Teaching Artists

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  Lelund Durond Thompson

  Featured Instructor
  Lelund Durond Thompson

  Featured Instructor

  Biography:

  Lelund Durond Thompson is an actor, acting coach, photographer, writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. He enjoys using his diverse skill set to tell stories that heal and capture people in their best light. After studying acting at North Carolina A&T State University (BFA) and Case/Cleveland Play House (MFA), he started his career as a professional actor in New York while also working regional, off-Broadway, and international shows in theaters and venues like Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Sons d’Hiver Festival in Paris (with iconic American artist Melvin van  Peebles). In 2010, he discovered his passion for photography. Since then, he’s enjoyed capturing Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks, Sting, Daniel Radcliffe, and many of New York’s and Hollywood’s most talented artists. 

           In 2014, he founded Lelund Durond Studios, attracting and securing clients/projects like Diane Guerrero and Joivan Wade (“Doom Patrol”, HBO Max), Radha Blank (Sundance 2019 Directing Award Winner for “The Forty Year Old Version”) and the upcoming MGM feature film “Respect” (featuring clients Jennifer Hudson and Marlon Wayans).

  In 2016, the world famous Apollo Theater (in collaboration with The Classical  Theatre of Harlem) premiered “The First Noel”, an original holiday musical he wrote with Special Tony Award recipient, Jason Michael Webb (“Respect”, Executive Music Producer). He and Jason are honored to be commissioned by National Black Theatre as they write their new musical, “WiLDFLOWER.”

  
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  Jason Michael Webb

  Broadway Music Director, Arranger, and Composer
  Jason Michael Webb

  Broadway Music Director, Arranger, and Composer

  Biography:

  2019 Special Tony Award recipient and Drama Desk winner, Jason Michael Webb is a composer, lyricist, musical director, producer and arranger. From conducting orchestras in Broadway pits to writing and arranging music for a President’s inauguration, Jason has dedicated his life to using music to heal, uplift and encourage. 

  Mr. Webb’s early musical training consisted of formal classical study, playing in small churches and listening to pop music. By 21, he had a degree in classical piano, played in the biggest churches in New York City and made his orchestral solo debut with the Queens Symphony. 

  He then went on to become Musical Director of the six-time Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle, for whom Mr. Webb co-wrote and produced four albums for The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, leading to two Stellar Award nominations and a Dove Award win. His arrangement of BTC’s “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was featured at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama and simultaneously heard by over one billion people worldwide.

  Mr. Webb wrote music and lyrics for Kenny Leon’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, running currently in Central Park (Shakespeare in the Park, The Public Theater) (also Music Supervisor/Incidental Music). His writing can also be heard on the hit TV series “Empire” (Fox), Netflix film “Juanita” (starring Alfre Woodard), recording projects and original musicals, including the new South African musical “WiLDFLOWER” (currently in development with NBT/Apollo Theater).

  Mr. Webb will receive a 2019 Special Tony Award for his "outstanding arrangements" in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s breathtaking play “Choir Boy” (MTC). He is also a Drama Desk nominee for Outstanding Original Music. 

  He served as Musical Director of the gorgeous Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning 2016 Broadway Revival of "The Color Purple", directed by John Doyle and based on the timeless novel by Alice Walker. Mr. Webb is now currently Music Director/Arranger for Cynthia Erivo, who won a 2016 Tony Award as Celie in the Broadway Revival.

  Other credits include Associate Production Music Supervisor for The Greatest Showman (20th Century Fox); Musical Director and Arranger/Adaptor for Disney’s “Frozen: Live at the Hyperion” (Anaheim, CA); and Associate Musical Director of Broadway shows including Berry Gordy’s “Motown: The Musical”, Alan Menken’s “Leap of Faith” and Jeanine Tesori’s “Violet” (also Additional Arrangements).

  Mr. Webb has appeared as a Pianist onstage with Dame Shirley Bassey, Michael Bolton, Cece Winans, and Chaka Khan. He has conducted live and recording orchestras from New York to LA, including internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang’s 2016 love letter to NYC, “New York Rhapsody” (PBS), which featured performances by Rufus Wainwright, Regina Spektor and Suzanne Vega.

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  Katie Pohlman

  Featured Instructor
  Katie Pohlman

  Featured Instructor

  Biography:

  Katie Pohlman is a professional dancer, actor, and singer from Omaha, NE. She graduated from Oklahoma City University with her Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance and trained in New York City at Broadway Dance Center in their Professional Semester program. Katie has spent the past several years performing around the country at Music Theatre Wichita and The Muny. She was most recently seen as the swing and dance captain on the first national tour of Bandstand. Katie is over the moon excited to be sharing her passion and knowledge of dance with the musical theater students in Nebraska!

  
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  Alicia Olatuja

  Featured Instructor
  Alicia Olatuja

  Featured Instructor

  Biography:

  "Olatuja possesses a special instrument: a full-bodied tone, precise pitch and personal engagement at the lowest whisper or highest wail." -Downbeat 

  Praised by the New York Times as “a singer with a strong and luscious tone and an amiably regal presence on stage”, Alicia Olatuja has been astounding audiences with her exquisite vocals, artistic versatility and captivating demeanor. She first came into the national spotlight in 2013, whilst performing as the featured soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at President Barack Obama’s Second Inauguration. Shortly thereafter, she assembled her own jazz based ensemble and recorded her first solo album, Timeless (2014). 

  Originally from St. Louis, MO, Alicia grew up immersed in a wide range of musical styles, including gospel, soul, jazz and classical. These influences have informed her artistic journey, and she later graduated with a Masters degree in Classical Voice/Opera from the Manhattan School of Music. After appearing in numerous operatic and musical theater productions, she started to perform more regularly in gospel and jazz concerts and worked with such esteemed artists as Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans and Christian McBride. 

  In 2014, Alicia came to the attention of the acclaimed composer/arranger/pianist Billy Childs, and was brought on to be part of the touring incarnation of “Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro” alongside vocalist Becca Stevens. The project has begun an extensive nationwide tour for the 2015-16 season in cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, Tallahassee, New York, and Boston. 

  Her voice has also entranced the legendary Hammond B3 organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, and she has recently performed with him at multiple events including the Charlie Parker Festival and the BRIC JazzFest. 

  Alicia’s own band, over the past year, has been steadily in demand, and they have performed at the Jazz Standard, Vermont Jazz Center, Sioux Falls JazzFest, Rockport Jazz Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Monty Alexander Jazz Fest, and the Harlem Stage Gatehouse, to name a few.