THEATRE MAKER + STORYTELLER

In 2012, Courtney founded Theatre Arts School of San Diego, located in the heart of the Arts District, Liberty Station. In the past decade, she has produced:

• PANDORA AND THE JAR OF HOPE, which she co-wrote (with playwright Wendy Maples and composer Matt Armstrong) and directed for La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW FESTIVAL 2019 to sold-out audiences. This immersive piece was inspired by art experiences facilitated with students at the MONARCH SCHOOL, which nurtures resilience in unhoused youth

• THE ISLAND OF B.A.D. KIDS (with composer Matt Armstrong), a multi-sensory film utilizing animation, artwork, music, and storytelling which premiered in the height of the pandemic

• A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, a Theatre Arts School of San Diego “Co-LAB Project” with Gilbert Castellano’s music program, YOUNG LIONS JAZZ CONSERVATORY, in a production featuring live jazz music and set in 1920s New Orleans

• ROMEO Y JULIETA, a bilingual and abridged production, set in 1960s Miami centered around the families of Cuban immigrants

• Immersive productions of ANIMAL FARM and THE BULLY PLAYS, which invited audiences to explore and interact with the set

• THE BFG, featuring a 12 foot “BFG” puppet which was devised and built by TAS+SD young artists

• THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) [REVISED], presented as an outdoor “Shakespeare in the Park”-style performance in the North Promenade at Liberty Station

• THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH, featuring an 8 foot woolly mammoth puppet which was devised and built by TAS+SD young artists

• ALICIA IN WONDER TIERRA (OR, I CAN’T EAT GOAT HEAD), a colorfully designed staged reading celebrating Dia de los Muertos presented in the Park@NTC

• THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, a Theatre Arts School of San Diego “Co-LAB Project” with James Vasquez and Wendy Maples, set in an abandoned parking lot at Liberty Station, using a moving truck as a stage

• THE FOOLISH TREE, a community based, large scale YARN BOMB art installation featuring textile artists from the Arts District, and celebrated with a staged adaptation of “The Foolish Tree,” written by Henry Van Dyke

PERFORMER
As a five year-old at Miss Blackenship’s Academy of Dance in Waxahachie, Texas, Courtney made her ballet recital debut as a “witch.” The next year, she danced the role of a “brick” on the yellow brick road in her dance studio’s Wizard Of Oz themed summer program. The yellow brick road has been a theme in her life, as it eventually led her to playing the role of “Elphaba” in both original Los Angeles and Chicago companies of the hit musical WICKED. As one of the original understudies in this iconic musical, she performed in both companies as the green girl and in the ensemble as a singer/dancer. A solid member of these companies for years, Courtney performed through food poisoning, a broken foot, and even went on for Elphie mid show. Her story with the 1st and 2nd National Broadway tours of RENT is similar. She began her RENT journey as a swing in 1998, going on for a different female track each day, including jumping in for the roles of “Paul” and “Gordon” on many occasions. In 1999, she took over the role of “Maureen,” her dream role since the show opened. With the roles of “Maureen” and “Elphaba,” Courtney has played two of the most challenging roles in musical theatre. She is known for her powerful voice and dynamic acting ability.

EDUCATOR + FACILITATOR
Nominated for the 2020 Excellence in Theatre Education TONY AWARD, Courtney is proud to bring her years of experience in theatre and innovative curriculum to today’s emerging artists.  Having taught privately, at universities and public schools throughout San Diego County for over two decades, Courtney recognizes each student’s unique learning style, works with her students to establish goals, and encourages growth by positive reinforcement.

She values the artistic process and believes that children, teens, and adults possess wonderfully creative and innovative ideas that should be expressed through the arts. 

GLOBAL CITIZEN / SAN DIEGO + COSTA RICA  + CUBA + JAPAN  + CHINA
Courtney knows the importance of being a globally-minded artist, and frequently travels to Central America, exploring arts and culture, studying from master teachers, and connecting with other artists. She and her husband, Matthew, own UP! HOUSE Costa Rica, a vacation rental property business in Playa Chiquita, which is located in the Limón Province / South Caribbean area of Costa Rica. They enjoy quality time and “pura vida” at their Costa Rica home with their son, Jackson. Courtney is an active member of the Caribe Sur community, working closely with local organizations to preserve the environment and culture. With her husband, she has made frequent visits to Havana, Cuba as he had been a guest conductor for the Banda Nacional de Conciertos de Cuba. She is currently devising collegiate musical theatre curriculum for the Consejo Nacional de las Artes Escénicas in Cuba. Courtney has lived and performed in Japan at Tokyo Disneyland and various jazz clubs in the Ginza and Maihama Districts. Courtney has also lived and taught in Shenzhen, China for “Summer Scene,” a large arts program for primary and secondary students. She co-produced the International Youth Arts Festival, which featured young artists from China and multicultural youth arts organizations in San Diego, California. Part of this program included theatre training at Theatre Arts School of San Diego for the Chinese artists. 

CONSERVATIONIST + RAINFOREST STEWARD
Courtney works closely with the Sloth Conservation Foundation in Costa Rica, an organization that protects sloths in the wild through research and conservation initiatives. On the UP! HOUSE Costa Rica property, she has worked with SloCo to install wildlife crossing bridges and plant trees that connect any gaps in the forest canopy.  UP! HOUSE Costa Rica is an accredited member of their Sloth Friendly Network, which promotes responsible tourism and contributes to the conservation of biodiversity. As property owners and stewards of the rainforest, she and her husband are Very Important Partners with SloCo, SLOTH FEST 2022 sponsors, and supporters of SloCo’s Urban Sloth Project.  Courtney also routinely “mules” supplies from the US, such as powdered goat milk and medical supplies, as donations to the Jaguar Rescue Center, a temporary or permanent home for ill, injured and orphaned animals. With a focus on monkeys, sloths, other mammals, birds and reptiles, the JRC provides veterinary services, round-the-clock care and comfort to animals that would otherwise be unable to survive in the rainforest or the waters of the Caribbean. In San Diego, Courtney has created a project, SLOTH STORIES AND MONKEY TALES, a creative initiative to educate 4th-8th grade students on rainforest education through theatre arts.