Mark Mannette

Mark Mannette received his MFA in Directing Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance from Mary Baldwin College in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center. While in Staunton, he performed with ASC’s professional resident company and directed productions at the Blackfriars Playhouse. He has directed plays in several states and founded theatre companies in Maine, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina. Mark studied acting with Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Company, Richard Iglewski of the Guthrie Theatre, and Phoebe Brand, a member of the legendary Group Theatre.

Locally, he has directed Deathtrap, Barrymore, Wait Until Dark, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner for the Forum Theatre.

He has written and performed for Kansas Radio Theatre and appeared in the award winning film Home on the Range.

Mark currently serves on the board for Music Theatre for Young People where he has directed several productions there. He was hired by Newman University as the Director of Theatre in 2011 where he started the theatre program that began offering a major in theatre in 2013.

Mary Baldwin University in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA.
M.F.A. Directing Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance, 2006
M. Litt. in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance, 2005

University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT
B.F.A. in Theatre Arts, Cum Laude, with a minor in Cinema, 1983  

Dean College, Franklin, MA.
A.A. in Theatre Arts, 1981

Specializes in Acting, Directing, and Playwriting, as well as Theatre History and Dramatic Literature. Scholar of Shakespeare, and other playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Thomas Middleton, and Friedrich von Schiller. Also a scholar of Dante.

  • Early Modern studies
  • Developments of new works
  • History Theatre - including living history and other forms of bringing history to life and the life and works of Dante Alighieri

  • Zen and the Art of Local History Contributor-Response to Truth and Fiction pages 209-214. Kammen and Beatty. Roman and Littlefield, 2014
  • Dr. Phillips & the Rainmaker, a short play published in the magazine It’s About Time, Volume 1; #2; November, 2003

  • Member of Actor’s Equity Association
  • Association for Theatre in Higher Education
  • Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
  • Playwrights’ Center, MN
  • Playwrights’ Round Table, FL
  • Member of the Wichita Arts Council
  • Board member of Music Theatre for Young People.
, M.F.A.
Assoc Professor and Dir of Theatre, Chair of Arts & Humanities
Division of Arts & Humanities
316-942-4291 ext. 2486
Office: DM257
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