Richard Stockton Rand
Professor of TheatrePurdue University, Yue-Kong Pao Hall, 552 West Wood Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Educational Background
MFA in Acting Southern Methodist University
BA in Theatre S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook
GENERAL INFORMATION
Appointments
| 2008 | Chair of Theatre, Purdue University |
| 2008 | Teaching for Tomorrow Senior Faculty Mentor, Purdue University |
| 2004 | Interim Chair of Theatre, Purdue University |
| 2003 - present | Professor of Theatre, Purdue University |
| 2000 - present | Head of Undergraduate Theatre Program, Purdue University |
| 2002 – 2004 | President, Association of Theatre Movement Educators |
| 1994 – 2003 | Associate Professor of Theatre, Purdue University |
| 1987 – 1993 | Assistant Professor of Theatre, Purdue University |
| 1985 – 1987 | Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of Kentucky, Lexington |
| 1981 – 1982 | Instructor of Theatre, Wagner College, Staten Island, NY |
| 1979 - 1981 | Algur Meadows Fellowship, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX |
| 1976 - 1979 | Educational Associate, NYC Board of Education |
Fellowships
Indiana Arts Commission-National Endowment for the Arts Artist Fellowship, 1996
Awards and Honors (representative)
Book of Great Teachers, Purdue University, 2008Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2005
Purdue University Teaching Academy, 2004
Alpha Psi Omega Teaching Award, 2004
Visual & Performing Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching, Purdue University, 2003
Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Professor of the Year, 2001
School of Liberal Arts Excellence in Education Award, Purdue University, 1996
Visual & Performing Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching, Purdue University, 1996
Visual & Performing Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching, Purdue University, 1995
Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Top Ten Show, CBC Television and Radio, 1994
Grants (recent)
International Travel Grant, The Arezzo Festival, Arezzo, Italy, 2005International Travel Grant, The Human Body Conference, Krakow, 2003
International Travel Grant, International Federation of Theatre, Amsterdam, 2002
Residencies (since 2000)
University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre Program, 2005, 2006, 2008University of Missouri-Kansas City Summer Institute for Teachers, 2004
The Asolo Conservatory, Sarasota, FL, 2001
Alabama Shakespeare Festival, 2000
Membership in Academic, Professional Societies (representative)
Actors’ Equity AssociationScreen Actors’ Guild
Association for Theatre in Higher Education
Association of Theatre Movement Educators
Society of American Fight Directors
Federation for International Research in Theatre
Theatrical Activities (see website)
Directing As a freelance and university director, Rand has directed 36 productions at 14 university and professional theatres.
Choreography As a freelance and university choreographer, Rand has choreographed movement and fights in 50 productions at 14 university and/or professional theatres.
Acting As a solo performer of original work, Rand has received national and international recognition for his solo performance work, and been invited to perform 10 one-person shows at 47 theatres, universities and festivals throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Workshops/Lectures Rand has conducted 85 guest workshop/lectures at professional theatres and universities and has presented numerous lectures to faculty on the Purdue campus.
Published Work (representative)
| 2004 | Rand, Richard S. “Review of Through the Body by Dymphna Callery.” Theatre Topics, Fall. |
| 2001 | Teaching the First Year Student (Playscript and video script) |
| Lilly Funded-CIE produced DVD currently in use at 36 universities | |
| Rand, Richard S. “Vinnie G.” Monologues for Men by Men, Volume 2. Ed. Gary Garrison and Michael Wright. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Books, 2002. | |
| 1999 | Rand, Richard S. “The Landscape of the Body.” Association of Theatre Movement Educators Newsletter 8.2 (2000): 7-9. |
| 1997 | Rand, Richard S. “Review of Understanding Harold Pinter by Ronald Harwood.” Theatre History Studies 17 (1997). |
| 1996 | Rand, Richard S. “i dreamed i was a baseball card.” Baseball Monologues. Ed. Lavonne Mueller. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Books, 1996. 56-58. |
| Rand, Richard S. “The Leap.” Baseball Monologues. Ed. Lavonne Mueller. 31-43. |
Courses Taught (representative)
| THTR 220 | Beginning Movement I | THTR 524 | Creating a Character II |
| THTR 233 | Beginning Acting | THTR 525 | Theatrical Characterization |
| THTR 323 | Movement for the Actor | THTR 526 | Advanced Stage Movement |
| THTR 333 | Acting II | THTR 539 | Period Style Acting |
| THTR 334 | Acting III | THTR 633 | Advanced Acting/Audition |
| THTR 420 | Movement III | THTR 535 | Feldenkrais Technique |
| THTR 423 | Stage Combat | THTR 535 | Physical Improvisation |
| THTR 433 | Acting IV – Period Style | THTR 535 | Mask (Character/Commedia) |
| THTR 434 | Acting V – Audition | THTR 590 | Creativity and the Actor |
| THTR 523 | Creating a Character I | THTR 590 | Yoga/T’ai Chi/Acrobatics/Circus |
| THTR 532 | Professional Issues | THTR 633 | Audition Technique |
Course Evaluations
| The following represents the average of 1000+ student responses in 90 courses since 1987: | ||
| Core #1 | 4.9 | My instructor motivates me to do my best work. |
| Core #2 | 4.8 | Course assignments are interesting and stimulating. |
| Core #3 | 4.8 | Overall, this course is among the best I have ever taken. |
| Core #4 | 5.0 | Overall, this instructor is among the best teachers I have known. |
| (scale of 1-5) | ||
Service (Synopsis)
Served on more than 90 committees on division, department, college and university level, and chaired committees at every level. As Head of the Undergraduate Committee since 1990, Rand established mentor-student relationships, initiated a high-school-day event, conducted 30+ theatre trips, recruited hundreds of students, taught 60+ workshops at regional high schools and has been the primary contact for prospective, current and former students.
Theatre Division Service
Chair of Theatre
Responsibilities include supervision of budget; hiring and contracting faculty and guest artists; coordinating faculty events; setting agendas for faculty meetings; writing reports to departmental, college and university administrators; scheduling of classes; sending letters to subscribers, donors and student award winners; weekly meetings with three staff members; addressing issues related to move into new facilities; coordinating ACTF responses and visits; acting as liaison to prospective and alumni students; marketing of productions and the chairing of season selection committee.
Head, Undergraduate Theatre Program (2000 – 2009)
- Established Theatre Division mentoring system
- Established undergraduate representative positions, coordinate elections
- Purdue Theatre High School Day – initiated annual high school day event
- Initiated creation of and wrote initial draft of undergraduate packet for incoming students
- Created undergraduate award presentation guidelines for theatre faculty
- Advise on second season productions and undergraduate projects
- Conduct 300+ advising sessions with theatre students annually
- Served as primary advisor/mentor to 150 undergraduate students
- Created reading list, outlined summer stock opportunities, and graduate application procedures
- Undergraduate Scholarship Benefit – Initiated, coordinated and directed event
- ~ Recruited at 40+ conferences, festivals and high school days.
- ~ Coordinated workshops for 20 state and regional theatre conferences
- ~ Led 20 theatre trips to professional theatres
- ~ Taught 60+ theatre workshops for regional high schools
- ~ Head of Undergraduate Advising (1988 – present)
- Assign and oversee mentoring within the Theatre Division
- ~ Conduct tours of Theatre Division with students and parents
- ~ Primary contact for 200+ prospective theatre students annually
Committees
Undergraduate Committee Chair (since 1990)
Undergraduate Scholarship Committee (Chair and Member)
Script Selection Committee (Chair and Member)
Graduate Committee
Primary Committee
Executive Policy Committee
Curriculum Committee
MFA/MA Graduate Committees for 80 students
Served on 19 search committees
Member, Performance Faculty (recent)
- ~ Recruiter for MFA actors since 1987
- ~ Coordinated U/RTA preparation/application process for undergrads since 1987
- ~ Created U/RTA policy statement
- ~ Developed and revised graduate policy statements
- ~ Created production contract outlining policies for actors in production
- ~ Attended casting sessions since 1987
- ~ Liaison for directors of ATL, APT, Indianapolis Children’s Museum, TECUMSEH!
- ~ Prepared student actors for American College Theatre Festival auditions
- ~ Coordinated workshops with visiting artists annually since 1987
- ~ Led debriefing sessions following productions
- ~ Preparation of scholarship proposals/minority fellowships for students since 1995
- ~ Advisor to third year MFA actors on one-person shows, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997
- ~ Chair of Undergraduate Special Projects
- ~ Individual and ensemble coaching for 90 productions
- ~ Audition coaching for 120+ undergraduate actors
- Teaching Academy Mentor, 2004 - present
- Member, Educational Policy Committee, 2004 - 2007
- Member, College of Liberal Arts Theatre Advisor Search Committee
- Chair, CLA Educational Excellence Selection Committee, 2000 - 2001
- Member, CLA Educational Excellence Selection Committee, 1998 - 2000
- Chair, Visual & Performing Arts Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Committee
- Established committee, created statement of purpose, application procedure, and appraisal guidelines. Wrote critiques of teaching assistants’ work in the classroom, and synthesized committee members’ response. 1996 – 2002.
- Member, VPA Sudler/Outstanding Senior Adjudicating Committee, 2002-2003
- College of Liberal Arts Senate, 1991 – 1993, 1996 – 1999 and 2002-2005
- Member, Focus Group on Tenure and Promotion Guidelines, 2003 - 2004
- College of Liberal Arts Grade Appeals Committee, 1995 - 2001, 2005 - present
- Faculty Grievance Committee, 1994 – 1996, 2005 -- present
- University Visual Arts Committee, 1989 - 1992
- Advisor: Juggling & Unicycling, Purdue Magic, Falun Dafa, Improv, Cult Film Club
- Freshman Dean’s Scholar Liaison, 2001 - present
- Guest Lecturer, Center for Instructional Excellence, since 1990
- Guest Lecturer, Teachers for Tomorrow Program, 1999, 2006
- Guest Lecturer, School of Education Film Series, 1998, 1999
- Guest Lecturer: “The Art of the Solo Performer” prior to Claire Bloom’s “Shakespearean Women.”
- Reviewer and advisor for SHOFAR
- Purdue University Forensic Society speech coach, 1996 - 2002
- Lansford Committee
Professional Service
President, Association of Theatre Movement Educators (2002 – 2004)
~ Restructured Board and voting procedures
~ Planned ATME Summer Workshop
~ Planned and preside over national and regional conferences
~ Communicated with and governed officers
~ Outlined agendas and led business meetings
~ Made by-law recommendations, received votes and communicated outcomes
~ Liaison with movement educators internationally
~ Recommended leaders for awards, and organized ceremonies
~ Engaged book and theatre reviewers for newsletter
Invited Respondent at Educational Institutions
American College Theatre Festival Attended production, presented verbal response to cast, designers and staff, followed by a written critique to ACTF board.
- Scapin, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN
- Romeo and Juliet, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
- Woyzeck, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
- The Lover and Rocket and a Bomb, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Illinois State University Normal, IL
- Amadeus, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
- Flyin' West, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
- The Children's Hour, Franklin College, Franklin, IN
- Woyzeck, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
- Top Girls, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
- The Three Sisters, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
- The Dining Room, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
- West Side Waltz, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
- Jane Eyre, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
- She Stoops to Conquer, Miami University, Oxford, OH
- The Dining Room, Hope College, Holland, MI
American College Theatre Festival Irene Ryan Adjudicator
2004 | ACTF Region III Conference, Normal, IL |
University/Resident Theatre Association
- U/RTA Panelist: “Auditioning for Graduate School” ATHE 2004, AATE 2005, ACTF 2006
- U/RTA Adjudicator: Critique student actor auditions/select candidates for U/RTA Finals in Chicago, Evanston, Minneapolis, NYC, LA, and Tucson, since 1988.
- Tenure and Promotion Reviewer for faculty at SUNY-Buffalo, University of Kentucky, Northern Illinois University, Case Western University and University of Central Florida.
REFERENCES
Jim Wise
Professor of Theatre, Pennsylvania State University
(814) 865-0588
Jew26@psu.edu
Jim Hancock
Professor Emeritus
University of Texas, Austin
Former Chair, University of South Florida/Interim Chair, SMU
(512) 453-0915
jrhancock@mail.utexas.edu
Judy Bartl
BFA Actor Training Program Director
University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre Program
(612) 625-0894
judyb@umn.edu
Additional references upon request
Professor of Theatre, Pennsylvania State University
(814) 865-0588
Jew26@psu.edu
Jim Hancock
Professor Emeritus
University of Texas, Austin
Former Chair, University of South Florida/Interim Chair, SMU
(512) 453-0915
jrhancock@mail.utexas.edu
Judy Bartl
BFA Actor Training Program Director
University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre Program
(612) 625-0894
judyb@umn.edu
Additional references upon request