Robert Paterno is a Teaching Artist and actor originally from Houston, TX, and currently resides on the unceded Tongva/Gabrieleno territory of Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in Acting (Southern Methodist University) and a BS in Marine Biology (Texas A&M University at Galveston). He spent 7 years as a Higher Education professional, specializing in Student Leadership Development and First-Year experiences. He has 20+ years of experience in education as both a classroom science teacher and teaching artist, including stints with The Unusual Suspects, The Geffen Playhouse, The Pasadena Playhouse, Theatricum Botanicum, and The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. He has worked with populations of all ages and experiences, particularly highly impacted, underrepresented, intergenerational, and incarcerated youth populations throughout LA County.
As an actor, he has worked in TV, commercials, and theater during his 11+ years in Los Angeles, particularly classical theatre and immersive experiences/activations. Credits include – THEATER: LA Views (Ensemble) – Company of Angels; Revolver (Ensemble) – Celebration Theater; Twelfth Night (Sebastian) – Coeurage Theater; The Diary of Anne Frank (Mr. Dussel) – Cupcake Theater; The Merchant of Venice (Prince of Arragon) – Great River Shakespeare Festival; 1984 (Winston/Syme) & The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Ensemble) – Greenway Court Theater; The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (El Fayoumy) – Hudson Theater; In The Next Room or the Vibrator Play (Dr. Givings) – River & Rail Theater; Julius Caesar (Cinna) – Shakespeare Orange County; The Wild Party (Buster Keaton) & The Johnny Cycle (Ensemble) – The Speakeasy Society; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Flute/Thisby) – Theatricum Botanicum. TV/FILM: The Vampire Diaries (recurring); Days of Our Lives; Single Parents; VIDA. Robert is a proud SAG AFTRA member.
Arts accessibility for all. Representation matters.