Graduate Students in Residence

Mahmoud Abusultan graduated with a B.A. in English from Al-Azhar University - Gaza in 2015 before joining the Fulbright Foreign Student Program in 2019 and receiving an M.A. in Theatre from Bowling Green State University in 2021.  He came into the Ph.D. in Theatre program to continue his urgent research on Palestinian theatre and performance culture, as well as to prepare himself for a future career as an academic/professor.

Haley Anissa Alvarez (she/her) is a first-generation Ph.D. student from Pharr, Texas completing her 1^st year in the program. She identifies as a Mechicana Scholartist who studies the intersectionality of gender and race in early Latinx Theatre. She obtained her Masters in Arts from Baylor University in Waco, Texas along with receiving a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. Additionally, she currently teaches multiple sections of THFM 2150: Exploring Cultural Diversity Through Performance!

She received her B.A in theatre from Miami University of Ohio with concentrations in performance and directing. She went on to study the Michael Chekhov technique at the Great Lakes Chekhov Consortium and has spent the last 6 years teaching, acting and directing in the Cleveland area. Madison is a fierce advocate for uncovering diminished stories, often incorporating many aspects of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed in her teaching and rehearsal process.

Pella Felton (She/They) is a 4th year PhD student. Pella's research explores the intersection of sound and performance, with a particular focus on podcasting as a performance medium.  Pella currently serves as a graduate representative for the Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee.  Pella's teaching interests include Film and video performance, digital audio, and race, gender and human idendity.

Christopher completed his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theatre Arts at New Mexico State University and his Master of Arts in Theatre Technology and Production from the University of Connecticut. He has worked for various regional theaters and performing arts festivals both nationally and internationally. His academic focus is on politics, performance and the purpose of theatre.

Jaehoon Kim is a second-year Ph.D. student at Bowling Green State University. He earned his M.F.A Directing in Theatre Arts at the University of South Dakota and B.A. Theatre Arts at the University of Iowa. During his M.F.A., he won the achievement in directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for ‘The Mirror Princess, Pyung-gang’ and ‘General O’s Toenails.’ He has worked as a professional director, playwright, stage manager, and educator in South Korea. He has directed six plays and one musical and written four plays and one musical. Additionally, he expanded his area to the V.R. game scenario this Summer. Moreover, Art Council Korea sponsored him to participate in the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa as the representative of Korean playwrights in Fall 2019. He is a member of I.W.P.

Dane CT Leasure is a 1st year Ph.D. student. He is the founder and Executive Artistic Director of Rubber City Theatre. Primarily a director, Dane has directed productions ranging from A Midsummer Night's Dream to Pippin. In recent years, Dane has turned to new works, particularly musicals in development, such as Heartbreakers in Hell and  Love in Reserve. He is an associate lecturer in Theatre Arts at the University of Akron. He holds a M.Litt and MFA from Mary Baldwin University in Shakespeare and Performance. Dane is a proud member of Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

Seung-A (Liz) Lee is a 4^th year PhD student. She is originally from Seoul, Republic of Korea. Her research interests include Shakespeare adaptation, theatre history and criticism, classical drama, sexuality, and gender.

David Loehr is a 5th year PhD candidate. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant, he has taught Script Analysis, Performance In Life & On Stage, The Theatre Experience, and Acting Principles; and served as a Course Assistant for Theatre History. David is also an actor and received a Certificate of Merit from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his performance as Nick Bottom in BGSU's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. His dissertation “Is All Our Company Here?”: Shakespeare Companies and Communities for the Twenty-first Century focuses on different ways in which Shakespeare companies engage communities in the Twenty-first Century.

Nasir Malekijoo is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Theatre and Film at BGSU. He completed his MFA studies at Bauhaus Universität Weimer, Germany. He is also a drama school graduate at IAU Central Tehran Branch. After graduation, he started to create a variety of plays with an eclectic approach towards “avant-garde theater.” As a writer, director, set and costume designer, and actor, he tries to portray a unified, monolithic world defined and developed by his own individual mindset. His tendency to visual arts has made Malekijoo inclined to a particular type of practice called “visual dramaturgy.” His research interests include avant-garde and post-dramatic theater, conceptual art, and performance in the Twenty-First century.

Website: http://nasirmalekijoo.info

Jarod Mariani is a 4th year PhD candidate. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant, he has taught Performance in Life and On Stage, Acting Principles, Script Analysis, and has served as a course assistant for Theatre History. Jarod also serves as a Graduate Assistant in the College of Education and Human Development where he is a Simulation Delivery Specialist for Project IMPACT. Jarod is an actor and has been involved in several BGSU productions during his time as a student, and in addition to appearing in The Harvest this fall, he will also be directing the Elsewhere production of The Wrestling Season in the spring.

Story Moosa (she/her) is a 2^nd year Ph.D. student from Huntington, WV. She received her MFA in Acting from Long Island University Post in 2020, and her BFA in Acting from Marshall University in 2018. She currently serves as the Box Office Manager for the Wolfe Center and the College of Musical Arts, as well as teaching THFM 2020: Performance in Life & on Stage. This year, she will be assistant directing the Mainstage Production of She Kills Monsters (Fall 2022) and will be directing the Mainstage Production of Electra (Spring 2023). She also serves as the current President of GUSTO (Graduate Student Theatre Organization). 

Timothy Frost has performed in several productions and has written, directed, assisted, and choreographed over numerous productions/ companies and show choirs. He received the Kennedy Center- American College Theatre Festival Actor nomination three times for his performances in as Ian in “Leveling Up", the captain in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and Sonny in "Xanadu.” His performance roles also include Sky Masterson in "Guys and Dolls", Neville Landless in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", Lenny in "Rumors", and Edward Rutledge in “1776". As a director, his credits include “Chasing Charles” for Troy Civic Theatre, “Seussical the Musical” as director and choreographer for Schuylerville Community Theater, and "OKLAHOMA" for Van Buren HS. As an award-winning choreographer, his credits include "Nice Work if you Can Get it" for the Fort Findlay Playhouse, "The Drowsy Chaperone” for Troy Civic, and “Annie” for The Star Theatre. He is happy to announce his new play “Finding Home” was very well received in Upstate NY back in the fall of 2021 Timothy has also graduated from the University of Findlay with a BA in K-12 Theatre Education and Performance.

Sarah Hopson (she/her) is a 1st year M.A. student. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Sarah received her B.A. in Theatre and Cinema Performance from Asbury University in 2020. Her experience includes 15 years of stage and screen performance as well as specific work in theatre and education integration from the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She currently serves in the costume shop and as one of the theatre and film department's social media and publicity graduate assistants. She has received various awards in directing and production design, and an Irene Ryan nomination at the 2019 KCACTF Southeastern Conference for her performance in MacBeth.