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Flourish Online Magazine | Winter 2009 |
Faculty Spotlight: Harrison Long
It's more than fame
By Teresa Bagwell
Devout: Embedded with a passion for teaching and acting like deep-abiding faith.
That’s how one might describe Harrison Long, assistant professor of theatre and performance studies and coordinator of the acting concentration. As he freely admits, he comes from a long line of teachers and preachers. And true to that heritage, his soul-stirring philosophical rhetoric flows with ease: the words can’t help but evangelize enthusiasm for his dual profession as an actor and a teacher.
Long describes the fusion of teaching and acting as a symbiotic relationship: “I’m a better actor for my work in the classroom; I learn a great deal from my students. And it’s doubly exciting to see my students benefit from discoveries I make on the professional stage and from my collaborations with professionals in the community.”
For example, KSU faculty and students comprised more than half of the cast of “Great
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Harrison Long |
Photo by Cheryl Anderson Brown |
Expectations” at the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, with numerous others working backstage, thanks to Long’s ties as an original founding member. And in October, Long was instrumental in bringing internationally renowned artist Per Brahe of the Tisch School of Arts to campus for a five-day master class in mask work.
A native of Cobb County, Long returned to the metro Atlanta area after years of acting and directing professionally in New York City and half a dozen states across America. Though he continues to act (and was named one of Atlanta’s best actors last season), Long recognized that a move to academia was a natural progression of his career when a position became available at KSU. “It’s great to be here, in the place I love and came from, giving back to the community and serving the students of the community that means so much to me. It’s a marvelous time of life.”
The unique “performance studies” aspect of KSU’s TPS department has been especially rewarding to Long. “We examine performance roles we all embody day-to-day, both on and off stage. The craft of acting is a remarkable tool for self-examination; it forces students to ask the right questions.
“Not only does our program equip students with the nuts and bolts to be an artist, but also a deep understanding of self, a strong sense of responsibility, and how to connect with the global and local communities. By jostling students and faculty into a heightened awareness of life—to make sense of the human experience—we give students something more substantial than fame. Yes, we strive to develop good communicators, but more importantly, students that have something to say.”
Besides his usual full plate of teaching and committee responsibilities, Long’s 2008-09 projects within the TPS program include directing the latest student production, “The Glass Menagerie,” co-teaching an advanced course in Shakespeare, and developing special topics courses for the undergraduate curriculum. As for endeavors outside
of KSU, Long recently accepted an invitation to play the villain in “A Man for All Seasons” at Marietta’s Theatre in the Square. Rehearsals begin in February, and the play opens March.