The best part of teaching theatre is watching students learn who they really are. Theatre celebrates individuality and diversity. It embraces every quirk and oddity of the human experience. By becoming other people, students have to see the world through others’ eyes, which builds their ability to empathize. Theatre is highly collaborative at the same time, encouraging students to put the team over themselves. At Prep, we emphasize project-based learning, so all theatre classes are oriented toward production of some kind: full-scale plays and musicals, end-of-class showcases, cabarets and more.

My teaching experience includes four years as Head of Acting at Blake School of the Arts, four years as Instructor of Acting at USF School of Theatre and Dance, three years as Instructor of Acting at the Graduate and Undergraduate Theatre Departments at Florida Atlantic University and two years as Instructor of Acting at New World School of the Arts in Miami.

I am a card-carrying member of Actors’ Equity, the Actors Union. Recent theatrical credits include the Emcee in Cabaret and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Freefall Theatre in St Petersburg. Regionally, I have worked at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles and many others. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and an Master of Fine Arts degree from The Old Globe Theatre/University of San Diego. I live in Temple Terrace with my beautiful wife Amanda, son Dylan and daughter Evelyn.

Read Mr. Mann’s thoughts on student Sophia B.