Actors Training Ground | Guest Teaching Artists | Acting Classes in the Raleigh

ATG 2026 Descriptions Button (Square).png

ATG 2026 Signature Classes Button (Square).png

ATG'S GUEST ARTISTS

Wendy Zier (Voice-Over) has been a successful Voice Over Artist for over 20 years. Wendy voices for such clients as Hasbo, Citgo, Disney, and Blue Cross and Blue shield , just to name a few. While most of her work is live sessions in her studio with clients and agents around the country she does work here locally as well with some of the bigger studios. She has voiced on every platform you can imagine from broadcast commercial, to narration, to e-learning , to the voice in a kiosk, to an internal voice of an electronic toy! She offers coaching on occasion and has taught a few classes for Actors Training Ground. Wendy is looking forward to getting you all prepared for VO!!

David Henderson (Directors' Panel) is a Morehead Scholar graduate of UNC and the founder and co-artistic director of Honest Pint. Most recently, he was seen as Charlotte in I am My Own Wife, (Theatre Raleigh) Tracy in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Honest Pint) and the title role in Lombardi (Theatre Raleigh); which earned him a Broadway World award for Best Actor. Prior to that, he played the title role in Hamlet which earned him the Broadway World award for Best Actor in a Play. He also starred as Sweeney in Sweeney Todd at RLT and understudied the role at Playmakers Repertory Company. Favorite roles include, Ulysses in Annapurna, Joey in A Steady Rain, Fr. Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Edward in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, John Adams in 1776, Bobby in Company, and Henry in Henry V. For the past 23 years, he has had the pleasure of playing Jacob Marley in TIP annual production of A Christmas Carol. Thanks to all of you that support the arts! Drink Deep!

D. Anthony Pender (On-Camera Technique, Shakespeare, Stage Combat, Classic Theatre for Modern Actors) is an award-winning actor and stage director. His reputation as a Shakespearean actor has garnered praise for his performances as King Richard in Richard III, Prospero in The Tempest, and Romeo and Juliet with Evan Rachel Wood. His television credits include Windmills of the Gods, Smokey and the Bandit-The Series, and several guest appearances on Matlock. His film acting credits include Ramblin' Rose, Road to Wellville, Twilight Zone-The Lost Episodes, and Radioland Murders. From the beginning of his career, Tony has consistently been involved in coaching and education, developing educational programs and workshops throughout the southeast. His students have gone on to perform on major television shows like Sonny With a Chance, in feature films like The Hunger Games, and off-Broadway in shows such as Camino del Cielo (Way to Heaven).

Wally Hurst (Improvisation and Styles of Performance) has served as the Managing Director of the Lakeland Cultural Arts Center (15 years), and as Director of the Norris Theatre at Louisburg College (5 years). He has produced over 400 shows, and has directed over 150 theatrical presentations in professional, academic, and community theatre venues, in additiont to his television and film work. Wally studied theatre, among other things, at Duke University, working with Dr. John Clum and Dr. Scott Parker. Other teachers and mentors include Cecily Berry and Jack Lynn of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Wally is one of three Americans with a Master's Degree in Shakespeare Authorship Studies from Brunei University in London. He is considered an authority on the Shakespeare Authorship Question, and has lectured internationally on various aspects of the controversy. Wally has been teaching theatre since 1992. His former students are now working professionally in all levels of theatre and performance all over the world.

Andrea Black (Script Analysis and Acting with Movement)

Renee Wimberley (Improvisation and Devise Theatre) is an actor, director, playwright, and arts instructor based in the Triangle area of North Carolina. She is passionate about arts integration and training parents, teachers, and ministry leaders to enhance their learning environments through creative arts activities. Renee has participated in the local theatre community for over 35 years. She is the Creative Director of Seed Art Share and teaches at Applause Youth Theatre, Christy’s Dancexplosion, and Actor’s Training Ground. In real life, she is Joe’s other half and mama to Max, Cana, and Stella. BA Theatre Arts Education (UNC-G).

Janice Baker (Business of Acting) After a long break since her college years, Janice resumed her acting career by studying with Actors Training Ground as a “mature adult,” crediting this training with launching her professional career in acting on camera. Although her favorite roles are quirky characters and improvisational comedy, Janice also claims the honor of having played the “body” on television crime shows multiple times. (You have to start somewhere). In commercials, Janice can be seen admiring produce for Food Lion, tolling away in an office for Lenovo and Avid XChange, having dental work for Smile Solutions, getting IV treatment for Duke Healthcare, and inquiring about Medicare plans despite claiming to not be old enough for that quite yet.

Deb Royals (Viewpoints) is an accomplished arts and education leader whose career bridges theatre, academia, and community engagement. She is a founding leader, Director of Development, and Technical Director for Pure Life Theatre Company and Revolutionary Voices Young Adult Group. She previously worked with the Town of Cary to found, create, and provide programming for Applause! Cary Youth Theatre and also founded The Justice Theater Project. She coordinates programming for Raleigh’s African American Cultural Festival, which boasts over 45,000 participants. A former professor at UNC–Chapel Hill and Duke University, she holds a Ph.D. in Performance and Cultural Studies and currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Department of Humanities at William Peace University.

Jerry Sipp (Working with a DIrector) has enjoyed a long and varied career as a professional theatre artist. He has served as Artistic Director for five North Carolina theatres: Temple Theatre, The Justice Theater Project, The Playhouse Theatre, Granville Little Theatre and TRIO Productions. Jerry has directed over 120 plays, musicals and outdoor dramas. Additionally, he is a member of Actors Equity Association, performing in well over 100 productions. An award-winning playwright, Jerry has seen 11 of his original scripts produced.

ROB UNDERHILL (Working with a Director) is a film & media director, producer, cinematographer, editor, writer. His feature films & more than 100 short-films have received hundreds of awards, showcased at hundreds more screening engagements worldwide, including CANNES & Academy-qualifying film festivals like ST. LOUIS & SEATTLE. Rob’s work has received rave reviews from top film critics, earned endorsements from major public figures like UN Ambassador Andrew Young & former NC Governor Beverly Perdue, & has been featured on the NPR programs, THE STATE OF THINGS with Frank Stasio & THE STORY with Dick Gordon. Rob earned a BA in English from NCSU & was honored to accept the invitation to serve as featured speaker at the 2015 NCSU English department graduation commencement. His work has aired on the ASPiRE network, ShortsHD, & other national & international outlets. Carolina STYLE Magazine recognized Rob as one of 25 "Most Stylish People" influencing positive change in the Carolinas. He is a RAWards Indie Art Award recipient for Best Regional Filmmaker. In 2022, he received the QUSAR award for lifetime achievement in filmmaking by the 10th Raleigh Film and Art Festival.

Jane Bonin (Headshot Session) grew up in London and has been in the modeling/acting industry for the past 35 years. She traveled the world working with many famous photographers, appearing in numerous high fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar and Cosmopolitan. She later moved to NYC where she continued to work as a commercial model and actress through Ford and Wilhelmina Model Agencies. In 2014 Jane moved to North Carolina with her family and for the last 8 years has enjoyed being on the other side of the camera - giving her a whole new appreciation for the art of photography. However, she still believes it is her valuable experiences as a model and actress that enable her today to help both men and women achieve that contemporary 'covershot' look that everyone loves.

Temporary Economy Relief Pricing

All Classes reduced to 2020 prices - $175
12-week class - $225

ATG'S GUEST ARTISTS