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Guest Artists
In addition to the breadth and depth of our courses and curriculum within the department, we strongly believe in the value of providing students with instruction, responses and feedback from professional theatre and dance practitioners from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Recent guest artist residencies have included Ben Magnuson , Broadway and Regional actor; Izumi Ashizawa , Japanese theatre artist; Eric Jackson , current national tour of The Book of Mormon; Maestro Antonio Fava , the world-leading expert in 16th century Commedia dell'Arte; David Marchant , the coordinator of integrative movement practices and dance teacher at Washington University; and Richard Ryan , a leading film, television, and theatre fight director.
Guest artists have included:
Jenny Showalter
Dancer and Choreographer, Heidelberg Music Festival, Dance Chicago, Greenspace Fertile Ground
Guest residency; master classes and laying choreography for the Spring Gala Dance Concert, Spring, 2013
Benjamin Magnuson
Broadway, National Tours, Regional Theatre, Film and TV actor.
Conducted an informative session about the life of an actor working in professional theatres. Spring 2013.
Eric Jackson
Broadway, national tours, film, and TV actor. Currently in the National Tour of The Book of Mormon in Chicago.
Conducted an informal question and answer session with students about life in the professional theatre and on the road. Spring 2013.
Izumi Ashizawa
Nationally renowned performance artist and instructor in Japanese Noh, Kabuki, and Suzuki styles.
Conducted a three-hour workshop in movement styles. Fall 2012.
Maestro Antonio Fava
World's leading expert in Commedia dell'Arte performance techniques. Worked with theatre students in class during an eight week guest artist residency.
Conducting a presentation lecture and demonstration. Spring 2012
Michael Boatman (WIU Alum BA '84)
Actor for television (Gossip Girl, The Good Wife, Law & Order: SVU, Spin CIty); movies (Bad Parent, Hornet's Nest, The Pool Boys, Hamburger Hill) and stage (Master Harold and the Boys Broadway revival with Danny Glover)
Conducting a scene workshop with theatre students. Spring 2006
Richard Ryan
Film combat: Fight Coordinator, Sherlock Homes; Fight Coordinator and Assistant Stunt Coordinator, Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows; Fight Arranger, The Dark Knight; Sword Master, Troy. Stage Combat: Master At Arms, the Royal Academcy of Dramatic Art (London); fight staging for The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, and The National Theatre of Ireland. Actor in a variety of roles at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, English National Opera, and Theatre Royal, among others.
Conducted a workshop on fighting for film and administered an exam for our students for certification in unarmed stage combat technique. All students passed with seven recommended for the Examiner's Award. Fall 2011
David Marchant
Professor of the Practice, on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis since 1994, specializing in aesthetic theory, technique, composition and improvisation in the concert art of contemporary dance.
Guest artist residency and choreographer for "Belladonna Divertimento", Spring Gala Dance Concert, 2012
Kenneth Kendall
Division Chair, Fine Arts, Lincoln College.
Conducted workshop on the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique. Spring 2012
David Krajec ( WIU Alum MFA '84)
Project Manager, Mainstage Theatrical Supply.
Question and answer session with design students about current stage lighting practices and equipment. Spring 2012
Chuck Coyle
President of the Society of American Fight Directors and professional fight director for over 30 years. Recent credits include the Broadway production and national tour of August: Osage County, The Crucible and Superior Donuts at the Steppenwolf Theatre; Gas for Less, and Magnolia at the Goodman Theatre; Porgy and Bess, and Damnation of Faust at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Private Lives at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Has conducted several workshops and administered several exams for our students to be certified and recommended for various stage combat techniques.
Linda Lehovic
Associate Professor of Dance, The University of Illinois. Working with dance students laying on choreography for a piece in one of the dance concerts.
Jay Burckhardt
Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors, a Stunt Coordinator and Fight Arranger for film, and owner of JKChoreography, a stunt company based out of Chicago.
Conducted a workshop in unarmed stage combat. Fall 2011
Actors from the London Stage
Week-long master classes and guest artist residency for undergraduate and graduate students. Fall, 2010
Jill Cordle
Professional Broadway Stage Manager: Death of a Salesman (currently on Broadway starring Philip Seymour Hoffman), Jerusalem, God of Carnage, The Odd Couple, The Vagina Monologues, Annie Warbucks, Glengarry Glen Ross, among others.
Conducted a seminar with our students on the profession and practice of stage managing for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national tours. Spring 2010
Landon Shaw
Equity actor, director, producer from the St. Louis area. Conducting an audition workshop with theatre students. Spring 2009
Lionel Walsh
Director, School of Dramatic Arts, University of Windsor; Conducting a workshop with theatre students on the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique. Spring 2009
Todd Horman
Equity actor (Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Broadway); Urinetown (national tour); Of Thee I Sing (New York CIty Center); The Young and the Restless. Conducting a question and answer session with theatre and music students. Spring 2009
