Visiting Artists & Professionals in the School of Drama

The School of Drama is always excited to welcome the guest artists and professionals. Below are some of the recent guests to visit:

Jeffrey Stepakoff, author of Billion-Dollar Kiss: The Kiss That Saved Dawson’s Creek and Other Adventures in TV Writing
Andrea J. Dymond, Resident Director and former Literary Manager at The Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago
Robyn Archer [PDF], Australian Festival artistic director
Stephen Schwartz, Award-Winning Composer/Lyricist
Phylicia Rashad, Tony Award Winning Actress from The Cosby Show
Michael Goldberg, Cool Runnings and Snow Dogs
John Arnone, Design Instructor
Carlyn Aquiline, Dramatic Writing Guest             
Susan Benson, Design Instructor                      
Bob Boross, Dance Instructor                       
Lenora Brown, Dramaturgy Option Guest
Karen Carpenter, Renowned Director and Guest Director for House of Blue Leaves
Eduardo Castro, Costume Designer, Ugly Betty, And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (Emmy Nominee)
Donna Lynn Champlin, Star of the Cabaret Finishing the Hat
Gaius Charles, Actor, Friday Night Lights                  
Thomas Haden Church, Actor, Sideways (Oscar Nomination), Spanglish, Smart People
Tinka Guttrick Dailey, Dance Instructor
Graciela Daniele, Broadway Choreographer and Director
Joyce Degenfelder, Design Option Guest
Bob Dickinson, Emmy-Award Winning Lighting Designer, T.V. Workshop Guest
Byron Easley, Dance Instructor
Jules Fisher, Lighting Designer for Broadway and Film
Ricki Franklin, Dramatic Writing Guest
Christine Kellogg Garcia, Dance Instructor
Pamela Howard, World Renowned Scenographer
Cherry Jones, Actor, Broadway:  Doubt (Tony Award), Film:  The Horse Whisperer, Erin Brockovich
John Kani, Actor, Broadway: The Island/Sizwe Banzi is Dead (Tony Award); Playwright: The Island/Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Nothing But the Truth, AIDS Activist and Humanitarian       
Rajendra Maharaj, Producing Artistic Director of the Rebel Theater Company, NYC, and Guest Director for Side Show          
Vladimir Mirodan, Director, Drama Centre of London
Noah Mitz, T.V. Workshop Guest               
Richard Ouzounian, Theatre Critic, The Toronto Star and Variety    
Dennis Quaid, Actor, The Right Stuff, Traffic, Smart People
J Ranelli, Directing Instructor
Phylicia Rashad, Actor, Broadway: A Raisin in the Sun (Tony Winner), Gem of the Ocean (Tony Nominee), Television: The Cosby Show      
Mark Redanty, Acting Option Guest                 
Jeannette Reynolds, Dramatic Writing Mentor           
Damen Scranton, Acting Instructor                       
Meg Simon, Acting Option Guest                 
Emily Skinner, Actor, Broadway:  Side Show (Tony Nominee)
Scott Storey, T.V. Workshop Guest               
Miodrag Tabacki, Design Instructor
Annie Tyson, Acting Professor, Drama Centre London       
Frank Warninsky, T.V. Project Guest in Lighting    
Michael Whitfield, Design Instructor                      
Sheron Wray, Dance Instructor                       
John Wells, Writer/Producer of E.R. and The West Wing, SOD Alum
Billy Porter, singer and SOD Alum
Rob Marshall, School of Drama Alum and Director (CHICAGO, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA)
Ted Danson, actor ("Cheers", etc.)
Kia Corthon, playwright (SLIDE GLIDE THE SLIPPERY SLOPE, etc.)
John Pielmeier, playwright (AGNES OF GOD) and screenwriter
Ricki Franklin, Emmy-nominated producer (American Playhouse, etc.)
Rick Parks, TV and screenwriter (EVER AFTER, ANNA AND THE KING, SWEET HOME ALABAMA)
Jerry Herman, legendary composer and lyricist (HELLO DOLLY , LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, and MAME)
Cathie Boyd, founder of Scotland’s Theatre Cryptic
Martha Henry, actor, director and stalwart of the Stratford Theater Festival
Bob McGrath, Directing trailblazer
Erik Jensen, playrwright (THE EXONERATED)
Jim Glavin: Costume Construction, mask and puppet expert (worked with Henson for years)-guest visiting particularly for ANIMAL FARM and will do seminars on puppets, masks and general construction.
Bob Perdziola: (Met, NYC Ballet, SF Ballet, Santa Fe, many European productions) Both Costume and Scene Design.
Jean-Guy Lecat, Scenic Designer, Peter Brook's THE MAHABHARATA
Carl Mulhert: Designer Agent. Useful for designers of all stripes.
John Jensen: One of the founding members of Guthrie. Will conduct workshops and provide another point of view in Scene Design.
Eugene Lee: (SWEENY TODD, WICKED, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, RAGTIME)
Bev Emmons: Prominent New York lighting designer, Broadway, regionals
Bob Dickinson: Prominent LA TV lighting designer: Lights many awards and other television shows
Eddie Castro: Costume Designer in LA for film and TV
John Beckman, Director of Traveling Exhibits for the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Jon Cardone, Director of Design for Showmotion, Inc.