Musical Theatre Experience

Julie Jones
Vocal Coach/Program Coordinator

A graduate of Whitman College and Pacific Lutheran University, Julie Jones is the Vocal Music Director at Walla Walla Community College, where she teaches vocal studies and choral singing.  Julie is also the choir director at First Congregational Church of Walla Walla.

Julie has a passion for theatre, and has been the Vocal Music Director for dozens of locally produced plays and musicals throughout the Walla Walla community.

Embracing creativity, Julie is a holistic instructor, using many movement oriented techniques in her teaching.  She delights in her collaboration with students and musical/ theatrical colleagues.

An active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Julie enjoys learning about the most up-to-date vocal pedagogy.  As a private instructor, she works with students of all ages and experience levels.

Anna L. Newbury
Movement Coach/Acting Coach

A director, actor, movement specialist, & teacher; Anna is a New York and Northwest based artist, currently attending the Asolo Conservatory M.F.A acting program on a full-ride scholarship in Sarasota, Florida. She received her B.F.A in Theatre Performance from Central Washington University. In addition to working on her Masters in Acting, she is an RYT-200 certified yoga teacher, and is Advanced Actor Combatant certified with the Society of American Fight Directors.

Her training and instruction are multifaceted and based on a plethora of methodologies and influences. Among these influences are Viewpoints work, and the acting technique based on the Art of Creative Experiencing developed by Nikolai Demidov. As always, she loves to spend time in the Northwest and in Walla Walla working with some of the most wonderful collaborators and the diverse artistic community of performers.

Kristin Vining
Music Coordinator/Musical Coach

Kristin Vining is a composer, pianist, and teacher with Pacific Northwest roots and New York City dreams. She is an avid composer, and especially loves composing for cross-disciplinary collaborative productions with other artists, such as dancers, poets, singers, actors, and visual artists. A graduate of Whitman College, Kristin, known to her students as Professor Vining, has taught music at Whitman, WWCC, and Walla Walla University. She has many years of experience as a collaborative pianist, and has played extensively for all three colleges, Summer Dance Lab, the Walla Walla High School drama department, Walla Walla Choral Society, and the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. Since 2018, Kristin has made a number of working trips to New York City, including a three-month residency in the fall of 2019. When in New York, she loves to rehearse at Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn with John Passafiume and his company of dance artists. She joined Brooklyn Poets in 2019, and is able to continue as an active member thanks to online classes and events. She is genuinely excited to explore the possibilities of growth and connection in this new chapter of online learning and artistic collaboration. Ever grateful for all of the support and encouragement from the Walla Walla community, Kristin is looking forward to embracing her collaborative connections and new creative possibilities on the East Coast.

Kevin Loomer
Acting Coach

Kevin Loomer received his BA in Dramatic Art from Whitman College, an MA in Theatre Production from Central Washington University, and is the current Director of Theatre Arts at Walla Walla Community College.

Kevin should be no stranger to many Walla Walla locals. His directing/acting resume is long and includes many venues and projects in this community. Since 1980 he has directed and performed in several leading musical roles on the stages of the Fort Walla Walla Amphitheatre, The Little Theatre of Walla Walla, and Harper Joy Theatre.

Kevin has well over 40 years of theatrical experience, with almost every aspect of the art form under his belt. As an acting instructor at WWCC, in the past 10 years alone he has trained hundreds of students, and has directed over 40 productions of a variety of genres on the China Pavilion stage. Kevin is well equipped to work with actors and performers from all walks of life.

Lisa Anne Rasmussen
Artistic Advisor

Lisa Anne Rasmussen has been actively involved with the Performing and Visual Arts programs at WWCC for over four decades.  She was promoted to Chair of this Division in 2017.  Lisa currently teaches Art Appreciation, Drawing and Painting.

Velia Saldivar
Teaching Intern

Velia has been involved in theater ever since she can remember. She participated in shows at the community college this last year and participated in this Musical Theater experience last summer! She’s very excited and thankful to be able to learn more about her craft in such a positive environment.

Onome

Onome incorporates improvisation into her vocal/sound art practice to expand consciousness, creativity, and personal development. Through her audience-interactive performances, workshops and sound installations, Onome embodies joy, enchantment, and infinite possibility.  She received her MFA in Performance Studies at Pratt Institute, and has performed in theater festivals, recited sound poetry at hundreds of venues, recorded soundscapes for podcasts and film scores. She is a partner artist at Carnegie Hall with the voice ensemble, Moving Star. She runs Lush Tongue, a project where voice, inspiration, self-discovery, connection, and contemplative inquiry converge through singing—via sound healing sessions, workshops, vocal coaching, retreats, and concerts. She facilitates community vocal immersions at concert halls, galleries, museums, schools, cultural centers, shelters, prisons, parks, churches, wherever voices gather.