ACTING COACH: Heidi’s career has spanned over 20+ years and includes time as the lead Casting Director at Telsey + Co. for the Broadway musical RENT, as well as casting for 70+ projects in theater, film, television, commercial, and voiceover. Most recently, she coached and prepped Halle Bailey for her audition and screen test for Disney’s upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid.
HEIDI’S JOURNEY: After studying at Carnegie Mellon University and Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Heidi initiated and received the first directing internship at Humana Play Festival at Actors Theater of Louisville. Here, she directed Balm in Gilead and assisted John Jory, Anne Bogart, Tina Landau, and Lisa Peterson.
Heidi then completed a fellowship through the Drama League before heading to New York City, where she began working as an assistant for Bernie Telsey’s casting office. Her first casting project was RENT. In the midst of RENT’s explosion into mega-hit status, Heidi became the show’s lead Casting Director—for seven years, she found and developed talent for its Broadway casts and national/international tours. Heidi also served as Casting Director for Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème on Broadway for which the rotating cast all won a TONY Award for Excellence in Theater.
Baz’s artist mentorship led to a shift away from casting; Heidi was then hired as Resident Director on La Bohème, which had a critically acclaimed Broadway run. She later directed La Bohème for Baz at the Ahmanson Theater in LA.
Her work as a director continued when she was selected for the prestigious American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women.
She returned to Broadway as an acting coach for The Color Purple and worked with Fantasia, Chaka Khan, and Bebe Winans. She also served as an Associate Director for The Adamms Family musical from development through opening night.
Today, Heidi’s directing experience spans film, television, documentary, theatrical events, regional theater, off-Broadway, and Broadway.
Her film Muscle has won 7 awards and has played at over 30 festivals worldwide, including Oscar-qualifying fests. She continues to work as a director, independent filmmaker, and acting coach and teacher.
Heidi actively champions diversity in front of and behind the camera. Over 2,500 actors have been taught and coached through her private studio. She purposefully surrounds herself with passionate actors, collaborative filmmakers, theater lovers, and driven artists who care about Community.
For director bio, click here.
