mickey Blue Eyes, Law & Order & SVU, Sex & The City, Ed, Wonderland, Silence of the Lambs & All My Children. Actors she’s worked with include:  Sean Penn, Al Pacino, Julianna Marguiles, James Caan, Christopher Walken, Kathleen Turner, Gina Gershon, David Hyde Pierce, Jodie Foster, Jerry Orbach, Chris Noth, Jesse L. Martin, Chris Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Stanley Tucci, Michael Beach, Tom Cavanaugh & Kate Burton. Directors she’s worked with include:  Martin Scorcese, Woody Allen, Hugh Grant, Jonathan Demme, Timothy Busfield, Eriq LaSalle, Matthew Penn, Miles Conner, Steve Schill, Timothy Van Patten, Ron Daniels & Tom Routman. Her most recent credits include: Curb Your Enthusiasm, director-Larry Charles, HBO’s You Don’t Know Jack, director-Barry Levinson, sketch comedy on Late Night w/Conan O’Brien, My Own Love Song wi/Renee Zellweger, Forest Whitaker, Synecdoche, NY w/ Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Williams, director-Charlie Kauffman. She’s taught & coached all ages, worked with high-profile actors and also worked in production for theatre and film, so she knows all aspects of the business & understands the “business of the business” by working in her field.

 

Thomas Sabella-Mills
Professional & Advanced Pro Division
NYC, NJ & Online
Private Acting / Audition Preparation
Musical Theater Audition / Performance Technique
Stage Direction/Choreography - price negotiated per production
Email Thomas to schedule an appointment

Thomas is currently the resident director for Musicals Tonight, an Obie award winning  theatre company in New York City.  During his time there he has directed over 30 productions, winning praise in The New York Times, The New York Post and The New York Daily News.  He has also been featured on the front page of The New York Times for MT’s production of “Goldilocks.”  Other credits include director/choreographer for “A Little Night Music” for Utah’s Cultural Olympiad, kicking off the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.  He was the choreographer for the national tour of “In the Mood - A 1940s Revue” currently being seen all over the country.  Regionally his work has been seen at Houston Grand Opera, Helen Hayes Theatre, Gateway Playhouse, the Hampton Shakespeare Festival and the Bristol Riverside Theatre.  He has guest directed at American University and is currently on the faculty of AMDA (American Musical & Dramatic Academy), teaching mock audition classes and directing the graduating classes in their professional showcases.