Tehachapi Academy of Dramatic Arts

Building a creative family focused future!

Originally from Los Angeles, Dawnnie Mercado-Genochio, Owner and Acting Coach for Tehachapi Academy of Dramatic Arts, has been a professional actor since graduating with her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1993. She also holds a BA in Drama from UC Santa Barbara.

Tehachapi became Dawnnie’s forever home with her husband, toddler and three huge dogs in 2017. They absolutely love Tehachapi and especially the joy with which the city celebrates family life and has a mission to nurture the creative and performing arts. Dawnnie is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and a former 25-year member of Actors Equity Association. She recently stepped down from AEA in order to open an exciting chapter here in Tehachapi as an actor with TCT. Her acting credits and TV REEL can be seen on www.DawnnieMercado.com Favorites from her lengthy performance resume include various leading ladies from Shakespeare during summer theatre stints, appearing as Lucy in “Dracula” for two different professional regional theatre runs and a guest spot on the television show “Strong Medicine” with Rick Schroeder. “Miss Dawnnie”, as her local students call her, has been teaching and coaching acting even longer than she’s been acting professionally herself. That path began in 1991 when she created and managed a summer drama camp in Pacific Palisades for Parks and Recreation’s Rustic Canyon Recreation Center. Dawnnie also spent many years coaching professional actors for auditions in LA during the time when she had an acting studio in North Hollywood California. Those steps have led us to open our TADA Talent Development Division through which Dawnnie recently signed two of her long-time clients with the BBA Talent Agency in Los Angeles. From enrichment to beginners to professionals in the business - we have something for every student! TADA currently offers Drama for Little Ones, Magic, Improvisation, Play Creation through Theatre Creators, Shakespeare, Acting (on or off camera), Talent Development and Coaching.

2020 Kicks off “The Semester of Guest Artists”. Introducing Short Film Making, Commercials, Movement, and Singing for Musical Theatre. Tehachapi Academy of Dramatic Arts (TADA Acting Studio) is celebrating its one-year anniversary at our 301 S. Green Street Location. We opened our doors in July of 2018 thanks to the generosity of our friends at Seas The Day Play who shared their space on Brian Way with us as we awaited the completion of TADA’s studio. We’ve seen firsthand how dramatic and creative play can increase confidence, vocabulary, communication, cooperation, team building skills, creative and critical thinking, and much more at every age from child to adult. The skills developed to be a successful actor also create a foundation for one to flourish in any chosen field. Creative, confident beginnings cross all boundaries and last a lifetime. Our mission is to be part of that creative growth in any way we can. To find out how you can help that mission become a reality, see all class offerings, and stay up to date, follow us on Facebook and check out our Website: www.TADAactingstudio.com

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