Adjunct Assistant Professor

MELISSA JOYNER (Actor; MFA, BA) an Audelco Award Winner, has been a professional theatre, commercial, film, and television Actor in New York City for over 15 years. She graduated with a Master’s in Fine Arts from The Actor’s Studio, and from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Theatre.

As a Wake Forest student (BA), she created Umoja, the first multicultural theatre ensemble in University history. A student organization dedicated to the promotion of theatre arts that expressed the needs of a multifaceted community through the arts.

As an Actors Studio graduate (MFA), she has studied under some of the most accomplished in the industry including: Program Director, Robert LuPone (Tony Award Nominee); Acting Chair, Ron Leibman (Tony Award Winner); Robert Walden (Emmy Award Nominee) , Arthur Storch (Syracuse Stage Founder), Christopher Shinn (Obie Award Winner), Pippin Parker, Michael Weller (Oscar Award Nominee), Laura Maria Censabella (Emmy Award Winner), and Rick Sordelet (Broadway Fight Director). She has also completed, Circle in the Square’s Musical Theatre Intensive, the only acting and musical theater conservatory in a Broadway theater.

Melissa Joyner is known for numerous commercials as well as Television Series’: Mrs. America (2020) on FX, Blue Bloods (2020) on CBS,  Evil (2019) on CBS, FBI (2018) on CBS, Madam Secretary (2018) on CBS, The Todays Show (2019) on NBC, Redrum (2015) on Discovery ID, Damages (2009) on FX.

Her New York Theatre credits include: Maids Door, a seven-time Audelco Award Winning production at the legendary Billie Holiday Theatre; The 24 Hour Plays, produced by Kevin Spacey and The Old Vic (UK) performed at The Atlantic Theatre; At Buffalo: The Musical in the NY Musical Theatre Festival and 2019TedTalkHe Said, She Said, I Said, Yes at The Public Theatre; Generation Graffiti at Playwrights Horizons; Old Times at 59 East 59th St. Theatre.

Courses Taught
Acting for the Camera (THE 241)

Melissa Joyner