Biographical Sketch
My desire for teaching theater was seeded by great teachers, professors, and mentors before me. Having been a product of these great educators I believe that they sculpted me to be the person that I am today.
I have been fortunate that from my childhood to teen years I had the experience of living in different areas of the Western United States, namely California, where I was born, and in Washington State. I also enjoyed the unique experience of living in England during my early teen years before my family settled in St. George where I have lived for over half my life.
I attended Dixie High School in St. George, Utah where I began my interests and focus in theater. The Drama teacher, Russ Saxton, took me under his wing and started me down a path that I am truly grateful for. It was at the end of my junior year when I had my first professional developing experience when I was hired at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in its opening year in summer of 1995. From that moment I grew to love and appreciate theatre as a craft and as a profession.
I graduated from Dixie High in 1996 and attended Dixie College briefly before heading to Wisconsin to provide service for my church for two years. Upon returning I met my wife, Jalee, at Dixie College where I continued my education in theater and began working for the city of St. George as a technical director for the Pioneer Center of the Arts and Opera House. Some of my community work has been with local community theater groups in the capacity of technical director and consultant on productions. I know my work is making, and will continue to make, a difference in how I interact with our locality. The results of my work are evident in the relationships I have developed within the community and its leaders and individuals, and the Dixie State University Fine Arts Department.
While working for Dixie State University for the past 15 years, I have had the opportunity to work successfully with the Theatre Department students, faculty, staff, and administration. The experience I have working with a strong team gives me the tools necessary to build on those strengths, salute the challenges and to continue to add significantly to the dynamics already in place. I have developed a strong working relationship with the Faculty and have worked to develop a positive rapport with the students I have mentored by assisting them with hands-on training in technical applications and instructing them side by side in a vocational setting and practice.
While working at Dixie State University, I was hired at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, teaching Technical Theater I and II. In association with the Tuacahn High school's Theater Director, Jan Shelton Hunsaker, I began my love for teaching students. This provided the beginnings of a foundation for me in pursuing teaching secondary education theater.
My experiences on and off the stage have provided me with the necessary tools to help shape students to understand theatre and its correlation to humanities not only as a theater performer but as an artist.
My wife and I have six children. Our oldest is a boy and is 16. He plays trumpet, french horn and piano. Then next is our oldest daughter who is 15, she plays the flute and loves theatre. Our youngest boy is 12 and loves to draw. Then we have a 8 year old daughter who is our pretty red head, and then our 3 year old who is currently infatuated with Barney and loves singing and dancing. Finally our youngest who is 18 months and well he is just cute and melts our hearts. All the kids love Dr. Who along with their mother. My wife and I love to travel and partake of the cultures that it has to offer especially the food. We hope to travel to Europe in the near future.
I have been fortunate that from my childhood to teen years I had the experience of living in different areas of the Western United States, namely California, where I was born, and in Washington State. I also enjoyed the unique experience of living in England during my early teen years before my family settled in St. George where I have lived for over half my life.
I attended Dixie High School in St. George, Utah where I began my interests and focus in theater. The Drama teacher, Russ Saxton, took me under his wing and started me down a path that I am truly grateful for. It was at the end of my junior year when I had my first professional developing experience when I was hired at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in its opening year in summer of 1995. From that moment I grew to love and appreciate theatre as a craft and as a profession.
I graduated from Dixie High in 1996 and attended Dixie College briefly before heading to Wisconsin to provide service for my church for two years. Upon returning I met my wife, Jalee, at Dixie College where I continued my education in theater and began working for the city of St. George as a technical director for the Pioneer Center of the Arts and Opera House. Some of my community work has been with local community theater groups in the capacity of technical director and consultant on productions. I know my work is making, and will continue to make, a difference in how I interact with our locality. The results of my work are evident in the relationships I have developed within the community and its leaders and individuals, and the Dixie State University Fine Arts Department.
While working for Dixie State University for the past 15 years, I have had the opportunity to work successfully with the Theatre Department students, faculty, staff, and administration. The experience I have working with a strong team gives me the tools necessary to build on those strengths, salute the challenges and to continue to add significantly to the dynamics already in place. I have developed a strong working relationship with the Faculty and have worked to develop a positive rapport with the students I have mentored by assisting them with hands-on training in technical applications and instructing them side by side in a vocational setting and practice.
While working at Dixie State University, I was hired at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, teaching Technical Theater I and II. In association with the Tuacahn High school's Theater Director, Jan Shelton Hunsaker, I began my love for teaching students. This provided the beginnings of a foundation for me in pursuing teaching secondary education theater.
My experiences on and off the stage have provided me with the necessary tools to help shape students to understand theatre and its correlation to humanities not only as a theater performer but as an artist.
My wife and I have six children. Our oldest is a boy and is 16. He plays trumpet, french horn and piano. Then next is our oldest daughter who is 15, she plays the flute and loves theatre. Our youngest boy is 12 and loves to draw. Then we have a 8 year old daughter who is our pretty red head, and then our 3 year old who is currently infatuated with Barney and loves singing and dancing. Finally our youngest who is 18 months and well he is just cute and melts our hearts. All the kids love Dr. Who along with their mother. My wife and I love to travel and partake of the cultures that it has to offer especially the food. We hope to travel to Europe in the near future.