Department of Theatre

Clarence Brown Theatre Logo

View the Clarence Brown Theatre Production Season

lighting background image

News

Author: theatreweb

Mighty Frightening Audio

Greetings specters, spirits, and spooks, and welcome to Mighty Frightening Audio, a collaborative collection of short stories and micro radio plays written, voiced, designed, and produced by Master of Fine Arts in Theatre candidates at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Each audio segment is written and voiced by one of our MFA actors and designed, edited, and produced by one of our MFA sound designers.

Now, turn the lights down, check the locks, and turn up the volume to hear seven spine-tingling tales to leave you affrighted and afeared. 

Or listen to the collection on Youtube

Individual Credits

  • Unstable. Written and voiced by Christine Sage. Sound design by Chandler Oppenheimer.
  • The Suffering of Jaku. Written and voiced by Davion Brown. Sound design by Tate Thompson.
  • Brew-Ha-Ha. Written and voiced by Rachel Darden. Sound design by Chandler Oppenheimer.
  • Life. Written and voiced by Peter Mayer. Sound design by Tate Thompson.
  • Hot Girl Summer. Written and voiced by Amberlin McCormick. Sound design by Tate Thompson.
  • Inside Your Mind. Written and voiced by Michael Najman. Sound design by Tate Thompson.
  • Last Hope. Written and voiced by Zachariah Lidstone. Sound design by Chandler Oppenheimer.

We’re so pleased you tuned in. Now double check those door locks, check under the bed, and good luck getting a good night’s sleep…

Mike Monero – ActorCEO Podcast

Mike Moreno

In Spring 2020 Mike Moreno, MFA 2010, taught a remote class with the MFA theater department focused on teaching MFA actors about to graduate about the business.

“Hello! Welcome to The Actor CEO. I’m Mike Moreno. I’ve done over 100 interviews with industry pros for one reason. After growing up in Los Angeles, getting a BFA and MFA in acting, and moving to NYC to “hustle till I made it” I knew there had to be something missing. That something is the knowledge and skills that allow actors and artists to embrace their creative entrepreneur spirit and the reality that you both run and own your own business from the moment you choose to be a professional.  Our goal is to understand how an acting career is like running your own business, and using the insights we learn to create our own success.”

“As a UT MFA Theater alumni I would love to share the success of The Actor CEO Podcast and ActorCEO.com with the department. The podcast and platform is built to bridge the gap between craft and career for actors coming out of school. With guests like Sean Astin and legendary director John Badham, Actor CEO reaches over 12K actors worldwide and has achieved over 110K downloads.” —Mike Moreno

Tramell Tillman – Virtual Rendition of UT’s Alma Mater

Students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Pride of the Southland Band are joined by Chancellor Donde Plowman and alumni, including actress and singer Valisia LeKae, actor Tramell Tillman, Dirty Guv’nahs lead singer James Trimble, and WUOT’s Todd Steed in a rendition of UT’s alma mater in tribute to the Class of 2020.

The Open Hand | Lab

The Lab Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

Artistic Team

Director Calvin MacLean ♦
Scenic and Projection Designer Nevena Prodanovic
Costume Designer Marianne Custer ‡
Lighting Designer Tannis Kapell
Sound Designer Roderick Peeples
Stage Manager Alex Ross

Cast

Freya Melissa David *
Todd Kyle Maxwell *
Allison Lindsay Nance *
David Nathan Bright Roderick Peeples *
Jack Steve Sherman *

♦ The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.
‡ Represented by United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play | Lab

The Lab Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

Artistic Team

Director Casey Sams
Musical Director Terry Silver-Alford
Scenic Designer Christopher Pickart ‡
Costume Designer Victor Bercher
Lighting Designer Maranda DeBusk
Sound Designer Alex Ross
Dramaturg Kerri Ann Considine
Stage Manager Isaac Krispin

THE CAST

Colleen/Bart Melissa David *
Edna Krabapple/ Chorus Emily Helton
Matt/Homer Robert Parker Jenkins
Quincy/Marge Hannah Jones
Jenny/Itchy Ellen Nikbakht
Sam/Scratchy Benjamin Pratt
Gibson/Mr. Burns Ethan Roeder
Maria/Lisa Lauren Winder


‡ Represented by United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The Threepenny Opera

Clarence Brown Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

ARTISTIC TEAM

Director Calvin MacLean ♦
Musical Director Michael Elliott
Choreographer Christie Zimmerman
Scenic Designer Josafath Reynoso
Costume Designer Poua Yang
Lighting Designer Kristen Geisler
Sound and Media Designer Joe Payne ‡
Fight Director John Sipes
Dramaturygy Kerri Ann Considine
Voice and Dialect Coach Erica Tobolski
Stage Manager Ian Paul Messersmith *

THE CAST

Rev. Kimball/Constable Bill Black
Nelly/Ensemble Rachel Britt
Beggar Girl Rachel Brown
Jenny Diver Lise Bruneau *
Lucy Brown Melissa David *
Chain-Saw Bob/Ensemble Andrew Drake *
Tiger Brown Neil Friedman *
Matt of the Mint Brian Gligor *
Macheath Brian Herriott *
Weeping-Willow Walter/Ensemble Robert Parker Jenkins
Polly Peachum Stephanie Lee
Vixen/Ensemble Shea Madison
MC/Narrator Kyle Maxwell *
Dolly/Ensemble McKinley Merritt
Betty/Ensemble Ellen Nikbakht
JJ Peachum Roderick Peeples *
Ned/Ensemble Benjamin Pratt
Jimmy/Ensemble Ethan Roeder
Filch Steve Sherman *
Crook-Fingered Jake Eric Sorrels
Smith Donald Thorne
Old Beggar/Whore/Ensemble Pedro Tomás
Celia Peachum Katy Wolfe *

♦ The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.
‡ Represented by United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Clarence Brown Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

ARTISTIC TEAM

Directed by John Sipes ♦ 
Musical Director/Choreographer Katy Wolfe Zahn
Scenic Design Christopher Pickart ‡
Costume Design Marianne Custer ‡
Lighting Design John Ambrosone ‡
Sound Design/Composer Curtis Craig
Voice Coach Abigail Langham
Projections Coordinator Kent McQuilkin
Stage Manager Deya S. Friedman *
Producing Artistic Director Calvin MacLean
Managing Director David B. Byrd

THE CAST

The Athenian Court:

Duke Theseus Grant Goodman*
Captive Queen of the Amazons Hippolyta Abbey Siegworth*
Philostrate Carol Mayo Jenkins*
Egeus Neil Friedman*
His daughter Hermia Lindsay Nance*
Lysander Steve Sherman*
Demetrius Brian Gligor*
Helena Amanda Catania*
Attendant Ben Bean
Attendant Chris Ward

Workers of Athens:

A carpenter  Peter Quince Terry Weber*
A weaver  Nick Bottom David Kortemeier*
A bellows-mender  Francis Flute Neil Friedman*
A tinker  Tom Snout David Brian Alley*
A joiner  Snug Donald Thorne
A tailor  Robin Starveling Leo LaCamera

The Fairy Kingdom:

The Queen  Titania Abbey Siegworth*
The King  Oberon Grant Goodman*
Puck Kyle Maxwell*
Moth Andrew Drake*
Peaseblossom Melissa David*
Cobweb Cynthia Anne Roser*
Mustardseed Shea Madison
Oberon Fairy Ben Bean
Oberon Fairy Chris Ward
Changeling Child Maddie Poeta
Changeling Child Anna Resch 

Understudy:

 Peter Quince Jacques DuRand

♦ The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.
‡ Represented by United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

“Master Harold” …and The Boys

Carousel Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

ARTISTIC TEAM

Director Jayne Morgan
Scenic Designer Henry Wilkinson
Costume Designer Victor Bercher
Lighting Designer Kenneth Foster
Sound Designer Isabel Tipton
Choreographer Kody Storm Rowe
Stage Manager Caleb Cook

THE CAST

Willie Bryant Bentley *
Hally Eric Sorrels
Sam Rico Bruce Wade *

* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The Miracle Worker

Clarence Brown Theatre | Photos by Brynn Yeager

Artistic Team

Director Kate Buckley ♦
Scenic Designer Jason Ammons
Costume Designer Joscelyne Oktabetz
Lighting Designer Kenneth Foster
Sound Designer Joe Cerqua ‡
Voice Coach Abigail Langham
Stage Manager Alex Dearmin

THE CAST

Sarah Kendra Booher
Anne Sullivan Angela Church
Percy Drew Drake
Aunt Ev Nancy Duckles
Helen Keller Rachel Finney
Doctor Anagnos Neil Friedman *
Vinney Tracey Copeland Halter *
James Keller Erik Johnson
Kate Keller Lindsay Nance
Martha Darneisha Riley
Beatrice Morgan Voyles
Captain Arthur Keller Terry Weber *

♦ The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.
‡ Represented by United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Members of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

an illustration of students holding up stars

Seize the Opportunity to Produce Your Own Theatre

About The Lab Project Series

Submit Your Proposal