Ann James
Charles Mayer
Acting

Director, producer, and actress Ann James brings into the classroom an astonishing array of experiences from film, stage, and as an award-winning instructor in the field of theater education.  Her journey into the performing arts began at the tender age of three, when her mother enrolled her in a ballet class in order to cure her of an excessively shy personality.  Once she hit the stage, she never looked back.  Soon afterward, Ann was accepted into one of the most prestigious ballet companies in Virginia, The Peninsula Civic Ballet, where grueling schedules, personal sacrifices, and daily sore muscles taught her both the love and the discipline of being a dedicated performing artist.  Ann continued to follow her dream of performing through high school and into college, where she decided to pursue a professional career in theater.  With just one semester remaining in her college studies at the well-known Performing Arts program of Sam Houston State University, she accepted the role of Sister Mary Hubert in the acclaimed Nunsense, embarking on a five-year journey that led her all around the U.S. performing in and eventually serving as Artistic Director for the Chicago Children's Theatre.  Since heading the Children's Theatre Company, Ann has served in numerous theater positions over the past 20 years, including as Associate Director at Steppenwolf Theatre, Dallas Theater Centre, and the Tony Award® winning Alley Theatre.   She has owned two theater companies and directed over 70  plays and musicals including Hair, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Medea, Hamlet, Animal Farm, Topdog-Underdog, and Dreamgirls.  Along with her directing experiences, Ann has worked as a professional actress, theater producer, and as a recognized drama instructor and educator on four continents.  Her credentials in theater education include the IGSCE Certified Drama, IBO/DP Theatre Certified 2009, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Theater 1995 and several additional certifications.  Additional theater-related positions include the following:

Executive Producer; Urban Aphrodite International Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Theater Producer; University of North Texas
Founding Executive Director; dAdA Productions
Drama Facilitator; The Center for Success and Independence School
Acting Teacher/Choreographer; High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, Texas
Director of Education; Express Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland
Drama Facilitator; The River Performing and Visual Arts Center, Houston, Texas

Charles Mayer trained at Guildhall School of Music & Drama 2002-05, graduating with BA (Hons) Acting.  He has taught movement at RADA, RSC, Guildhall and National Theatre in London, and an acting course at HM Prison Altcourse in Liverpool, England.  He has directed for theatre, short film and radio. Charles has also acted on the West End stage in Bent, in BBC's Spooks and Hotel Babylon, and whilst in China in Mandarin Films' Ip Man 2 and SRT's A Christmas Carol.  Working with East West Theatre and 3rd Culture Theatre, this year Charles has played Marc in Yazmina Reza's ART, Felix in The Odd Couple, Father in 6 Characters in Search of An Author, and all 30 characters in Doug Wright's extraordinary I Am My Own Wife this autumn, as well as hosting the cabaret show at Chinatown Shanghai (he has also appeared in Chinatown's Blithe Spirit).  This year on film he has been a murderous fashion designer in The Old Mansion House, a fake lawyer in Americatown, and the lead in an action film about mercenaries in Shanghai: Good Guys Can't Afford Us.  He has also been the host of CT Theatre and introduces Citybeat on ICS five nights a week.

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