Meet the Teachers/Directors


  • Teacher/Director - High School

    John Tourtellotte holds a BFA in Acting from Auburn University, and an MA in Education from Alliant International University.  As an actor, he has worked for companies such as Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Denver Center Theatre Company, City Lights Theatre Company, the Poetics Theatre Collective, and more.  

    He is a certified Associate Instructor of Theatrical Violence with Dueling Arts International and has served as fight director on more than fifty different productions of a wide spectrum of plays and musicals.  Some favorite productions include: Romeo and Juliet, Something Rotten, 1660 Vine (World Premiere), Ghostlight (US Stage Premiere), The Laramie Project, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing.

    As an educator, he has taught all over the country and all ages of students (from kindergarten all the way through graduate school), including most recently serving as Hollywood High School's Director of Theatre Arts before moving here to Lake Braddock.

    He has been recognized as a Finalist Teacher for the LA Division of the National Shakespeare Monologue Competition in 2021 and 2023, and the Winning Teacher in 2022, as well as being selected as one of the Educational Theatre Association's National Inspirational Theatre Educators in 2020.

    He believes in the ability of every one of his students to build the best possible lives for themselves, and he works to support them in that journey.


  • Teacher/Director - Middle School

    Stacey Mitchell began her theatre education adventures in 2003 at City View Jr/Sr High School in Wichita Falls, TX. She has since been a few other places in Texas before landing here at Lake Braddock in 2016.

    Ms. Mitchell holds a B.A. in Comprehensive Theatre Arts from the University of WI - Eau Claire, a M.Ed. in Psychology & Guidance from Wayland Baptist University, and Teaching and School Counseling Certifications from Midwestern State University. While in undergraduate, she was a costume designer and creative drama practitioner.

    Ms. Mitchell was also involved in the formation of the National Standards for Theatre Arts. Stacey has worked with the VDOE in Curriculum Standards Review, regularly serves our FCPS community on the Theatre and Dance Curriculum teams, and is a mentor teacher for theatre arts teachers, student/intern teachers, and site based new teachers.

    Her passion is helping others realize their gifts and giving them opportunities to explore and share those gifts.