Camp Staff

Aaron Carter is a full-time student at James Madison University, majoring in theaterwith a performance concentration and a minor in film studies. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., and graduating from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland. Aaron was originally a camper himself all the way back in 2014, so being able to come back and teach and assist means everything to him, and giving back to the youth warms his heart more than ever. This is Aaron’s first year acting at the college level, recently taking Basic Acting 1 and Performance Analysis, allowing him to analyze scripts and pull the most out of the acting and creative processes. He recently starred asthe role of Jaime in the short play Hanging On by Nicholas Moxley and the role of Edmund in The Poet, The Sea, The Shore by Amy Lee and Doug in Gruesome Playground Injuries. - "Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship." - Denzel Washington. 

Class Taught: Pick-Up Sports 

Why I Teach: Because I’ve been given the opportunity to inspire the youth and create change and hope for the better of this world. 

Art Can: Empower, Patience, Evolve, Process, Creativity.  

What I Love about CAS: The amount of love and kindness that is shown each and every day from the staff to the artists. Something new is created and discovered each day, and it’s a joy to see smiles, laughter, and love throughout an entire summer. 

Gabriel Brumberg is an actor, musician, and writer from Washington, D.C. He is currently a senior at the University of Chicago, where he teaches writing, performs in student theater, and studies drama, literature, and philosophy. In 2024, he worked at Chicago’s Court Theatre, conducting dramaturgical and archival research as New Canon Cultivation Assistant. This year, he received a grant to assist playwright Heather Raffo on her project, The Migration Play Cycle: A New Theatrical Platform. Selected acting credits include Noura (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Assassins (Pallas Theater Collective), and The Ballad of Oedipus (University of Chicago TAPS). As a multi-instrumentalist, Gabriel has performed around the D.C. area at venues including Blues Alley Club, Villain & Saint Music Hall, and the Petworth Community Market, and has taught music privately and at Middle C Music’s Rock Band Camp. Gabriel is also a proud alum of Camp Arena Stage, where he was a camper from 2014 to 2018! 

Classes Taught: Songwriting 

Why I Teach: Because of how much my own teachers inspired me. 

Art Can: Remake the world. 

Grant Emerson Harvey, an MFA-trained theater actor and arts educator in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, is driven by a passion for merging artistic excellence with educational innovation. His diverse background in acting, directing, technical theater, and curriculum creation informs his roles as Learning Engagement Manager at Arena Stage and Program Director at Theatre Major, LLC. Having taught at institutions including NYU Tisch, Pace University, Towson University, and New York Film Academy, Grant is committed to developing dynamic and inclusive programs that empower a wide range of learners both on and off the stage. 

Classes Taught: One-Act Plays 

Why I Teach: Because through my own teachers, I’ve seen the ability to change and mold lives.  
 
Art Can: Save, enhance, and enlighten lives. 

Hasan Crawford (he/him) is a performing artist from right outside of Washington, D.C. in Fairfax, Virginia. Hasan started acting at 12 years old in his middle school musicals and hasn’t stopped since. He first fell in love with Arena in 2012 as a student of Arena’s Voices of Now. This experience led to a lifelong love for storytelling and artistic collaboration that has taken him to places he could only dream of as a child. He was an instructor with Camp Arena Stage teaching Acting and Acting for the Camera. After graduating with his BFA in theater with a concentration in musical theater from George Mason University, Hasan relocated to Los Angeles to delve into the many facets of art the city offers. He works in his community as an actor and educator. He has performed at Theater West in their Storybook Theater original children’s play series as numerous notable storybook characters such as Aladdin, Hansel, and recently the Frog Prince!He’s also worked on the sets of Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Lionsgate, and other film productions. When not acting Hasan is an educator with Tiny Spotlight, assistant directing musicals in Los Angeles after-school programs as well as an Environmental Defender with LA County. Hasan will be beginning an MFA in acting in 2025. 

Classes Taught: Acting for the Camera, Auditions, Myths and Fables 

Why I Teach: Because I have an opportunity to inspire the youth to create and dream. 

Art Can: Move, Change, Connect 

What I Love about CAS: The freedom for kids to be the artist they already are in a space that uplifts and motivates them for their future as citizens of the world. 

Jamie Steinman (they/them) is a recently graduated, D.C.-based actor and theater educator who is thrilled to be returning to Camp Arena Stage for their second summer. They studied acting at Wesleyan University and The British American Drama with a specific focus on musical theater, Shakespeare, and high comedy and now work as a teaching artist with several theaters in the D.C. area. Favorite roles of theirs include Mrs. Rich in The Beau Defeated (The British American Drama Academy) and The Leading Player in Pippin (Noisy Visuals). Upcoming show: City of Angels at Landless Theater Company. 

Classes Taught: Shakespeare, Acting Scenes, Drawing Room Comedy 

Why I Teach: Theater and art are such beautiful tools for young people to use to express themselves and develop their sense of self, and I find a lot of joy and insight as an artist in being able to share my knowledge and passion to facilitate that. 

Art Can: Change the world 

What I Love about CAS: CAS creates such a fun and supportive space for both the campers and staff to share their art and try new things without fear of judgement. I think that’s an incredibly rare and important thing. 

Kayla A. Warren is an educator,choreographer, and performer from Philadelphia. She is currently the Learning Engagement Coordinator at Arena Stage and has served as the 22-23 Allen Lee Hughes school programs fellow. Selected directing credits include: POTUS (Arena Stage) and Toni Stone (Arena Stage). She has traveled to West Bengal, India with Theater Alliance and collaborated with artists fromSouth Asia to devise and perform theater pieces about Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.). She then returned to D.C. to co-direct performances exploring I.D.E.A. on the collegiate level. Selected choreography credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Montgomery College, Maryland) and Urinetown: The Musical (Howard University). Favorite roles include the Leading Player in Pippin (Howard University) and Courier in Day of Absence (Theater Alliance).Kayla has a passion for youth empowerment and believes that one of the best pathways for this initiative is through theater. She is also a strong advocatefor accessibility and inclusion within theater education. She is a graduate of Howard University with a B.F.A. in musical theater and trained at the British American Drama Academy, focusing on classical acting.  

Classes Taught: Musical Theater, Movie Musical Theater, Disney Medley 

Why I Teach: Because I love helping and watching students develop into their best selves. 

Art Can: Heal, inspire, and be really, really fun to create. 

Why I Love CAS: Because great company + amazing art + the warm sun = the perfect summer. 

Mar (they/she) is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and filmmaker. Originally from Louisiana, Mar is a D.C. transplant by way of Georgetown University and then American University. They enjoy photography, theater, film, ice cream (pistachio is best), cats, going to the movies with friends, and building community in the DMV. Mar has had their photography exhibited at the D.C. History Center and BlackRock Arts Center in Germantown, MD. They have two short films currently in post-production—Stone Fort, about camp counselors navigating identity and responsibility, and Sliced, a coming-of-age story set in a pizza shop. When not on set or in the classroom, Mar enjoys arranging flowers for family and friends, cooking elaborate meals, and brainstorming new stories with friends.  

Classes Taught: Music Video, Short Films, Filmmaking Lab 

Why I Teach: I teach because I want students to recognize the power of their own voices and stories. When young artists gain the confidence and skills to tell their stories, the impact extends far beyond the classroom—it ripples through their communities. Filmmaking not only gives students a platform for self-expression but also allows them to reflect their world back to others, fostering empathy, understanding, and new perspectives. Through storytelling, they don’t just find their voice—they learn that their voice matters. There is nothing more rewarding than watching that come to fruition. 

Art Can: Ignite imagination, amplify voices, and transform the way we see the world. Art can be a playground for self-expression, a bridge between different experiences, and a spark that inspires change. It can connect us and create a space where every human, every story—no matter how big or small—has meaning.  

Max Barnewitz is a cartoonist, professor, and mixed-media artist based in Washington, D.C. Max earned an MFA in comics from California College of the Arts in 2023 and an MA in comparative literature from the University of Utah in 2016. Max’s creative work prioritizes making, sharing, and reading comics whose underground and defiant qualities transform culture. Their comics range from memoir to experimental fiction and often use scavenged and upcycled materials, as well as pencil, ink, and watercolor. Max teaches applied comics at the University of Maryland. When they are not reading, making, or teaching comics, Max likes to explore D.C. with their dog, Tally.  

Classes Taught: Comics, Animal Art, Zine Making 

Why I Teach: I teach to build communities. I believe that exploratory creative practices are an essential part of human expression within and beyond the classroom setting. We have immense and continual capacity to learn and explore through diverse arts practices, regardless of training or ability, provided the environment and communities to which we have access are committed to fostering this work. In my classes, it is my goal to create rich interdisciplinary spaces in which students can experiment, build community, and foster social transformation.  

Art Can: Make change. Art helps us connect to our lives and build connections with others that foster empathy and compassion.  

Nia Hicks is an artist and art educator from Prince George's County, Maryland. Just this spring, she graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art's Master of Arts in teaching where she learned from and collaborated with several art educators in Baltimore and its surrounding areas. Returning to the Washington metropolitan area, she hopes to utilize her experience student teaching to create wonderful artworks with all the artists at Camp Arena Stage. Nia has a strong belief in art's power as a language that can be used to communicate with anyone. She also works hard to work inclusion and representation into her teaching by encouraging artists to include their identities and culture in their work. She is also a graduate of Bowie State University with a BS in visual communication and digital media arts.  

Classes Taught: Sculpture, Eco-Art, Tiny Worlds, Mixed Media 

Why I Teach: To learn and grow from my students as they learn and grow from me. 

Art Can: Be a universal language. 

Music Instructor 

Nissan Ni is a Chinese singer, music educator, musician, composer, and bandleader who is passionate about jazz, funk, soul, and R&B. She is currently graduating from Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, studying under Charnee Wade and Marc Cary. Inspired by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, D’Angelo, and James Brown, she loves blending different styles to create her own unique sound. For her, performing is about communication and showcasing the limitless possibilities of sound, so she always encourages the audience to dance, sing along, and engage with the music.  Alongside her performance experiences, Nissan has been training and teaching both instrumental and vocal music for four years. She has taught a range of music classes, from private lessons to small ensembles and large ensembles, including wind ensembles and orchestras. 

Classes Taught: Songwriting, Rock Band, Pop Band, Junk Percussion  

Why I Teach: Instead of “teaching,” I prefer to inspire. I believe that music is something that’s within every single individual. My goal as a music educator is to bring out the musical side in my students, help them achieve their musical goals, and foster a love of music in them, enabling them to express themselves through music. As a musicologist, I introduce students to a canon of musical works and ask them to articulate their reactions by presenting a repertoire and teaching them independent critical listening and thinking skills. To this end, I strive to strike a balance in my courses between lecturing to students and encouraging them to make their own discoveries. 

Art Can: Expand your mind to explore the unknown and change the world. 

Savina Barini (they/them) is a D.C.-based performer and theater-maker. A graduate of Howard University's Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, Savina has studied musical theater, restoration comedy, Shakespeare, and devising techniques in Idaho, New York, D.C., and London. Offstage Savina is a teaching artist, and has worked with St. Thomas Playhouse, Sage School, The Spot, the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Wood River Community YMCA, Howard University, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and Arena Stage directing, choreographing, and teaching K-12 and undergraduate students.  

Classes Taught: Improvisation, Sketch Comedy, Acting Technique, Playbuilding 

Why I Teach: To remember the magic that got me into the arts to begin with and to learn new ways of looking at performance. 

Art Can: Heal us, empower us, change us if we let it.  

What I Love about CAS: The opportunity to meet and learn from such a wide range of young artists from all kinds of backgrounds making all kinds of art from so many different perspectives.  

Skye Lindberg is an actor, writer, yoga instructor, and teaching artist currently based in New York City. She grew up right outside of D.C. in Annandale, Virginia and is thrilled to be returning to Camp Arena Stage. Skye is a graduate of George Mason University, holds a bachelor's degree in theater with a dance minor, and completed an acting and production apprenticeship with American Stage in Saint Petersburg, FL. Fun fact: Skye's first job out of college was working as a Community Engagement intern at Arena Stage, which was how she was first introduced to CAS. Truly life changing. Time for the best summer EVER! 

Classes Taught: Newspaper, Stretch and Yoga, Story-a-Day, Make a Play 

Why I Teach: To show young artists that you can be and create absolutely anything you can dream of. 

Art Can: Make life colorful and fun. 

What I Love about CAS:The community we create together, where every single person is vital. 

Teralin Jones (any pronouns) is an emergent actor, writer and director who is eager to pass on their love of the arts to the next generation. This is their second year teaching at Camp Arena Stage! Some of their credits include BROADWAY: Vacation Swing, The Book of Mormon; NATIONAL TOUR: Frankie, Jagged Little Pill. REGIONAL: Signature Theatre: Emmeretta, Hair; Monumental Theatre: Ilse, Spring Awakening. OTHER: Lin-Manuel Family Fellowship Alumna. PRODUCING/ DIRECTING: Howard University, Heathers: The Musical. Disney Storytellers Fund, Tales from the Hill. EDUCATION: National Theatre Institute, Howard University: BFA musical theater. They are excited to meet everyone and have another great summer!  

Classes Taught: Musical Theater, Musical Theater Audition, Solo Voice, Show Choir 

Why I Teach: I teach because as a child I was so passionate for the arts and felt I had so little direction. I want to help other young people who feel the same to find a sense of belonging.  

Art Can: Help you connect to yourself and the world around you. It creates empathy and makes us all more human.  

What I Love about CAS: I love that Camp Arena Stage is a judgement free creative zone! So often we kill our own creativity by listening to nay-sayers and becoming self-conscious. There is none of that here. The teachers and staff are all here to support and uplift all your creativity and help you become your best creative self.  

Zoë Hall is a dancer, choreographer, and performer originally from Annapolis, MD, now residing in Washington, D.C. She works alongside the Community Engagement team as the Training Programs Manager at Arena Stage. Zoë has danced with various dance companies, includingthe contemporary dance company, Capitol Movement, GAMUT Modern Dance Company, Blu Hip Hop Company, and Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Training and performing for over a decade in ballet, modern, jazz, and hip hop, Zoë loves nothing more than spreading her passion for dance.  

Classes Taught: Choreography, Dance! 

Why I Teach: To inspire and foster young people’s love for art. It’s a joy and a privilege to be able to teach young people. 

Art Can: Ignite change, inspire oneself and others. 

What I Love about CAS: It's inspiring! It is a space filled with joy, laughter, and art; I look forward to it every year!