School

TheatresCool is the only professional training ground in Central Illinois that teaches the technique of method acting to beginning and professional actors. This same technique is used by the world’s favorite actors like Robert Deniro, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche many of whom worked with or taught Kymberly during her training at the Actors Studio MFA Program and beyond in New York City..

TheatresCool is an artistic home that celebrates diversity, self-expression, professionalism and where creativity leads individual talents to their realization.

Our students perform modern and contemporary scripts like those seen in New York City and Chicago theatre, right here in Bloomington-Normal.

• View our Programs & Register for Classes
• Check out Upcoming Performances

ABOUT US

Artistic Director and Owner: Kymberly Harris

Kymberly Harris kymberly@theatrescool.com holds an MA from Illinois State University and a double MFA in acting and playwriting from The Actors Studio Drama School. She is an award winning actress, playwright, and producer who teaches beginning and professional actors. Kymberly is the founder of TheatresCool and the Artistic Director of the non-profit theatre company Fresh Bread Productions, Inc. Read more about her at kymberlyharris.com

Theatre Manager: Rana Kunkar

Rana Kunkar rana@theatrescool.com was born in Jerusalem and raised in Bethlehem, she moved to the U.S on August of 2006. In November of that same year Rana joined TheatresCool as a student and has done a lot of acting work under the direction of Kymberly Harris. Rana is an ISU graduate with a Visual Communication major. She learned a lot from TheatresCool and appreciates the experience gained at TheatresCool. To Rana, TheatresCool is a home away from home and she is more than happy to be working on all the projects at TheatresCool and as the theatre manger. Rana manages the space and she is more than glad to help with anything regarding the theatre.

Publicity Associate: Melissa Marie Watson

Melissa Marie Watson mj61984@gmail.com is working towards her bachelors degree in psychology as an online student at Upper Iowa University.  She has been acting for TheatresCool for a year and a half.  Melissa spends a lot of time working on local film projects and wants to build a career as a professional actress.  She works with children that have Autism doing ABA and PLAY Therapy.  She loves to write, especially poetry.   She also loves to dance and has studied modern, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, Middle Eastern, Line, Swing, and African.  Joining TheatresCool has been a life changing experience for Melissa.  She can’t wait to promote all of the upcoming shows!

Resident Casting Director: Steve Christopher

Steve Christopher is an actor/producer/casting director from Peoria, Illinois. He has been involved with more than 200 films and television projects, from New York to Los Angeles, since his reemergence in the industry about six years ago. Steve recently saw the release of The Telling, a horror anthology produced by Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho Tep) and Bridget Marquardt (Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches). The making of the film is featured in Season 5 of the popular E! Channel show The Girls Next Door. Steve played the killer in the movie, in addition to assisting with casting, script rewrites and other production efforts. He has been an acting student of TheatresCool practically since the beginning of the adult program. He has been instrumental in casting many of the actors of TheatresCool in projects such as the feature films Finding Virginia, Satanic Panic, Dead Bodies Everywhere and My Guaranteed Student Loan, in addition to several commercials and industrials for clients such as Busey Bank, Eureka vacuums, the State of Illinois, and others. You can learn more about Steve on www.IMDb.com.

Literary Associate: Sarah Tongren

Sarah Tongren holds a BA from Saint Xavier University in Communication. In April 2009, she became a student at TheatresCool and has been working toward a career in the performing arts ever since. Sarah has been working on a variety of Kymberly’s writing projects that prepares her work for production and publication. Sarah’s most recent project includes editing a book of children’s plays. She is also working on editing a variety of plays and screenplays so they are ready for theatre and film production. Sarah is enjoying all the opportunities that TheatresCool offers both as an actress and in the business aspect of the performing arts industry.

Creative Events Director: Alicia Halm

Alicia Halm alicia@theatrescool.com is a singer/songwriter/musician and performs with the band Oh, Alchemy. Oh, Alchemy released their first album in January 2009. She also maintains a pop culture blog and enjoys supporting the arts and local music.