Dede Roan

Dede Roan attended drama school at LAMDA in London. At LAMDA, she performed lead roles in Shakespeare in repertory theatre, as well as in plays by Checkhov and William Congreve. Subsequently, she performed theater including musical comedy in New York, Los Angeles and in Washington DC as well as acting in film and television. Having earned a BA from Harvard University in Romance Languages and literature; French, during Dede's undergraduate years she worked closely with Robert Brustein and the American Repertory Theatre. Brustein recognized her early on as a highly accomplished young actress in both drama and in musicals. Prior to beginning college, Dede studied acting in an intensive summer program at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Dede was invited to play Dionysos in Sondheim's "The Frogs" based on Aristophanes' play, at the Fogg Art museum in Cambridge, MA. This was the second version of the musical that was originally produced at Yale University. It was attended by members of the original cast. Additionally, when Dede played Rosie in the musical adaptation of Carole King's and Maurice Sendak's "Really Rosie" at the Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge, MA. Upon graduation from Harvard University Dede was awarded the David McCord book prize for"Outstanding Contributions to the Dramatic Arts at Harvard and Radcliffe". Dede is also an educator who has specialized in blended and virtual education and creating community. She is working on a doctorate and plans to speak about education and how to make it work best for students, teachers and parents. She also teaches English, French, World History and Art History to middle and high school students. Dede, (née Diane Ellen Schmeiser) grew up in Pittsburgh, PA where she worked with and was highly influenced by Mr. Fred Rogers and performed with professional theater companies in Pittsburgh. She also played roles in films by George A Romero as a child.