ELAC Theater Students Shine in A Noise Within’s Macbeth Production
March 25, 2025
News Media Contact:
Kevin Jimenez, College Public Relations Manager
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ELAC Theater Students Shine in A Noise Within’s Macbeth Production
ELAC Acting Fellows Robert De Loza, Angel Monzon, Tony Jimenez, Noemi Avalos, Norman Campos, and Joseph Darby
Monterey Park, CA — East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Theater Department is proud to announce that six students from its renowned Summer Shakespeare Workshop were cast in A Noise Within's recent production of Macbeth. ELAC Acting Fellows Robert De Loza, Angel Monzon, Tony Jimenez, Noemi Avalos, Norman Campos, and Joseph Darby secured roles in the professional production, which ran from February 9 through March 9, 2025, at ANW's 324-seat theater in Pasadena.
"While our Acting Fellowship program typically places two students in ANW productions, our talented pool was so exceptional this year that A Noise Within selected six of our students to participate," said Vanessa Mizzone Pellegrini, Theater Arts Faculty at ELAC. "This marks our largest contingent of students ever cast in a single ANW production."
The students performed alongside professional actors in this innovative production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, set in 1920s New Orleans and directed by Andi Chapman. The production featured a largely Black and global majority cast, led by Kamal Bolden as Macbeth and Julanne Chidi Hill as Lady Macbeth. Critics praised the production for its bold setting, incorporation of voodoo elements, and powerful performances.
For the ELAC students, this opportunity represented more than just a chance to perform on a professional stage. Working in an Equity theater allows students to gain valuable industry experience, make professional connections, and gain eligibility toward potential membership in the Actors’ Equity Association, the professional theater union.
The ELAC-ANW Acting Fellowship is part of a decade-long partnership between the college and the professional theater company, established by Theater Arts retiree Kelley Hogan and now guided by current faculty members Vanessa Mizzone Pellegrini and David Llaird Scott. The program provides exceptional students from ELAC's Summer Shakespeare Workshop with the opportunity to audition for upcoming productions at A Noise Within, one of the nation's premier classical repertory companies.
ELAC's Summer Shakespeare Workshop is a unique 5-week intensive program that offers four progressive levels of Shakespearean training. The workshop provides specialized instruction in period movement, scansion, voice work, and other essential skills for classical acting. The program culminates in public performances and is a key component of ELAC's Shakespearean Acting Skills Certificate.
The ELAC Theater Department operates from a state-of-the-art facility constructed in 2012 as part of the Performing and Fine Arts Complex. The department has garnered numerous accolades at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, winning more awards than most colleges in their region over the past seven years.
Students interested in participating in this year's Summer Shakespeare Workshop can audition in late April 2025. To be eligible for the ELAC-ANW Acting Fellowship, students must complete at least one session of the workshop. For specific audition details and updates, follow @elacacting on social media.
About ELAC Theater Department: East Los Angeles College Theater Department offers comprehensive instruction in the acting discipline with diverse training opportunities. The department provides versatile training and an acting faculty with diverse backgrounds that offer students the opportunity to develop their craft in a supportive environment. ELAC Theater students go on to transfer to prestigious four-year programs or enjoy careers in film, television, and theater.
About East Los Angeles College: ELAC is the largest of nine two-year community colleges within the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), www.laccd.edu. More information about ELAC is available online at http://www.elac.edu/. Follow ELAC on social media, Instagram @ELACHuskies, X @EastLACollege, and Facebook @Eastlacollege.