Faculty
Chris Cannon
Professor of Theatre Arts
Office: P-106-5
Office phone: (714) 564-5666
Email: cannon_chris@sac.edu
Bio
Professor Cannon is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his MFA in Drama and Performance. He is also an alumni of Southeastern University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and Salutatorian, earning his BA in Theology. In addition, he has studied acting and performance at the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida. Before joining the theatre department at Santa Ana College, Professor Cannon served as a religious studies instructor and as Assistant Professor of Acting at his alma maters, Southeastern University and the University of Virginia. He has been an educator since 1999 and a director of regional and collegiate productions since 1996. Professor Cannon is also an active professional actor and member of SAG-AFTRA and the Actors' Equity Association.
As a professional stage and film actor and director, Professor Cannon has worked in New York City, Virginia, Florida and Los Angeles. He has also held a variety of performance, creative and managerial positions at Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Company, Pepperdine University, Theatreworks/USA, Heritage Repertory and the Sonnetag Theatre at the Icehouse, to name a few. He is a former production manager for Holland America Cruise Line and served as the Executive Director of the Berks Arts Council in Pennsylvania managing one of the largest jazz festivals on the East Coast. He has starred in a multitude of independent films that were shown at various film festivals throughout the country.
He has starred in a multitude of independent films that were shown at various film festivals throughout the country – this portion still there, add back . . . including the award-winning feature horror film, Playroom. He is the recipient of the Utah Film Festival's Best Supporting Actor Award for his portrayal of Tom Matthews in the feature dark comedy Deany Bean is Dead. Favorite roles on stage include The Conductor in Warner Brothers Studios' live production of The Polar Express, Marston in And Then There Were None, Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost, Lt. Barney Greenwald in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Mozart in Amadeus, Paravicini in The Mousetrap, Nikos in Charles Mee's Big Love, James Lingk in Glengarry Glen Ross, Kipps in The Woman in Black, Mirabell in Heritage Repertory's production of The Way of the World directed by Sabin Epstein, as well as the Knight of the Mirrors in Sonnentag Theatre at the Icehouse's production of Man of La Mancha directed by Terrance Shank for which he won a Cubie Award for Best Supporting Actor of the Season.
When not working on stage or in front of the camera, Professor Cannon is on the road or in the air traveling to as many corners of the globe as he can reach.
Emphasis
Introduction to Theatre, Theatre History, Online Learning, Acting Fundamentals, Film Directing & Scene Study, Acting for the Camera, Theatre Production, Motion Picture Performance Production
Amberly Chamberlain
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, Chair
Office: P-106-1
Office phone: (714) 564-5668
Email: chamberlain_amberly@sac.edu
Bio
Professor Chamberlain is an alumna of Cal-State, Long Beach where she received her MFA in Acting with a specialization in Theatre Pedagogy. She is also an alumna of Fullerton College and Cal-State, Fullerton where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and top of her graduating class, earning her BA in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Musical Theatre. Before teaching and directing at Santa Ana College, Professor Chamberlain taught courses at her alma maters, CSULB and FC. She has been an educator since 2004 and a director of regional and national productions since 2000. Outside of SAC, Professor Chamberlain adjudicates and conducts workshops for various high school theatre awards programs, including CETA, MTCA, and the Spirit of the MACY Awards where she has served both an Advisor to the Board, as well as the Board Vice President.
Before entering the world of academia, Professor Chamberlain worked steadily as a professional actress and singer/songwriter. She produced and performed on her debut album entitled, In His Hands. She is a member of BMI and owns her own music publishing company, Roundbrush Music, that represents her and other budding songwriters. Amberly is also an active member of SAG-AFTRA and an Equity Member Candidate, having starred in award winning indie films featured in film festivals across the county . Some of her television credits include: three seasons on the "Tonight Show" as a sketch comedy actor, and four seasons as a featured regular on "MADtv" where she additionally spent a season behind the scenes as the Key Set P.A. Some of Professor Chamberlain's favorite roles on stage include: Elsa in Performance Riverside and Candlelight Pavilion's The Sound of Music, Vera in Ten Little Indians, the Witch in Into the Woods, the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing..., Charity in Barnum, Brooke in Noises Off, Ethel in Petticoat Fever, Laura in Look Homeward, Angel, Grace in MTSC's Annie, as well as Musical Theatre West's production of Annie with Andrea McArdle.
She can't wait to help your find your story and aid you on your own artistic journey!
Emphasis
Introduction to Theatre, Intermediate Acting, Musical Theatre, Children's Theatre, Tour Ensemble, Voice & Movement, Stage Directing & Scene Study, Theatre Production, Showcase
Kevin Slay
Assistant Professor of Technical Theatre
Office: P-108-8
Office phone: (714) 564-5669
Email: slay_kevin@sac.edu
Bio
Kevin Slay is excited to be joining the Theatre Faculty at Santa Ana College. His most recent position was as professor/Lecturer of Theatre Arts, at Cal State Fullerton and Azusa Pacific University, and Film Studies at Citrus College. Kevin is a published author of the Theatre textbook, The American Performance: Cultural Diversity in Theatre Music and the Cinematic Arts. Kevin has worked in numerous capacities within the technical Theatre world as a scenic and lighting designer. Most recently, as the lighting designer for the Redland Theatre Companies summer production of The Seagull. He is a professional director throughout Southern California. Recent directing credits include Arsenic and Old Lace at Redlands Theatre Festival, Twelfth Night, Cyrano De Bergerac, Romeo and Juliet and Godspell at Azusa Pacific University, Art, Auntie Mame and Born Yesterday at Inland Valley Rep. All My Sons, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Tartuffe at American Coast Theatre Co., The Goat, or Who is Sylvia and Macbeth at Ophelia’s Jump Productions, and The Children’s Hour at Newport Arts Center Theatre.
Emphasis
Career Technical Education, Technical Theatre Production, Fundamentals of Stage Design (Lighting, Sound, Stagecraft), Film Stagecraft Design, Stage Management
