Virtual Performing Arts Academy
Our Teachers
Nicole Minardi
​
Director/Founder
Musical Theatre, Acting, Comedy, Ukulele Instructor
​
Hello Everyone! My name is Nicole. I am a professional performer and certified teacher with over ten years of experience. I have a Master's degree in Theatre Education from Adelphi University and I am currently working on my Doctorate in Education at DePaul University. My research focus is on improvisational theatre. I am currently a faculty member at multiple community colleges where I teach Acting and Introduction to Theatre courses and direct the mainstage performances. In the past, I have taught elementary and high school theatre arts in public schools as well as at various competitive children's theatre organizations. I have trained at top improvisation schools such as The Second City, iO Chicago, The Magnet Theatre, and The Annoyance. My undergraduate degree is in musical theatre. I am state certified in the following content areas: Theatre Arts/Drama K-12 Elementary Education K-6 English/Language Arts 9-12 I have a friendly, community, and student-driven approach to teaching. I like to establish a positive environment where students feel safe to explore and play.
Kelsey Blackwell
Head of Acting
Theatre/Acting/Improv
Instructor
​
Kelsey Blackwell is an actor from Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from MTSU with a double-major in Theatre and Pre-Law. There she played several roles, including Nora in A Doll’s House, Yelena in Uncle Vanya, and Mouse in the children’s musical A Year with Frog and Toad. She was also able to direct an all-female production of Julius Caesar, and study Shakespeare in London! In Nashville she performed in commercials, plays, and independent films. When she moved to Chicago, she became an icon scare actor at the 13th Floor haunted house. She did musical comedy for the Phantasmagoria Theatre. She participated in the 2018 Skokie Play festival. She performed all over Chicago in the science fiction based improv team Lost in Space Time. Kelsey most recently performed in Dogprov at the Crowd theatre and worked with the iO Comedy Network team “So Sorry.” She is a resident actor with the improv team Champagne Charlemagne at the Comedy Clubhouse, and she co-hosts Comedy Smackdown with Brookie Natal. She has been regularly tutoring kids of all ages since 2017 through the online platforms VIPkid, ClasShare, and now Virtual Performing Arts Academy! She is so excited to share her passion for performance and teaching. Lets go!
Kim Fortner
Head of Fitness
Dance/Fitness/Dramatic Play and Movement Instructor
​
Kim is so excited to be with VPAA. She is a certified teacher in Chicagoland and has been teaching virtually for over four years. She has been dancing for over 30 years and loves teaching students of all ages.
Kim Fortner is originally from central Illinois and spent her childhood, middle school and high school years performing and competing in dance, gymnastics, show choir and little theater. During college, she traveled professionally and performed for the Decatur Park Singers while choreographing for the children’s theater and dance troupe.
​
Kim minored in Dance and Fitness and spent a portion of her college career in Entertainment at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
​
With a Masters in Education, Kim founded several dance teams at various Charter high Schools in Chicago, created and founded High Musical Theatre organizations and choreographed for several competitive dance teams in the Chicago area. Kim taught World Dance for over 8 years at the high school level and continues to educate, choreograph and teach dance and fitness both online and locally.
Kim Fortner
Head of Fitness
Dance/Fitness/Dramatic Play and Movement Instructor
​
Kim is so excited to be with VPAA. She is a certified teacher in Chicagoland and has been teaching virtually for over four years. She has been dancing for over 30 years and loves teaching students of all ages.
Kim Fortner is originally from central Illinois and spent her childhood, middle school and high school years performing and competing in dance, gymnastics, show choir and little theater. During college, she traveled professionally and performed for the Decatur Park Singers while choreographing for the children’s theater and dance troupe.
​
Kim minored in Dance and Fitness and spent a portion of her college career in Entertainment at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
​
With a Masters in Education, Kim founded several dance teams at various Charter high Schools in Chicago, created and founded High Musical Theatre organizations and choreographed for several competitive dance teams in the Chicago area. Kim taught World Dance for over 8 years at the high school level and continues to educate, choreograph and teach dance and fitness both online and locally.