Sarah Jayne Rothkopf began her professional acting career at eight years old and has not stopped since then. Her dramatic training began at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, while Sarah Jayne tended to academics at the Trevor Day School in New York City. A time spent at The Neighborhood Playhouse was followed by City Lights Youth Theatre, Looking For Shakespeare at NYU's Steinhardt School, a summer theatre intensive at Sarah Lawrence College and the drama department at LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. Following all, Sarah Jayne moved upstate, graduated from The Woodstock Day School and enrolled in Sarah Lawrence College. Her recent performances include the roles of Etienne & Auguste in George Feydeau's She's All Yours, Elsa in The Sound of Music and Emily in Thornton Wilder's Our Town, directed by Linda Burkhardt in West Shokan, NY. This past November, Sarah Jayne was thrilled to star in Performing Arts of Woodstock's production of Lee Blessing's two character play, Great Falls,  directed by Sharon Breslau.

Jeanine Brinell came to New York from Denmark over four years ago to explore and make a career out of her lifelong passion for acting. She was accepted to AADA and completed their two year conservatory program, and was subsequently invited to join their company in ‘07-’08. Some of her favorite credits  include the fall of Rose Baum in Arthur Miller’s The American Clock, the obsessive Ruth in Luis Nowra’s Cosi (both New York) and Sylvia in the musical adaptation of Two Gentlemen of Verona in Denmark. Since her graduation Jeanine has acted in a wide variety of productions, ranging from Shakespeare to the independent feature film Katarina in the Snow, now in post-production. She also finds time to compose music and do creative writing.

Mauri Epstein is a newly transplanted New Yorker and is excited to finally be here coming all the way from St. Louis.  She received her B.A. in History from the University of Virginia where she also studied Theatre.  Outside of Michael Howard Studios, she has acted in several film projects with Columbia University Graduate students.  Currently, she is co-directing a documentary short film and is a member of the Wire Theatre Company.  She is thrilled to be completing the One-Year Conservatory at Michael Howard Studios.

Naamah Harris spent two years at Michael Howard Studios training with Gabrielle Berberich before joining the One-Year Conservatory last fall. She has previously trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London as well as The Linklater Center in NYC and received her B.A. in Theatre from Binghamton University. Naamah’s favorite theatre credits include Grim, Voices of Africa (both NY), Romeo & Juliet, and Comedy of Asses (both Regional). Film and TV credits include All My Children, School’s Out (pilot) and Routinely.

Usaama Minhas was born and raised in Britain, where he developed a keen interest in the theatre and began his journey in community theatre. An ambitious Usaama soon found himself in New York, where he attended the One-Year Conservatory at Michael Howard Studios. As an actor, poet, writer and musician, his work draws upon influences from the many cultures he has experienced and grew up in. Along with fellow students of the One-Year Conservatory, Usaama is a member of the Wire Theatre Company, an exciting actor collaborative based in New York City.

Matt DeCoster has performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and other comedy venues throughout New York.  He has also been featured on Late Night with Conan O’Brien,  One Life to Live, Spike TV and Adult Swim, and is a member of the Wire Theater Company.

Carson Dougherty hails from Alexandra, Virginia. She is a 2009 cum laude graduate of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, where she majored in Anthropology and minored in French. Carson has enjoyed performing her entire life and has been involved in a variety of activities from acting workshops to competitive singing to dramatic interpretation in debate competitions. It was only after attending the Michael Howard Studios Summer Conservatory in 2008 that she decided to focus her energies full time on pursuing an acting career. Along with some of her fellow Conservatory colleagues, she has become part of the Wire Theater Company.

Damon Owlia is a New York City-based actor, who holds a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Connecticut.  Upon entering New York City, he worked as a casting intern with McCorkle Casting.  He assisted in casting duties for such off-Broadway projects as Our Town (David Cromer) and The Toxic Avenger (John Rando). While Damon studied at Michael Howard Studios’ One-Year Conservatory, he founded an exciting new actor collaborative, Wire Theatre Company.  Performance credits include Pedro in Rush Hour Madness, which was a finalist in the Strawberry One-Act festival.  He also co-wrote and will be starring in a sitcom pilot shooting at the end of June.

Kati Schwartz was born and raised in Southern Vermont. Her acting training includes courses at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), as well as the Michael Howard Studios One-Year Conservatory. Her favorite theater credits include Macbeth, Heroes, Dancing at Lughnasa, and a professional tour of The Nutcracker with Albany Berkshire Ballet. Kati, along with fellow Conservatory actors, is a member of the Wire Theater Company.