Everything you need to take you to the next level
PREPARE FOR YOUR FUTURE
We believe that the best performer is the prepared one! Which is why we are SO excited to finally be able to offer an 8-day summer theatre intensive that will help students prepare for whatever they may have in store next year. IGNITEwill be held on the campus of Missouri State University this July 23-30, 2024. This 8-day summer intensive will bring training and experiences that will take your performance and audition skills to the next level. The cost for this 8-day all-inclusive intensive will be $1800 from December 1st- February 29th and the price will increase to $2000 on March 1st, so make sure you register early to save!
We are asking for screening videos from each applicant and those requirements can be found on the registration page. IGNITE is open to rising high school sophomores through current seniors planning on taking a GAP year for the 24/25 season. If you have any questions please contact us at info@collegeauditionproject.com
Resident Faculty
Camiah Mingorance
Camiah has been singing and performing professionally for years, including tours, Atlanta theatre and private events. She has taught voice, theatre and music since 1996 and has had the honor of music directing for the renowned Dave Clemmons, as well as for Atlanta theatre companies. Camiah is honored to be the official voice teacher for the award-winning Aurora Theater in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her passion for developing healthy voices and guiding singers towards successful professional careers has driven her to study with some of the world’s most respected vocal scientists and researchers, including Dr. Ingo Titze, along with doctors, speech language pathologists and other respected voice specialists. She is a Mentor Teacher for Vocology in Practice and International Voice Teachers of Mix and frequently writes educational articles for their worldwide communities of accomplished voice teachers. Camiah is a proud voting member of Pan American Vocology Association, where she strives to keep her vocal training on the cutting edge of research. Her students can be found on Broadway, on National Tours and in the world’s leading musical theatre college programs, from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, from Berkley College of Music to Otterbein University. Her students excel in musical theatre, music therapy, vocal performance, and song writing.
You can find out more about Camiah HERE!
Dave Clemmons
Artistic Director
Dave Clemmons has been in the college audition coaching business long before college audition coaching was even a thing. His extensive career both in front and behind the casting table has positioned him to be an ultimate source of information for those going through the college audition process. As a performer, he spent time on Broadway in such shows as The Scarlet Pimpernel and Les Misérables and his National Tour credits include Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde and Whistle Down The Wind as well as numerous other National and Regional credits. Dave spent 15+ years behind the table as a Producer and Casting Director, most notably with Dave Clemmons Casting, where he cast more than 100 Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, Workshops and Regional Productions. Over the last 20+ years, Dave has spent time traveling as a guest artist and lecturer to some of the top training programs around the nation, teaching workshops and developing relationships with top faculty and industry professionals. Dave is also a founder and permanent faulty member for The Performing Arts Project, where he shares his vast knowledge of the industry and the college audition process with students during the summer. In 2009, Dave started the Dave Clemmons College Advisory Program (D.C.C.A.P), where he has been coaching students through their college audition journeys for the last decade. To find out more about Dave visit https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dave-clemmons-35590
Michelle Evans
Michelle has been working professionally since 2004, both on and off the stage, as an actress, director, and teaching artist. She is the owner of MJE Acting Studio and Co-Owner of College Audition Project. During her 20+ years in the industry as a professional acting coach, Michelle has worked with hundreds of students and professional actors both in the US and Internationally. Her clients can be found in universities and training programs around the world as well as professionally on Broadway, National Tours, Regional Theatre and TV/Film. She has won several awards for her directorial work both on regional and national levels. Michelle spent 11 years working with Jimmy Awards affiliates in Atlanta (Shuler Awards) and Kansas City (Blue Star Awards) as an adjudicator and committee member, often coaching the best actor and actress in preparation for the Jimmy Awards. Michelle is a frequent guest artist and adjudicator for State Thespian festivals around the US, International Thespian Festival, local high schools, and regional theatre companies, as well as One Act, Speech & Debate, and Literary competitions around the nation.
Michelle is also the Education Director of First Act Theatre Arts in Kansas City, helping young artists grow in their theatrical skills and passion for the arts.
You can find out more about Michelle HERE!
Pat Valleroy
Executive Director
Pat lives in Atlanta with her husband John, and their three adult children. She specializes in the college audition process, and in helping high school students reach their potential. She has worked in Theatre for many years, as a teacher, director, managing director, and artistic director. In 2011, she began to help guide students through the maze of the audition world. After seeing the difficulty firsthand when her son went to college for musical theatre, she realized there had to be a better way. She went to work for The Performer’s Warehouse, where she found her home. As the college program evolved and changed, she was able to help guide many students through this process. She taught the Senior Audition class at The Performer’s Warehouse, where she specialized in the application process, school lists, headshots, resumes, and audition questions. In 2017, CAP was formed as the team realized that students across the world needed help navigating through this process. Pat has helped students get into many of the best theatre programs in the country, and in Europe. She loves to work with universities, students, and families as they embark on this journey. She stresses to all that you will get into the program you are supposed to get into, and to remember that you will get out of a program what you put into it. She looks forward to working with you!
Darren Gibson
Darren graduated from the famed New Ballet School at age 16 and went on to serve as its Ballet Master while also serving on the Board of Directors. He has staged ballets at The Boston and Richmond Ballets as well as assisting dance and Broadway legend Anne Reinking with her work for the renowned American Ballet Theatre. He went on to assist Reinking on the Broadway companies of Fosse and
The Look of Love. He was also seen on Broadway as a performer in Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out and the revival of On the Town. He performed in both Fosse and
Movin’ Out in London’s West End. He currently serves as asst. Professor for Dance in The Stephen’s College Department of Musical Theatre.
Josh Young
Josh Young’s performance career has included the Broadway productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas- Tony Award Nom., Theatre World Award) and Amazing Grace (John Newton) as well as The National Tours of Les Miserables (Marius), Evita (Che- Broadway World Award.) He also won the Broadway World Award for his performance of Che in Evita at the world-renown Stratford festival in Toronto. Currently, Josh serves as the Coordinator for Musical Theatre at Missouri State Univ., coming to MSU after helming the program at Oakland University. While fulfilling his duties at MSU, he is in an in-demand performer, clinician and world-renown concert artist.
Emily Padgett
Emily’s vast performance career includes numerous Broadway, national and international touring productions including the original productions of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Ms. Bucket), Bright Star (Lucy Grant), as well as the revivals/ongoing productions of Side Show (Daisy Hilton), Grease (Sandy), Rock of Ages (Sherrie) and Legally Blonde (CeCe, Pilar), CATS (Demeter) and Flashdance (Alex). She was nominated for The Chita Rivera Award for portrayal of Helene in the recent Sweet Charity revival starring Sutton Foster. She currently serves on the faculty of the Missouri State Univ. in the Music Department
Lisa Brescia
Lisa Brescia has created a storied career on Broadway having stared in leading roles in Dear Evan Hansen (Heidi), Mamma Mia! (Donna), Wicked (Elphaba), The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Cleo), Aida (Amneris), and The Woman in White (Marion Halcombe). Regional credits include the world premiere of A Comedy of Tenors (Racon), The Winter’s Tale(Hermione), Hamlet (Gertrude), August: Osage County (Ivy), Victor Victoria (Victoria) and Cabaret (Sally Bowles). Brescia trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduated with honors with her Master of Fine Arts in Classical Acting from the Academy for Classical Acting at George Washington University. Lisa currently serves as The Chair of Theatre and Musical Theatre at Stephens College.
Dr. Kurt Gerard Heinlein
Kurt is the Head of Acting at Missouri State University. He is a working member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. He has worked extensively since completing his MFA in Acting from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), with union performance credits that include Broadway, national theatre tours, national concert tours, regional theatre, daytime drama, film, commercial print, and over 30 national SAG-AFTRA television spots. His movement, stunt, and combat work/stunt coordination have been seen in feature films, daytime drama, national commercials, and in professional and educational theatre circuits throughout the nation. As a lifelong environmental activist, Kurt has earned numerous awards for his work in Green Theatre including his numerous published works.
Alexandra Kathryn Dow
Alexandra Kathryn Dow is a dancer, singer, actor, teacher and choreographer based between South Florida and NYC. Originally from Boston, she grew up training and dancing at the acclaimed Charlotte Klein Dance Centers and Boston Dance Company. She attended AMDA in NYC and is an alumni of Broadway Dance Centers Training Program. Alex is currently a teaching artist on faculty at Performance Edge 2 Theatre Academy and School of Dance having also taught at The Humphres School-TUTS and The Met Dance Studios in Houston. Over the last 13 years as a performer she has worked regionally in New York, Massachusetts, Montana, Texas and South Florida including productions of 42nd St, A Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Hello, Dolly!, Funny Girl and Spamalot. She serves as an Artist in Residence in the theater and dance at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach.
Becky Ochoa
Becky is a professional stage manager, technical director, and teaching artist based in Kansas City. She holds a BA in Theatre from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. She found a love for all things that happen behind the scenes, including directing, stage management, costume design, and lighting design. She has stage managed and designed for numerous regional shows. Favorites include The Music Man, Taming of the Shrew, Wicked Creatures, and Bright Star. Currently, she works as the Technical Director for First Act Theatre Arts, a nonprofit organization giving opportunities to young performers in the Kansas City area to grow and develop their performance and technical theatre skills. Becky loves instilling a love of theatre and storytelling in students, and teaching students how we can incorporate technical elements to help enhance telling a story.