About Me

I found theatre a little later in life than many.

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I was a sophomore at San Diego State before I ever even read a play.  I was studying kinesiology, emphasizing in pre-physical therapy with thoughts of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. 

One day, I was literally dragged off the street and put on stage.

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I went from having never read a play to being cast in one. And I never looked back. I changed my major before the show closed.

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I also decided to adopt healthy lifestyles habits.  I dropped 160 pounds, because no leading man weighs 430.  Theatre literally saved my life.

During three years as a theatre major at SDSU, I appeared in close to a dozen shows.  I loved the challenge that acting presented.  For as long as I could remember, I was an avid reader and had a great memory, two qualities that allowed me to excel in an education system largely based on reading comprehension and memory.  Theatre, however, was different.

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It made me learn about myself.

Upon graduating from SDSU, I enrolled in Mary Baldwin College's MLitt/MFA Program in Shakespeare in Performance, seeking to earn an MFA in acting.

During my time at MBC, I learned that I loved the process of rehearsal and the community developed in the rehearsal space, but I did not love performing the same show day in and day out for weeks.  Luckily, I also learned that I had a talent for theatre scholarship and dramaturgy.

Upon graduation, I was accepted to pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism at UC San Diego. During my time at UCSD, I got my first experience teaching theatre.  I also served as a UC Humanities Research Institute Fellow and worked as a dramaturg on department productions as well as at San Diego Repertory Theatre and the La Jolla Playhouse.

After graduating from UCSD, I accepted a position at Central Washington University, which led to my current position as the Head of the Theatre Studies MA at the University of Houston.

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I am an avid enthusiast of bourbon, dark beers, Lego, and cooking.  I am also a bit of a workout fanatic, and lift weights, run, and practice yoga.  I am a sports fan, both watching and playing.

I also am married, and am father to a lazy, giant cat named Mr. Beasley, endearingly referred to as Poop.