PROGRAM CHAIR:
SHELLY BRANDON
Shelly is an award-winning filmmaker whose background includes a BFA in Theatre Performance from Eastern New Mexico University, one year of MFA graduate studies in Acting Performance at DePaul University’s The Theatre School, and an MFA in Cinematic Arts from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has experience as a producer, writer and director and has served as an on set acting coach as well as script consultant for several Indie films and production companies in Utah. She served as Vice President of the Utah Women in Film and Television organization while living in Salt Lake City. She has had adjunct teaching positions at UTA and KD Conservatory, and conducted invitational improvisation and scene study workshops for independent acting studios.
Christina Cranshaw
Christina Cranshaw has been professionally working as both an actor and director in the DFW metroplex for over a decade, and she is so grateful to be getting the opportunity to teach at KD Conservatory. Her journey with KD Conservatory has come full circle. She originally started at KD Studio when she was only four years old. Now a working professional, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, emphasis in Acting from Texas Christian University. The basis of her study is rooted in Jacques Lecoq methodology, specializing in physical theatre movement. She has studied under the likes of Johnny Simons, along with his daughters, Lorca and Lake Simons, where she was taught and developed out at Hip Pocket Theatre, one of the oldest theatre companies in North Texas. She has had the pleasure of studying with Pig Iron Theatre up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under Lecoq certified, Emmanuelle Delpech. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Bill Garber Young Theatre Artist award for her work in the theatre community. She has had the pleasure of working with the following North Texas theatre companies such as: Dallas Children’s Theater, Ochre House Theatre, Undermain Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Casa Manana, Cara Mia Theatre, WaterTower Theatre, Stage West Theatre, Urban Arts Center, Jubilee Theatre, and Hip Pocket Theatre. She’s excited to help usher in the next generation of artists and pass on the passion that she holds for the arts.
Andrew Dillon
Andrew Dillon has been an actor for both stage and screen for more than 20 years. At the start of his career, Andrew was cast as Dartagnon in a stage play of The Three Musketeers which included months of intense stage combat training. With the training he received at the direction of Michael Dawe at Ohlone College in Fremont, CA, Andrew has gone on to star in and or choreograph many combat heavy productions including Captain Blood, the Captain Phantasm series, Robin Hood Road to Sherwood, The Final Adventure of Hercules, and Sinbad the Sailor, along with many others. Andrew is excited to be joining KD Studios as a Stage Combat instructor and is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with up and coming performers in hopes of planting seeds of joy and passion for the art of stage combat.
Natalie Jones
Natali Jones was born and raised in Dallas. After graduating high school, she attended KD Studio in the original acting program, graduating in ’02. Through various teachers at KD, they also taught her to appreciate everything behind the scenes.
After graduating, she ventured off to NYC for a decade to continue her training at William Esper Studio, while still working behind the scenes on various shows such as Law and Order SVU (3 seasons), Blue Bloods, Pan Am, Rescue Me, to movies such as What Happens in Vegas, Sinister, I Am Legend, and you can see her in Spider-Man 3 for two seconds (if you don’t blink).
By the creator of Final Destination, you can also see her as the main villain in the movie Dead Awake. Also recently, a supporting role in Pickleball The Movie, Porch Pirates, to TV shows such as Murder Made Me Famous and Washington’s Armor.
Still a working Actress, Producer, to Production Manager, she also recently started dipping her toe in Directing and her first two shorts she wrote, directed, and produced both won 2nd place in two recent film competitions.
At KD Studio, she was taught early on not only the appreciation of both sides of the camera, but continues to be passionate about both for over two decades now. She’s thrilled to return to the very studio where her journey began, now able to share the knowledge and experience she’s gained along the way.
Jim Jorgenson
Jim is a Dallas actor and educator. He is a member of Actors Equity and graduated from the Southern Methodist University MFA Acting Program in 1988. Since then, Jim has had a long and varied career. For the last 16 years, he has worked extensively in Washington DC. Additionally, he has worked as an actor in Seattle, Chicago, and Houston. Recently, he re-joined the faculty at KD in 2016, having taught there seven years prior. Jim was also on faculty at Nebraska Wesleyan in 2008. Jim has acted as Managing Director for New Theatre Company for seven years and Fountainhead Theatre for three years. Some awards and nominations include: Washington DC Area: Helen Hayes Nominations for Best Ensemble; Angels in America Part I and II, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Dallas Area: Dallas Theatre Critic’s Awards; Season of Work, Leon Rabin Best Actor; Rocket to the Moon. He is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency. For more information about Jim go to www.jimjorgensen.net.
Lois Leftwich
Lois Leftwich is originally from Dallas where she started her acting career in local theatres like Theatre Three and Stage West, worked in voice over and on camera commercials, joined AEA, SAG and AFTRA and then found herself working as an actress in New York City and didn’t return to Dallas for 30 years. While in New York City she acted in many broadcast venues including television and radio commercials, recording audio books, several daytime dramas, industrial films as well as Off Broadway. She studied acting with John Strasberg at Mirror Repertory, Curt Dempster at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Gene Frankel, voice with Steve Sweetland and dance at Steps on Broadway. She was in the Performance Master Class at Chicago City Limits Improvisation. Teaching has always been part of her personal curriculum and has provided her with great joy throughout her career. She has taught everything from Musical Theatre camps to filmmaking. She has taught acting for all media and genres. She loves teaching and performing improvisation, which she firmly believes is essential to being a successful performer. Since returning to Dallas she is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency and continues to work on stage, TV, radio, film, and audio books. She graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Drama. For a more complete story visit her personal website at www.LoisLeftwich.com. Check out the retro-commercials on her fan page.
Linda Leonard
Linda has appeared as Grizabella in the international tour of Cats, as well as Ellie in Hal Prince’s revival of Showboat. No stranger to prime-time, she has guest-starred on Friday Night Lights, Dallas, Salem and American Crime. Her movie credits include Cleaner, Playing for Keeps with Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel, and Wonderful World. Most recently, Linda has created the role of Texas’s beloved governor, the late Ann Richards, in the one-women hit show “ANN.”
Deborah Stone
Deborah Stone is an award-winning director and has a vast background in producing and writing. In 2003 she founded the production company, Silverstone Productions. She has produced, television commercials, several music videos, directed a national children’s series, produced over 600 segments for a national talk show, was special project writer for the Smithsonian Institute. She directed the animated feature film, The Adventures of Azzu and Gaza and worked with the Ferrari Race team, traveling to different races while working on a documentary-series about the drivers. Production has taken her to Alaska, Greece, England, Israel and Paris. Paris was a highlight because her work led to an afternoon with Pablo Picasso’s son, Claude. She recently finished a WWII documentary which is now in the Naval Museum in DC and directed, Post Oak, the amazing story of Chief Quanah Parker’s family. In September 2024 she won an award for her short film, The Carole Ward Story and is finishing three screenplays which will be produced in 2025. Besides production, Deborah also teaching Screenwriting at KD Conservatory and loves working with the students who will one day become the next generation of actors and filmmakers.