Julie Stevens
Founder
Julie Stevens began performing at age nine when she was cast as one of the orphans in the in the hit Broadway musical, ANNIE. While performing in the show on Broadway, she attended Professional Children's School, with fellow Annie alumni, Sarah Jessica Parker. Julie played Pepper in the final cast when Annie closed on Broadway after 2,377 performances.
Julie went on to earn a BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and a Masters Degree in Education from Bank Street College. She was able to utilize her acting skills and teaching degree as a teaching artist for many well-known theatre companies in New York, including The Roundabout, National Actor's Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. She helped create educational outreach programs, led pre and post-show discussions, and facilitated drama workshops with New York City public school children.
Julie also became an on-set Studio Teacher for professional children working in commercials, studio films, and independent films. Some of her credits as a Studio Teacher include THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (theWB.com), THE NANNY EXPRESS (Hallmark), FLOWER GIRL (Hallmark), SANTA CLAUSE 3, and the soap opera THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. With experience as a child performer, continued involvement in the arts, a degree in Education, and her ongoing study in the field, Julie's unique credentials have made her a sought-after Studio Teacher.
Julie also has a thriving private coaching business, teaching acting and singing to young performers as well as educating parents on the pitfalls of show business. She has conducted workshops for families new to the business, offering her expertise on everything from finding an agent, getting headshots, how to audition, acting for film vs. theatre, managing money, schooling on set, and how to keep your child grounded in reality. Julie is a longtime advocate of child performers and is passionate about ensuring that they all receive a quality education and training, while working professionally.
Julie combined her acting and teaching skills, along with an entrepreneurial spirit, to create a motivational deck of cards for performing artists, called ACTING OUTSIDE THE BOX, available online and in specialty stores nationwide.
In 2000, Julie launched a website, ANNIEORPHANS.COM, hoping to re-connect with her fellow cast members online. The website quickly became the premiere ANNIE site for fans worldwide as well as a meeting place for parents to chat and ask advice about show business. The website also created a "sisterhood" of young women who appeared in the show as children. These women and their stories were the inspiration for LIFE AFTER TOMORROW, a documentary film that explores the hard knocks of overcoming early success. LIFE AFTER TOMORROW won many prestigious film festival awards, premiered on SHOWTIME in 2007 and was released on DVD by Arts Alliance America.
Julie was honored to be selected as a Cultural Envoy for the State Department and has traveled the world talking to students and filmmakers. Julie was also invited to serve as a grant panelist for the National Endowment For The Arts.
As a performer, her singing voice can be heard as Erika in the animated feature film, BARBIE AS THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER, Cheer Bear in CARE BEAR LIVE, and My Little Pony. She continues to perform live on stage in theatre in Los Angeles while lending her voice to many demos of new musicals and animated projects. Julie is a member of the Director's Guild, Screen Actor's Guild, AFTRA, and Actor's Equity Association. You can read more about Julie on her website, JULIESTEVENS.com, or on IMDB at www.imdb.com/name/nm0828521/
Some teaching/coaching clients include:
Sammie Hanratty: series regular on CBS's "The Unit" and ABC's "Pushing Daisies"
Billy Unger: "National Treasure 2," "Cop Dog"
Zach Mills: "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," "Kit Kittredge," "The Valley of Light"
Emma Rowley: Broadway's "Bye, Bye Birdie" and "Gypsy"
Darcy Rose Byrnes: "Ghost Whisperer," "House," "Medium"
Madison Davenport: "ER," "Kit Kittridge"
Malese Jow: Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous"
Victoria Justice: Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101"
Cameron Bright: "Thank You For Smoking"
Sophia Vassilieva: NBC's "Medium"
Ivy Moody: "Annie" National Tour
Madison Kerth: "Annie" National Tour
Laurel Yaros: "Les Miserables"
Grace Etzkorn: "Grey Gardens," "Annie" National Tour