Elizabeth Blakemore
Artistic Director/Young Actors Ensemble Producer and Music Director
Elizabeth graduated magna cum laude from Concordia University-Chicago with degrees in Theatre and Business at the age of 19. While in college she was active in her university’s music and theatre programs and the Artists of Concordia Theatre Student Managers Board. She oversaw publicity and costumes during her sophomore and junior years and was honored to chair the Board her senior year. After graduation Elizabeth toured the country for a year with Captive Free, a relational music ministry team sponsored by Youth Encounter. Since moving to Atlanta in 2006 she has taught theatre and acting classes for a number of schools including Master's Academy, Portfolio Academy, Artios Academy, Renaissance International School of Performing Arts, the Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, and WOW Talent. She has also assisted with casting for CYT.
She has worked as a director, music director, and technical director on a number of productions including "The Pirates of Penzance", "The Dancers", "The Music Man Jr.", "Once Upon a Mattress Jr.", "Tom Sawyer", "Little Women", "Seussical the Musical", "Bugsy Malone Jr.", "The Wizard of Oz", "Dougly the Uckling", "Moby Dick the Musical", "Schoolhouse Rock", "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", "How to Eat Like A Child" and "101 Dalmatians". For 2 years Elizabeth served as the Artistic Director of Upper East Side Theatre Company, a youth ensemble theatre company for ages 12-20 in Gwinnett County.
In addition to teaching and directing, Elizabeth routinely performs around Atlanta at various theatres. Past acting roles include Catherine in "Proof", Laura in "The Glass Menagerie", Betty in "The Foreigner", Mistress Page in "The Merry Wives of Windsor", Dr. Vivian Bearing in "Wit" and most recently Mattie Fae in "August:Osage County" and Cora in "Desire, Desire, Desire" in a showcase at the Alliance Theatre and Mom in "Old Maple: My Everlasting Friend" for the Young Voices, New Visions Play Festival at the Alliance Theatre. She also works as a Teaching Artist for Synchronicity Theatre's Playmaking for Girls program which serves at-risk girls in local youth detention centers and owns a private piano studio through which she teaches private lessons to 10+ students each week. Elizabeth is married to independent singer-songwriter Kurt Scobie and they are the parents of Bella Grace Scobie and Judah Courage Scobie.
Alana Cheshire
Teaching Artist
Alana Cheshire was bit by the theatre bug at a young age through drama classes and camps, and she's thrilled to be giving that experience back as a teacher. An Atlanta native, she graduated from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music with a BS in Vocal Performance and Theatre. In Atlanta, Alana has performed professionally with The Alliance Theatre, The Atlanta Opera, Fabrefaction Theatre Company, TellTale Theatre, Next Stage Theatre Company, and Theatre on the Prowl; outside of Georgia, she has worked with Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Brown County Playhouse, and Cardinal Stage Company. When she’s not performing or teaching drama, Alana works with children’s choirs, plays the piano and the ukulele, and spends quality time with her cat, Rupert. Alana would like to thank her amazing friends and family for their support, and Forefront Arts for this wonderful opportunity!
Andrew Crigler
Teaching Artist/ Young Actors Ensemble Director and Choreographer
Andrew Crigler is an aspiring director, teaching artist, actor, movement choreographer and writer. He recently received his BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University with a minor in dance. He has taught at the Alliance Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and Jitterbug Performing Arts and is thrilled to begin teaching with Forefront Arts! Andrew was recently the movement choreographer for GET's TYA show Aesop's Fables. Recent acting appearances include: A Wrinkle in Time, Confederacy of Dunces (Theatrical Outfit), The Ugly Duckling (Serenbe Playhouse), The Girl From 2a, Revolutio: Children of an Idle Brain, The Othering of Mr. Windebaggin, The Theory of Everything, (The Collective Project Inc.), and Strong4Life (Telltale Theatre). Andrew made his directing premiere with The Red Herring with The Collective Project this summer. He will also be playing the role of Owen Godwin in the Collective Project Inc.'s The Devil Tree this fall. Andrew is also a Balloon Artist, Mime, and Poet. He would like to thank Jesus Christ for his gifts, abilities, and passions. Anything good Andrew does is only because of Christ's work in his life. To Him be the glory!
Ciarra Hodges
Teaching Artist
Ciarra Hodges is an actress, a dancer, and an educator. She is a lover of all things creative. Ciarra recently graduated with a Bachelor’s of Art in Theatre from Clark Atlanta University. She has been performing since elementary school and she has been in theatre since age fourteen. You may have seen her in productions at Clark Atlanta and beyond including the roles of Mother Superior in John Pielmiere’s Agnes of God and Ruth Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun. Most recently, she has been featured as Adrienne Herndon at the Atlanta History Center. Ciarra is grateful for all opportunities that she has been granted and cannot wait to experience the awesome opportunities that have yet to come. She believes that if she inspires but one person, touches just one life, then her job is done.
Antonia LaChe
Teaching Artist
Antonia is simply known as Nia by many. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and left with a major in Theatre and Advertising with Sociology minor. Following her graduation, she became a proud member of the 2011-2012 New American Shakespeare Apprentice Company. She then followed her Apprenticeship with a Teaching Artist Internship at Atlanta Street Theatre and a Teaching Assistant internship with Synchronicity Theatre Company’s Playmaking for Girls summer program. Acting and teaching are both things that Nia has been equally passionate about for years. She has been a Teaching Artist since college and has self taught herself Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed Techniques as well as received formal residency training with both the Shakespeare Tavern and Atlanta Street. Also, she has been an actress since her youth and some of her more recent credits include performing with The Shakespeare Tavern, Georgia Ensemble, and Academy Theatre Company. She is overjoyed to be working with Forefront Arts and can’t wait to pass her love for theatre on to the next generation! Thank you Forefront!
Mandi Lee
Teaching Artist
Mandi is a graduate of Providence Christian Academy in Lilburn, and recently graduated with Departmental Honors from Webster University with her B.F.A. in Acting. She has been a part of the Atlanta theater community since age 7 when she became a founding member of The Talent Factory. Since graduating from college and returning to Atlanta, she has toured the Southeast with two One Woman Shows, performed with Onstage Atlanta, Georgia Shakespeare Festival and Georgia Ensemble Theater, and is represented by J. Pervis Talent. She has been teaching acting in various places since high school and is thrilled to be a part of the Forefront Arts family.
Brandon Alexander
Intern
Brandon was born and raised in Atlanta GA as the youngest of 6 children. He knew acting would be a huge part of his life when he got to the play the Scarecrow in "The Wiz" as a 5th grader. His love for sports, and his love for perfoming were in constant battle until he turned 15. That was when he decided to go with what his heart was telling him, and to stop concerning himself with what other people thought and expected of him. Before heading to New York to study Musical Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Brandon worked with the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, the Atlanta Workshop Players, the Academy Theatre, and OnStage Atlanta. Since graduating from AMDA in February 2011 Brandon has worked with INNY Award nominated Improv Nation, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Accidental Shakespeare Company, WriteAct Rep, and Horizon Theatre Company. He has also filmed an episode for a web series called "Speak American:The Web series". Brandon has been acting for himself, to fulfill his heart's desires, for years. Now though, he wishes to use the same art that he loves and respects so much to help fulfill the desires and dreams of others.
