Scholarship and Research Presentations
I am an active member of The Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) where I have served as a Vice-Conference Planner and Full Conference Planner for VASTA Focus Group (Voice and Speech Trainers association) from 2021-2023. I have presented research and acted as a panel chair in the VASTA and MT/D (Music Theatre and Dance) Focus Groups.
Moreover, I served on the Executive Board of VASTA through 2023 via my conference planning engagements for ATHE. Conversely, I presently serve on the VASTA Mentorship Committee. I have organized international mentorship meetings to help junior-level faculty prepare abstracts and conference proposals in an effort to get younger, more diverse voices at our conferences.
From 2022-2024 I serve as the Voice and Speech Area Chairperson at The Southeastern Theatre Convention (SETC). SETC is the largest theatre organization in the world. The annual convention brings in tens of thousands of scholars and practitioners ranging from high school, college, and graduate school students through working professionals, practitioners and scholars.
I have taught full workshops at various conventions, however, what brings me the most joy, is getting to diversify the membership of the Voice and Speech Committee and within our workshop offerings. Through outreach and inclusivity based practices, my colleagues and I have been able to not only offer a more diverse series of programming, but also include more diverse workshop presenters and attendees from marginalized communities, increasing visibility and creating a more positive and inclusive learning experience for all.
I have held active memberships at ATHE, VASTA, Mid-America Theater Conference, American Society for Theatre Research, and SETC.
My research focuses on bringing ownership of the singing and speaking voice back to everybody who has a body. Through Fitzmaurice Voicework, Organic Intelligence and de-professionalizing the classroom voice, I aim to uplift marginalized voices and bring joy, ease, and passion to those who sing and speak.
Below is some of the research and workshops that I have presented at various academic conferences:
“Soma, Song and Presence” with A. Chaffee, B. Gudenrath, and J. Clark at the 6th Annual Freedom and Focus Fitzmaurice Voicework Conference. Presenter/Researcher. Los Angeles, California, August 10-13th, 2023
“The Changing Role of Season Selection” Co-Panelist. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Music Theatre/Dance Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th, 2023.
“VASTA at ATHE Debut Panel” Session Coordinator and Moderator. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“VASTA at ATHE Call to Action: Certifications” Session Coordinator and Developer. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“VASTA at ATHE Call to Action: Dialects” Session Coordinator and Developer. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“VASTA at ATHE Call to Action: Yes And, or, So I Am Basically Doing it Wrong” Session Coordinator and Developer. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“VASTA at ATHE Call for Action: Centering Care” Session Coordinator and Developer. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“Creating Multi-Disciplinary Anti-Hierarchical Rehearsal and Performance Spaces” Session Coordinator and Developer. 2023 Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s Annual Conference. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Austin, Texas, August 3-6th.
“Soma, Song and Presence” with A. Chaffee at the 74th Annual Southeastern Theatre Convention. Presenter/Researcher. Voice and Speech Interest Group. Lexington, Kentucky, March 1-5th, 2023
“Sing out Louise: Finding Your Belt” Workshop Presenter. KCACTF Region 7 Festival, Spokane, Washington, February 19th-25th, 2022
“Fitzmaurice Institute Invited Research Salon: Soma, Song and Presence” Co-Presenter. December 18th, 2022.
“Musical Theatre Scenes Adjudicator” 2022 Annual Wyoming Thespians Convention. Gillette, Wyoming, December 6-8th, 2022
“Spring Awakening,” KCACTF Region 7 Respondent. Colorado State University. Fort Collins, Colorado, November 24th, 2022.
“Sing Out, Louise.” Presenter/Workshop (3). 2022 Annual Texas Thespians Convention. Grapevine, Texas, November 15-17th, 2022
“Where’s my safe Space? Voice Teachers, Students, and Anxiety Burnout.” Panel Co-Chair and Presenter. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2022 Conference: “Rehearsing the Possible: Practicing Reparative Creativity” Detroit, Michigan, July 28-31st, 2022
“Hold Please!” A Roundtable on raising our voices to discern rigor vs. need in contemporary theatre practices. Panel Co-Chair and Presenter. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association Focus Group. Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2022 Conference: “Rehearsing the Possible: Practicing Reparative Creativity” Detroit, Michigan, July 28-31st, 2022
“Getting on to and climbing the Ladder of ‘Ladder faculty’.” Co-Panelist. VASTA 2022 Hybrid Conference: “Converging Pathways, ” Sonoma State University, California, July 13-17th, 2022
“Soma, Song and Presence” with A. Chaffee, B. Gudenrath, J. Clark, Researcher/Workshop Presenter. Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 14th, 2022
“Soma, Song and Presence” with A. Chaffee, B. Gudenrath, J. Clark, Researcher/Workshop Presenter, 73rd Annual Southeastern Theatre Convention (SETC), Voice and Speech Interest Group. Memphis, TN, March 9-13th, 2022
“Soma, Song and Presence” with J. Clark. Researcher/Workshop Presenter. School of Theatre and Dance, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, March 7th, 2022
“2022 West Virginia Thespian Festival” Faculty Scholarship Adjudicator, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, March 6th, 2022
“Don’t Sing Out Louise: Revolutionizing Rehearsals to De-Stigmatize Voice Injuries on Stage” Paper Presentation. Symposium: Practice/Production “Rehearsal for the Revolution: Creating Safe, Healthy and Equitable Spaces for Making Theatre” 42nd Annual Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC). Cleveland, Ohio, March 3-6th, 2022
“Singing a Different Tune: Revolutionizing the Musical and Musicalizing the Revolution.” Panel Chair. 42nd Annual Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC). Cleveland, Ohio, March 3-6th, 2022
“Celebration of Dance” Faculty Adjudicator. School of Theatre and Dance, West Virginia University. Morgantown, West Virginia, December 1, 2021
“Musical Theatre Studio Fitzmaurice and Musical Theatre Workshop” Co-Facilitator with B. Taylor, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia September 15 2021
"Musical Theatre Viewpoints Workshop”, Co-Facilitator with D. Stevens, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, September 13, 2021
“RE:covery and RE:silience: Ending Stigma for Vocal Injuries” Paper Presentation. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association/Music Theatre Dance co-sponsorship. Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2021 Conference: “Re: ATHE” Virtual Conference. August 5-8th, 2021
“Sing Out Louise! De-Professionalizing Classroom Singing” Co-Panelist. Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association’s (VASTA) Rising Voice’s Conference, July 30th-August 1st, 2021, Virtual Conference
“Devising Theatre and Collaborating with Community in the Time of Covid-19” Co-Panelist. 72nd Annual Southeastern Theatre Convention (SETC) March 3-7, 2021, Virtual Conference
“Still Going Song” Curator. The Lab Series, Columbus, Ohio, November 13th, 2020
“It’s a Scandal! It’s an Outrage! Confronting Systemically Privileged Old-School approaches in Musical Theatre Rehearsals with New Repetitions of Intersectional Rehearsal Pedagogy.” Paper Presentation. Focus Group: New Repetitions: Towards an Intersectional Rehearsal Pedagogy. American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) 2020 Conference: “Theatre & Performance After Repetition” (Postponed to 2021) San Diego, California
“Be a S.T.A.R: Speaking, Transitions, Awareness, Reaction.” Workshop Presenter. 71st Annual Southeastern Theatre Convention (SETC, Louisville, Kentucky, February 25-March 1, 2020,
“Tuition to Fruition: Professional Fulfillment from Pedagogical Success.” Paper Presentation.
Music Theatre/Dance Focus Group. Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) “Scene Changes: Performing, Teaching, and Working Through the Transitions” Orlando, Florida, August 7-11th, 2019
“Mask4Masc: Re-inventing Summer Stock Ensembles Though Bioenergetics.” Paper Presentation. Symposium: Practice/Production “Devising Methods to Meet the Means.” 40th Annual Mid-America Theatre Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, March 7-10th 2019
“Musical Movement Transformation through Bioenergetics.” Paper Presentation. Bursting the Silos: An Interdisciplinary Research Symposium Presented by The Ohio State University Syndicate Organization, Columbus, Ohio, March 2, 2019
"Playing Psychopathy: Acting the Space Through Bioenergetics.” The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum, Columbus, Ohio, March 1, 2019