Faculty and Staff

Charlene Gross
Staff Costumer/Costume Designer

B.A. Ashland University, 1997;
M.F.A. New York University, 2000

Charlene received her MFA in Costume Design from New York University, she also holds a BA from Ashland University. Charlene's costume designs for theatre and dance have been seen on and off Broadway in New York City, across the country, and on the West End London stage. Her theatre credits include work with the Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Guthrie Theatre, The Royal Theatre, The Public Theater, and The Manhattan Theatre Club. Her designs for dance include The Yard, The Juilliard School, Dance Space, & Kunningham Studios. Charlene is a member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829.

Office: Freedlander Theatre, Costume Shop
Phone: (330)263-2479
cgross@wooster.edu

Shirley Huston-Findley
Associate Professor of Theatre, Chairperson

Theatre History, Playwriting, Feminism and Theatre

B.A. Indiana University at South Bend;
M.A. Miami of Ohio;
Ph.D. University of Missouri

Shirley Huston-Findley is an Associate Professor of Theatre at The College of Wooster and current Chair. She teaches a wide variety of courses, including Origins of Western Drama, Realism and Beyond, Feminism and Theatre and Writing for the Stage and Screen. Her research focus on intergenerational theatre has lead to the development of her newest play, In Memory of Me, a First-Year Seminar on creativity and aging, as well as her leadership of the Time Slips Storytelling Project in Wooster. Directing credits at the College include, Anna Deveare Smith's Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive; Marsha Norman's Getting Out; Moliere's Tartuffe Arthur Miller's All My Son's, and Adam Rapp's Nocturne which received a performance at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Washington, D.C. Shirley has presented papers at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, The Mid-American Theatre Conference, and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Her article, Re-visioning The Rainmaker, co-authored with Dr. Suzanne Burgoyne, can be found in Text and Performance Quarterly, and we can anticipate the publication of her anthology Footpaths and Bridges: Voices from the Native American Women Playwright's Archive to be released soon by The University of Michigan Press.

Office: Wishart Hall 118
Phone: (330) 263-2543
sfindley@wooster.edu

Dale Seeds (on leave 2007-2008)
Professor of Theatre

Theatre Technology, Scenic Design, Lighting Design and Native American Performance.

B.S. Bowling Green, 1971;
M.A., Ph.D. Kent State, 1975, 1990

The department's scenic and lighting designer, Dale's credits include over 175 productions of theatre, opera, and dance,including the Ohio Light Opera, the Abbey Theatre of Dublin, Ireland, The University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Eastman School of Music. A member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, he received the Ohio Valley Section's Award for Excellence in Scenic Design for his production of Brian Friel's Translations. His research activities focus on the performance traditions of indigenous peoples, particularly those of Alaska Natives. His work on the subject was recently published in The Drama Review and Melus.

Office: Wishart Hall 116
Phone: (330) 263-2027
dseeds@wooster.edu

Kim Tritt
Professor of Dance

Modern Dance, Ballet, Contemporary Dance History, and World Dance.

B.F.A., M.A., Ohio University, 1975, 1983

Kim is a choreographer and performer who also advises the College of Wooster Dance Company and serves as choreographer to Department of Theatre and Dance productions. Ms. Tritt has choreographed and performed at the College of Wooster and other Ohio venues including Cain Park, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland State University, and Case Western Reserve Universtiy in Cleveland. In Columbus, Ohio, she has performed at The Ohio State University and her choreography has been included in Music in the Air Series and at the Ohio Theatre. In 2001, her duet entitled, Masks of God, was invited for performance at Oberlin College and the University of Georgia. She has been a member of the OhioDance Board of Directors since 1996. Most recently, she has completed archiving the private dance collection of dancer, choreographer and teacher, Gladys Bailin, which will be housed at Ohio University.

Office: Wishart Hall, Dance Studio
Phone: (330) 263-2540
ktritt@wooster.edu

Ansley Valentine
Associate Professor of Theatre

Acting, Directing, Musical Theatre, Puppetry, Costume Design

B.A., Wabash College 1990,
M.F.A., Indiana University, 2000

Ansley Valentine attended Wabash College and completed a Master of Fine Arts at Indiana University. He is an accomplished actor, director, designer, arts administrator and teacher, working in many venues across the country, including Indianapolis Civic Theatre, The Cleveland Play House, Buffalo United Artists, The Cleveland Public Theatre, and Karamu House. Currently, he serves as Co-Vice Chair of Reion III for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Until 1997, he served as Theatre School Director at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York. Professor Valentine is particularly interested in theatrical uses of large puppets. He was introduced to the field when he joined the company of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's A Yuletide Celebration, eventually becoming Puppet Master. His work with masks, mascots and puppets has been associated with productions of the Detroit and Alabama Symphonies as well as with several theaters across the Midwest. Professor Valentine is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC). His directing and acting credits include To Kill a Mockingbird, Once on This Island, Charley's Aunt, King and I, Crazy for You, Me & My Girl, Big River and Six Degrees of Separation.

Office: Wishart Hall 117
Phone: (330) 263-2028
avalentine@wooster.edu

Support Staff

Specialty: Fixing, doing, and troubleshooting anything Theatre and Dance.

Office: Wishart Hall 119
Phone: (330) 263-2541
Theatre Administrative Coordinator: Patrice Smith (psmith@wooster.edu)