Barbara Pitts McAdams

Rich Brown

project associate

Professor Rich Brown landed at Western Washington University in 2006 where he currently teaches psychophysical acting, Suzuki, Viewpoints, commedia, and devising. He has published in Theatre Topics, Theatre Journal, College Teaching, The Western States Theatre Review, and the book Aesthetics & Business Ethics, and presented at numerous ATHE & NET conferences on devising. He has led Viewpoint & Devising Intensives for Teatrul Fara Frontiere at the National Theatre of Romania in Bucharest and led Devising Intensives for Bucknell University, Seattle University, Rio Hondo College, Lewis & Clark College, Graceland University, Walla Wall University, and serves as the Artistic Director for Texas Tech University’s Marfa Devising Intensives. Rich is an associate artist with professional devising companies hand2mouth (Portland) and Blessed Unrest (NYC). Recently, Rich performed in The Pillowman at the iDiom Theatre, Poison the Well at the Vancouver Fringe Festival, Into the Woods and Art at the Mt. Baker Theatre, The American Family at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (which he also co-directed), Circle Mirror Transformation at Idaho Repertory Theatre, Lying and The Snow Queen with Blessed Unrest in NYC. Recent directing credits include the devised works cheat, Us, The American Family, Soapbox, /faust, Commedia in the Parks and the scripted plays Some Girl(s), Corktown (WWU premiere by Jeff Augustine), How I Learned to Drive, HIR, The Aliens, and Orlando. Rich received a Bellingham Mayor’s Arts award in 2008, WWU’s prestigious Excellence in Teaching award in 2010, the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival’s National Outstanding Lead Deviser/Director of a Devised Work in 2012, the Carnegie Foundation’s Professor of the Year for the state of Washington in 2015, the Washington State Thespians’ Hall of Fame Award in 2016, and a Kennedy Center National Commendation for Devising Leadership in Region 7 in 2019.

Kylie Vincent

project associate

Kylie Vincent is a NYC based activist and artist. Originally from Thousand Oaks, California, Kylie started her gun control activism by producing and directing a performance show related to gun control violence with fellow high school students after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Kylie was featured in various news outlets for her activism and art. After moving to New York City to pursue theatre and comedy, she was given the opportunity to take on the title of Action Director of March For Our Lives New York State. Over the past year she has performed, produced and directed theatrical performances to raise money for the organization and awareness. In addition, Kylie has been an associate and performer on The #HereToo Project since being approached by the writers' to be interviewed as a participant in the show. Kylie has spoken at various activist events including, March For Science, Gays Against Guns Rally (Times Square), and Penn State. In addition, Kylie coproduces/performs in Who Is She Comedy, an all female comic group that hosts an all female/non-binary stand up line up at Club Cumming & Arlene’s Grocery. Other credits include Adult Swim (Digikiss), NBC (Gen Z pilot), UCB Hell’s Kitchen (Who Is She Comedy Sketch), #HereToo (Penn State) and Points In Case (Published Writer).

Jeanmarie Higgins

dramaturg

A new works dramaturg in dance and theatre, Jeanmarie publishes widely on the intersection of theory and practice—including essays about her studio work with dance trio AGA Collaborative, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, and the Martha Graham Dance Company. Her scholarly research addresses domestic space in contemporary drama and performance in the works of such artists as Diana Szeinblum, Wallace Shawn, Simon Stephens, and Pat Graney.

Jeanmarie has given talks and master classes at the University of Pittsburgh Humanities Center, the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC, and the University of Wisconsin Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies program. Her edited collection, Teaching Critical Performance Theory, is forthcoming from Routledge in 2020.

Jeanmarie is on the editorial board for Etudes, an online journal in theatre and performances studies for emerging scholars. She also serves as Pre-Conference Planner for the Theory & Criticism Focus Group for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), and is an active member in ATHE’s American Theatre and Drama Society.

Before joining Penn State School of Theatre in 2017, Jeanmarie taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She holds an MFA in Playwriting from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in Theatre History, Theory, & Criticism from the University of Washington.

Freddie Miller

Project Associate

Freddie Miller is an emerging dramaturg and playwright, currently pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies and Comparative Literature at Penn State University. An advocate for theatre education, Freddie has worked extensively with theaters in his hometown to provide theatrical opportunities for children, launching Keystone Youth Theatrics – Online, a free virtual summer program for middle and high school aged children, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Penn State, Freddie’s dramaturgical work has informed productions of Angels in America, A Little Night Music, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Caroline, or Change. As a playwright, his work has included Outcasts (New York City), Weekend Visit (Penn State University), and Stage Moms. DG student associate member. www.freddie-miller.com

Elena Sgouros

Project Associate

Elena Sgouros is a third year B.A. Theatre Studies major at Penn State University and has been part of the project since 2019. She has participated as a deviser and performer along with  managing positions on The #Heretoo Project. Over the past summer, she was one of the creators of the #Heretoo podcast featuring youth activists around the country. As an assistant director, publicity manager, and dramaturg, further credits include Spamalot, #HereToo @Penn State,  She Kills Monsters, Violet, and Polaroid Stories.