FACULTY PROFILES

 

FULL TIME FACULTY

David Callaghan--Musical Theatre Performance and Departmental Chair. He received his M.F.A. degree in Directing from Western Illinois University and a Ph.D. in Theatre from the City University of New York Graduate Center in Manhattan. David also teaches Directing, Theatre History and Film Criticism at UM. He grew up in central New Jersey a short train ride from the theatre scene in Manhattan and past teaching experience includes visiting positions as an acting instructor at the American Academy of Dramatic Art (AMDA) in NYC and Illinois Wesleyan University.

Before coming to Montevallo in 1999, David worked professionally in Philadelphia before residing in NYC for six years where he worked on the casting staff at Manhattan Theater Club and Meg Simon Casting. David enjoyed opportunities to work on the original Tony Award winning productions of Terrence McNally's LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION! and August Wilson's SEVEN GUITARS on Broadway. Other projects included working on new plays by John Patrick Shanley and A.R Gurney for MTC and Seattle Repertory Theatre, among others, as well as independent films and the pilot for "Cosby" on CBS.

David also directed professionally in the Tri-State NYC area and off-off-Broadway; with professional credits as an actor at Equity theatres such as the McCarter Theater in NJ and Mt. Gretna Playhouse, PA. While in NYC, David was also fortunate to work as an Assistant Director on the NY and Italian productions of THE RULES OF CIVILITY with Judith Malina's famous avant-garde company The Living Theatre.

That experience led to David subsequently publishing numerous articles on the company's work, including a recent essay in the March 2008 AMERICAN THEATRE magazine.

David also frequently participates in panel presentations on musical theatre and approaches to performance at national theatre conferences and has served as an adjudicator for the Region IV American College Theatre Festival. He is a member of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Alabama Conference of Theatre and Association of Theatre in Higher Education, and others. While teaching at UM, he has acted in several regional commercials as well as the pilot for "Life After" on the Halogen cable channel; and also directed musicals for 3 seasons at the Round Barn Theatre in Indiana. David also helped create and performed in an original theatre piece in response to Hurricane Katrina's impact on New Orleans as part of the ATHE "Reactions" project in NOLA during summer 2008. In May 2008, he was awarded a grant to attend the Commercial Theatre Institute's 3 Day Producing Workshop in Manhattan.

At UM, David feels fortunate to have directed a wide variety of plays and musicals including the 60s rock musical HAIR, Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, Brian Friel's MOLLY SWEENEY, GODSPELL, CABARET, THE NORMAL HEART and the AL premieres of FAT PIG, A CLASS ACT and SIDE SHOW. David was the proud recipient of the 2002-2003 College of Fine Arts Distinguished Teacher Award, as well as the UM National Alumni Association's "Outstanding Commitment to Teaching" Award in Fall 2004. In 2007-2008, he was very honored to have been selected as the University's nominee for the Carnegie Foundation CASE Professor of the Year Program.

When not in a theatre, he enjoys traveling, films, keeping up with UM alums and theatre friends around the USA, and going to the beach with his wife Paula and daughter Quinn.
Callaghand@montevallo.edu; (205) 665-6206.

William T. (Billy) Clow (Design, Arts Management, Playwriting).  Billy is Dean of the College of Fine Arts and a professor of theatre.  He has designed 500+ productions over 30 years including Amadeus, Metamorphoses, Arcadia, Exit the King and The Full Monty.  He is a founding and continuing member of the Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre and has worked professionally for numerous theatres including The Heartland Theatre in Kansas City, St. Louis Music Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.  He has taught previously at Stephens College and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  Billy holds a BA in lighting design from the University of Missouri and an MFA in Scenic Design from Illinois State University.  He is excited and honored to be a part of the University of Montevallo. Billy has a beautiful wife, Michelle and three fabulous children, Edan, Cullen and Addison.

Emily Gill (Costume Design, Costume Construction, Costume History, Makeup Design) comes to the University of Montevallo after receiving her MFA in Drama from the University of Georgia and her BA in English and Theatre Arts from Rollins College. An active member of USITT, she currently serves on the Advancement Committee as a Young Membership Advisor and acted as a United States Delegate to the Prague Quadrennial Design Exposition in 2007. Also through USITT, she has traveled on the 2007 Study Tour through Central Europe on a travel award granted through USITT, and participated as a featured performer with UGA colleague Ben Philipp in the United States Schools of Scenography exhibit at the PQ Scenofest. As a part of the Southeast Region Section of USITT, Emily has exhibited and won the W. Joseph Stell Design Award as a student and faculty/professional. An active costume designer in the Atlanta area since returning from a post-undergrad internship at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, favorite designs include ALICE THROUGH THE WONDERGLASS (2003, Synchronicity Performance Group), GOLDEN BOY (2003, Aurora Theatre), MY FAVORITE YEAR (2002, Gainesville College), ANTIGONE (2002, Georgia Perimeter College), IPHIGENIA CRASH LAND FALLS ON THE NEON SHELL THAT WAS ONCE HER HEART (A RAVE FABLE) (2004, 7Stages), LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME (2005, Synchronicity Performance Group) and most recently, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH for Actor's Express this past June. HAMLETMACHINE, Emily's thesis design/research project at UGA, enjoyed a brief co-production in Atlanta at 7Stages. In a non-design capacity, Emily has worked for Georgia Shakespeare, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. Emily has had the pleasure to design THE SEAGULL and COMPANY for U of M, and is looking forward to another season of challenging, interesting projects!
gille@montevallo.edu; (205) 665-6201.

Tammy Killian (Acting, Directing, Voice): A native of Alabama, Tammy Killian received her BA in Theatre/Art from Birmingham-Southern College and her MFA in Acting from Florida Atlantic University.

Tammy was the Artistic Director of Theatre Louisiana College for 8 years. At TLC, Tammy directed a number of shows her favorite including: SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN, MACBETH, WAIT UNTIL DARK, THE SECRET GARDEN and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Tammy is also the founding Artistic Director of Spectral Sisters Productions. At SSP she has produced WAITING FOR GODOT, LAUNDRY AND BOURBON/LONESTAR, WHEELCHAIR PORNOGRAPHY, FULLY COMMITTED, THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, HIGHER EDUCATION, A NAME FOR A GHOST TO MUTTER and many others as well as five summer seasons of "new work" by community playwrights. Other favorite directing credits include WIND IN THE WILLOWS at the Peterborough Players, NH; HEY COW at the Looking Glass Theatre in NYC; and HAVING OUR SAY which was City Park Players' entry in the AACT Festival in 2003 and for which Tammy won the SWTA regional directing award.

Also in 2003, Tammy was nominated by New Hampshire Magazine for the year's best lighting design. Recently Tammy was honored by City Park Players as best actress in a play for her role of Sylvia in SYLVIA, for best lighting design for MY FAIR LADY and for best scenic design for WEDDING BAND. Tammy is a member of Southwest Theatre and Film Association, Southeastern Theatre Conference and Actor's Equity Association.

In her 2nd year on the UM faculty, Tammy directed FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS in last year's season. She lives in Alabaster with her handsome husband, Jason; brilliant daughter, Kate; giant German Sheppard, Samson; as well as Cesario and Viola, two well versed Shakespearean Cats.
killiant@montevallo.edu; (205) 665-6205.

Kenneth E. Laeger (Kel) (Scene/Lighting Design) holds a Master of Fine Arts in scenic design from Boston University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Birmingham Southern College.

Now in his 5th year on the UM Theatre faculty as scenic and lighting designer, Kel previously taught at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and at Alabama State University in Montgomery. As a free-lance scenic and lighting designer, his experience is wide and varied. Currently he is the lighting designer for Opera Birmingham and has designed lights for such operas as La Boheme, The Marriage of Figaro, La Traviata, Carmen, Orpheus and Euridice, Lucia Di Lammermoor, and Rigoletto; as well as upcoming operas in 2008. He has worked for Mobile Color heading up a production of Holmes and Watson at the St. Peter's Church Theatre at the Citi-Corp Center in New York City. He toured with Thor Nielsen, as production manager/designer, for Nielsen's one man musical play about Hans Christian Andersen, As Long As The Cuckoo Sings, the high point of the tour being a three month stay in Scotland and England, part of which was performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He designed the scenery for WVTM-13's Top of the Morning with Mike Royer and also worked with Custom Supply of Birmingham to design scenery for Just for Feet. He was an assistant production manager for one season with The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Kel has designed many productions at Um including COMPANY, SIDE SHOW, THE SEAGULL, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS and THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940. He is married to Therese Laeger, chair of the dance department, at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. They have two children attending ASFA majoring in dance. When Mr. Laeger is not at home or the theatre, he is with his horse. laegerke@montevallo.edu;  (205) 665-6207.

Marcus Lane (Movement, Stage Combat, Acting, and Directing) comes to Montevallo after four years in New York City, where he served as Coordinator of Theatre for City University of New York—Kingsborough.  He received his MFA in Acting Pedagogy from the University of Alabama and his BA in Theatre from Louisiana Tech University.  Over the years, Marcus has worked as an actor, fight choreographer, movement coach, and director.  Recent directing credits include: HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, ALL IN THE TIMING, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Favorite acting credits include: Riff Raff in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Mad Hatter in ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and Daniel Boone in BLUE JACKET.  Marcus spends the summer season at Theatre West Virginia, where he is a Resident Director and Artistic Associate. This past summer he directed HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and performed as Whitey Hawkins, in HONEY IN THE ROCK.  He is a member of Southeastern Theatre Conference, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Association for Theatre Movement Educators, Society of American Fight Directors and Actors Equity Association.  In his free time, Marcus enjoys fishing, playing cards, SEC football, cooking and spending as much time as possible with his lovely wife, Jen and their finest collaboration yet, baby Dean. Mlane4@montevallo.edu  (205)665-6209

PART TIME FACULTY

Heather Batey (Voice Lessons), M.M. University of Mississippi, B.S. Harding University

Carl Dean (Musical Theatre Styles II), B.A., University of Montevallo; Artistic Director, Magic City Actors Theatre of Birmingham

Jen Nelson Lane, Actors Equity Association (Theatre Management, Stage Management, Introduction to Theatre), M.F.A., University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

Charlotte Lantz (Dance Styles) holds a B.F.A., West Virginia University and teaches a range of dance classes to UM theatre majors. She also choreographed our production of A CLASS ACT. Charlotte has extensive directing and choreography credits across the USA and has taught dance in the Birmingham area at UAB and Samford University.

Diane McNaron (Voice Lessons), M.M., Florida State University

Laurie Middaugh (Staff Accompanist and Musical Director, Musicianship Skills for actor/singers) received her M.M. in Music from UM and is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Piano Performance from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Laurie has worked as a professional accompanist extensively around the country and for theatre, concerts and operas throughout Alabama, as well as the fall 2009 state screening auditions for SETC. She is the staff accompanist for all UM musical theatre classes and musical director for cabaret performances.

Laurie was also the musical director for UM Theatre's GODSPELL, THE LAST FIVE YEARS and HAIR. She also teaches the Musicianship Skills for actors/singers in the BFA Musical Theatre curriculum.

Amy Murphy (Voice Lessons), B.M., New England Conservatory of Music

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