Meet our instructors and discover the amazing talents they bring to Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy!
Noah Scott
Creative Director
Mr. Noah Scott has dedicated over thirteen years to Arts Education and the Performing Arts. He started his career at the ripe age of six, when he auditioned and made it into Los Angeles’ prestigious Piedmont Theatre Academy. At the age of sixteen, Noah then began a career in professional Broadway tours such as Bye Bye Birdie, Mamma Mia, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Saturday Night Fever. Despite the successful career as a performer, Noah’s passion and focus has always been in education. He has attended five different colleges as well as grad school to be able to provide the highest level of Arts Education to our community. Mr. Scott has held the title of Executive/Creative Directors at Performing Arts Schools such as Curtain Call Performing Arts Academy and BMT’s Stars School of Performing Arts and taught all over the United States. In his thirteen year career, he has directed over forty musicals and choreographed fifteen shows. His goal is to bring the arts to life in Vancouver and continue to create a true home for quality Arts Education and Musical Theatre through his current role as Creative Director of Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy.
Jen Filson
Jazz Dance Specialist and Choreographer
Jen Filson graduated from the University of Idaho in 2002 with a dance performance and choreography minor. Upon graduation she moved to Chicago to pursue performance opportunities which included holding the Artistic Director position for the Noble Horse Theater, coaching the Glenview Park Stars cheer squad to three national championship titles and leading Dance Plus Productions through yearly recitals. She has trained at Lou Conte, home of Hubbard Street Dance Company, the Joffery Ballet in Chicago, with the infamous Luigi and Francis Roach in New York City, and has opened for the Radio City Rockettes. Currently she is choreographing for the film “Meet Jane Doe” and teaches weekly dance classes at Dance Connection, Virtuosity Performing Arts and Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy in Vancouver.
Courtney Morris
Dance Instructor of Ballet and Tap
Courtney Morris has been dancing for 23 years and has been teaching and choreographing for 8 years. She is a classical ballerina, performing principal & soloist roles in Giselle, Romeo & Juliette, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutckracker, La Bayadere, Coppelia among other productions. Even though ballet is her first choice, she is a big tap fanatic and is trained in tap, jazz, lyrical, modern & stage mime. Her home base for training was at The Idaho Ballet Theater & Anita Damiano Kennedy Academy of Dance in Boise, Idaho; the latter where she found her passion for teaching. She also toured for six years on the competition circuit with her dance/drill team. Courtney is also a licensed massage therapist and sports injury therapist. She is honored to have found a place to call home with MPAA.
Jonathan Quesenberry
Vocal Instructor & Music and Orchestrial Director
Jonathan is a graduate of Warner Pacific College, earning a BA in Music and Composition as well as a Minor in Drama. Jonathan has begun his graduate work at New York University to pursue a Master’s degree in Musical Theatre Writing. He has been instructing from his private studio in Portland, OR for over 3 years, a studio dedicated to prepping students for musical theatre auditions by building their repertoire as well as improving vocal skills. Jonathan also works as a substitute vocal instructor for Stage Coach Schools in Portland, OR. He also has much experience in piano playing, frequently accompanying singers during performances and playing for Cocktail Cabaret. Most recently, he worked as a music assistant for Broadway Rose’s production of “Hairspray”. Jonathan also works as a substitute vocal instructor for Stage Coach Schools in Portland, OR. As a singer and actor, Jonathan remains active in the Portland and Vancouver musical theatre scene. In Vancouver, you may have seen him in such roles as Franz Liebkind in “The Producers” (Clark), Trevor Graydon in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (Blue Parrot), and Kodaly in “She Loves Me” (Magenta). In addition to teaching and acting, Jonathan Quesenberry is a composer and is currently working three musical theatre projects that are set to be produced in Portland (Triangle Productions), Vancouver (MPAA), and New York (staged reading).
Jeanna Reed
Dance Instructor
Jeanna has been dancing and performing all of her life. She started tap dancing at age 3, eventually winning National Championships in tap, jazz, ballet, gymnastics, and vocals. She has acted in numerous TV shows, movies, and commercials including “Gimme a Break,” “Leverage,” “Strawberry Shortcake” and more.
Jeanna Reed has been instructing dance classes for over 15 years in various styles of dance including tap, ballet, jazz, cheer, and musical theater. Some of Jeanna’s recent work includes choreography for “School House Rocks Jr.” (MPAA), “The Wizard of Oz” (ITE), Musical Theater Dance with Groove Nation, and the tap dances for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (Blue Parrot) which she also performed in. Jeanna had the thrill of performing in the opening to dance for The Radio City Rockettes. She is currently choreographing for Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids (MPAA).
With her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education K-8th grade with a Minor and Endorsement in Speech Communications K-12th grade, years of dance experience, plus four of her own children, Jeanna comes to MPAA with skills and experience. Jeanna is excited to share her love of dance and theater with the students of MPAA and feels blessed to have this opportunity!
