Education Director
Brenda Jean Hamilton is thrilled to be joining PLT as Education Director. Brenda performed in the Broadway and National Touring productions of Wicked, where she understudied and performed the role of Nessarose over a dozen times. Brenda was hired as a Radio City Rockette immediately after graduating high school and spent 7 seasons dancing with the world-renowned precision dance group.
Brenda has performed in multiple Equity national tours (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, A Chorus Line) as well as at Disneyland and on Disney Cruise Lines. Brenda's favorite role was playing Margaret in The Light in the Piazza at
The River Center for the Arts in Georgia. In addition to her career onstage, Brenda has appeared on camera in commercials, television shows, and print campaigns. A prominent figure in the Pensacola community, Brenda has choreographed Oklahoma! and Pagliacci for Pensacola Opera as well as Fiddler on the Roof and Jesus Christ Superstar at the University of West Florida.
Brenda has extensive teaching experience in both non-profit and university settings, teaching acting, dance, and voice for all ages. Brenda's student successes include castings in Feature Films, National Tours, Regional Theatre productions, and The Voice. Brenda possesses a BA in Performing Arts from Saint Mary's College of California and a Master of Music from Columbus State University, Georgia.
Instructors
Bandon Mayo :: Dungeons and Dragons
Brandon has been playing and running roleplaying games for over 20 years and is excited to introduce a newer generation of gamers to the fun, excitement, creativity, and adventure of D&D. He has been a volunteer at PLT since 2018, acting and directing in shows like The End of Jack Cruz, Legally Blonde, and Incorruptible.
Justin Gaylard :: Musical Theatre Audition Techniques and Musical Theatre Audition Techniques for Adults
Justin Gaylard is no stranger to cattle call auditions. Auditioning and performing while getting his BFA in Musical Theatre from MHU took him from dinner theater to professional summer stock to theme parks to everywhere in between. An extended contract doing a children’s show at Busch Gardens fueled the fire for Justin’s other passion: teaching. Hundreds of students, several grade levels, and a Masters degree later, he now works to support teachers within Escambia County schools.
Over the years, you may have seen Justin onstage as Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer and Man 1 in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at PLT or Fredrick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein at PSC. His choreography was seen onstage last season in 13 the Musical at PLT.
He is excited to combine his passion for the arts with his passion for teaching in this fun and essential class!
Jacob Petersen :: acting for Kids, Improv for Teens Middle School, Acting for Teens High School, Acting for Kids Homeschool
With fourteen years of performance experience in improv, comedy, and drama, Jacob is now pivoting to learning playwriting, musical writing, and directing. Jacob studied acting at LaBelle Performing Arts with Red Carpet Actors Society along with a brief stint practicing improv at Pensacola Little Theatre. Jacob also graduated from the University of West Florida with a BFA in English-Writing and a minor in Theatre. He started his professional journey with PLT while interning under the Education Director, Topher Warren.
Jacob’s passion is to bring new, young voices to theatre and guide students into knowing which aspect of theatre is their calling.
In addition to his various roles at LaBelle Performing Arts including Shrek in Shrek, Ram Dass and The Little Princess, and The Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, Jacob understudied Avery in The Flick at Pensacola Little Theatre. Jacob also wrote Chatter for Pensacola Little Theatre's 24 Hour Theatre, Jane for LaBelle Performing Arts, and is currently working on upcoming projects.