A b o u t
arts + education + community
Isa S. Chu (she/her) is a Bay Area-based vocalist, actor, and performance coach who realized a long time ago that "perfection" is a scam. Now, she wants to empower artists of all ages to show up, take risks, and actually enjoy the process of making art—mostly by admitting that nobody really has it all figured out.
A card-carrying choir nerd since elementary school, Isa has spent nearly two decades with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and has graced stages ranging from concert halls and stadiums to street corner jams. Her musical DNA is a colorful, chaotic blend of 90s R&B, Cantonese pop, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the joyful whimsy of Sesame Street.
After a 20-year intermission from the theater after her time at UC Santa Barbara, Isa decided she wasn’t done with the spotlight. Since 2024, she’s performed in many productions, with favorites being Avenue Q, Calendar Girls, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and A Grand Night for Singing. She also reviews Bay Area theater productions for Theatrius, which is a professional way of saying she spends a lot of time overthinking why some productions hit, and others don’t.
As a teaching artist and coach (working with everyone from the American Conservatory Theater to tiny beginners), Isa is less "drill sergeant" and more "hype-woman." Her goal is to help performers find their own weird, wonderful artistic voice by prioritizing curiosity over being "correct."
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Oakland, Isa is a natural connector who wants everyone (including herself) to feel just a little braver than they did yesterday. When she isn't on stage or in a classroom, she’s likely down a YouTube rabbit hole watching cakedecorating videos, talking to her plants, or lying to herself about her ability to flip a vintage dresser over a single weekend.
