One must go on,
on ’til one can go no further…
and even go beyond that!
- Eleonora Duse

Actor, Director, Producer

Coach Katie

Katie O’Grady is founder and owner of Acting for Kids & Teens, the Northwest’s premier acting studio, located in The Studio NW, that trains and launches young actors. She believes all kids should have a safe place to express themselves and explore their creativity.

Katie is also one of the Northwest’s most sought after actresses. She can be seen on NETFLIX, NBC, IFC, Showtime and more. She has shot in hundreds of commercials and made her way through the film festivals circuits many times with the indie films she has starred in. She is a working actor that loves being part of new projects.

Her passion for acting has taken her from Los Angeles to New York City to study with renowned coaches Susan Batson and Laurel Smith. Her TV credits include: 8  seasons of Portlandia, Leverage, and Grimm. She has shared screen time alongside Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn, Justin Long, Diane Lane, Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro. She played, Claire, in the film, I Was There (2016).

She also starred as Meris in The New York Times Critics’ Pick film, Rid of Me, which earned her a place on the Hollywood Reporter’s prestigious Oscar Watch List and a nomination alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Sara Jessica Parker for the The Women’s Film Critics Circle Best Comedic Actress award.

Rid of Me is a hilarious, meticulously crafted and heart-felt little film, and features a true comedic star turn from actress Katie O’Grady. Francesca McCaffery, VIMOOZ.

In addition to being and actor and coach, Katie owns and runs Alcove Productions, LLC where she directs and produces films, commercials, music videos and children’s movies. Commercials include the Emmy Award winning “Growing Up Rip City” – Portland Trailblazers 50th anniversary commercial, Carrera Sunglasses, Plasmon Baby Food, BMW/Mercedes, to name a few. Films by Alcove Productions include:

Actor & Voice Over Expert

Coach Eric

Eric Martin Reid has been acting professionally for over 15 years. He is a graduate of the Professional Actor’s Training Program at the Dell’Arte International School for Physical Theatre and has studied Advanced Meisner with Actor’s Avenue Studio. He was recently seen on stage as Watson in the Pulitzer Prize nominated play The Curious Case of the Watson Intelligence. He also wrote the screenplay and played the lead in the film Six Nights, produced by Limbo Films.

Eric has taught many acting and storytelling workshops as well as with Playwrite Inc, Eric has worked on stage with Sojourn and Coho Theatres and in televison as a Guest Star on Grimm, Leverage, and a couple turns in Portlandia. Some of his commercial credits include Discover Card, Suzuki, Coors Light, Kroger and Oregon Lottery. As a writer/director Eric’s first short film Kidz won Best Comedy at the NW Short Film Festival.

Eric is also an experienced voiceover actor and coach with credits at Dell, Safelite, Microsoft, and Eddie Bauer as well as commercial, narration and audiobooks.

Only someone who is ready for everything, who doesn’t exclude any experience, even the most incomprehensible, will live the relationship with another person as something alive and will then sound the depths of their own being.

– Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

“Gnight. It’s all fuel, that loneliest night especially. Press record in your mind. You will need it. This will serve you. Not just saying that. I’m telling you, it will serve you & serve you well. But until then, press record & remember it’s all fuel. (It suuucks) It’s fuel. Gnight”

– Lin Manuel Miranda

Coach, Actress

Coach Erin

Erin Way is an actor and storyteller, with over 15 years of TV/Film experience in Los Angeles. After graduating from PSU with a BA in Theatre Arts, she went on to train at the National Voice Intensive in Vancouver BC.
In Los Angeles she worked with Joan Scheckel, where she workshopped and developed films with Artists such as Mark Ruffalo, Miranda July, Mike Mills, Marrianna Palka and Bryce Dallas Howard. She also trained for over 8 years with Tom Irwin at Steppenwolf West. Her vast TV Credits include: Bones, Castle, Rizzoli & Isles, Private Practice, Grey’s Anatomy, The Mentalist, Supernatural, Colony, Detroit 187, Alphas,  and NCIS-LA. She can most recently be seen in Hulu’s The Handmaids Tale.
In 2019, she and her husband decided to split time living in LA and Portland, where she began teaching at PSU.
She has taught at several acting studios in Los Angeles and can’t wait to continue her teaching work at The Studio NW.

Coach, Actor

Coach Jason

Jason Rouse is an award winning actor, comedian, writer, director and teacher. For the past twenty years, he’s appeared in television shows, feature films, way too many commercials as well as on stages in Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Seattle while imparting what he knows to eager students young and old.

Television credits include ANGIE TRIBECA, GRIMM, LEVERAGE, TRINKETS and the pilot for BRAIN TRUST.

He’s done commercials for everything they have commercials for, but some favorites include Mercari, Oregon Lottery, Washington Lottery and Autodesk.

Film roles include Disney’s TIMMY FAILURE, CABIN FEVER and LEAN ON PETE.

He’s taught at PHAME since 2017. PHAME is an arts and performance academy in Portland for adults who experience disability and there he teaches Improv, Voice Acting, Videography and Podcasting.

He’s the Theater Arts Teacher at Pacific Crest Community School and has taught sketch comedy at Curious Comedy Theatre and privately for over ten years.

For seven years he was the writer, announcer and associate producer for LIVE WIRE with LUKE BURBANK from Public Radio International.

He’s been a member of the critically acclaimed and oft-touring sketch comedy groups, THE 3RD FLOOR, NACHO GOLD, SWEAT and WONDERLAND. He’s written and directed the monthly sketch comedy showcase SHIRTS AND SKINS at Curious Comedy Theater since 2018.

He’s also a film and video maker whose films have played at South by Southwest and the Portland International Film Festivals and his clients include TRIMET, All Hands Raised, Portland Public Schools, Schoolhouse Supplies, One Community, Provenance Hotels and The Whole Bowl.

He’s married to Jessica Dart (the best person in the world) and they are the proud possessions of the smallest and most perfect angel of a dog named Goldie.

You know how sometimes you lie in bed at night and think, “What if the law of gravity just wears out and lets go and I drift into space?” Does that ever make you anxious?

– Elaine May

Coach, Front Desk, Actress

Coach Sarah

Sarah Rose has been working in the industry professionally for 12 years. Her background is in live stage work, and dance. Sarah has worked on professional stages in Denver Colorado, Charlotte North Carolina, San Diego, and here in the Portland area.

With her background in performance Sarah grew a passion for helping others connect to their creativity through performance art. She worked as an acting coach, director and choreographer at a Children’s Theater company in the Denver area. She has also managed multiple Musical Theater summer camps in Colorado, and South Carolina. She has most recently been coaching at a Youth theater in the Gresham area, and is so excited to be bringing her exuberance for the arts to the students at Acting for Kids and Teens!

No one is you, and that is your super power

– Elyse Santilli

Actor & Acting Coach

Coach Sonya

Sonya Davis is an award-winning writer, producer, director, and actor for over 15 years. She has appeared in television shows, independent films, and many commercials over this time. Recently, she starred in the short film “This Vast and Mysterious Ocean” working with a former student of hers!

Television credits include NBC’s Grimm, TNT’s The Librarians, and Amazon Prime’s Vindication. Sonya has worked extensively on commercials for companies such as Columbia Sportswear, Intel, Microsoft, Fiverr, Progresso Soup, Dell, Toyo Tires, Les Schwab, Osmo Little Geniuses, Kroger and Fred Meyer to name a few. Other film credits include independent features such as The Sugar Moon Tribe, The Virgins, Emily, Death Pool, Besetment, and The Butterfly Guard. Short films include the beautiful and heart wrenching  true story “I Am Dust” where she played opposite the talented April Billingsley from The Walking Dead, Seattle sci-fi thriller “Alvin”, provocative and intimate “Side Order”, award-winning crime drama “Vengeance for Chloe Darling”, and “Details” directed by the one and only Jason Mewes to name a few.

Sonya hosts a podcast, “Swirled” and creates content for the Swirl Your Life channel on YouTube which features her travel show: Swirl World, production company Swirl Films, as well as other creative content.

She is a house team improviser at Curious Comedy Theatre in Portland and brings her experience from studios all over, including Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshops, UCB and Lonsdale-Smith Studios in Los Angeles to the students at Acting for Kids and Teens.

She received her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon where she spent her final term in London for the Intensive Acting Program. She believes everyone with the drive has the ability to be an actor and this is reflected in her encouraging and inspired teaching style.

Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.

– Leonard Cohen

Coach, Actress

Coach Jen

Jen is an Actor, Director and Self-Producer in Portland, Oregon. She is CoArtistic Director of the new nonprofit organization, The Theatre Company. Directing credits include: Tender Napalm (Portland and Chicago), How We Got On (Portland Playhouse), This Girl Laughs This Girl Cries This Girl Does Nothing (Western Oregon University), The Jewish Wife, The Informer, DasVedanya Mama, Mercury Fur, The Unseen, Phaedra’s Love, Waiting, and Subject to Change at various theaters. During her artist residency at CoHo theater, she docu-devised a one-act about the women’s health crisis in America. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Quick + Dirty Productions. As an Actor, Jen has been seen at Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre, Profile Theatre, Third Rail, Portland Playhouse, CoHo Theatre, Milagro Theatre, Jewish Theater Collective, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Playwrights West, and BoomArts. Voice credits include Oregon Lottery and Our Oregon. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, has been seen on NBC’s Grimm, TNT’s The Librarians, played in a band and written/performed in local sketch shows. She enjoys serving as a Coach/Actor for Playwrite, Inc and spends as much time with animals as possible.

I know how to live with my work, whether or not they give me the part.

– Stella Adler

Front Desk, Actress

Hailee More

Hailee More is one of our friendly faces at The Studio NW Front Desk! She is an aspiring young actress, she loves to sing and write. She recently graduated from Wilson High school in Portland Oregon and will be attending University of Oregon in the Fall.  She has worked on may sets as a Production Assistant  and has been in Make-A-Movies such as Street Kids, The Facility. H?NT, and The Hallways.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they go right, and sometimes good things fall about so better things can fall together.”

– Marilyn Monroe

Director of Programming

Jessica More

Jessica is a creative in her own way. She loves creating websites, painting and COOKING! Although the screen is not her scene she loves movies, kids and hosting fun get togethers.  She has been working at AFKT for over two years and is our parents go to person to get registered, ask class questions and just to chat.  Her new found passion is script reading.  Her favorites so far are The Drug Store Cowboy and Modern Family. She is looking forward to reading The Godfather script as it is her favorite movie!

I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.

– Don Vito Corleone

AFK&T Social Media Marketing, Front Desk & Stage Actor

Kilee Rheinsburg

Kilee Rheinsburg trained at Willamette University, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, & Third Rail Repertory, fostering her passion and experience for the stage.

Kilee has worked with various companies in Oregon and Chicago ranging from Profile Theatre, Third Rail Repertory, Experience Theatre Project, and Theatre Unspeakable.  Most notably, her love of physical sports has helped create a deep connection to ensemble-based performance; rooting herself in devising, physical work.

If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

– Roald Dahl

Guest Instructors

We are fortunate to be working with some of the top professionals in our industry!

Not only are our Coaches experienced, working actors with TV & Film cred but our business and support staff are people oriented and believe in community and fostering creativity.

We are especially grateful to our Guest Instructors who are Industry Experts from around the country and graciously lend their time, talent and expertise to our students.

Here are some Guest Instructors who are currently working at AFK&T or will soon be on site!

Be sure to join our mailing list and stay up to date with AFK&T!

Ayanna Berkshire

TV, Film and Theater actress who specializes in drawing from real life to create truthful and dynamic characters for stage and screen. Resident Artist of Artist Repertory Theatre.

Coach Kurt

Kurt Conroyd is a graduate of Willamette University and studied at Studio Magenia in Paris, France. He has performed with Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre, Miracle Theatre, and Portland Playhouse, among others. He has been awarded both the Drammy and OTAS awards for Outstanding Actor.

In 2010 Kurt moved to Chicago where he trained with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, working with actors such as, Amy Morton and K. Todd Freeman. He also worked closely with Second City founding father, the late Sheldon Patinkin. In Chicago, Kurt performed with The Gift Theatre, Pavement Group, Stage Left, Collaboraction, and Sideshow Project.

Kurt’s film credits include Wild, Wild Blue, Life and Death of Unhappily Married Man, Birds of Neptune, Zilla and Zoe, and recently filmed Andrew Haigh’s Lean on Pete. Kurt appeared in FrenchKissTV‘s comedy web-series The Hundredaires (creative producer David Cross).  Currently he co-stars in the hit comedy web-series The Benefits of Gusbandry, which has received rave reviews from A.V. Club, The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.

Sean Parker

Sean Parker is a director, cinematographer and editor who has been working professionally in the film industry for nearly 10 years. His fascination with moviemaking began at age 7, where he got his start with stop-motion animation using action figures and his mildly demented imagination. In high school, he made his first feature-length film (the James Bond/Jackie Chan homage Leadfinger with longtime collaborator Austin Hillebrecht) and in 2011 he released his third feature Coup de Cinema, which he wrote, directed, produced, shot, and edited. Over the last several years, Parker has led the YouTube channel Hapstance Films, which has released over 50 comedy videos. Between his time freelancing and teaching filmmaking, he is currently writing and developing his next feature, a paranormal comedy titled Spectral Services.

F. Tyler Burnet

Experienced, dedicated, and reliable character actor in Improvisational Theatre and Comedy Film.

Wendy Faraone

Disney on-set acting coach and director of hit show, Liv & Maddie. AFKT has been fortunate that Wendy comes to teach once a year.  Keep any eye out for her next event UPCOMING WORKSHOPS