Department of Theatre and Dance
You are an actor. A dancer. A designer. A stage manager. An entertainment technologist. You dream, you direct, you create. This is where you belong.
Next on Stage
The Hunchback of Seville
The season opens with The Hunchback of Seville by Charise Castro Smith (September 24 through October 4, 2026). Staged in the intimate Carole & Gordon Mallett Theatre, be prepared to meet Christopher Columbus at the turn of the 16th century, just returned from the New World READ MORE
Dance Program
Dance with Purdue’s Dance Program and consider adding a major or minor in performance while developing your skills as a mover and creator. Courses in technique and creative process, as well as opportunities to perform original works in Pao Hall’s beautiful theatres, are open to all Purdue students regardless of their plan of study.
Theatre Faculty
Mercer Aplin
Clinical Assistant Professor, Audio Technology
maplin@purdue.eduMercer Aplin is a passionate collaborator on a wide range of domestic and international audio...READ MORE
Ashley Bellet
Assistant Professor, Costume Design
abellet@purdue.eduAshley is a professional costume designer and crafts artisan and has worked for The Santa Fe Opera...READ MORE
Quetta Carpenter
Assistant Professor, Acting
llcarpen@purdue.eduLaQuetta Carpenter is a professional stage and screen actor, director, and playwright. She earned...READ MORE
Anne Damman
Visiting Assistant Professor, Acting
amdamman@purdue.eduAnne is a professional actress and voice artist, with extensive experience on stage and screen. She holds an MA in Classical Acting from LAMDA, as well as an MA in Theatre History, Literature, and Criticism from Ohio State University...READ MORE
Rich Dionne
Chair, Professor of Practice, Technical Direction
rdionne@purdue.eduRich Dionne is a professor of practice and technical direction specializing in scenery automation and show control systems. ...READ MORE
Joel Ebarb
Professor/Theatre
jebarb@purdue.eduJoel Ebarb is a professor in the Rueff School of Design Art, and Performance, specializing in theatre design and production/costume design...READ MORE
Will Lewis
Assistant Professor, Theatre History, Literature, and Criticism
wwlewis@purdue.eduWill Lewis is an assistant professor of theatre history, literature, and criticism in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance after serving as a visiting assistant professor of directing and performance from 2019-2022.READ MORE
Michael McNamara
Associate Professor, Lighting Design
mmcnamara@purdue.eduMichael McNamara is the Faculty Lighting Designer for the Department of Theatre and Dance...READ MORE
Devin Scheef
Visiting Assistant Professor, Scenic Design
dscheef@purdue.eduA career educator in scenic design, Devin Pierce Scheef, MFA, joins the faculty of Purdue after serving most recently as the Assistant Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Central Oklahoma...READ MORE
Fan Zhang
Assistant Professor, Sound Design
zhan4748@purdue.eduFan Zhang is New York-based sound designer and composer for theatre, dance, film and immersive installations ...READ MORE
Dance Faculty
Colin Dees
Dance Accompanist
cdees@purdue.eduColin Dees is a percussionist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist based in Lafayette, Indiana. As a musician in dance...READ MORE
Kathleen Hickey
Lecturer in Dance
hickey7@purdue.eduA native to the Chicago area and currently based in West Lafayette, Indiana, Kathleen Hickey’s...READ MORE
Holly Jaycox
Associate Chair, Director of the Dance Program
hollyj@purdue.eduHolly Jaycox is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and creator of community. Her work has been presented around the Midwest from Detroit to Minneapolis, from Iowa to Ohio. ...READ MORE
Joy McEwen
Limited Term Lecturer in Dance
jmcewen@purdue.eduJoy McEwen, a limited term lecturer at Purdue University in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art and Performance is teaching Modern Dance 10100...READ MORE
Renee Murray
Lecturer in Dance
murra113@purdue.eduRenee Murray is a Chicago native, dance artist, and educator. She received her MFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach...READ MORE
Theatre and Dance Staff
Anthony Sirk
Costume Shop Manager
asirk@purdue.eduAnthony James Sirk (Costume Studio Manager) has worked in management positions...READ MORE
Affiliated Theatre Faculty
Claire Mason
Affiliated Faculty in Theatre
cemason@purdue.eduClaire Mason received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May of 2021. Her area of expertise is...Read More
Tom Robson
Affiliated Faculty in Theatre
trobson@purdue.eduTom Robson received his Ph.D. in Theatre History, Theory, and Literature from Indiana University in 2011. Before joining Cornerstone...Read More
Christian Rogers
Affiliated Faculty in Theatre
rogerscb@purdue.eduChristian Rogers, Ph.D., is Assistant Dean for Purdue Polytechnic in Indianapolis and...Read More
Theatre Graduate Students
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, ACTING
PAO 2192
- Isabelle Bushkov: ibushkov@purdue.edu
- Gianbari Deebom: gdeebom@purdue.edu
- Tyler Hepler: hepler13@purdue.edu
- Laila Matuk Molina: lmatukmo@purdue.edu
- Samantha Resnick: sresnick@purdue.edu
- John Reynolds: reyno1106@purdue.edu
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, COSTUME DESIGN
PAO 2135
- Caitlin Davey: davey5@purdue.edu
- Emily Rosolowski: erosolow@purdue.edu
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, LIGHTING DESIGN
PAO 2155
- Sierra Clark: clar1068@purdue.edu
- Lily Edwards: edwar593@purdue.edu
- Tatyanna Rodriguez: rodr1106@purdue.edu
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, SCENIC DESIGN
PAO 2135
- Eleanor Kephart: ekephart@purdue.edu
- Jiacheng Sun: sun1322@purdue.edu
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, SOUND DESIGN
PAO 2155
- Jacob Clouse: clouse12@purdue.edu
- Sujin Kim: kim4471@purdue.edu
THEATRE GRADUATE STUDENTS, TECHNICAL DIRECTION
PAO 2135
- Adam Gillette: gilletta@purdue.edu
- Natalie Kandra: nkandra@purdue.edu