Mr. Leo Arteche Arencibia
M.A. in Theatre from University of Central Florida
B.A. from New York University
Certification in Drama 6-12
Florida Association for Theatre Education Member
Educational Theatre Association Member
Mr. Leo Arteche Arencibia was born in New York City and raised in Weston, Florida, where he attended The Sagemont School. He graduated as valedictorian, student body president, founder and president of the Thespian Honor Society, and Editor in Chief of his yearbook in 2007. That same year, Mr. Arteche was a Silver Knight Honorable Mention winner in Drama. Mr. Arteche attended New York University, where he was a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship and was a member of the Presidential Honors Scholars Program. During his time at NYU, Mr. Arteche interned and worked in the theatre and television industries. He graduated from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2011, and moved to Miami to begin a career in education. In 2023, Mr. Arteche earned his Master's in Theatre with a concentration in Musical Theatre from the University of Central Florida.
This is Mr. Arteche’s fourteenth year at Miami Arts Charter School, making him one of the longest-tenured faculty members in the school. He serves as the Director of the Theatre Department, where he teaches Musical Theatre and Technical Theatre at the high school level. Mr. Arteche also serves as the Troupe Director of MAC’s award-winning Thespian Honor Society. Mr. Arteche was MAC’s first Teacher of the Month in October of 2018, and was a finalist for Arts Teacher of the Year in 2019.
During his tenure as Troupe Director, Mr. Arteche’s students have amassed a total of 66 Critics Choices and Top Honors, 361 Superiors, and 23 Senior Scholarships at the District and State Level Thespian Festivals. Mr. Arteche’s students and alumni include YoungArts winners, winners of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative Scholarship and multiple winners of the Carbonell Award Jack Zink Memorial Scholarship. His alumni also include professional stage, film and TV actors.
Mr. Arteche has directed several mainstage productions including Into the Woods, Legally Blonde, Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Women, Steel Magnolias, Blithe Spirit, The Trojan Women, The Children’s Hour and Peter Pan. He will be directing Mamma Mia this school year.
Mr. Arteche holds dual certifications in Drama and English. He is also a member of the Florida Association for Theatre Educator and a member of the Educational Theatre Association.