About Eckerd

Against a backdrop of palm trees and blue water, in an atmosphere of intellectual richness and openness, through remarkable relationships and experiences of many kinds, Eckerd College changes lives.

Located on 188 acres of waterfront property in St. Petersburg, Florida, Eckerd College is a private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Founded in 1958, Eckerd is a pioneer of responsible innovation - developing programs that have been adopted nationwide and earning the college an international reputation for academic excellence.

Eckerd College is one of only 40 liberal arts colleges profiled in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives.

Eckerd College has a diverse student body with 1817 students from 48 states and 33 countries and is one of only 40 schools listed in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives. In 2003, Eckerd was named one of 13 Institutions of Excellence in the First College Year by the Policy Center on the First Year of College and became one of the youngest colleges to receive a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

Eckerd also serves over 1000 students annually through its Program for Experienced Learners. The Leadership Development Institute executive education program, Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC), and offerings through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Elderhostel, identify the college as a national leader in continuing education.

Eckerd is one of the Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges. Eckerd College offers students an outstanding undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The New York-based education services company features the college in the new 2007 edition of its annual book, The Best 361 Colleges. Only about 15% of the four-year colleges in America and two Canadian colleges are in the book.

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Eckerd Admissions

Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S. St. Petersburg, Florida 33711

(800) 456-9009 or (727) 867-1166

College Web: Eckerd College

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The Acting Program At...

Eckerd College

Theatre at Eckerd College

Mission...

We aim to train well-rounded artists who are ready to do advanced work in graduate programs, join professional theatrical organizations, or even form the next great theatre company! Theatre is education for life. The communications, analytical and artistic skills learned as a theatre major will serve you in good stead in whatever field you find yourselves. Theatre at Eckerd is designed to prepare students for the "real world" of professional theatre and the varied demands of the global workplace.

Theatre is a creative art, which has been and remains an essential force in the creation of every community since the dawn of civilization. The study of theatre requires discipline, commitment and stamina. Eckerd theatre students are independent, adaptable, motivated and responsible creative thinkers much in demand in every field of opportunity.


Theatre students develop skills in acting, directing and technical theatre. They acquire knowledge of plays, theatrical periods and innovators. They learn the functions and responsibilities of theatre professionals and theatrical organizations. Every student completes an internship at a professional theatre.

Theatre is a communal activity, and every student at Eckerd is encouraged to participate onstage or backstage, regardless of experience level. The theatre is inclusive, stimulating and just plain fun! The academic requirements for theatre majors are 10 courses which include Stagecraft, Basic Acting, Theatre History, Theatre Practicum, Directing, Theatre Internship, three theatre electives, and the Senior Showcase.

Faculty:

Cynthia Totten, Professor of Theatre - Ph.D. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, M.F.A. in Acting/Directing, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She has been at Eckerd since 1992, teaching acting, movement and directing. During the summer she works with the Central Coast Shakespeare Festival in San Luis Obispo, CA, where she directed CYRANO DE BERGERAC, ROMEO AND JULIET, AS YOU LIKE IT, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, HAMLET, and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, and performed the role of Beatrice in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. In January 2004 she studied with Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA. Her Eckerd directing credits include AS YOU LIKE IT, FUDDY MEERS, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.
Email her at tottenc@eckerd.edu

 

Gavin Hawk, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Acting/Directing - M.F.A. in Acting/Directing: Performance Studies, California State University, Long Beach, Diploma in Acting, The Juilliard School. Acting: 10X10 PLAY FESTIVAL (American Stage), GROSS INDECENCY (Huntington Theater), OVER THE TAVERN II: KING & THE MOON (Pittsburgh Public, Studio Arena), REFUGE (Soho Rep), CIDER HOUSE RULES (California Repertory Company), LOVE, BUKOWSKI (California Repertory Company).
Directing: ALICE THROUGH GLASS (Eckerd College), DEBT (CSULB), THE DUMB WAITER (CSULB), ETUDES AND CONVERSATIONS (CSULB).
Writing: ALICE THROUGH GLASS (Eckerd College), (M)ASKING QUESTIONS (CSULB).
Email him at hawkge@eckerd.edu

Jessica E. Greene, Assistant Professor, Design/Tech - M.F.A. West Virginia University, B.A. University of Dallas. A New Orleans native, she arrives at Eckerd after teaching at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and working at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise. She has designed scenery and costumes in Europe, Off-Broadway, and throughout the United States for productions including performance, art, dance and anime Shakespeare. She has extensive touring experience, working at venues such as Radio City Music Hall and the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. In addition to theatre management, design, painting, and construction, her true love is working with masks, puppetry, and the tradition of African dance.
Email her at greeneje@eckerd.edu

Rick Tetrault, Technical Director - MFA, Florida Atlantic University; BFA, Florida Atlantic University. Rick hails from Lake Worth, Florida where he started his theatre career at age 16 as a scenic electrician and carpenter at the Lake Worth Playhouse, one of the country's preeminent community theatres. During his years at FAU as an undergrad he worked at such theatres as The Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre, The Theatre Club of the Palm Beaches, and Stagedoor Manor Theatre Camp in New York. After a term in the US Air Force, where he worked with Air Force Entertainment, he returned to South Florida as the Assistant Technical Director at Palm Beach Community College. During his three years at PBCC he discovered his love of working with the students, and in 2000 he went back to FAU to pursue his Masters degree. Upon graduating he spent three years teaching all things technical in Louisiana, but could not stay away from his beloved Florida for long, and now he's here at Eckerd and loving every minute of it. Email him at tetraurh@eckerd.edu