a small but mighty group of teachers who seek to create safe, creative spaces for all ages
The Secret Academy Staff
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The Secret Academy Staff 〰️
Richard Mazda began teaching drama about 16 years ago, and it felt like a natural progression from my earlier work as a record producer. That career required a goal-focused mindset and often involved helping musicians improve their performances or find ways to make something work creatively.
Today, I bring that same approach to my students. My own childhood—without consistent access to the right music and drama teachers—drives me to support students from all backgrounds as they pursue their dreams of becoming actors or musicians.If I had to sum up my philosophy, it would be: “You can do it—and I can help.”
I have been teaching Senior Drama for the past 16 years, working closely with students to develop their skills and confidence. I also specialize in helping middle and high school applicants prepare monologues and self-tapes for competitive performing arts school auditions. I’m proud to have supported many students who have gone on to attend leading schools such as LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Professional Children’s School, PPAS,Talent Unlimited, and others.
In addition to teaching drama, I have taught bass and guitar for over 50 years (though not continuously). My background in the music industry includes receiving an ASCAP award, writing a Billboard R&B #1 hit, and achieving multiple number-one records internationally.I feel incredibly fortunate to have built a life in the arts and am honored to help others on their own creative journeys.
Michael Verre is a performer, writer and teacher based in NYC with a degree in Education from CUNY Queens College. Since graduating college, he has taught tap dance all across the country ranging from absolute beginners to colligate masterclasses. He has been at The Secret Theatre since 2021 teaching tap dance and musical theatre.
He is also a teacher at PS 122 in Astoria.
He began performing in shows at 5 years old and believes theatre and dance to be a place of inclusion that allows for all students to be creative, have fun and be themselves.
Carla Mongado, originally from the Philippines, is an educator, singer, and actor who is deeply passionate about nurturing students both as artists and as individuals. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree, majoring in Voice with a minor in Piano, as well as her Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Silliman University in the Philippines.
With nearly two decades of teaching experience and community outreach, Carla has worked with students in the Philippines, Malaysia, and now the United States. Her passion for arts education goes beyond teaching technique — she is committed to helping students build confidence, creativity, discipline, and a lifelong love for the arts.
Drawing from her background in theater and music, Carla creates a warm and supportive environment where students feel safe to explore, grow, and discover their own voice and potential. She deeply values human connection and finds fulfillment in bringing people together through theater, music, and community.
Motto: “Teaching from the heart so students can shine from within.”
Emily Peiffer is a professional actor and physical theatre artist.
She is thrilled to be an acting teacher at the Secret Academy! Her teaching background extends from reading programs to after school programs and Boys and Girls Club work. She also has experience teaching the Pedagogy and Theatre Of the Oppressed approach—a creative approach which uses theatre as a tool to encourage conversations around social/political issues within a community.
Emily is all about creativity and collaboration in the classroom.
She listens to each students’ imaginative ideas and teaches them how to use them on stage.
It’s important to Emily that each student feels seen and has autonomy over their creative process. Emily hopes your child leaves her class with a confidence that they can carry both on and off the stage. She’s very excited to be a part of the Secret Academy team and can’t wait to collaborate with your creative kiddos!
Miles Messier is an actor, music director, and composer. He has directed and performed all over the world, as well as overseas as a Vocal Director for Royal Caribbean International.
Miles is an actor/musician and he teaches voice and piano.
Miles believes a strong foundation in musicianship helps students grow.
His vocal training is intentional and specific, working towards building healthy, strong voices, and a good ear.
He uses piano as a baseline for understanding of music as a whole.
Mikayla Cohen is an NYC based singer, songwriter, and actor from South Florida. After graduating from Elon University, she has performed as a professional actress/singer around the world. She has also released an EP entitled “Same Stars”, started a thriving business, and appeared on various platforms including: The Today Show, Good Morning America, Forbes Magazine, and The New York Times. She most recently received the prestigious Carbonell award for “Outstanding Performance in a Lead Female Role” for her work as Anastasia in Anastasia.
Her teaching experience is extensive, working with schools and theatres around the country and organizations like the Lincoln center to provide a warm and encouraging learning experience!
She also owns her own character entertainment company in which she brings magic to kids of all ages. One of her biggest goals in life is to make people feel seen and heard while encouraging them to grow their own passions as she has been able to.
Burak Tatar is a New York-based director, filmmaker, and coach specializing in instinct-driven actor development. He began teaching at the invitation of Richard Mazda at The Secret Theatre, following Burak's work directing multiple productions for the venue's Short Play Festival. Burak trained at HB Studio and went on to assist industry legends Austin Pendleton, Jack Garfein, Jack Hofsiss, and Michael Beckett in their workshops—a hands-on, mentorship-based approach to the craft that he carries into his current stage and film collaborations with Vincent Pastore. His classes combine rigorous script work with physical exploration to tap into the subconscious, creating a safe, collaborative space where actors can shed restrictions and deliver truthful performances.
"Technique is the foundation each actor must master, so they can let go to be free and follow their instinct, to find the truth of each character they play."
Danielle Chu is a Dancer/Teacher/Choreographer based in NYC, and has been teaching at the Secret Academy since 2022. She graduated from Manhattanville University with a double major in Dance and Mathematics. Her passion for teaching dance stems from her years of studies, as she has trained in many styles of dance: ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip hop. Her interests in commercial dance, including K-Pop dance, started when she was introduced to K-Pop music in 2015. Since then, she has been able to train and work with many artists and dancers in the industry including I Love Dance Company, Miss A’s Min, and Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the singing voices of HUNTR/X. Danielle hopes to share her knowledge and passion for dance to all and any students that she teaches. As she believes anyone can dance, Danielle wants her students to feel the excitement of performing, just like her favorite artists.
“Whether a beginner or an experienced dancer, anyone can be fueled by passion and love for dance.”
Eunji Lim is an award-winning actor, multidisciplinary artist, translator, and educator based in New York City. She is the founder and artistic director of DREAMA, a performing arts company that bridges innovative theater, arts education, and cross-cultural storytelling between New York and Seoul.
As a Teaching Artist and Acting Instructor, Eunji works with students across public schools, nonprofit organizations, and private academies throughout New York City, collaborating with diverse groups to provide access to theater and acting training. As an immigrant artist, she is especially passionate about supporting Multilingual Learners and empowering students to embrace their cultural identity, voice, and authenticity through the arts.
She has taught and led workshops, residencies, and camps with organizations including Pink Fang, TADA! Youth Theater, The Secret Theatre Academy, and People’s Theatre Project, sharing her expertise in performance, acting technique, and creative expression.
Buddy LaBelle came to The Secret Academy with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, and has experience putting together an improv troupe.
As well as prior experience performing with a theatre troupe at elementary schools in Wisconsin, his internal motto as a teacher is:
“Theatre is a collaborative art form.”
He enjoys teaching at The Secret Academy because it is a calm and supportive environment.
Noah Huseman is a pianist, music director, and composer based in NYC. From classical to jazz, musical theater to salsa, Noah earned recognition in the Nashville-metro area as a jack-of-all-trades. He also is an experienced studio musician having assisted with performance, production, and arrangements of covers and originals, including his own works. With a lifelong passion for music and theater, Noah has music directed in countless theaters for over 15 years. Recently with: Tarrytown Music Hall, Green Room 42, Don’t Tell Mama, and American Opera Projects. He also enjoys teaching and spreading his love for the arts with institutions such as Chickenshed NYC, Shuffles NYC, and The Secret Theater. He is excited to be a part of Secret Theater’s team and inspire passion for the arts in the next generation!
Diana Ponce is a Mexican actress, singer and dancer and a graduate of the Integrated Conservatory Program at the AMDA. Although she’s fairly new to teaching, she looks forward to sharing her professional experiences on stage and in film with your children!
In the classroom, Diana likes to focus on imagination and creating! She likes to get the kids excited about theatre teaching them how to create their own characters, imagining their own scenes, and, eventually, translating some of those scenes to their end of semester showcase script.
She wants your children to leave her class feeling empowered and creatively fulfilled!