Hernán Angulo (MFA 2022)

A.C.T. MFA Alum and A.C.T. Teaching Artist, Hernán Angulo is in the short film Gloria which is having its world premiere at Tribeca Festival this month, starring Emily Kuroda, and written and directed by Kim Blanck. After receiving an MFA from A.C.T., Hernán has gone on to act professionally in films as well as became a core member of the 2024 Summer Training Congress team. We're very proud of Hernán's accomplishments and passion.

About the film:

Gloria, a Chinese woman in her 70s living alone and struggling with her memory, finds newfound purpose in teaching herself Spanish. Gloria is about dementia, community, and a Chinese woman’s enduring love of learning.

To learn more, click here.

About the festival:

The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, brings artists and diverse audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, music, audio storytelling, games, and immersive. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is synonymous with creative expression and entertainment. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning talent, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new ideas through exclusive premieres, exhibitions, conversations, and live performances.

Natasha Lorca Yannacañedo (STC 1995, MFA 2000)

STC & MFA Alum Natasha Lorca Yannacañedo has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor in the Humanities Department at Eugenio María de Hostos Community College. Professor Yannacañedo is a multifaceted artist and educator whose dynamic career bridges the worlds of performance, scholarship, and service. With a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater, she has built an extensive creative portfolio that spans independent film, radio, audio dramas, primetime television, and an array of stage productions. Her artistic contributions include collaborations with the Harlem Shakespeare Festival, Take Wing and Soar, Judith Shakespeare Company, and Theatre in the Flesh. She is a proud member of both Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

At Hostos, Professor Yannacañedo has distinguished herself as a dedicated educator and leader. She served for several years as the Unit Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts and currently holds dual leadership roles as Director for First Year Experience and Capstone and Faculty Director of First Year Experience. A certified Emotional Body instructor, she integrates trauma-informed, somatic-based pedagogy into her teaching and coaching, fostering supportive, mindful spaces that champion student creativity, resilience, and personal growth.

Beyond the college, Professor Yannacañedo serves on the Board of Directors of the National Women’s Theatre Festival, where she has helped shape the organization’s strategic vision and uphold its commitment to equity in the arts. Her impactful work in both academia and performance has been recognized through competitive fellowships, including those from apexart, the Charles E. Scheidt Fellowship in Atrocity Prevention at Binghamton University’s Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention, and the Council of American Overseas Research Centers in partnership with The Americas Research Network.

While her list of accomplishments is long and inspiring, Professor Yannacañedo names her greatest joy as being the mother of her fierce, bright daughter, Amara, and partner to her multitalented Renaissance husband, Dane. 

Kathryn Roszak (ATP 1985)

Jennifer Apple (MFA 2018)

In an interview from his childhood bedroom in Reno, Nevada, Patrick Russell scans the walls and recounts the series of events that brought him to his current role as a faculty member at A.C.T.’s renowned San Francisco Semester program. "I'm back in my hometown right now in my parents' guest room, although it has a bunch of stuff from my old high school childhood theater shows that I did. This is kind of sweet." There’s a pause before Patrick begins sharing his artist origin story, "I was very, and still consider myself this way, but a very shy, kid. Many of us artists, you know, we find this work in school, and I really became in love with acting and film when I was a little kid."

Like many artists, Patrick hadn’t considered the world of sports or other stereotypically masculine forms of expression to be a good fit for him. He loved movement and expression, but hadn’t quite found the space to explore those values until he was introduced to theater and performance.  "I did a program when I was in 5th and 6th grade that my teacher suggested, and I really credit her for this, she recommended me for the program to be a part of every Friday, leaving early in the afternoon from school, to be a part of an acting program," Patrick continued.

From his experience absorbing theater as a child, all the way to the moment he graduated with an MFA, Patrick never once let go of the values of empathy and embracing each individual as they were. As a student, he learned from his teachers, and now as a teacher, he learns from his students. From a shy child in Reno discovering theater as a refuge, to a confident artist and educator in San Francisco, Patrick’s story is a testament to the transformative power of the arts. His story underscores how essential educational spaces are to artists throughout their life. Now as a core faculty member at A.C.T., Patrick is able to bring empathetic mentorship to the San Francisco Semester program and provides a space to not only help shape a person's career, but a person’s identity. Patrick has come full circle offering students the same sense of belonging, purpose, and courage that once helped him grow. Patrick is doing more than teaching acting, he's nurturing the next generation of artists to lead with empathy, authenticity, and vulnerability. A.C.T. is happy to be a home to Patrick, and Patrick is happy to make every classroom a home to his students.