As an educator, I have taught acting, directing, voice, stage combat, movement, musical theatre, theatre history, script analysis, and playwriting for colleges and universities across the country, including Utah Tech University, University of Montevallo, the University of Iowa, Grinnell College, Concordia University Chicago, and Dominican University. I received his MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa (where I received the Iowa Arts Directing Fellowship) and a BFA in Acting from Kent State University.
My job as an educator is to inspire, provoke, and encourage dialogue. As I believe every student has a right to be successful in their academic pursuits, I inspire my students by empowering them to create more, by challenging them to take risks, and by celebrating their triumphs. I provoke by insisting on only the best from my students, by testing their pre-conceived ideas, and by introducing them to a vast array of artists. Above all else, I encourage conversation and listening. I listen to my students’ concerns, dreams, and fears (all while maintaining a safe climate in the classroom). Not only do my strong listening skills help create a better learning environment for my students, my listening models good practice for my students as they grow as artists and become leaders in their field. Student-centered learning is placed at the apex of my work and I continually re-tool and re-shape my coursework to ensure the that students’ needs are the priority in my classes.
Â