LISA DENNETT
Actor
Singer
Theater
Film
Television
Musical Theater
Cabaret
BROADWAY WORLD CABARET AWARD RUNNER UP For best tribute show!
ABOUT
ME!
When you’re born and raised in New York City you develop a thick skin. Pair that with my innate sense of empathy, and I was destined for a career in the arts.
On camera, I play spitfire women who know how to handle themselves when situations get sticky. But my roots in improv have taught me how to cut through that sharpness with a sarcastic sense of humor, and back it up with a whole lot of heart.
My journey as a performer has been anything but typical. I started my career as an actor, but left the industry for a time to follow my passion as a teaching artist. As the founder and executive director of an arts education organization, I spent 25 years advocating for equal access to arts for students with disabilities. Through my work as a certified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, my world expanded to include the vast community of artists and audiences with disabilities, who are too-frequently left on the periphery of the entertainment industry.
During all those years in education, I didn’t forget my roots. I threw my hat back in the audition ring a few years ago, and am excited about the opportunities coming my way. I’m creating cabarets that tell the stories I’ve been collecting on this road less traveled. I’m singing again—and not just for my husband and my cat. I am hungry for projects that prioritize diversity and accessibility. So let me be your singing, signing, saucy female. Trust me, I'm your gal.
Coach Cobb in Closer Than You Think | ||
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Irene Chessler in Soul Harmony | Guest on SiriusXM. | |
Promotional pic for my cabaret show It's My Birthday And I'll Sing If I Want To. | Concerned mother in Diaspora TX. | |
British dignitary with sketch comedy group American Candy. | On set as a Corrections Officer in The Fever and the Fret. | |
Mrs. Athearn in Chilmark. | Supportive Rabbi in Diaspora TX. |
VOICeOVER
Commercial | animation | promo | e-learning
Commercial Demo above.
Character and additional demos coming soon.
Self-submissions.
Adult, teen and child voices.
TEACHING ARTIST
Never one to follow a typical path, instead of waiting tables I always gravitated towards working with young people. After several years freelancing as a theater teaching artist I founded IDEAS - Interactive Drama for Education and Awareness in the Schools, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating theater through improvisation. For more than two decades IDEAS had programs in and around New York City with students with disabilities, ages 5-21, as well as disadvantaged youth.
IDEAS brought programs to schools, alternative school settings, community centers, detention centers, libraries, and worked with students with a wide variety of disabilities, including students who were deaf, hard of hearing, on the Autism spectrum, developmentally delayed, blind or partially sighted, a host of learning disabilities and emotional difficulties. This has lead to Professional Development for school personnel as well as teaching artists and arts education organizations.
I have presented workshops in local , state, and national arts education conferences and now consult with educators and teaching artists at all levels. Some popular workshops include:
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Devising Work Through Improvisation
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Teaching to Include Students of ALL Abilities
Contact me to discuss designing a workshop to fit your needs.
BASIC IMPROVISATION
Get creative, have some fun. Low pressure atmosphere.
Basic short form comedy improv workshop.
Loosen up, think on your feet.
NOW OFFERING ZOOM CLASSES
Not just a class using Zoom , but a class on how to use Zoom.
Contact me for Zoom 101 and Zoom 102 classes.
In the age of virtual online gatherings let me help you make the most of using Zoom. After a quick assessment small group classes are scheduled to fit needs.
These tutorials are not connected with Zoom in anyway, and are run independently. VERY REASONABLE RATES.