A happy childhood is filled with play, connection, and creativity. When a young person is given a safe space to share their creative voice with other children, something magical happens. They begin to discover who they truly are, what makes them unique, and where their passions lie. From this understanding, confidence takes root—spilling into every part of life. They engage more fully at school, strengthen bonds with family, and show courage on the sports field. With a sense of purpose, they begin to imagine all they can become in the world.
Creative, confident children grow into courageous, empathetic adults who lead us forward. At Lawton Academy, we believe championing self-expression early in life is essential to helping children thrive—and there’s no better way to do this than through the joy of performing arts.
We offer the kids and teens of Long Island classes in acting, music, filmmaking, and the production of full-scale musicals that fuel creativity and hone each child’s natural talent. Whether a student is just beginning their creative journey or already trained and ready to take their craft to the next level, we are here to guide, inspire, and help them shine.
Andrew Lawton is an award-winning actor and filmmaker from Australia with over thirty years industry experience. As an actor, Andrew originated the roles of Logan Reilly on ABC’s “One Life to Live” and Jake Black on hit Australian show, “Neighbours”. Between television appearances, he starred in national ad campaigns on both continents and countless stage plays and musicals.
Andrew first moved to New York in 2000 to accept a full scholarship studying film and theater at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with his MFA in 2003. As a filmmaker, he has directed some of the biggest actors in the world – including Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Driver, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson and Matthew Broderick – for NBC’s “A Roundabout Road to Broadway”. This TV special won numerous awards and saw Andrew invited into The Producers Guild of America in 2019.
The son of teachers, Andrew is honored to be leading the development of Lawton Academy of Performing Arts. Learn more at Wikipedia and IMDb.
Darcy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a mom of two boys, and a former ballet dancer. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University, and has a background in early childhood development and family systems, which she has employed in her career as a therapist.
Darcy grew up on Long Island and trained as a ballet dancer from childhood through early adulthood. She also possesses a musical background, having played the flute throughout childhood. She danced with the Eglevsky Ballet, and years later, also provided guidance to pre-professional ballet dancers at American Ballet Theatre’s JKO School as an independent consultant.
She has always felt a love for movement and dance, and continues to take ballet classes regularly as her own creative outlet and enhancement to her life. She is excited to utilize her experiences as a mother, therapist, and dancer leading Lawton Academy’s Mommy & Me program!
Katie Nisa has a BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU (Tisch). She also studied at The Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles. She has been seen in many plays, films, TV shows, and commercials; including The Artist, She Said, and SVU. She is a graduate of both UCB and ACME Comedy Theater where she has performed in countless improv and sketch shows through the years.
As a writer, she has worked developing series for television, and is currently workshopping one of her plays with The Barrow Group in NYC. Katie has taught children in Los Angeles, The Hudson Valley, NYC, and Long Island. She is passionate about equity in arts education, and believes in empowering all young people to express themselves authentically. She is thrilled to be working with the dedicated teachers and talented students at Lawton Academy!
Liv Testa is a recent graduate of Long Island University Post where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre.
Liv has studied multiple acting techniques across her career, including Meisner, Chekhov and Stanislavski. She’s taught hundreds of children of all ages and directed popular shows such as Moana Jr, Annie Jr, and most recently Legally Blonde Jr. She has a passion for helping kids find their passion and have fun on stage! In addition to directing, Liv is also a performer. She has acted in numerous productions, including Vincent: A New Musical, She Kills Monsters, Jekyll and Hyde, The Prom, and Little Shop of Horrors, to name a few.
She is so excited to be working with the amazing kids and teachers here at Lawton Academy of Performing Arts!
Shanna Swenson is a New York–based performer and vocal coach with a background in musical theater and concert performance. Her favorite stage credits include Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), City of Angels(Mallory/Avril), and Once Upon a Mattress (Minstrel). She has appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, including the world premiere of Sanctuary Road under the direction of Kent Tritle, and Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lorin Maazel.
Shanna studied Theater Performance at the University of Hartford and is a longtime member of the Blue Hill Troupe, a nonprofit theater company that raises funds for New York City charities. She is passionate about helping young performers find their voices and discover confidence and joy through music and storytelling.
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