Improv Instructors at Under The Sun Studios
Active Instructors:
Ronald A. Llenado, Director of Curriculum, Head Music Instructor, Head Acting Instructor, Head Improv Instructor, Co-Director of Rumor Improv
Guitar, Electric Bass, Piano, Drums, Voice, Music Theory
Improvisational Acting, Musical Theater, Stage Tech
Ron Llenado is an experienced music instructor who has taught hundreds of music students in the Walnut Creek/Concord/Pleasant Hill area. Most recently, he developed the music program at SOLAD Dance Center in Walnut Creek and the guitar program at The Creek Youth Center. Before that, he taught at Countrywood Music in Walnut Creek for over 7 years.
Ron started playing piano at the age of 5 and became very interested in theater and choir while in high school. He has studied guitar with Steven Holland, Samuel Baritel, Lenny Gill, Mark Abrahamian, and Rick Cittar. He has studied flute and saxophone with Max Pricco and drums with Gerry Kennett. He has studied piano with Janet Murray of Walnut Creek, Minda D. Azarcon of Vallejo, Michael Smolens of Berkeley, and Heather Kerrihard of Berkeley. He has studied voice with Minda D. Azarcon of Vallejo and William Garcia Ganz and Michael Smolens in Berkeley.
He is currently studying voice with Victoria Rapanan of Pleasant Hill.
From humble beginnings singing in the Concert Choir and doing theatrical productions at De La Salle High School in Concord, Ron continued to the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied Music and Biology. While there, he founded 2 a cappella singing groups, directed 3 concerts, and performed in several shows, including several musicals, straight plays, and choral concerts. He has done stage, lighting, and sound tech for hundreds of performances in the Bay Area. He has led several local top 40 bands and musical directed several teen theater productions and benefit concerts. He has performed in several productions with Diablo Light Opera Company. Ron also runs a mobile DJ company, serving as both emcee and DJ.
Ron has resided in Walnut Creek for 15 years and looks forward every day to educating the adults and youth in his community.
After using every modern guitar method he could get his hands on in his teaching practice, Ron has decided to author his own modern guitar method, to be provided only to his students. Ron is very happy to have found a home at Under the Sun Studios in Concord, Ca. Ron also maintains a MySpace page and a personal vanity page, if you'd like to read more about him personally.
Ben Yates, Associate Instructor, Improvisational Acting, Co-Director of Rumor Improv
Zen Improv, Advanced Improvisational Acting
Ben Yates began improvising with the Clean Comedy Company in Pleasant Hill in 1996, training in and performing improv and standup comedy into 1997. For a short time thereafter, Ben was in a performing improv comedy troupe called The Barely Insane Players. During this time, Ben also took classes at Bay Area Theatersports in San Francisco.
Ben returned to improv in 2006, training in dramatic and comedy improv with Pan Theater in Oakland. He also returned to training at Bay Area Theatersports.
Ben currently performs improv monthly with Pan Theater and with Bay Area Theatersports as a Sunday Player.
On Sabbatical:
Sarah Hutches, Associate Instructor, Improvisational Acting
Sarah joined Under the Sun Studios in January 2008, as Associate Acting Instructor for Improvisation acting. Before joining Under the Sun Studios, Sarah was a teaching assistant at American High School for Anatomy and Physiology class and English. She also studied classical ballet for 5 years. Sarah is proud to have been accepted to American Academy of the Dramatic Arts in Hollywood, where she will continue her acting studies.
Sarah started acting in the third grade where she played "Firefly #4" in "Freddie Come Out Of Your Shell." She's played roles in "Copacabana," "Hamlet," "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," and "Goodnight, Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet)." Her favorite role to date has been the role of Constance in "Goodnight, Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet)". She began serious study of Improvisational acting at Under The Sun Studies, under Ron Llenado and Ben Yates and advanced quickly. She currently performs monthly with Rumor Has It... Improv Troupe.
Give us a call at (925) 609-8100, email us at info@utsstudios.com, or join our email list and get started on expressing yourself through the performing arts today!