News & Events

Faculty Successes

Fall 2006

This past summer, Assistant Professor Thomas Bernard was the resident costume designer for Barn Theatre, a professional summer stock company of equity actors and interns, in August, Mich. He designed and built six productions over the summer, including Greater Tuna, Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma, and 1776. Daytime Emmy award–winning actress Kim Zimmer portrayed Mama Rose in the theatre’s production of Gypsy.


Continuing Lecturer Brittney Tyler Coughlin went to the Hall of Fame Dance Nationals with Steppin’ Out Studio of Dance. Coughlin’s “Oh So Quiet” dance was chosen to be performed in the World Series of Dance event. Only 30 of 1,200 dances were chosen for the honor. Coughlin, along with a colleague, has begun a dance program at South Side High School.


Associate Faculty Jane Frazier left as director of the IPFW Community Arts Academy and assistant to the dean to begin an M.F.A. in theatre pedagogy (acting/directing) at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Assistant Professor Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft was selected as the national winner of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival’s Acting Faculty Fellowship from a pool of eight regional nominees. The fellowship paid for Purse-Wiedenhoeft to study for two weeks at the Actors Center in New York as a part of its Teacher Development Program. Purse- Wiedenhoeft studied with actress Olympia Dukakis, Rob Clare of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Slava Dolgachev of the Moscow Art Theatre.