Our Story
In 2016, The Character Company was founded with a singular goal: Develop the whole Actor. Since then, students in the Company have learned to be leaders, creators, and well-rounded actors.
We produce up to 15 plays per school year with a focus on difficult performances that challenge the actor. Students learn to devise, direct, and create as storytellers. They get hands on training in Meisner, Viewpoints, Frantic Assembly techniques. In the past we have had workshops in playwrighting, voice over, stage combat, and physical comedy.
Accomplishments: 5 time Award Winner at the Heller Awards. Ranked in the top 48 theatre programs in the State (2018). Multiple Nationally Qualified Actors - International Thespian Society. Winner of Best Performer, Featured Performer, Sound Design, Make Up Design - Texas Thespians 2022.
Meet The Team
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Jon DeMitchell
Director of Theatre - East View
Jon is a graduate of Chapman University with a BFA in Theatre and Film Performance. He has also received his MBA from Purdue University (formally Kaplan University). Prior to teaching, he was an actor and acting coach in Los Angeles, working on pieces from Disney, Nickelodeon, and HBO, to name a few. He worked with the world renowned directors John Kirby and Elizabeth Mestnik. He has also taught himself guitar. Locally, you may have seen him in Cul De Sac (Summer Break Theatre) and as Lonny in Rock of Ages (Georgetown Palace Theater).
Nikki Guckian
Theatre Director
Austin native, Nikki Guckian received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Texas State University. She then relocated to Los Angeles and began working in the Special Effects Sound Editing business, where her crew (under Alan Murray) won an Oscar for Best Sound Editing. After taking a hiatus from behind-the-scenes work, she joined the cast of the daytime television drama Passions on NBC. Nikki began her teaching career at a boarding school in Sedona, AZ before returning back to the Austin area. She taught in Austin ISD, Leander ISD, Lake Travis ISD, she is now ecstatic to be a part of the East View family.
Thomas DeLaurier
Technical Director
Thomas DeLaurier is a graduate of Sam Houston State class of 91’ – Go BEARKATS! He has taught previously at Westlake, Travis and Vista Ridge - where he won Best Technical Direction for Young Frankenstein at the GATSMA awards in 2014 (Now Heller Awards). After twenty plus years as a technical director he can’t rememberall the shows he’s done but his favorites include Music Man, Young Frankenstein, Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde, and Noises Off.
Collie Rowland
Music Director