Faculty
Glenn Bernardis
Lecturer, Sound
Glenn, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a degree in audio production, electronic music and computer music systems. He has mentored with computer music pioneer Lejaren Hiler, composer David Felder, and Steve Bradley. Glenn also studied voice, guitar and composition as well as bass and...
Steven Braddock
Director of Theatre
- Email:
- sbraddock@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8329
Steve recently directed Little Women and Damn Yankees for NU Theatre. Before coming to NU, he served for eleven years as the Artistic Director of the Gifford Family Theatre, a professional Theatre for Young Audiences in residence at Le Moyne College. He has worked as Director of Education for Syracuse Stage, Asst. Director of Education...
Jason Bravo
Lecturer, Voice
- Email:
- jasonbravo@aol.com
- Website:
- www.JasonBravo.com
Jason graduated from Brandeis University cum laude with High Honors in Music. He was also awarded the Richter Composition Prize for his musical Platterplatinum! Jason has worked as a vocal director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in Hollywood, Florida, and as an accompanist, coach and assistant music director at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in...
Derek Campbell
Senior Lecturer, Acting
- Email:
- decamp40@me.com
- Phone:
- 716.286.8480
Derek is an Associate Director at the Irish Classical Theatre Company and a member of the Road Less Traveled Theatre Ensemble. Recent ICTC directing credits include: A Delicate Balance; The Dead and The Playboy of the Western World. At RLTP he directed the world premiere of local playwright Daryl Schneider’s Clean Break and The Goat...
Marilyn Deighton
Assistant Professor, Costume Technology and Design
- Email:
- msd@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8492
Marilyn holds an MFA in costume technology from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Currently, she teaches stagecraft, costume construction, pattern drafting, corsetry, and dancewear. She supervises the student workforce in the Costume Shop and is the draper/tailor for all of the theatre department’s productions. Previously, she was a lecturer and draper/tailor at the University...
David Dwyer
Assistant Professor, Design/Tech; Scenic Designer/Production Manager
- Email:
- ddwyer@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8485
David holds a Master of Fine Arts in production design from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor's in theatre and an Oral Communication Certificate with distinction from Marietta College. As a freelance designer he works primarily in the Eastern United States, with a few ventures elsewhere. His designs have been seen at The Boarshead Theatre, Theatre Winterhaven,...
Adriano Gatto
Artist in Residence, Stage Combat and Recruitment
- Email:
- agatto@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8481
Adriano has returned to Niagara University as the current Artist in Residence and Recruiter for the Department of Theatre & Fine Arts. Certified with Distinction by Fight Directors Canada and with Recommendation by the Society of American Fight Directors, Adriano’s work as a fight choreographer has been seen at various theatres across the country, most recently...
Cristen Gregory
Adjunct Professor, Voice
- Email:
- cgregory@niagara.edu
Cristen is a soprano and has been a member of the faculty since 2000. Her career has taken her all over the world in leading operatic roles, oratorio, pops, orchestra concerts, and recitals. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from Medaille College. She...
Terry Judd
Adjunct Professor, Physical Theatre
Terry graduated from Wilfred Laurier University, completed a two year apprenticeship at the Stratford Festival in 1967 and 1968 and took a six month course at the Canadian Mime School in 1975. He was an original company member of the Gryphon Theatre in Barrie Ontario and has worked as an actor in theatres across Canada...
Katie Mallinson
Lecturer, Introduction to Theatre
- Email:
- katiemallinson@gmail.com
Katie earned her MFA in Dramaturgy from the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University after graduating from Niagara University with a BFA in Theatre and a BA in English. She has recently worked with the Jewish Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare in Delaware Park as Assistant Stage Manager, and currently is the ASM for...
Gary Marino
Lecturer, Ballet
Gary began his formal training in the music department of SUNY at Albany, then went on to study dance with Melissa Hayden, Elizabeth Carroll, Edward Vilella, Kay Mazzo and Peter Martins at Skidmore College. He also studied jazz with Rhett Dennis at the Luigi School in New York as well as modern with Ethel Winter...
Robin Patterson
Adjunct Professor, Physical Theatre
Robin graduated from Simon Fraser University, Canada and Ecole Jacques Lecoq, France. In 1977 she co-founded Theatre Beyond Words, an international touring theatre ensemble specializing in mask, clown, modern commedia dell'arte and visual theatre. The company has performed throughout Canada and USA, as well as in Europe, Asia and Australia. Presently Artistic Director/Manager of the company, Robin...
Elenora J. Seib
Adjunct Professor, Voice
Elenora , a native of Buffalo, N.Y., holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal and Instrumental Accompanying from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music Degree cum laude from the SUNY College at Fredonia. Currently Associate Director of Music Ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, Miss Seib is also the director of the Pop/Broadway...
Amanda Lytle Sharpe
Adjunct Professor, Speech
Amanda received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting with honors from the University of Florida, and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She worked professionally with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and the North Carolina Theatre for Youth. Amanda also attended the British American Drama Academy at...
Maureen Stevens
Associate Professor, Costume Designer
- Email:
- mstevens@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8490
Maureen received her B. S. from Buffalo State College in Apparel and Textiles and her M. F. A. in Theatre with an emphasis in Costume Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Previous to joining the faculty at Niagara University, her career spanned many facets of costuming and...
Paul Todaro
Adjunct Professor, Acting
- Email:
- MGPT11@aol.com
Paul graduated from Niagara University's theatre program in 1987 and moved to New York where he worked with the Independent Theatre Company at House of Candles Theatre on Manhattan's lower east side. Paul acted and directed the plays of Shakespeare, Beckett, Brecht, Pinter, Strindberg and, in 1992, became the Artistic Director of the company. In 1993,...
Brother Augustine Towey, C.M.
Director Emeritus & Co-Founder of Niagara University Theatre
Brother Augustine holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from New York University, a certificate in Shakespeare and Elizabethan Theatre from the University of Birmingham (Stratford-upon-Avon, England) and a Masters in Dramatic Literature from St. John's University (New York). Brother Augustine has directed over 135 plays in the past 45 years at Niagara University and many others in...
Ian Tweedie
Lecturer, Theatre Appreciation
Ian is happy to be returning to Niagara University where he received a BFA in Theatre and a BA in English in 2005. Since then he has also received a MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. Ian has worked in many capacities throughout the Buffalo region working for such companies as Shakespeare in...
Terri Filips Vaughan
Associate Professor, Choreographer
- Email:
- tfilips@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8489
Terri graduated summa cum laude with an MFA in Dance from the Texas Woman’s University and cum laude with a BA from Hope College. Terri has worked as a freelance teacher, choreographer and theatre director for numerous schools, community groups, studios and professional companies. She is the co-founder of InSync Dance Theatre, a professional tap and...
Dr. Sharon Onevelo Watkinson
Professor & Chair of Theatre
- Email:
- sw@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8482
Dr. Watkinson earned her Ph.D. from New York University, and MA from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Here at NU, Dr. Watkinson has directed many productions including the Focus Award-winning J.B. and Good Woman of Setzuan. She has acted frequently in local and university theatre productions including Women Times Women, the title role...
Stacy Zawadzki-Janusz
Adjunct Professor, Dance
Stacyis the owner/director of Stacy Zawadzki’s Performing Arts Center (ZPAC). She is also an independent Director/Choreographer for many local production companies, an Adjudicator, and a Fitness Assessor/ Instructor with BWI Health and Promotions. She received an MFA (Magna Cum Laude) from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Stacy has been a member of the...
Doug Zschiegner
Associate Professor, Acting/Directing, Associate Director of NU Theatre
- Email:
- dougz@niagara.edu
- Phone:
- 716.286.8487
Doug directed Company, The Threepenny Opera, She Stoops to Conquer, The Real Thing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream here at NU, Insidious at Road Less Traveled and It’s A Wonderful Life, Secret Order and Rock ‘n’ Roll at The Kavinoky Theatre. Doug directed over thirty shows in eight years as Resident Director of Mill Mountain...