Private Coaching

Lydia Gifford (she/her) is a DMV-based performer, music director, and educator. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she moved to DC to pursue musical theatre at Catholic University and has been performing and teaching professionally since graduating. She often wears many hats, from music directing to choreographing and accompanying to performing, and she is passionate about encouraging the next generation of young budding artists.

As an educator, this is her third year teaching Olney’s Musical Theatre Intensive. She has been music directing and choreographing at middle schools in Montgomery County for 4 years with productions including Newsies Jr., Matilda Jr., James and The Giant Peach Jr., Junie B. Jones, and several others. She has also taught educational theatre programs at NextStop Theatre (Moana Jr.) and Signature Theatre (Stage One). Local performance credits include: Toby's Dinner Theatre: The Addams Family (Wednesday), A Chorus Line (Cassie), Grease (Jan), Rocky (Adrian); Workhouse Arts Center: The Spongebob Musical (Karen), Jesus Christ Superstar (Featured Dancer); Rorschach Theatre: So Late Into The Night (Trillian), Angel Number Nine.

Caro Dubberly (they/them) is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from Denton, Texas, who has been living and working in the DMV for the last ten years. A three-time Helen Hayes Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Performer, Caro has played at Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Mosaic Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Imagination Stage, Keegan Theatre, Avant Bard, and Monumental Theatre Company, among others. Regionally, they’ve also been onstage at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and Dallas Children’s Theater. Caro served as the Acting Teacher for the prestigious Musical Theatre Conservatory at Imagination Stage for seven years and has directed plays and musicals for Imagination Stage, Monumental Theatre Company, Silver Spring Stage, Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School, and the Mt. Olivet Players. Their original musical, A Guide to Modern Possession, was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Eugene O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference and the 2025 Vanguard Arts Fund and received a reading of Act One at the inaugural District Fringe Festival in July 2025. Recently, Caro was a featured performer at the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s 20 th Anniversary Benefit and directed Groundhog Day at Imagination Stage and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds at Silver Spring Stage.

Lila Cooper (She/They) is a Theatre Teaching Artist, Performer, Producer and Activist based in the DMV - she is ecstatic to be joining Olney Theatre Center as a Private Coach! Since earning her BA in Theatre Performance (Wagner College, Class of 2021), Lila has passionately pursued a career in the arts -- recent credits include: “Rhythms of Our Roots: A Social Justice Cabaret Series" (PRODUCER/PERFORMER - at Olney Theatre Center and BlackRock Center for the Arts); "A Guide to Modern Possession" A New Musical by Caro Dubberly (ENSEMBLE - at the Inaugural District Fringe Festival); "Jesus Christ Superstar" (FEATURED DANCER - Workhouse Arts Center), and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (OLIVE OSTROVSKY - Compass Rose Theatre). For Lila, the Arts are a vessel for community engagement and collective healing. She hopes that through the power of creative expression, we can work together to build a more kind and inclusive world.

Jay Frisby Originally from Columbia, Maryland, Jay grew up performing around the DMV area. After graduating from Yale with a BA in Theatre Studies with a concentration in Dance Theatre, Jay has done multiple National and International tours and has been seen on stages around the DMV. Jay has performed in over twelve productions at Olney Theatre Center. Select Credits: Olney Theatre Center: Waitress, Kim’s Convenience, Frozen, Beautiful, Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man, Matilda, The Royale, Miss You Like Hell, South Pacific, Annie, Mary Poppins. TOURS: South Pacific; Hong Kong Disneyland: Festival of the Lion King (Simba); Click Clack Moo; The Whiffenpoofs of Yale. REGIONAL: Connecticut Repertory Theatre: Smokey Joe’s Café; Ogunquit Playhouse: South Pacific; DC AREA: Ford’s: 1776, A Christmas Carol, Little Shop of Horrors, Shout Sister Shout!, Grace; Folger: JuliusX; Imagination Stage: Cinderella; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Signature Theatre: The Color Purple, The Scottsboro Boys; Labor Heritage Foundation: Working; Rep Stage: Dorian’s Closet; Toby’s Dinner Theatre: The Buddy Holly Story, Miss Saigon. EDUCATION: BA in Theatre Studies Yale University.

Irene Martinko is a casting director, producer, dramaturg, and writer currently working as Associate Artistic Director and Casting Director with Olney Theatre Center. Some favorite casting credits include Appropriate, Disney’s Frozen, Waitress, Kim’s Convenience, Little Miss Perfect, and Red Pitch, among many others. From New York to Alaska, Irene has worked for regional theatres across the country including Perseverance Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Theatre J, and the Adirondack Theatre Festival. She also served as a Staff Writer with Onstage Blog and her children’s chapter books can be found on Amazon. Irene is passionate about supporting artist development and frequently participates in and leads workshops, classes, and panels on auditioning and casting.

Youri Kim (she/they) is a theater director, playwright, and teaching artist based in the DMV area. Youri is the Founding Artistic Director of Jaemi Theatre Company, an API-focused theater company in this region. Their directing and playwriting credits span productions in the U.S., South Korea, and Germany. Youri is  excited to come back for Summer Stock at Olney Theatre Center again! They hold an SDCF Fellowship for Stereophonic and are a member of the 2025-2026 TPOC Producing 101 cohort.

Jordyn Taylor is thrilled to return to Olney! Her credits include: Arena Stage: Chez Joey (Linda English Standby), Damn Yankees (Ensemble, Sister Understudy); Olney Theater Center: Senior Class (Ty’Quasia, Marva Understudy) Spooky Action Theater: Professor Woland’s Black Magic Rock Show (Margarita) [Helen Hayes Nominated - Best Lead Actor]; Theater Alliance: Covenant (Avery); Adventure Theater MTC: She Persisted [Helen Hayes Nominated - Best Supporting Actor] (Harriet Tubman/Flo Jo); Monumental Theater: American Psycho [Helen Hayes Winner - Outstanding Ensemble]  (Evelyn Williams); Adventure Theater MTC: Junie B. Jones (Lucille, Bobbi Jean, José); Signature Theater: Ragtime (Sarah’s Friend); Constellation Theatre Company: Once on This Island (Young Ti Moune, Ti Moune U/S); Toby’s Dinner Theatre: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical (Pearl Krabs, Sandy U/S) TV/FILM: PBS: How Great Thou Art: A Sacred Celebration; DIRECTION/MUSIC DIRECTION: NextStop Theatre: The Marvelous Wonderettes, Summer Theatre Adventures; Howard University: Heathers the Musical, EDUCATION: Howard University: BFA - Musical Theatre (2023) IG: @favvvgeminiii TikTok: @jordyntaylorrr

Proud Baltimore native Terrell Chambers is a Creative multi-hyphenated Artist & Teaching Artist whose talents are in acting, singing, directing, writing, & hosting. Terrell’s goals are to continue to highlight black voices & stories, showcase the beauty of creativity, and connect with individuals from all stages of life through joy, expression & storytelling.

Terrell has performed at many different theaters/Venues throughout the Baltimore & DC area, including M&T Bank Exchange at the Hippodrome, Holiday World Theme Park, Imagination Stage, ArtsCentric, Toby’s Dinner Theater, and more. Previous performance credits include Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1, 2, & 3 (Hero), Rent (Collins), The Scottsboro Boys (Victoria/Charlie), Hamlet (Marcellus/Grave Digger), The Last Martyr (Najad/Flame u/s), & Saturday Night Fever (Monty).

You can follow him on Instagram @terrellchambersofficial to learn more!

Daniella Ignacio (she/her) is a Filipina American writer, theatre artist, and musician. She has taught with Imagination Stage, Arena Stage Voices of Now, Educational Theater Company, ArtStream, Keegan Theatre, and more, with a passion for vocal music direction, devised theatre, songwriting, and more. She loves to challenge and uplift young people in her teaching. Acting and music team credits include Round House Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Keegan Theatre, Nu Sass Productions, Rorschach Theatre, Devil’s Isle Shakespeare Co., The Puppet Co., Bowie State University, KIPP DC Theatre 708, St. Mark’s Players, Wildwood Summer Theatre, and more. As a journalist, her bylines include American Theatre Magazine, Washington City Paper, Washingtonian, DC Theater Arts and more, and she brings a media-savvy mind to an audition studio program as well. BA MT/Journalism: American University. www.daniellaignacio.com

Benjamin T. Ismail (He/They) is a director, actor, and arts leader whose work blends rigorous text analysis, imaginative staging, and deep care for ensemble process. As a producer director and sometimes actor, they have created theatre from coast-to-coast, with productions praised for electric ensemble energy, tight pacing, technical execution and sprawling narrative. Credits include a broad range of titles from performing in Berkeley Rep's ANGELS IN AMERICA and METAMORPHOSES to producing reimagined / immersive productions of Shakespeare during their tenure as Artistic Director in California to directing deeply character driven explorations like UNSEEN, BETWEEN RIVERSIDE & CRAZY or AUGUST:OSAGE COUNTY. Their acting classes emphasize specificity, ownership of self, and a practical 'script science'—helping students trust themselves while building truthful, engaging, and responsive work onstage.