College of the Arts boasts Atlanta’s top directors

When the Atlanta Sunday Paper recently took a look back at the 2004 – 2005 theater season in metropolitan Atlanta‚ work by a number of people associated with the department of theatre & performance studies made the top ten lists. In fact‚ three of the top ten directors teach at Kennesaw State and one of the top ten actors is an alumnus.

Georgia (Nov 11, 2005) — When the Atlanta Sunday Paper recently took a look back at the 2004 – 2005 theater season in metropolitan Atlanta‚ work by a number of people associated with the department of theatre & performance studies made the top ten lists. In fact‚ three of the top ten directors teach at Kennesaw State and one of the top ten actors is an alumnus.

Associate professor Karen Robinson made the list for her direction of “A Streetcar Named Desire” at Georgia Shakespeare Festival; instructor Freddie Ashley was recognized for his direction of “A Man of No Importance” at Theatre Gael and of “Waving Goodbye” at Aurora Theatre; and instructor Susan Reid earned her spot on the list for directing three productions at Aurora Theatre: “Enchanted April‚” “Door to Door” and “Tuesdays with Morrie.”

Other KSU people also were recognized in this retrospective‚ including T&PS advisory board members Susan Booth‚ Jasson Mindalakis and Tom Key‚ all of whom were also in the list of top ten directors; advisory board member Shelly McCook‚ one of Atlanta’s top ten actresses; T&PS alumnus Travis Young‚ one of Atlanta’s top ten actors appearing in one of the top ten productions‚ “Take Me Out” at Theatre in the Square; current T&PS major Justin Tanner‚ who performed in another of the top ten productions‚ “A Man of No Importance;” and assistant professor Jamie Bullins‚ who designed the costumes for another top ten production‚ “Echoes of Another Man” at Actor’s Express.

“This article is strong affirmation of the significance and impact of our department in Atlanta’s professional theatre world‚” said John Gentile‚ chair of the department of theatre & performance studies. “Wherever I attend theatre throughout the metro area‚ I find the involvement of our faculty‚ alumni and student artists‚ either as directors‚ designers‚ technicians or performers.”

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.