ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL TEACHING ARTIST-
Bridget Farias Gates holds a BFA in Acting and a BFA in Directing from Texas State University, where she also served as President of APO and was awarded the Larry Hovis Acting Scholarship and Leadership Award. She served as the full-time Artistic Director at the EmilyAnn Theatre for 11 years, leading the theatre to many awards, including multiple Broadway World Austin Awards (Best Theatre, several Best Director awards, many Best Overall Production Awards) and Hays County Theatre of the Year and Best Theatre Camps. She taught hundreds of students during her time there. She has worked professionally with ZACH, Austin Shakespeare, City Theatre, Scottish Rite Children’s Theatre, Gaslight Baker Theatre, Theatre Synesthesia, The Baron’s Men, Poor Shadows of Elysium, Last Act, Different Stages, and San Marcos Spotlight Theatre. She’s directed over 75 full mainstage productions for various companies and has studied with the Royal Shakespeare Company three different times. Bridget was the Shakespeare for Youth instructor at the Texas A&M Folio Event and teaches theatre workshops all over Central Texas. Her husband, Kevin, and daughter, Rosalind are the joys of her life. Central Texas Theatre Academy is a dream come true, and she is forever thankful to the amazing people that made it possible.
PRINCIPAL TEACHING ARTIST-
Hannah Mobarak is so excited to be on the management team and a principal teaching artist for Central Texas Theatre Academy! She loves theatre and working with kids, and CTTA allows her to share both passions. Hannah graduated from Texas State University and holds a BFA in Performance and Production. She has interned at ZACH Theatre, learning to teach theatre to children, ages 5-18. After interning, she worked with ZACH as a Teaching Artist. While working at ZACH, Hannah joined Bridget at The EmilyAnn Theatre, where she began assisting in classes, later teaching her own Beginning and Intermediate classes. Hannah looks forward to working with you all, and helping you grow and build confidence in your art!
ASSISTANT TEACHING ARTIST-
Hallie Strange has been acting since she was only 5 years old. She started as a student under Bridget and has been by her side since. Although young, she has a fierce love for theatre. She especially loves Shakespeare. But the one thing she loves more than Shakespeare is getting to teach theatre to other people. Being able to bring theatre even into just one person’s life is what makes her so very happy. She feels so honored to be trusted to help out with this amazing theatre education program. We are so excited to continue to bring the joy of theatre to everyone in Wimberley and the surrounding Central Texas communities!! Thank y’all!
