GreenRoom's core faculty are accomplished artists, representing a range of performance backgrounds from within the Twin Cities and beyond. They've worked together to develop a program curriculum that will instill GreenRoom's fellows with the skills, understanding, and confidence necessary to excel in musical theater. Their work will be supported by guest speakers and teaching artists throughout the program.
Denzel Belin is a Minneapolis-based writer, director, actor, producer, and improviser. Belin is a longstanding cast member and writer at The Brave New Workshop and a staff writer for AWF magazine. He serves as the Artistic Director for Threshold Theater, whose mission is to "produce fresh LGBTQ works." He currently writes and performs for “Queer Window,” an all-queer sketch show based in New York City.
Denzel has appeared on TPT Almanac and created work for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus and Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce. He presented a longform collection of solo sketches and storytelling, “With Love, From Washington” for the Blackness Is… Festival in Minneapolis. With Threshold Theater, he is currently leading a play reading series that will provide playwrights the opportunity to workshop their play with a director and team of actors that concludes with a staged reading that is open to the public.
Rush Benson is an actor, dancer, teacher, musician, and choreographer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College, Rush toured with the Flying Foot Forum and performed internationally as choreographer and director for The Folded Paper Project in Hong Kong with Kanta Kochhar. Rush has worked as an actor, dancer, and choreographer at theaters including the Guthrie, the Ordway, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Park Square Theater, Artistry Theater, and The Old Log Theater.
In film and commercial work, Rush has worked with Jamal Sims (choreographer from the Step Up film series), and performed on Lady Dynamite (Netflix) and in Split Rock Shuffle with the Flying Foot Forum. In 2015, he co-founded CABARAVE with Rathaus Productions, an immersive art experience that has been featured in Star Tribune’s “Variety Best Of The Week.” With Rathaus Productions, Rush has written and starred in four music videos.
Rush has also performed with Collide Theatrical Dance Company, James Sewell Ballet, and Keane Sense of Rhythm Tap Company. Rush is a teaching artist with The Cowles Center, the Ordway, and the Guthrie Theater, and has taught at schools around the country. He enjoys a solid jam session, freestyle rap, dance ciphers, animals, nature, and the feeling you get from a deep intellectual discussion.
Movement
Patricia Brown
Guest faculty
For 30 years, Patricia Brown has participated in the Twin Cities arts community as a dancer, instructor, performer, and choreographer. At times traditional, at times fusion, her style is rooted in African diasporic dance. She has been a teaching artist with VocalEssence WITNESS School Program for 20+ years, director of Brown Spirit Dance Ensemble for 15 years, and is the new Director of Programming and Engagement at the Black Youth Healing Arts Center. She was a faculty member in the Theater and Dance Department at Macalester College for 25 years, adjunct faculty in the University of Minnesota's Dance Department for 22 years, and an instructor for Penumbra Theatre's Summer Institute for 26 years.
Patricia has received many awards for teaching, performing, and creating choreography for dancers, professional theater, and choirs. She was the founder, director, choreographer, and costumer of The Spirit of Ashe' Performing Arts Company, a member of The Circle of Choice Ensemble, The Dancers and Drummers of Langa, Nimely Pan African Dance Company, Burundi African Dance Company, and a guest performer with Sundance Productions Multiple Performing Arts Company.
Her work has been seen on numerous local stages. Her national credits include Jazz at Lincoln Center, NY, Guthrie Theater, MN, Lied Center for Performing Arts, NE, University of Michigan Men's Glee Club, MI, Lincoln Memorial, DC, St. John the Divine, NY, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Center for Puppetry Arts, GA.
Tiffany is a Broadway and film actress, singer, dancer, podcaster and educator with a career spanning more than three decades. In addition, she is an Executive Public Speaking Coach and certified Life Coach Practitioner. Her extensive experience includes, Broadway, national tours, film, television, commercials, regional theaters, voice-overs, recordings, concerts, cruise ships, and live industrials. She has appeared on ABC, NBC networks, and the featured film Emma Was Here. She has performed in the original cast of the Tony-nominated musical Bombay Dreams on Broadway, and the national tour of Guys and Dolls with Maurice Hines. Other credits include I am Betty: The Betty Crocker Musical, The Prom, Mamma Mia!, Clybourne Park, Jesus Christ Superstar with Billy Porter, The Tempest, When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet, Fences, Cinderella, South Pacific, The Buddy Holly Story. She has worked at The History Theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Guthrie Theater, The Walnut Street Theater, Soho Playhouse, La Mama Theater, WestBeth Theater, Harry Warren Theater, Playhouse Theater, Helen Hayes Theater in New York, Atlanta Fox Theater, and St. Louis Fox Theater. Tiffany was fortunate to have extended European residencies in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Italy.
Tiffany's vocal performance highlights include singing on the 50th anniversary cast recording of Guys and Dolls, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Show Album. She has also been featured on the cast recording of Grease Das Musical and the Broadway Cares Carol cast recording. Additionally, Tiffany served as a backup singer for Sisters of the Sixties, a notable event at Town Hall in NYC featuring vocal legends like Darlene Love, Mary Wilson, Beverly Lee, and Leslie Gore. She has also self-produced her debut solo album, Satin Mood: A Tribute to Julie London.
As an educator and certified teaching artist, she has led numerous masterclasses and arts-in-education programs across the country. Tiffany has provided arts education services for the Ordway, City University of New York's Creative Arts Team, Broadway Brothers and Sisters program, Florida State College, Mercy Academy in Louisville, KY and the Anchorage School District in Alaska. In addition to co-hosting the Radically Curious Conversations podcast on Apple, she also serves on both a school board and a theater board.
Born in San Diego, California, Jared Miller discovered his passion for collaboration while participating in his high school choirs. He graduated from St. Olaf College with a B.A. in Music and an Asian Studies concentration studying with Dr. Ananda-Owens, and recently finished a Master’s Degree in Collaborative Piano and Coaching at the University of Minnesota with Dr. Lovelace. At St. Olaf, he worked extensively with the vocal, choral, lyric opera, and theater departments. During his time at the U of M, he played for the University Singers, opera scenes, and a production of Menotti’s The Consul, under Lara Bolton.
As a freelance pianist in the Twin Cities, Jared has worked with groups and organizations such as Border CrosSing, South Metro Chorale, Schubert Club, Mississippi Valley Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, Mill City Opera, AOT, Journey North Opera Company, and OOPS MN. One of Jared’s musical passions is in studying and performing the music of Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula.
Originally from Colombia, Natalia Romero Arbeláez is an experienced performer, educator, and musician. As an educator, she thrives in the intersection of contemporary music education and culturally relevant teaching. She is passionate about equity and access in her performing practices and strives to bring that into any collaborative space she is involved in.
Natalia's strength lies in her ability to connect and engage learners across all settings, although she is particularly fond of working with and learning from teenagers. Natalia works full time as the Choir Director at Harding Senior High School (located in Saint Paul, Minnesota) but freelances around the Twin Cities as a soprano and music director with youth theaters.
Natalia is an active performer. She can be found singing with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, and Border CrosSing, where she also directs a bilingual community choir called Heritage Choir. Natalia holds a Bachelor of Music from Saint Olaf College and is currently pursuing a Master of Music Education at the University of Saint Thomas.
Acting & Auditioning
James A. Williams
Guest faculty
A founding member of Penumbra Theatre Company, James has been a regular on Twin Cities stages for 4 decades. He originated the role of Roosevelt Hicks on Broadway in August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Regionally, James has performed at The Arena Theater, Cal Shakes, Center Stage Theater, The Goodman Theater, The Huntington Theater, The Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, The McCarter Theater, Seattle Rep, Syracuse Stage, and Yale Repertory Theater.
He’s appeared on Broadway in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and Athol Fugard’s My Children! My Africa! James was nominated for a NAACP Image Award. He received multiple Ivey Awards, one in 2015 for Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet and in 2008 for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in Fences. He was also named 2008 “Artist of the Year” by the Minneapolis StarTribune. James is a 2015 McKnight Fellow at the Playwright’s Center, a 2015 Fox Acting Fellow, and 2018 Ten Chimneys Fellow.
He was named Macalester College Distinguished Global Citizen for his work with youth. In 2023, the school renamed the Black Box Theater in his honor and awarded him a Doctorate of Humane Letters.
