Derek Mudd

Department Chair


Courses Taught

SPCH 1315 - Introduction to Public Speaking

DRAM 1310 - Theatre Appreciation

DRAM 1322 - Stage Movement

DRAM 1351 - Acting I

DRAM 1352 - Acting II

Education

Ph.D. in Communication Studies, Department of Communication Studies, Louisiana State University, 2014

Master of Fine Arts in Acting, Department of Theatre, Louisiana State University, 2007

Bachelor of Arts, English and Theatre (double major), Morehead State University, 1994, Magna cum laude

Teaching Experience

Southeastern Louisiana University

Introduction to Public Speaking (Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Summer 2014)

Advanced Public Speaking for Professionals (Spring 2014)

Louisiana State University

Instructor of Record

  • Introduction to Public Speaking (Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012)
  • Introduction to Performance of Literature (Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010)
  • Stage Voice: Beginning Techniques (Spring 2007)
  • Acting: Improvisation for Theatre Majors (Fall 2007)
  • Acting: Improvisation (Fall 2006, Spring 2007)

Teaching Assistant

  • Fundamentals of Communication for Majors, Instructor Kent Fillible (Fall 2007, Spring 2008)
  • Stage Voice: Advanced Techniques, Assistant Professor Christine Menzies (Spring 2007)
Professional Experience

Program Administrator, Texas Commission on the Arts, Austin, TX, 2014-2021

Teaching Artist, Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council, Baton Rouge, LA, 2008-2014

Professional Publications

Book Chapter. The Politics of American Actor Training. Ed. Ellen Margolis and Renaud, Lissa Tyler, Routledge, 2009.

Professional Performances
  • Annie, “Daddy Warbucks,” dir. by Neena Kelfstrom, Manship Theatre/Playmakers of Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA
  • Cocktail (premiere) by Ping Chong and Vince Licata, “Dr. Tido von Schön Angerer,” dir. by Ping Chong, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Metamorphoses, “Midas and Others,” dir. by Steve Young, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Always, Patsy Cline, “Back-up Singer,” dir. by Jenny Jones Cavenaugh, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • She Stoops to Conquer, “Tony Lumpkin,” dir. by Jane Page, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Tennessee Williams in Quarter Time (premiere) adapted by John Dennis, “Tennessee Williams,” dir. by John Dennis, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA​
  • Arms and the Man, “Nicola,” dir. by Jane Brody, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • The Exonerated, “Kerry Max Cook,” dir. by Michael Tick, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Big Love, “Nikos,” dir. by Leon Ingulsrud, Swine Palace Productions, Baton Rouge, LA
  • Pump Boys and Dinettes, “Chorus,” dir. by Jenny Jones Cavenaugh, Swine Palace Productions (AEA), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Motherbone (opera, premiere) lyrics by Karen Hartman and music by Graham Reynolds, “Henchman,” dir. by Jason Neulander, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Austin, TX
  • One Flea Spare, “Kabe,” dir. by Mark Hunter, School of Night Productions, Austin, TX
  • Giants Have Us in Their Books, “Foogman/Winged Man,” dir. by Jenny Larson, Shard LPC, Austin, TX
  • Corpus Christi, “Bartholomew,” dir. by by Rick Fonte, Real Rain Productions, Austin, TX
  • Dinah in the Bathtub (premiere) by Naomi Izuka, “Ian,” dir. by Shoshana Gold, Seven Deadly Sins, Iron Belly Muses, Austin, TX
  • Aisle 17B (premiere) by John Walch, “Michael,” dir. by Robi Polgar, Out of Ink Festival, Script Works
  • Bricks and Lyrics (premiere) by Abajhat Joshi, “Anaamik,” dir. by Mark Hunter, New Works Festival, University of Texas, Austin, TX
  • War (premiere) by Kirk Lynn, “Stoned,” dir. by Kirk Lynn, Rude Mechanicals, Austin, TX
  • ​​Elision (premiere) by Dan Dietz, “Robert,” dir. by Christina J. Moore, Out of Ink Festival, Script Works, Austin, TX
  • Sludge (musical, premiere) lyrics and music by Emily Fordyce and Rick Fordyce, “Spork,” dir. by Emily Fordyce, FronteraFest Long Fringe Festival, Austin, TX
  • I Love Lysistrata (premiere) by Christopher Krejci, “The Man,” dir. by Jenny Larson, Austin Against War Benefit, Public Idiot Theatre, Penn Field, Austin, TX
  • The Love Suicide at Schofield Barracks, “Sgt. Bates,” dir. by Meredith Baker, FronteraFest Long Fringe, Austin, TX
  • The Sound of Music, “Baron Elberfeld/Priest/Nazi Lt.,” dir. by Becky Jo Schneider, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville, KY
  • The Ballad of Little Mikey, “Mikey” dir. by Bo Cecil, Pandora Productions, Louisville, KY
  • Carousel, “Jigger,” dir. by Georgette Kleier, Shawnee Summer Repertory, Bloomfield, IN
  • You Can’t Take it with You, “Tony,” dir. by Becky Jo Schneider, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville, KY
  • The Outsiders, “Pony Boy,” dir. by Georgette Kleier, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville, KY
  • It Runs in the Family, “Leslie,” dir. by Becky Jo Schneider, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville, KY
  • Antigone, “Haimon,” dir. by Steven Shultz, University of Louisville Touring Repertory Company, Louisville, KY
  • The Glass Menagerie, “Tom,” dir. by Bert Harris, University of Louisville Touring Repertory Company, Louisville, KY
  • The Real Inspector Hound, “Simon,” dir. by Kathi Ellis, Roundtable Theatre, Louisville, KY
  • I Hate Hamlet, “Andrew,” dir. by Kathi Ellis, Shawnee Summer Repertory, Bloomfield, IN
  • Terra Nova, “Evans,” dir. by Georgette Kleier, Shawnee Summer Repertory, Bloomfield, IN
  • Charley’s Aunt, “Spettigue,” dir. by Jim Hesselman, Shawnee Summer Repertory, Bloomfield, IN
  • I Hate Hamlet, “Andrew,” dir. by Kathi Ellis, Shawnee Summer Theater, Bloomfield, IN
  • Terra Nova, “Evans,” dir. by Georgette Kleier, Shawnee Summer Theater, Bloomfield, IN
  • The Miracle Worker, “James Keller,” dir. by Kathi Ellis, Shawnee Summer Theater, Bloomfield, IN
Professional Presentations

Building Equitable Environments by Making Room for Neurodiversity in the Classroom, Auditions, and Rehearsals, Roundtable Coordinator, Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference, Austin, TX, August 3-6, 2023.

“Edwin Forrest and ‘The Art of Manliness,’” with Christopher J. Krejci, South Central Modern Languages Association, San Antonio, TX, October 11-14, 2018

“Can You Hear Me Now? Identity, Vocality, and Pedagogy in Performance,” National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA, November 16-20, 2011.

“Mapping the North Gates: An Ethnographic Study of the Louisiana State University/Baton Rouge Border,” South Central Modern Languages Association, San Antonio, TX, November 6-8, 2008.

“Passion in the Letters of Rupert Brooke and Jim Strachey,” with Christopher J. Krejci, South Central Modern Languages Association. Memphis, TN, November 1-3, 2007.

“Channeling Tom: Playing Tennessee Williams in the Swine Palace Original Production of Tennessee Williams in QUARTER Time,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, New Orleans, LA, July 24-29, 2007.

“’They accused me of bein’ a homosexual’: Playing Kerry Max Cook in The Exonerated,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Chicago, IL, August 1-6, 2006.

Awards

TxETA Higher Ed Professional Development Award, Texas Educational Theatre Association, 2023.

Faculty Fellow, Texas Community College Teachers Association, 2022-2023.

Above and Beyond Award, Temple College, 2022.

Travel Award, Center for Teaching Excellence, Southeastern Louisiana University, 2014.

Competitive Fifth Year Assistantship, LSU, Dept. of Communication Studies, 2011.

Mary Francis HopKins Scholarship Award, LSU, Dept. of Communication Studies, 2007-2012.

Graduate Travel Awards, LSU Graduate School, Louisiana State University, 2005-2007.

Research Interests
  • Performance Studies and the Rhetoric of Performance
  • Vocal Training for the Stage
  • Performance Pedagogies
  • Techniques for Neuroinclusive Classrooms
  • Technologies of Self
  • 19th and 20th Century Theatre and Actor Training
  • Cultural Studies