MSSU Theatre Faculty

MSSU Theatre Faculty and Staff

	James E. Lile, Jr. - Assistant Professor, Department Head At MSSU since 2004Office: TETPAC Rm 246 Phone: 625-9656 E-mail: lile-j@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.A.), East Texas State University — Master's (M.A.), East Texas State University — Doctorate (Ph.D.), Kent State University
Dr. Lile joined the Theatre Faculty in the Fall of 2004. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in Theatre at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) and his Ph.D. in Theatre History and Criticism at Kent State University. Equally at home in rehearsal or in the classroom, Dr. Lile has a wealth of teaching, acting, directing, and design experience gathered over three decades from schools and theatres in Texas, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. For Dr. Lile, theatre is a way of life. To study the theatre is to explore our humanity and to celebrate the richness of our experience. It is a great journey, and Dr. Lile is grateful to be one of the guides.


	Samuel L. Claussen - Professor At MSSU since 1977Office: TETPAC Rm AU239 Phone: 625-9548 E-mail: claussen-s@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.S.), Missouri Southern State University — Bachelor's (B.A.), Missouri Southern State University — Terminal Degree (M.F.A.), University of Virginia
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	Anne M. Jaros - Professor At MSSU since 1989 Office: Plaster 223H Phone: 625-3059 E-mail: jaros-a@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.F.A.), University of Illinois — Master's (M.F.A.), Northwestern University
Professor Anne Jaros has been working at Missouri Southern since 1989. Her training and experience are in theatrical design—primarily costumes. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana. Anne has both designed professionally and/or taught at the college level for many years, and loves the fact that she continues to learn from her students and colleagues every day. She teaches all things costume and believes that passion, creativity, hard work and laughter are all necessary components of a life in the theatre. She is a native of the Chicago area who now calls Joplin home.

	Ann G. Lile - Assistant Professor At MSSU since 2004 Office: TETPAC Rm 256 Phone: 625-9594 E-mail: lile-a@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.A.), Midwestern State University — Master's (M.A.), East Texas State University — Master's (M.S.E.), Kent State University
Ann began her work at MSSU as the Southern Theatre Costumer in the fall of 2004. She joined the Theatre faculty as a Theatre Generalist in the fall of 2008. As a Theatre Artist of wide and varied experience, Ann brings a unique expertise to her position. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy from Midwestern State University, a Master's in Theatre from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce), and a second Master's in Higher Education Administration and Student Services from Kent State University. Ann has performed and directed in educational, community and professional theatre in Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Missouri. She has taught theatre and speech on the college level since 1988. As a teacher, an actor, a director, and an advisor, she exemplifies the value of training and discipline. Additionally, and, perhaps, most importantly, Ann's experience has taught her to treasure, and to share with her students, the singular joy that a life in the Theatre can be.

	Timothy P. Klein - Assistant Professor At MSSU since xxxxOffice: TETPAC Rm 244 Phone: 625-3023 E-mail: klein-t@mssu.edu — — — Master's (M.F.A.), University of North Carolina
Tim Klein received an MFA in Dramatic Art in 1998 from the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tim has appeared on stage in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Past roles include: Mr. Gilmer/Boo Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird at Studio Arena Theatre; Joseph Surface in School for Scandal at Irish Classical Theatre Company; Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Hal in Proof; Victor in House; Vegas in Dark Rapture; Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing; Prince Hal in 1Henry IV; Leonard Ganz in Rumors; Rob Stein in Twilight of the Golds; Barnett Lloyd in Crimes of the Heart; John Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet; and,The Inquisitor in Evidence. He has also appeared as a serial killer in both Roger Corman’s The Phantom Eye, and in the Lifetime movie, The Only Witness. Tim toured Montana with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and starred in the independent feature film, The Wild Card. Tim’s favorite directing credits include Proof, Measure for Measure, Witness for the Prosecution, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Dinner With Friends, Fuddy Meers, and Eleemosynary. He has taught acting at the University of North Carolina, the University of Illinois, SUNY Fredonia, the University at Buffalo, the College of DuPage, Triton College, the Chicago Actor’s Studio, and Act One Studios in Chicago.

	Brenda Jackson - Adjunct Faculty At MSSU since 1988Office: TETPAC Rm 244 Phone: 625-3194 E-mail: jackson-b@mssu.edu —
Brenda Jackson is a long-time, part-time teacher of Theatre Appreciation. But also in the 21 years of teaching here, she has taught Theatre History, English Composition, and courses in English as a Second Languages. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, one in English, and one in Theatre. Her Master’s is in English, but theatre is her first love. In her spare time, she reads and belongs to two book clubs, and travels with her husband. She has travelled around the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Europe, Central America, and Kenya.


	Gerrie-Ellen Johnston - Adjunct Faculty at MSSU since 1989Office: TETPAC Rm 256 Phone: 625-3195 E-mail: johnston-g@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.S.), Loyola University — Master's Loyola University
Gerrie-Ellen Johnston was born and raised in New York City. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in speech/theatre and minor concentration in music along with a Master's of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University. She began teaching theatre at MSSU in 1989 and her classes have included Theatre Appreciation, Stage Movement, Creative Dramatics and Musical Theatre. She also owns, directs and instructs at The School of Ballet. Ms. Johnston has directed musicals, children's main stage productions and several ballets as well as choreographing musicals in the four state area. She was recently the children's rehearsal director for Moscow Ballet's The Great Russian Nutcracker. A big passion of Ms. Johnston's is children's theatre. She has implemented and taught children's theatre programs for twenty five years at MSSU, local summer schools, Joplin Little Theatre and currently at School of Ballet. Gerrie-Ellen has lived in Joplin since 1984 with her husband and six children. She is currently pursuing another degree in transitional and spiritual coaching. Life truly is a banquet.

	Lyndall ("Lyle") Burrow - Assistant Technical Director At MSSU since 1990Office: TETPAC Rm 258 Phone: 625-9528 E-mail: burrow-l@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.A.), Missouri Southern State University
Better known as "Lyle" he has served as Assistant Technical Director for Southern Theatre since 1990. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Missouri Southern State College. He teaches the Sound Design class and the Theatre Lab class. He enjoys all technical aspects of theatre. What really intrigues him most are the outside events where you start with a bare stage and have a few hours to get everything ready, the show is done, and then in a few more hours the stage is empty again. Lyle has designed lights and sets and sound and props.. He has stage managed, built sets, hung lights, painted, and built props, but the most fun he has is finding "elegant solutions" for properties, sets or lights, and trouble shooting problems that occur during the run of a show. "There is such a variety of events at Taylor Performing Arts Center, I never do the same thing two days in a row."


	Matthew B. Myers - Part Time Costumer At MSSU since 2008Office: TETPAC Rm 248 Phone: 625-3021 E-mail: myers-m@mssu.edu — Bachelor's (B.F.A.), Ringling College of Art and Design
Matt Myers became Costumer for the MSSU Theatre Department in 2008. He holds a BFA with Honors in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL, and brings to the Department 25 years of experience as a free-lance artist and designer. Working primarily for the hospitality industry, he is an accomplished scenic artist with installations in hotels, nightclubs, and cruise ships throughout the world. Theatre has consistently figured prominently in his life, and his experiences both onstage as a performer and behind the scenes as a set and costume designer have led him to enthusiastically join the MSSU theatre staff.

	Terri L. Spencer - Secretary At MSSU since xxxxOffice: TETPAC Rm 245 Phone: 625-9393 E-mail: spencer-t@mssu.edu — — —
Terri Spencer serves as departmental secretary. She also has served as accounts payable clerk for Southern for three years prior to moving to the theatre department. She also has been a cashier in the Business Office.

Missouri Southern State University - Joplin