Theatre Faculty

Director of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University
BME and Certificate, Flute, Florida State University; MME and Master’s, Educational Administration, Florida State University; PhD, Opera Production/Music Education, Florida State University

Dr. Humphrey has served in leadership and consulting roles at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Metropolitan Opera, National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Opera, Corcoran Museum of Art, Museum of Performance & Design, California Center for the Arts in Escondido, and Washington Bach Consort.

Office: Music Building 142
Phone: 541.552.6522
E-Mail: humphred2@sou.edu

Associate Professor – Costume Construction
MFA, Production Design & Technology, School of Theatre, Ohio University (Athens); BFA, Theatre Arts, Southern Oregon College

Laurie has worked professionally in theatre for over 30 years, specializing in period costumes and men’s tailoring at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Opera, and many other Tony Award-winning theatres.  In addition to being published in national educational journals, she is regularly asked to present at national conferences and symposia on costume technology.

Office: THTR 163
Phone: 541.552.6366
E-Mail: kurutzl@sou.edu

Director of Theatre Education
BA, Theatre Arts, UC Berkley; MAT, Language Arts, Western Oregon University; PhD, Theatre, University of Oregon

Eric has taught as a public school teacher at the middle school and high school levels for 15 years.  He is a 2018 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, which he is using to fund spending a term in Galway, Ireland as a visiting professor.

Office: THTR 123
Phone: 541.552.6364
E-Mail: levine@sou.edu

Professor – Shakespeare Studies
PhD, Scholar/Director Program, Stanford University

David joined the faculty in Fall 2010. He earned his doctorate in the scholar-director program at Stanford University. David is the author of Gender and Performance in Shakespeare’s Problem Comedies, as well as several articles on Shakespeare and performance, and a play, Invisible Threads.  He previously taught and directed plays at Carleton College and the University of California, Berkeley.

Office: THTR 218
Phone: 541.552.8041
E-Mail: mccandled@sou.edu

Assistant Professor: Performance – Movement
BFA, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor); MFA, École Lassad (Brussels, Belgium)

Brendan is a professional performer and director in theater and film. He has performed nationally and internationally; in New York City at The Lincoln Center, The Public Theater, and Brooklyn Academy of Music; The Shakespeare Theatre, and Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and many others. He has taught at SUNY Purchase College, Long Island University, The Neighborhood Playhouse, and New York Film Academy.

Office: THTR 219
Phone: 541.552.6346
E-Mail: mcmahonb@sou.edu

Professor – Scenic Design
MFA, Scenic Design, University of Portland; Masters, Historic Preservation, Ball State University; BA, Theatre, University of Portland

Sean is the author of “Painting for Performance” Focal Press; he is a frequent contributor to Dramatics and Teaching Theatre magazine. He is also a Freelance Designer with 3rd Rail Rep and Broadway Rose Musical Theatre Company.

Office: THTR 215
Phone: 541.552.6688
E-Mail: oskeas@sou.edu

Instructor – Technical Direction
BS, Theatre, Southern Oregon University

Jesse is sixth generation Oregonian and SOU alumni. He worked for almost a decade in event production as a Scene Shop and Project Manager with companies like Nike and Safeway. He returned to teach at SOU in 2013 and is a Producer for the Oregon Fringe Festival company.

Office: THTR 157
Phone: 541.552.6689
E-Mail: purkersoj@sou.edu

Professor – Costume Design
BA, Anthropology, Trent University; MFA, Costume Design, North Carolina School of the Arts

Deborah has been a longtime member of the faculty. Currently, she is Co-Chair of the Creative Arts program. Deborah was a  founding member of the MOTS (Master of Theatre Studies) Faculty and is the Chair of SOU Faculty Senate.

Office: THTR 158
Phone: 541.552.6690
E-Mail: rosenbergd@sou.edu