Meet Our Teaching Artists!


  • Acting

    “The craft of acting goes far beyond the surface of performing. It connects with the soul and draws out raw unfiltered behavior that breeds authenticity; stripping you from every pretense and allowing you ...to be YOU! THAT'S why I love teaching the craft! There's no hiding. Through vulnerability, it uncovers and taps into the full potential of your artistry.... Are you ready to commit?


  • Face Your Fears: Creating a Solo Performance

    Gary is an alumni ensemble member of The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago where he acted/directed/wrote/taught for about 20 years. Some of the original plays that he’s created as a director/co-writer include: God in a Box; Ayn Rand Gives Me A Boner; I’m 27, I Still Live At Home and I Sell Office Supplies; A Huge Horrible Failure; The Idiotic Death of Two Fools; The Ate Monologues; Jim Carrane Is Living In A Dwarf’s House and many others. His one-man play; “So, I Killed A Few People…” has been produced all over the world including the New York and Edinburgh Fringes, Chicago, SF, NYC, London and more. The script has been published in the theater anthology; Plays & Playwrights for the New Millennium. He is also the co-author, along with Eric Hoffman, of the well-regarded comedy bible Comedy By The Numbers (published by McSweeneys). Gary directed noted Israeli stand-up comedian Yisrael Campbell in his one-man show “Circumsize Me” at the Edinburgh Fringe and in Jerusalem. He directed Yisrael’s stand-up special, “A Really Lapsed Catholic” filmed in Jerusalem. His humor writing has appeared in the NY Times, Esquire, McSweeneys, Boston Globe, MSNBC, Poetry Foundation, and Reader’s Digest amongst other places. Gary had taught writing for solo performing for over 15 years at The Annoyance and The Second City in Chicago as well as The Magnet Theater in NYC from where he created the ME ME ME class. He created the improv program at Montclair Film and taught improv and writing there for several years.


  • Acting, Creative Drama, Improv

    Natasha Gallop, a Newark NJ native, will be teaching Creative Drama, Acting and Improv. She believes the gift of watching adolescents come into self confidence is unmatched. The freedom and pure joy in play, exploration and understanding is what draws her to teaching the arts. Acting allows children to objectively look at themselves, and the world around them while deciding what to adopt and what to pass over. As they grow they learn perspective and thus empathy. This is the gift and empowerment of self through free play.


  • Improv, Dance, and Director of Summer Conservatory

    Julia is the Teen Summer Conservatory Director as well as a teaching artist for Dance and Improv at Luna Stage. She has taught in both educational and recreational settings for the past 6 years including in middle schools, high schools, dance studios, and regional theatre companies. Her passion for dance and theatre stems from her belief that the arts are integral to child development and growth. With opportunities to express creativity and find belonging in artistic settings, children can be empowered with self-love and confidence as well as strengthen problem-solving skills. In an environment where students can learn, grow, and have fun, Julia is dedicated to making the arts accessible to all children!


  • Improv, Stage Combat

    Lucas is teaching Improvisation and Stage Combat, two of his absolute favorite classes to teach. As a process-oriented teaching artist, Lucas loves exploring the techniques behind how to craft an entertaining piece of theatre. This is so important for improvisation because, even though much is made up on the spot, there are many rules and guidelines to follow to do this most successfully. It is equally as important for stage combat because, although it is best when the combat is convincing and thrilling, it is most vital that it is done safely and accurately. Both of these theatrical practices require patience, commitment, and bravery. Sharing necessary techniques and tactics with theatre students is always rewarding - leading to lots of laughs and awe.


  • Shakespeare Deep Dive

    Natasha Warner is a theater artist whose body of work straddles new plays and the classics. As an actor, Natasha has appeared at New York theaters including HERE Art Space, MCC, The Civilians, The Lark, and New York Performance Space (formerly PS 122). Regional credits include New York Stage and Film, SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Geva Theater, Merrimack Repertory Theater, The White Heron, The Cape Playhouse, Boston Court, and the Gulfshore Playhouse. TV: Ground Floor (TBS); and Betas (Prime). Film: Odyssea (Slamdance) and Farah Goes Bang (TriBeCa). Upcoming: Space Cadet (Prime). Natasha also worked as a producer and on-set acting coach for the film The Unknown Country starring Lily Gladstone, which premiered at SXSW in 2022. As a director and teaching artist, Natasha has worked at Juilliard, PlayMakers Rep, The Vineyard, The Tank, Shakespeare at the Manor, Bellarmine Jefferson High-School, and with community programs like 52nd St. Project and Hunts Point Alliance for Children. Natasha received her BA from Barnard, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. During her time at Barnard/Columbia Natasha studied under renowned Shakespeare scholars James Shapiro and Peter Platt. Natasha continued her study of Shakespeare while completing her MFA at the Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, Natasha received the Laura Pels Award, the Bill Irwin Scholarship, and the prestigious Goldman Fellowship for her teaching work.