Performance

“An education at Marquette University with a major in theatre therefore combines knowledge and skill; it requires that theory be tested in practice and that skill be demonstrated in production.” – From the department mission statement

As a Performance student in the Diederich College, you receive a strong, yet broad foundation of theatrical training that supports the quality sequence of performance course work. This classroom study is quickly applied to production opportunities; you’re encouraged to audition for the main stage productions as early as your first year on campus.

Through the multiple realized productions, you gain experiences that both challenge you and nurture artistic growth. Through our department’s strong commitment to the liberal arts, you gain a distinctive understanding of the world around you—the world that we strive to reflect through our work as theatrical artists.

It is this human experience that makes our performers successful beyond graduation. Recent Diederich College Department of Performing Arts graduates can be found performing in New York, L.A., Toronto and Chicago; they can be seen on stage and network television, in commercials and on feature and independent films.

Phylis Ravel – Performance Faculty and Faculty Director

Phylis Ravel joined the department as artistic director and chair in fall 1997 and served in that role until spring 2008. Professor Ravel has worked as acting faculty, producer, director, artistic director, visionary and general ambassador for her students. She continues as the primary performance and directing faculty member, playwright and director. Professor Ravel has extensive professional experience that she puts to work for her students to help them as they begin their careers. Her students are performing in theatre, television and film across the country and around the world.

Maureen Kilmurry – Performance Faculty and Faculty Director

Besides Ms. Ravel, the faculty member performance students have the most contact with while developing performance skills is Maureen Kilmurry. She is gentle and soft-spoken, but don't let that fool you. When you work with Maureen, she will keep you on your toes at all times. She currently teaches the Diederich College’s highest-level acting classes and all of the voice courses. In addition, Maureen usually directs one of the department's main stage productions each season. Maureen recognizes the value of a liberal arts education, which produces well-rounded graduates. Her value to the Diederich College is evident in her years of professional experience as an actor, director, teacher, scenic painter and even costume designer. She has earned her living in the business and has a strong sense of the "big picture." And by the time her students graduate, they have a pretty good sense of it themselves.