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& Teaching undergraduate
courses in Introduction to Theatre, African
American Theatre, Fundamentals of Acting and Play
Direction & Directing annual Eastern Michigan
University Theatre Mainstage productions &
Advising undergraduate and graduate
students & Serving on
departmental, college and university
committees & Founder and artistic director for the
Idlewild Theatre Company & Developed
and teaching online course in African American Theatre
& Chaired and served
on graduate thesis project committees &
Organized, directed and
performed African American theatre outreach troupe & Acting professionally on stage,
commercials and film
education | professional experience | other work
experience | military service | teaching higher education | university activities | professional organizations | references
Master
of Fine Arts, Theatre (Directing) - 1992 Western Illinois University,
Macomb, IL Thesis Project: OF MICE AND MEN
Bachelor
of Arts, Speech and Drama - 1983 Cameron University,
Lawton, OK Oklahoma Teacher Certification: Speech and Drama
(1985-1990)
&
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Online
Professor, September ‘98 –
Present Office of Continuing Education, Eastern Michigan University,
Ypsilanti, MI - Developed and taught an undergraduate course in African
American Theatre on the Internet - Developed and taught an
undergraduate course in Introduction to Theatre online (May
‘05)
Artistic Director,
Founder, June '04 - Present Idlewild Theatre
Company, MI - Founded the Idlewild Theatre Company in historic
Idlewild, Michigan as a summer touring theatre program networking with the
Lake County Merry Makers, Baldwin High School, and Eastern Michigan University Theatre (Home '04,
Ain't Misbehavin' '06, The Colored Museum '07, The All
Night Strut! '08)
Actor, Television Commercial, February '10 Avalon Films, MI -
Played an Office Worker in the Michigan State Lottery television
commercial, "Office Win"
Actor, Feature Film, December '09 Trust Productions, CA -- Dir.:
David Schwimmer - Played a Security Officer in the feature
film, Trust
Actor,
Feature Film, July '09 Castle Rock
Entertainment, CA -- Dir.: Rob Reiner - Played a Worker in the feature
film, Flipped
Actor, Television Series, April '09 E1 Entertainment & HBO,
CA -- Dir.: Scott Ellis - Played the Male Police Officer in an episode
of the television series, Hung
Actor,
Feature Film, February '09 Innocence
Productions, CA -- Dir.: Tony Goldwyn - Played Arthur Johnson in
the feature film,
Betty Anne Waters
Actor, Feature Film, July '08 Parallel Media, CA -- Dir.: John
Stalberg - Played the African American Donor in the feature film,
High School
Actor, Feature Film, July '08 Mandate Films, CA -- Dir.: Drew
Barrymore - Played Cop#1 in the Drew
Barrymore-produced feature film, Whip It
Actor, Industrial Video, July '08 Newhouse Entertainment,
MI - Played an R.N. in the training video for
Sparrow Health System
Actor, Feature Film, June '08 Don't Tread on Red, CA -- Dir.:
Shaun Lapacek - Played Older Man in the science fiction
feature film, Red and Blue Marbles
Actor, Interactive
Theatre, Fall '07 - Winter '08 Center for Research on Learning and
Teaching (CRLT Players), University of Michigan - Played roles as
various professors in
faculty and committee member
scenarios
Actor, Television Commercial,
September '07 Production Cafe, MI - Played a man whose dentist saved
his life in a Delta Dental television commercial
Voice-over , Radio Commercial,
September '07 Production Cafe, MI - Played a man whose dentist saved
his life in a Delta Dental radio commercial
Model, Print Ad, September
'07 Production Cafe, MI - Portrayed a man whose dentist saved his
life in a Delta Dental print ad
Actor, Television Commercial,
May '07 Moon Kochis Productions, MI - Played a man who needed an
attorney's help in a Law Offices of Sam Bernstein television
commercial
Voice-over, Television Commercial,
May '07 Resolutions Media, MI - Narrated for a George Matick
Chevrolet television commercial
Narrator, Industrial Video,
February '07 CV Media, MI - Narrated on screen the benefits plans
available to employees at Beaumont Hospital for this industrial
video
Actor, Television Commercial,
November '06 Lansing Community College, MI - Played a man who had
enrolled at Lansing Community College in a Lansing Community College
television commercial
Narrator, Television Commercial,
March '06 Comcast, MI - Played the son in an American House
television commercial
Associate
Professor, August ‘96 - August
‘05 Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Eastern Michigan
University, Ypsilanti, MI - Tenure, August 1996 - Taught
undergraduate courses including beginning acting, Play Directing, African
American Theatre, Introduction to Theatre, and Fundamentals of Speech -
Directed Mainstage production in the Eastern Michigan Theatre seasons
annually - Organized, directed and performed the African American
theatre outreach troupe for performances in the dormitories, at local
secondary schools, for university activities and with community
groups - Served as academic advisor for approximately 10 theatre majors
and minors per semester
Narrator,
Voice-over, August '05 Wallstreet, MI - Narrated a Talk
America radio commercial
Actor, Independent Film, August
'05 MediaHeroes, MI -- Dir: Maggie Pattons - Portrayed Ray in the
feature film, Shooters: Get the Picture
Model,
Print, August '05 University of Michigan, MI - Portrayed the
Husband and Dad in the Eat For Life training
video
Model,
Print Ad, August '05 MI - Portrayed the Dad in a Talk
America print ad
Actor, Television Commercial, August
'05 Production Cafe, MI - Portrayed the Dad in a Talk America
television commercial
Extra, Feature Film, August
‘05 Dribble Film Productions, CA - Portrayed an Extra in the
feature film, Crossover
Actor, Television Commercial, June
'05 WDIV Channel 4, MI - Portrayed the Husband in a Majic Windows
television commercial
Actor, Training
Video, May '05 Vision Point, IA - Portrayed TJ in an ethics training
video
Actor, Training Video, May '05 K-Mart,
MI - Portrayed an employee in a K-Mart ethics training
video
Actor,
November ‘04 - February '05 City Theatre, Nederlander Company, MI -
Moved with this production of Mitch Albom’s play, Duck Hunter Shoots
Angel from the Purple Rose Theatre to Detroit, and continued to play
the role of Lenny
Actor, May -
August '04 Purple Rose Theatre Company, MI -- Dir.: Guy Sanville -
Originated and performed the role of Lenny in the world premiere
production of Mitch Albom’s play, Duck Hunter Shoots Angel
Actor, Television Commercial, November
'04 Grace & Wild, MI - Portrayed a hapless husband, Dick, who
had bought his wife a washing machine as a gift in an ABC Warehouse
commercial
Actor, Training Video, August
'04 Deano’s, MI - Portrayed family business owners in an Amway
training video
Actor, Television Commercial, July
'04 Brogan and Partners, MI - Portrayed the Husband in a television
commercial for Comcast Cable
Actor, Industrial Video, March
'04 Russell Video, MI - Portrayed the role of the Statistician in
this Pfizer: Protocol Workstream training video
Actor, Music Video, February '04 Geronimo
Film Productions, CA - Portrayed an Extra in an Obie Trice music video
of his song, "Don’t Come Down"
Model,
Print Ad, November
'03 Michelle Andonian Photography, MI - Portrayed a father and
husband in a print ad for Blockbuster Video Stores
Actor, Television Commercial, Still/Print,
October '03 ACME Photo Works, MI - Portrayed a family member in the
television commercial and print ad for Sinai Grace
Hospital
Actor, Television
Commercial, October '03 Edge Creative Group, MI - Portrayed the
Doctor in the television commercial for Team One Credit Union
Actor, Music Video, October
'03 Geronimo Film Productions, CA Phillip Atwell, Director -
Portrayed an Extra in the Cash Kola music video of his song, "My Life"
Actor, Educational CD ROM, July
'03 Radish Creative Group, MI - Portrayed Dan on the educational
CD-ROM, "Breaking the Barriers"
Voice-over, Industrial CD, April
'03 Michigan Cancer Consortium, MI - Recorded the Voice 1 on the
industrial CD-ROM, "Making the Choice: Deciding What to Do About Early
Stage Prostate Cancer"
Actor, Television Commercial, April
'03 Model, Print Ad, April '03 Foresight Group, MI - Portrayed
the role of a small business owner in a Physicians Health Plan television
commercial, and on a print ad
Extra, Television Commercial, March
'03 Rare, Medium, Well Done, Inc., MI - Portrayed an extra in a
Belle Tire television commercial
Actor,
Industrial Video, March '03 K-Mart, MI - Portrayed the role
of Robert in a K-Mart training video
Extra,
Television Commercial, February '03 Charmichael Lynch, MN -
Portrayed an extra in a Northwest Airline television commercial
Actor, Industrial Video / Television
Commercial, December '02/July '03 Lowe Worldwide, MI - Portrayed the
Electrical Engineer in the General Motors Corp. Savana Van training
video, which was later used in a national GMC television commercial
Model,
Print Ad, December '02 Stone and Simons, MI - Portrayed the
Dad in the Credit Union One Home Mortgage poster
Actor,
Television Commercial, November '02 Sussman Sykes & Assoc.,
MI - Portrayed a man in the restaurant for a Weight Watchers television
commercial
Actor, Industrial Video, October
'02 CV Media, MI - Portrayed the role of Harvey in the CNA Lawyers'
Risk Management training video
Voice-over, Television Commercials,
October '01 Brogan and Partners, MI - Recorded the voice of the
Narrator in two (2) Michigan Department of Public Health Stop Gambling
television spots
Actor, Television Commercial,
September '01 Brogan and Partners, MI - Portrayed the Comcast Man in
the Comcast Halloween Free High Speed Internet spot
Voice-over, Radio Commercial, March
'01 Brogan and Partners, MI - Recorded the voice of the Man in the
Cape Health Plan radio spot
Adjunct Director, February ‘01 -
March ‘01 Department of Theatre and Dance, University of
Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI - Directed the musical, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Actor, January ‘01 - February
'01 Mobile Education, Inc., Redford, MI - Played Martin in Martin
Luther King, Jr., One-man Show for elementary schools in Maryland,
Virginia, New Jersey and New York
Visiting Associate Online Professor, January
- April '01; September - December '02 Department of Africana Studies,
University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI - Taught an undergraduate
course in African American Theatre on the Internet with a second course in
development
Actor, December ‘00 - January
'01 Saint Louis Black Repertory Company, Saint Louis, MO - Played
Philmore in August Wilson's Jitney
Voice-over, May/June ‘99 Outrage
Entertainment, Ann Arbor, MI - Recorded voice-over for the Command
Center of the video game, Descent 3
Director,
May/June '98 Lawton Community Theatre, Lawton, OK -
Directed White Picket Fence
Director,
March/April '98 Huron High School, Ann Arbor, MI - Directed Samm-Art
Williams' Home
Visiting Associate Professor, August '96 - April '97 Department of Theatre and
Drama, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI - Taught undergraduate
courses including Acting in the Black Experience and Black Theatre History
Scene
Coach, June '97 Oklahoma Arts Institute,
Oklahoma City, OK - Coached acting students with their final project
scenes during the intensive two-week acting course taught by Irene Connors
at the prestigious Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute
Actor,
September - November '95 Department of Theatre and Drama, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI - Performed the lead role of T.O. Jones in
OyamO’s drama, I Am a Man as a part of the University of Michigan’s
mainstage season
Assistant Professor, August ‘92 -
August '96 Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, Eastern
Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI - Taught undergraduate courses
including beginning acting, Play Directing, African American Theatre,
Introduction to Theatre, and Fundamentals of Speech. - Directed
mainstage production in the Eastern Michigan Theatre seasons
annually. - Organized, directed and performed the African American
theatre outreach troupe for performances in the dormitories, at local
secondary schools, for university activities and with community
groups. - Served as academic advisor for approximately 10 theatre
majors and minors per semester
Director, November ‘93 - January
'94 Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Ann Arbor, MI - Directed Charles H.
Fuller's Zooman and the Sign
Director,
May/June '92 Lawton Community Theatre, Lawton, OK - Directed
Samm-Art Williams' Home
Graduate
Teaching Assistant, September '90 - May '92 Department
of Theatre, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL - Taught
undergraduate courses including Introduction to Theatre and Black Theatre
Speech and Drama
Teacher, August '86 - May '88 Lawton Public Schools,
Lawton, OK - Taught high school courses in Fundamentals of Speech,
Drama and Stagecraft. - Directed one high school theatrical production
per semester. - Coached and supervised approximately thirty students
involved in competitive speech activities during eight to ten festivals
per year. - Technical supervisor for the school's stage during other
school activities
Director, July/August '86 Westside
Community Center, Bartlesville, OK - Directed James McLure's Laundry
and Bourbon
Speech Teacher,
August ‘85 -May '86 Watonga Public Schools, Watonga, OK -
Taught high school courses in Fundamentals of Speech. - Directed one
high school theatrical production per semester. - Coached and
supervised approximately thirty students involved in competitive speech
activities during eight to ten festivals per year. - Technical
supervisor for the school's stage during other school
activities
Web Site
Manager/Owner, ‘96 - Present Bridges Web Services,
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, MI - Designed and maintained web sites for
individuals, private companies, community groups and theatre
organizations - Designed and maintained informational web pages
regarding African American drama and theatre arts. Incorporated some of
these pages into my online course
Counselor
Coordinator, June -94/’95/’96 Oklahoma Arts
Institute, Oklahoma City, OK - Supervised twenty-five to thirty
counselors and approximately two hundred high school students - Planned
and distributed daily agenda directing the activities counselors -
Enforced attendance and general behavior and courtesy of the two hundred
students
Tire
Builder, February ‘89 - September '90 /November '79
- May '81 Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Lawton, OK - Operated
the Automatic Radial Fullstage tire building machine to assemble various
rubber components into 300 to 500 thirteen, fourteen and fifteen inch
tires during an eight hour shift - Changed rubber component stock and
removed stock ball ups and made minor machine repairs
Stage
Manager/Counselor, June '86/’87/’88 Oklahoma
Arts Institute, Oklahoma City, OK - Organized, scheduled and set up
acting, orchestra and dance rehearsals and performances in a variety of
spaces at the prestigious Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute - Supervised a
cabin of eight boys in the evenings and checked on their attendance and
behavior during the day
PFC, SP4,
SGT, August '74 - August
'78 - Honorable Discharge ('80) Pershing Missile Crewman,
Instructor, Supervisor Ft. Sill, OK and Neu Ulm, West
Germany - Served as a Pershing nuclear missile crewman at Wiley
Kasern/Neu Ulm, Inneringen and Von Steuben nuclear warhead sites in West
Germany. - Served during Pershing nuclear missile field exercises in
West Germany and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. - Served as a missile crewman,
theodolite operator, wrecker operator, truck driver, supervisor and
Pershing Missile instructor
&
TEACHING HIGHER EDUCATION
CTAS 124 - Fundamentals of
Speech Taught undergraduate students in an
introductory course in public speaking. Students learned to research,
write, prepare and present informative, persuasive and demonstration
speeches
CTAR 150 - Introduction to
Theatre Taught undergraduate students a
lecture-demonstration course with the purpose of fostering appreciation of
theatre through an understanding of its production components, its forms
and styles, and its historical development. Attendance required at select
EMU theatre productions. Required of theatre arts majors and minors
CTAR 150 -
Introduction to Theatre (Online) Taught
undergraduate students a lecture-demonstration course with the purpose of
fostering appreciation of theatre through an understanding of its
production components, its forms and styles, and its historical
development. Attendance required at select EMU theatre productions.
Required of theatre arts majors and minors
CTAR 151 - African American
Theatre: An Introduction Taught undergraduate
students an introductory survey of the roots, purposes and contemporary
manifestations of theatre and drama reflecting the African American
experience. Emphasis will be placed on the reading, analysis and
discussion of representative African American plays
CTAR 151 - African American
Theatre (Online) Taught undergraduate students entirely on the
Internet an introductory survey of the roots, purposes and contemporary
manifestations of theatre and drama reflecting the African American
experience. Emphasis will be placed on the reading, analysis and
discussion of representative African American plays
CTAR 157 - Beginning
Acting Taught undergraduate students this course
designed for non-theatre majors desiring basic knowledge and practice of
acting skills as related to the stage. Non-majors will gain experience in
self-awareness, relationships, character analysis, improvisation, scene
study and acting exercises. Attention will be given to overcoming stage
fright. For non-theatre majors only
CTAR 158 - Fundamentals of
Acting Taught undergraduate students this study
of the fundamental theories and techniques of acting. Major emphasis on
theatre acting, but consideration given to radio and television acting.
Laboratory hours by arrangement. Theatre 222 - Black Theatre History
Taught undergraduate students an introductory survey of the roots,
purposes and contemporary manifestations of theatre and drama reflecting
the African American experience. Emphasis will be placed on the reading,
analysis and discussion of representative African American plays
(University of Michigan)
Theatre 233/CAAS 342 - Acting and the Black
Experience Taught undergraduate students this
course designed as an introduction to the fundamental skills of acting in
the theatre, with special emphasis on the presentation of drama from a
consideration of African-American dramatic themes and topics. Course
content involves discussion and practical work, including theater games,
improvisation, development of warm-up exercises, monologue, and scene
work. All dramatic texts used for monologues and scene study will come
from the works of representative Black playwrights. Some papers and
selected reading, a midterm and final examination are required (University
of Michigan)
AFA
239 - African American Theatre: Ante-bellum to 1950s
(Online) Taught undergraduate students entirely
on the Internet an introductory survey of the roots, purposes and
contemporary manifestations of theatre and drama reflecting the African
American experience. Emphasis will be placed on the reading, analysis and
discussion of representative African American plays (University of
Michigan-Flint)
CTAR 251 - African American - Theatre: Creative
Problems Taught undergraduate students this
practical consideration of those creative aspects of the theatre
production particular to African American theatre. Emphasis will be placed
on the presentation of scenes from African American theatre
AFA 310 - Performance Traditions
& Aesthetics of the African World
(Online) Taught undergraduate students entirely
on the Internet regarding the development of Black performance in theory
and practice in the African world. Emphasis on theoretical foundations of
Black Expression worldwide. (University of Michigan-Flint)
CTAR 355 - Play
Direction Taught undergraduate students an
intensive study of the process of directing plays. Whenever possible,
students in the course will direct a one-act play for public presentation.
Laboratory hours by arrangement
CTAR
379 - African American Musical Theatre
(Online) Developing an undergraduate course involving a
cultural and historical survey of African American Musical Theatre. The
course is to be taught initially on the Internet and will begin with a
survey of the musical revues, artists and companies during the late 19th
Century. The course will culminate with a survey of the artists, musicals
and companies that present musicals concerning the African American
experience as represented on the stage today
CTAR 479/699 – Call and Response
Tour Designed an undergraduate/graduate level course
for students to write, rehearse and perform plays and musicals for the
purpose of touring to schools and community groups
Member,
McAndless Fellow Committee Performer, Paper, State of the Black Male in
Michigan Presenter, M.L.K Luncheon Respondent, Eastern Michigan
University Forensics Festivals Founder and Artistic Director, Idlewild
Theatre Director/Author, Soaring on Black Wings Member,
Eastern Michigan University Judicial Appeals Board Member, Search
Committee for Assistant Director of Student Judicial Services Advisor,
Independent Study Projects, Department of Communication and Theatre
Arts Director, African American Theatre Program, Department of
Communication and Theatre Arts Director/Performer, African American
Theatre Outreach Troupe, Department of Communication and Theatre
Arts Member, Instruction Committee, Department of Communication and
Theatre Arts Member, Personnel and Finance Committee, Department of
Communication and Theatre Arts Member, Search Committees, Department of
Communication and Theatre Arts Member/Chair, Graduate Project
Committees, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts Member, M.L.K.
Planning Committee, Eastern Michigan University Performer, M.L.K.
President’s Luncheon, Eastern Michigan University Web Site Manager,
Theatre and Educational Drama, Department of Communication and Theatre
Arts
&
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Member,
Screen Actors Guild Member, Actors' Equity
Association Workshop Presenter, Various High Schools, MI Lecturer,
Elderwise, Ypsilanti, MI Online Course Demonstration, Black Theatre
Network Conference Respondent, Region III, American College Theater
Festival Respondent, Region III Irene Ryans, American College Theater
Festival Member, Region III Executive Selection Committee, American
College Theater sFestival Member and Web Site Manager, Black
Theatre Network Respondent, Mid-Michigan Theatre Festival Acting
& Directing Workshop Leader, Annual Conventions, Community
Theatre Association of Michigan Respondent, Scholarship Auditions,
Community Theatre Association of Michigan Respondent, One-Act Play
Festivals, Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association Respondent,
Mid-America Theatre Conference Respondent, Ypsilanti-Willow Run
Branch, NAACP ACT-SO |