MEET THE FACULTY

Dr. Dale Savidge (Professor, Chair Department of Theatre) joined the NGU faculty in the fall of 2004 when the University inaugurated its BA in theatre program. The major has grown to nearly 40 students in 2008/2009. Dr. Savidge earned two Masters degrees in theatre (with post graduate studies at Kent State University) and a PhD in English and Theatre from the University of South Carolina. He was instrumental in founding Christians in Theatre Arts in the mid 1980s and is its current Executive Director. Each summer he leads the annual summer networking conference of CITA. He contributed a chapter called “Incarnation and the Art of Acting” for the second volume of It Was Good: Creating Art for the Glory of God published by Square Halo Books and he co-authored Performing the Sacred: Theology and Theatre in Dialogue for the Engaging Culture series of books, published by Baker Academic Press. In addition to directing major productions at NGU Dr Savidge recently directed the off Broadway premiere of the one-man musical Ananias and The God Committee at Centre Stage in Greenville. He is married to Tammy and together they have raised three children. dsavidge@ngu.edu

Corrie Eddleman is Assistant Professor of Acting. She holds a BS in Theatre and Speech Communication from Hannibal LaGrange College and an MFA degree in Acting from Illinois State University. Corrie will begin her training as a Certified Alexander Teacher in summer 2009 and hopes to complete the program in 2012.  A member of Actor’s Equity since 1999, she has worked professionally in New York, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and Texas. Most recently she was seen as Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Tamora in Titus Andronicus at The Illinois Shakespeare Festival.  Corrie has also had the privilege to study acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company (Stratford, England), The National Theatre Institute and the Chautauqua Theatre Conservatory. In addition to teaching, acting and directing on campus she directs the Act Two traveling Drama Ministry Team. She is married to Matthew, a hospice chaplain with Spartanburg Regional.  ceddleman@ngu.edu

Marlaina Seay is Assistant Professor of Design. She graduated Cum Laude from Austin Peay State University in theatre and earned an MFA in scenography at the University of NC at Greensboro. In addition to teaching and designing at the college level she has designed sets and/or lights for the Renaissance Theatre Co. (VA), Mill Mountain Theatre (VA), UNCG Opera, Papermill Theatre (NH) and the Circle Players (TN). She designs in AutoCad, Vectorworks, and various lighting design software programs. She is the recipient of design awards at the Southeastern Theatre Conference and American College Theatre Festival competitions. She is married to Todd, a seminarian, and together they have four young daughters. mseay@ngu.edu

Ted Thomas is Technical Director for NGU theatre. He holds the BA in Dramatic Arts from WV Wesleyan College with graduate studies in theatre design/tech at the University of Memphis. He has worked professionally at the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival (TD), the Actors’ Theatre of Louisville (ATD), Sandhills Little Theatre (TD/designer), Playhouse on the Square (Master Carpenter), Penobscot Repertory Theater (TD/designer) and most recently at the Greenville Little Theatre (TD). He is also owner of Thomas Design and Production, a company which contracts tech work for theatres across the southeast. Ted is married to Kristin, a former missionary who works in the educational system in Greenville. tthomas@ngu.edu

Corinne Dyer is adjunct instructor in theatre where she teaches Theatre Appreciation courses and designs costumes for NGU mainstage shows. She holds the MA in Dramatic Production from Bob Jones University and has taught locally since her graduation in a variety of areas. She is also drama director at North Hills Community Church, where she and her husband Andy attend with their three children

David Schneider holds an MFA in theater from Southern Illinois University and an MA in drama from Bob Jones University. An associate with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, his directing work includes Gianni Schicchi for the Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theater, A Midsummer Night's Dream for the SIUC Department of Theater, and his own original work The Free and the Brave at Bob Jones University. He is a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and Christians in Theatre Arts and has participated in workshops with Joe Calarco, Nathan Allen, and John Dillon. David taught a Stanislavkian acting system, voice for the actor and Laban movement analysis, and an introductory theatre class at SIU from 2006 to 2009; he also served as interim drama director at the Tipton Christian Academy in Iowa in 2003. He has been seen on stage as Jason in Medea, Rosencrantz in Hamlet, Philly Cullen in Playboy of the Western World, and Arsene in The Swan. Other acting credits include Henry V, Pygmalion, The Winter's Tale, new plays, and original one-person shows such as Ben-Hur and The Life of Paul presented at churches and schools in South Carolina, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.