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Theatre Faculty / Staff
J. Lile
| Jaros | Klein | A.
Lile | Burrow
| Claussen | Jackson | Spencer | Johnston | Myers
Dr. Lile joined the Theatre Faculty in the Fall of 2004. He now
serves as the Dept Chair for both Theatre and interim chair for the Art
Department 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 brings 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 happy
to be one of the guides.
Anne Jaros has been at Missouri Southern State University since 1989.
She is an Associate Professor whose primary training and experience are in
costume design. 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. Both degrees are in theatrical design. She has both designed
professionally and/or taught at the college level for over 20 years. Anne is a
member of United Scenic Artists Association, the professional designers' union.
She is a native of the Chicago area but now calls Joplin her home. Her current
goal is to teach students to do high quality theatre work while maintaining
their physical and emotional health.
Mr. Klein joined the southern staff in
the fall of 2008. He teaches acting and directing. He received an MFA in
Dramatic Art in 1998 from 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 ; Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Hal in Proof; and
Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. He has also appeared as a
serial killer in both Roger Corman's The
Phantom Eye, and in the Lifetime movie, The Only Witness.
Favorite directing credits include Rabbit Hole, Proof, Measure for
Measure, Witness for the Prosecution, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Dinner
With Friends, and Eleemosynary. He has taught at the
University of North Carolina, the University of Illinois, SUNY Fredonia, the University
at Buffalo, the College of DuPage, Triton College, and Act One Studios in
Chicago.
Ann began her work as the Southern
Theatre Costumer in the Fall of 2004. 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. 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.
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.
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."
Mr. Claussen teaches all manner of technical classes: Stage
design, stage lighting, stage management, theatre technology, as well as
theatre laboratory and theatre appreciation. Students enjoy his contagious
energy and can-do attitude. Mr. Claussen holds an M.F.A. from the University of
Virginia. Set design, lighting design, and general problem-solving are his
strengths. He is Technical Director of the college theatre and sponsor of the
"Backstage" club for theatre students. His interests both inside and
outside of the theatre are numerous, and his enthusiasm is boundless.
Brenda Jackson is one of the department's theatre history buffs.
Extremely knowledgeable in history, especially the theatre of the absurd.
Brenda's recognized knowledge in set decor has proved invaluable for
departmental productions. her strict attention to detail has provided many an
outstanding stage set.
Terri Spencer serves as the theatre department 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.
Ms. Johnston
was born and trained in New York City.
She has been instructing Theatre Appreciation, Creative Dramatics,
Musical Theatre and Stage Movement at Missouri Southern State University since
1989. Ms. Johnston has also been owner
and director of School of Ballet in Joplin Missouri since 1986. She received her Education Degree From MSSU
in Theatre with a minor concentration in Vocal Music as well as a Master’s in
Pastoral Studies from Loyola University, New Orleans. More recently she has choreographed Kiss
Me Kate, The Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the
Roof, and Godspell. She has
performed in the ballets, Swan Lake, Beauty and the Beast, Le Cigale, Sleeping Beauty
and continues to perform in ballets and musical theatre in the four state area.
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