Rehearsal for Hamlet Act V Scene ii
Video: Shakespeare "Deathapalooza" Trailer
Christina has trained extensively in stage combat as well as practical martial arts. She earned her 1st degree black belt in Taekwondo in the summer of '16. She has trained for two years under martial artist and fight director Erik Johnson, from whom she has learned street self-defense, MMA sparring, and many styles of hand-to-hand stage fighting, as well as how to choreograph and direct fight scenes. Christina also spent a year training in hand-to-hand and weapons (rapier and dagger, knife, katana) with actor/choreographer Geoff Thompson, and an additional semester studying independently with SAFD fight director Dan Carter on classical rapier and dagger and broadsword, specifically on Shakespeare battle scenes.
Christina has been assistant and substitute teacher for Erik Johnson of Taekwondo Club, and has proven herself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy fight captain for shows such as Spring Awakening and Les Misérables. Christina choreographed fight scenes for Good Kids (Penn State Centre Stage, directed by Holly Holm), Hamlet (Penn State University, directed by Steve Snyder), Company (Penn State Univeristy, directed by Erin Farrell Speer and Susan Schulman, and Nittany Theatre at the Barn, directed by Emmy Frank), and 12 Angry Men (Nittany Theatre at the Barn, directed by Darcy Evans).