Atlanta’s Top Directors Teach at Kennesaw State

	Student Justin Tanner appeared in the top ten production, “A Man of No Importance.”

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 KSU 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” and Theatre Gael and of “Waving Goodbye” at Aurora Theatre. 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.”

To view all of the Sunday Paper’s top ten lists, click here.

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