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Department of Theatre

Studying theatre at Denison

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Ace Morgan Theatre located in Denison's Theatre Arts Building is a 200-seat proscenium house

THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE offers a broad-based liberal arts education, emphasizing historical, social and theoretical study, along with studies in the various arts of theatre. We encourage our majors to complement their theatre studies with challenging work in other disciplines. Many of our students choose to double major, or to pursue a major and a minor.


The major in theatre is designed to aid the serious student in:

Our majors are encouraged to spend at least one semester in off-campus study. Many are placed in New York City with professional training programs or as assistants to theatrical directors, producers and designers. Some choose programs that emphasize arts and literature in Europe. Many others spend internships with major theatre companies all over the country and abroad.

A generous endowment from Denison alumnus Jonathan R. Reynolds, along with additional funding from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, has enabled the department to create a residency program, which brings in a playwright for one semester every other year. Another facet of the gift has allowed for the creation of the Jonathan R. Reynolds Distinguished Chair in Theatre, presently held by Emeritus Professor Jon Farris.

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Shakespearean comedy 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona'

The department produces a wide variety of theatre productions each academic year. Participation in theatre productions is open to students at all levels and from all disciplines, and auditions are open to the entire campus. Academic credit can be earned for participating in theatre productions. Advanced students may have the opportunity to design and direct productions. A number of paid positions are available in the scene shop, costume shop and box office.


Denison has two primary theater spaces: the Leroy "Ace" Morgan Theater, a 200-seat proscenium house, and the Burke Hall Theater, a 3600-square foot black box space. Both theatres are used for main stage and student productions.

In addition to the theatre spaces, the department has excellent construction and support facilities:

The theatre major and minor

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British comedy 'Noises Off' by Michael Frayn

A theatre major must complete 44 credits of theatre courses as follows:


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British comedy 'Noises Off' by Michael Frayn

A theatre minor must complete 20 credits of theatre courses as follows:


What do theatre majors do after Denison?

A major in theatre is uniquely qualified to produce rational, independent, critical thinkers who possess a broad range of transferable skills - skills that serve our graduates well no matter what what sort of career they pursue. The study of theatre:

Great drama encourages those who encounter it to:

Theatre majors regularly pursue careers in:

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World premiere of an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' by Donald Freed

Many of our majors continue their education in graduate and law schools.


Who are our professors and administrators?

Department Chair and Associate Professor Peter Pauzé joined the faculty at Denison in 1994. He earned a B.A. at Gordon College and an M.F.A. at the University of Georgia. He serves as scenic and lighting designer for the department and teaches courses in theatrical design and theatre studies.

Associate Professor Cynthia Turnbull joined the faculty at Denison in 1996. She earned a B.S. at Nebraska Wesleyan University and an M.F.A. at the University of Texas, Austin. She directed the children's plays Jungalbookand The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as The Snow Queen, for which she also wrote the script. She has designed costumes for the Texas Shakespeare Festival, the Zilker Park Summer Playhouse in Austin, Texas, the Ohio State University Opera, the Pittsburgh Playhouse and the Contemporary American Theatre Company for productions of The Grapes of Wrathand Copenhagen. For Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, she designed the costumes for their touring production of The Amazing Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey King, a Jingju play for children.

Assistant Professor Mark Evans Bryan joined the faculty at Denison in 2002. He earned a B.A. at Denison University, an A.M. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. at Ohio State University. He teaches courses in the history and theory of theatre, acting, playwriting and dramatic literature. He is a playwright whose work has been published in the Kenyon Reviewand performed in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australasia.

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Irish drama "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel

Visiting Assistant Professor Eleni Papaleonardos joined the faculty at Denison in 2007. She holds an M.F.A. in Theatre: Contemporary Performance from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She has created new work with The SITI Company and The Tectonic Theatre Project. A member of Available Light (theatre) in Columbus, Eleni also has worked as an actor with Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Actors' Theatre of Columbus, EAT Tkheatre, Hand-Dog Theatre, Phoenix Theatre for Children and Total Theatre.

Technical Director and Instructor Andrew S. Johns earned an M.F.A. in Technical Production from the University of Delaware. He has worked as a scenic carpenter at the prestigious Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and in a variety of technical positions at the Wolf Trap Opera Company, the Brevard Music Theatre, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He serves as the department's technical director and teaches courses in stagecraft and theatre appreciation.

Academic Secretary Marilyn Sundin earned an M.F.A. at Ohio State University. She is active in local theatre companies as a director, performer and playwright. Sundin serves as the departmental secretary and supervises the Denison Theatre box office.

Costume Shop Supervisor Joyce Merrilees earned a B.S. in textiles and clothing from Ohio State University. She has operated a custom sewing, tailoring and alterations business for more than 15 years.

For more information about the department and curriculum, go to:

Theatre Department

or contact:

Peter Pauzé, Chair
Theatre Arts Building
Room 7
Denison University
Granville, Ohio 43023

Phone:  (740) 587-6231
Fax:  (740) 587-5755
E-mail:   pauze@denison.edu