I was both excited and nervous to direct and choreograph the first show in the newly renovated Charles E. Maedgen, Jr. Theatre. This was the first ever musical directed by a member of the dance faculty, and I think it reflects the strong bonds we are building between the School of Theatre AND Dance. I have had great collaborators during this process – students, faculty, and staff—and deeply appreciate the work that theatre and design do within their own programs and how they are preparing their students post-graduation.
Much beloved Associate professor, Dr. Linda Donahue, retired…twice…as she explains below. What she doesn’t share is that, because we had no hire in arts administration, she unretired—so not embarrassing, as she expresses below—but a favor for a School who still has not replaced her. Dr. Donahue was not only Head of Arts Administration, but she also was our only faculty member solely dedicated to that program, as well as one of my Associate Chairs and Graduate Director (for more than a decade).
Meet Kyle Rainey, a technical director whose love for theatre and technology emerged during his senior year of high school. Initially uncertain about his future, Kyle opted to study performance in college. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Theatre, specializing in Acting and Directing, from Rockford University. Throughout his education, Kyle devoted equal time to both onstage and backstage pursuits, fostering a comprehensive understanding of theatre.
