Meet Our Instructors
And discover the amazing talents they bring to Metropolitan Performing Arts!
Shannon Jung dance Shannon is a dancer, actor, choreographer, and arts educator based out of the Vancouver/Portland area. An alumna of Western Washington University, she is a double major in Theater (acting) and Dance (performance). She has trained heavily in tap, modern, musical theater, ballet, devising, Suzuki, viewpointing, and Stanislavski Technique. Since 2013, Shannon has been choreographing and teaching tap technique, as well as various workshops. Recent MPA choreography credits include: Matilda (2019), Willy Wonka (2018), The Fantasticks (2017), and Aladdin (2017). Other choreography credits include: Young Frankenstein (2018), 1776 (2017), Peter and the Star Catchers (2016), and Twisted (2015). 
Bryce Britton acting An active member of Actors Equity Association and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Bryce received his BFA in Theatre from University of Puget Sound and his MFA Theatre Direction from Ohio University. Post-graduation, he trekked up the tenure track of Academia throughout Appalachia. A few of his favorite stops included Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Penn State Altoona, and working with Dramatic Adventure Theatre to create Porajmos: The Devouring (Porajmos: The Devouring — Dramatic Adventure Theatre.) As an Assistant Professor and Director of Musical Theatre at West Virginia University, Bryce oversaw the creation of the BFA in Musical Theatre. Since relocating to the PNW, Bryce now runs his own Insurance and Financial Agency with Country Financial and works at Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy as the Conservatory Acting Teacher and Stage Director. With over thirty years’ experience in the classroom and over two hundred shows from Shakespeare to Original Musical Theatre that spanned Off-Broadway and across Europe under his belt, Bryce has quite a few tricks up his sleeve that he can’t wait to share with you! http://www.brycebritton.com. 
Dylan Sladky acting Having grown up in Vancouver, WA, Dylan attended VSAA before graduating from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle with a degree in Directing/Playwriting. Since college, Dylan has worked all across the country, most recently as the Artistic Administrator for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Favorite credits include; ANGELS IN AMERICA: PERESTROIKA (Cornish), TWELFTH NIGHT (Bard and Bourbon Theatre Co.), and THE CHILDREN'S HOUR (Outskirts Theatre). 
Jeffrey Puukka Acting Jeffrey Puukka is curious and passionate about actor training, and joined Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy to teach Acting Fundamentals in 2017. Additionally, Jeffrey teaches the highly popular and successful Monday Night Acting Lab at Mt. Hood Community College, and is also a mentor and adjudicator for high school competitive speakers. Jeffrey has directed thirty-something theatre productions in the Portland metro area over the past 15 years. Favorites include “Women of Troy” which he adapted from Euripides and directed in 2015, “Elective Affinities” (Portland, the Edinburgh Fringe, and Cambodia), and “Dracula” (Portland, 2004). 
William Johnson ACTING AERIALS & silks After graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, Will went on to get his bachelor's degree in Theater Education from Western Washington University. Since 2014 Will has been teaching Acting, Acrobatics, and Theater Technology in the Vancouver area and is the current Auditorium Manager at Skyview High School's 1000 seat auditorium. Will enjoys working in all areas of live theatre and is in his own words "an acting teacher who wants only to be an acting teacher". At Metro Will's credits include; Director (Madeline's Christmas, Broadway JR), Choreographer, Aerial Silks (Matilda, Pirates Past Noon), Playwright (Town of Gruff, Where the Wild Things Are, Doctor Dolittle and the Unfriendly Beast), Technical Director (Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure) and Performer (Harry Potter Live Action Roleplay, Three Musketeers: An Adventure With Music)... along with many others! Will hopes that his service to Vancouver Theatre inspires young people to pursue their dreams and inspires everyone to be kind to one another. 
Pip Kennedy makeup design playwriting Pip Kennedy is an actor, director, vocalist, and dramaturg based in Portland, Or. Classically trained in Meisner Technique & Victorian Period Dramaturgy, he has over 8 years of study in these areas plus, stage direction, script analysis, new play development, musical theatre & Shakespeare. His professional training started at Concordia University, then to Portland State University & also NYU. He's traveled the country & Eastern Europe performing for various companies. He's been professionally working as an actor & director for about 20 years. 
Mark Martin SETs Mark is excited to bring his experience and insight to MPA. His theater history began in grade school and continued through college. He has held positions at CYT and other theater companies as Set Designer, Stage rigging engineer, Assistant director and Director, as well as a class instructor. Recent directorial credits would include Cinderella, Great American Tall Tales, Aladdin and HONK! Mark holds an Associates Degree in Arts and Sciences from Clark College. 
Amy Palmer-Cole MUSIC DIRECTOR Ms. Cole is currently performing with Opera Quest Northwest as the Ingenue in “Opera the Great.” A private vocal teacher and manager at Cole Studios in Battle Ground, she has sung roles in several operas including Emmy in Albert Herring and Armchair in L’enfant et les Sortileges with Portland Opera, and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Children’s Opera. She has been a featured soloist with the Oregon and Vancouver symphonies, performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Portland State University Chamber Choir and was soprano soloist on the CD On American Shores. In her spare time, Cole enjoys traveling, garage sales and activities with her three children. |
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