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Millersville Welcomes Jonathan Strayer

New director of dramatics.

Millersville University has announced its new director of dramatics, Jonathan Strayer. Strayer was serving on an interim basis during fall semester and was the assistant director of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” He will direct the comedic romp, “She Kills Monsters,” during the spring semester. He takes the place of Tony Elliot who retired after the spring semester.

“We are delighted to welcome Jonathan to Millersville,” said Dr. Theresa Russell-Loretz, chair of the communication & theatre department. “Millersville University has always had an outstanding theatre program and Jonathan’s energy and enthusiasm will help propel us into the future.”

With a career spanning 15 years, Strayer has worked on over 85 academic, regional and professional theater productions. His directing credits include “Drowning Ophelia,” “Everyman,” “Hamlet,” “The Tempest,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” “Macbeth” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

Stayer notes that “each play challenges our preconceptions about the world around us and offers our students excellent, hand-on application for the design, performance, directing and management skills that are being taught in our classes in the theatre and entertainment technology programs.”

Stayer has a Master of Fine Arts in theater arts and directing from the University of Idaho, a Master of Education in organizational leadership from Clarks Summit University and a Master of Arts in theater from Bowling Green State University.

At Millersville, Strayer works as an assistant professor in the communication & theatre department, director of dramatics, and faculty consultant for MU’s student-developed, experimental series “E42,” a monthly live series of events created, directed and produced by students.

Strayer is also an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and a member and combatant of Art of Combat NY. He will bring a NYC fight director to Millersville during the spring semester for a weekend of stage combat workshops in preparation for “She Kills Monsters.”

Strayer’s previous teaching experience includes serving as an assistant professor and director of theater at Clarks Summit University. He has also taught courses on communications and theater at Penn State Scranton, Keystone College and Marywood University. Having experience teaching and training internationally, Stayer recently taught a theater course in Cape Town, South Africa.

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