Emerald City Theatre School Teacher Biographies

Jacque Lueken (Triple Threat) received her BFA in Acting from Syracuse University. Upon graduation she moved to Chicago to work with Steppenwolf Theatre Co. as the Assistant Coordinator for their summer acting intensive “The School at Steppenwolf” where she served as a sub for classes in both improv and scene study and took on the position of Educational Assistant with Victory Gardens Theatre. She is currently a resident teaching artist with Emerald City Theatre as well as their Education Coordinator and is Lead Teaching and Directing for them with Maggie Daley’s After School Matters program in the Chicago Public Schools. In addition to teaching Jacque can also be seen around town acting (favorite roles have included: Cassie in Rumors, Herself in 6 – debut performance with The Gift Theatre Co. – and anything improv) and directing (look for her work this spring at Metropolis in Apple Tree Theatre’s The Giver).

Kelli Morgan (Pirates & Mermaids; Musical Theatre) is a graduate of Northwestern University with a Master of Music degree in vocal performance, and a graduate of Berry College with a Bachelor of Music Education and Theatre. Since graduation, Kelli has performed and taught in the Chicago area and the Midwest. Along with teaching at Emerald City, Kelli is a teaching fellow for Chicago Opera Theatre, the musical theatre teacher for Midwest Young Artist summer camp, and the choreographer for the Northwestern University Opera Department. As a performer Kelli's Chicago credits include: Scrooge and Hello Dolly!; Theatre at the Center, Jerry Springer , the opera; Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Three Musketeers and Seussical; Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Frogs; Pegasus Players, Snow White and Seussical ;Emerald City Theatre, A Christmas Carol, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Ragtime and Gypsy Love; Light Opera Works. Kelli is also proud of her work with the USO touring group Onstage, performing for United States troops overseas.

Tim Soszko (Fairy Tales; Pirates & Mermaids) is very happy to be teaching for Emerald City Theatre Co. He has also taught with IO Chicago, Elmhurst Children's Theater, After School Matters, Barrel Of Monkeys, and Columbia College to name a few. Tim writes and performs with The Cupid Players. He's a budding voiceover artist. And he has performed in a number of Emerald City Theatre productions.

Gwen Tulin (Acting; Musical Theatre) is a Lexington, Massachusetts native with a BA in Theater Arts and Creative Writing from Brandeis University. Since her arrival in the Windy City, Gwen has created the BRAIN SURGEON THEATER COMPANY, through which she writes original workshopped rock musicals with mixed-aged casts of professional actors and local kids. Their fall production, "ZOMBIE PROJECT" performs in December at Gorilla Tango Theater in Bucktown. Brain Surgeon's previous Chicago production was the revival of Gwen's original musical, "CAVES!". In the Boston area, Gwen was the educational director of an original playwriting program at Arlington Center for the Arts, as well as a music composer and accompanist. Gwen is currently studying at the Artistic Home and was recently seen in Pegasus Player's production of The Frogs.