Jackie Bartone's distinctive teaching style, forged on the anvil of St. Joseph's Academy by the Sisters of Charity, reflects the wisdom and experience of Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Bobby Lewis, Wynn Handman and Klaus Kinski, all of whom she studied with in preparation for her career in theater and film. She has developed a course of instruction that incorporates the best of her predecessors with her own techniques developed through years of experimentation in the classroom and on the stage.  This comprehensive background affords her the luxury of matching the mode of instruction to the individual needs of each student - a hands-on approach that yields surprising results.  She received her B.A. in Theater from Syracuse University and is currently a member of the Core Faculty at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.  She works as a director both at the Academy and in professional theater.  Her private classes have become more and more popular each year as students and working actors alike discover how quickly she can bring them to their full potential.

Charles O'Hara:

Charlie's M.A. in Theater from the State University of New York at Binghamton was his entre' into the Service Industries, where he distinguished himself in the fields of Delivery and Telemarketing.  To support these endeavors he writes, directs and acts in various theater productions in New York City.  His talent for putting words in people's mouths naturally led to composing monologues.  A recent project, An Evening of First Acts, proved a bug success at the Wolf Hollow Theater in Upstate New York. (Everyone wondered what happened next!)  In 1995, his one act play, The Hunter, was presented with the prestigious Cold Nose Award, given each year by the participants at Westminister to the play of greatest interest to animals.  It is in the process of being transformed into a feature length film.