Teaching Resume

Profile:

I have been a professional actor, teacher and mask artist for 25 years.  For 19 of those years I have been with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival acting company and have taught in many different ways for the entire time, including at Southern Oregon University, St. Mary's School and Ashland High School.  As a performer, teacher and mask maker a central focus of my work is the physical process of linking imagination, emotions and body to expressive powers.  An extensive collection of my masks is a primary tool.  In 2003 I founded Nutshell Masks and Theater and have toured my show "Carnival of the Animals" and lead masks workshops extensively.  I am a member of Actors Equity.
Experience

Oregon Shakespeare Festival   Ashland, Oregon

  • 1995 to 2010   "Summer Seminar for High School Juniors": Masks & Movement workshop teacher.
  • 1995 & 2007   Two week "Mask Performance" workshop teacher for "Artistic Enrichment" with the acting company.
  • 1988, '89 & '90   "School Tour" :Touring of two person, educational shows and teaching workshops to Oregon, Nevada and California schools.
  • 1988 to 1995   Workshops, discussions and teaching various theater classes with the OSF Education Dept.
Southern Oregon University   Ashland, Oregon
  • Center for Shakespeare Studies
  • 1999 to 2010
  • "Masks & Movement" workshops for visiting school groups.  (Average 25 classes per year)
  • "Stage Combat" workshops for visiting school groups.  (Average 30 classes per year)
SOU Theater Department
  • 2006, 2007 & 2010   Masters Program, Mask Making and Movement
  • Co-teaching with Professor Deb Rosenberg a week long class for masters degree students in the construction and use of masks, culminating in a perfomance / presentation with their mask.
  • 1998   The Fairy Tale Project /The Singing Soaring Lark
  • Director, teacher, mask designer and maker for the production
Road Scholars (Elder Hostel / Senior Ventures / Exploritas)
  • 1988 to 2010 Guest Lecturer for Theater, Masks and, Stage Combat classes, pre and post show discussions.
SOU Pre College/ Youth Programs
  • 2010   "Academy"  Week long,  5, 1 hour Stage Combat classes for ages 10 to 14. (3 sessions)
  • 2010   "Hot Class"  Week long, 5, 2 hour Stage Combat classes for ages 14 to 18
Ashland High School, Ashland Oregon
  • (up coming) 2011 Directing & mask maker for Haroun and the Sea of Stories
  • 1996, 2008 & 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival - Master Class, using masks & physical characterization.  Mask maker and mask performance consultant for A Company of Wayward Saints, Directed by G. Valmont Thomas.
  • 1996   Director & mask maker for an all mask production of The Tempest in partnership with Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
  • St. Mary's School,   Medford, OR
  • 2008   Masks & Movement workshops for Acting Classes
  • 1999 & 2000 Teacher for mask making for advanced art class.
  • Young Musicians and Artist Conservatory,   Salem, OR
  • 1992   2-week summer arts camp.  Teacher of stage movement, mask characterization and mask making.
Southern Oregon Men's Conference,   Ashland, OR
  • 1991 & 1992   Mask Making & Ritual Performance Leader.
  • Use of natural materials to create a ritual mask and performance to explore personal issues.
  • Geese Theater Company: for Corrections/ Prisons,   Chicago, IL
  • 1984 & 85   The Plague Game
  • A member of the company.  We toured performances, workshops and residences to all kinds of prisons all across the country.  Jobs included, actor, mask maker, teacher, technician, bus driver and cook.