Mark Olsen
Visiting Director of Special Programs
Rocky Mountain Conservatory Theatre is thrilled to announce our new Visiting Director of Special Programs, Mark Olsen.  Mark will be working with us to create dynamic programming during the Summer of 2009.  Mark is an actor, director, author, and teacher.  Currently a professor of acting and movement at Juilliard, Sarah Lawrence College, and the Penn State School of Theatre, Mr. Olsen has taught at other notable institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, University of Houston, Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto and New York Public Theatre’s Shakespeare Lab.  Specializing in empowering students to devise original works for stage and screen, Professor Olsen has been a frequent guest director and teacher for Bucknell University, Sarah Lawrence College, Central Connecticut University, Webster Movement Institute, and the National Fight Director’s Workshop for the Society of American Fight Directors (S.A.F.D.) Professor Olsen has appeared on Broadway and toured Internationally with the famed mime/mask group, Mummenschanz, and acted in numerous regional theatre productions.  Professor Olsen has directed over forty-five productions in both professional and university settings and has worked as movement coordinator and fight director for numerous productions at the Houston Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage Company, Long Wharf Theatre, Theatreworks, The Alley Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York’s Public Theatre, and recently on Broadway. Professor Olsen is a nationally recognized authority on masks, mime, stage movement and stage combat, as well as an A.E.A. actor.  Professor Olsen is a certified teacher and former secretary of S.A.F.D. as well as the former vice-president of the Association for Theatre Movement Educators. Professor Olsen has taught his unique approach to theatre and imagination at universities and institutes for over twenty years. Professor Olsen’s exciting approach to acting incorporates classical and contemporary techniques developed through the comprehensive lens of modern acting techniques, Lecoq based movement work, and the Ken Wilber Integral Theory. Books by Professor Olsen include, The Actor with a Thousand Faces, The Golden Buddha Changing Masks and Acting: Scene One, co-authored with Steve Broadnax.

Janet Erlick
Children's Programs Consultant
Janet Erlick is a Consultant for both the administrative and artistic components of Rocky Mountain Conservatory Theatre.  She has been the long time Executive and Artistic Director of The Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Janet is a graduate of Swarthmore College with a double major in Theatre and Psychology.  Throughout her career, she has created partnerships with many cultural and social service organizations, and worked with special needs and at-risk populations.  Janet is Past-President of The Florida Theatre Conference; serves on the boards of The Florida Association of Theatre Education, and Justice for Children and Families; serves on the Broward County Arts-in-Education Committee and Cultural Executive's Committee; and chairs the Multicultural Infusion Cultural Enrichment Language Advisory Council for the School Board of Broward County.