Dr. Dawn Larsen
dawn.larsen@volstate.edu
Education
1999 Ph.D. Speech Communication with an
Emphasis in Theatre, Southern
Areas
of specialization: Theatre history and
criticism and Performance Studies
Dissertation: Corn Under Canvas: Reconstructing Toby Shows in
1991 M.A., Communication Arts,
Thesis: A Continuing History of Toby Shows With An
Acknowledgment Of The Past And Plans For The Future, University Microfilms,
May 1991.
Areas of specialization:
Theatre history and performance and Television Production
1983 B.A., Speech and Theatre,
Area of Specialization: Performance
1981 A.A., Speech and Theatre,
Academic and Professional Experience
Volunteer
Chair,
Visual and Performing
Asst.
Professor, Theatre and Comm. 2000-2003
Director
of Forensics 2000-2002
Murder Mystery Players, Inc. Actor
2006
Telling
“Maxine Lacey: Tent Show Actress”
2003-present.
University One-year
temporary assignment
1999-2000
Hard Corn Players President/Founder 501 (c) 3 theatre
organization
Toby
show troupe
1997-present
Instructor - Speech,
Communication, & Theatre 1993-1995
Director
of Forensics, 1992
Southern
1996-97
Graduate Teaching Assistant - Theatre
1996 Publicity Asst.
Ice/Red Ridge
Entertainment Instructor - Acting for Film and
Television
Freelance Video Director/Producer, Graphic
Artist, Voice-overs, Actor
WRLT Production Assistant/Intern
Writer,
Voice-over, Audio Production
Jim Owens Companies Production Assistant/ Intern
Writer,
Guest Liaison
Avant Garage Resident
Actress/Instructor
Conklin Players Resident Actress
Shepherd of the
Hills Actress/Entertainer
Old Mill Players
(Toby Show) Resident Actress
Love’s Greatest
Story Actress/Asst Make-up
Lost Silver Mine Artistic Coordinator/Actress
Tri-Lakes Community
Theatre Founding
member
Costume
Mistress
Teaching
University
and College
Introduction
to Theatre (traditional and on-line)
Acting I
Acting II
Children’s
Theatre
Voice
and Diction
American
Popular Culture
Vagina Monologues Seminar
Fundamentals of Costume and
Make-up
Workshop
in History, Comedy, Writing for Center Stage APSU
Women
in Theatre
Theatre
Insight
American
Popular Entertainment Guest Lecturer in Theatre History
Guest
Lecturer, Theatre Management
Guest Lecturer, Youth Tour Classes.
Video
Production I
Desktop
Publishing
Communication
Internship Supervisor
Broadcasting
Equipment Operations
Professional Acting
for Television and Film
Pre K-5th Performing
Arts (Music, Theatre)
Curriculum
Development
Participated in the Visual and Performing Arts Department’s academic
audit team for theatre.
Wrote the THEA 240 (Fundamentals of Costume and Makeup) course
manual, 2005.
Redevelopment of Voice and Movement class to replace Voice and
Diction.
Volunteer
Wrote
the THEA 1030 (Introduction to Theatre) course manual, coordinated training for
theatre adjuncts, 2004.
Coordinator,
Theatre section of Associate of Fine Arts degree, Volunteer State College,
2003-04
Revising
Theatre Associate of Arts curriculum for Volunteer State College, Fall 2000.
Revising
catalog section for Communications Division at Volunteer State College, Fall, 2000.
Developed Performing Arts curriculum for
Desktop
Publishing - Proposed and taught for two semesters. Also taught abbreviated
version through the office of Extended Education at APSU. Teaches basic skills of
desktop publishing using Quark Xpress.
Projects include a flyer, 4-color brochure, and group- published
university newsletter.
Committee
to reorganize Communications Program - Department previously required a audio and video equipment course. Eliminated that course and
separated audio and video into two tracks of study. Researched
equipment necessary for video editing and graphics systems; and software and
equipment for a desktop publishing lab.
Video
Production I - Due to aforementioned change in major, reorganized to add
introductory material to the existing production course.
Research
Interests
Late
19th/early 20th century American popular entertainment
Tent
Theatre
Toby
Shows
Historic
and Contemporary Freak Shows
Native
American Studies, specifically rhetoric and ritual.
Women’s
Studies
Publications
“Hard
Corn Players News.” Winging It, 11
(2006): 3-5. Journal for the Society
for Tent, Folk, and Reperatoire Theatre
“Hysterical, Historical Fun: The Last of the Old Time Tent Shows” Theatre
History Symposium 13 (2004). Refereed publication
“The Canvas Cathedral: Toby Shows as Nativistic
Movements.” Theatre History Studies
21 (2001): 87-103. Refereed Publication
Van
West, Carroll and Binnicker, Margaret Duncan eds. Creating Traditions, Expanding Horizons: 200 Years of the Arts in
“Toby for Tots: The
Southern
Journal for the
Society for Tent, Folk, and Reperatoire Theatre
Submissions
“’Girls
of today are just as good as girls of yesterday, provided they’re not the same girls:’ Reconstructing
Toby Shows in
“Freaks!”
submitted to The Circus Bandwagon, Fall 2006.
Grants
2005-06 Middle
TN Foundation Discretionary Grant Award for Toby Show ($1000)
2003-04 Middle
TN Foundation Discretionary Grant Award for Toby Show ($1000)
2004
2002 Arts Build Communities grant, Nashville
Community Foundation for the
Hard Corn Players ($2000)
2002 Middle
TN Foundation Discretionary Grant Award for Toby Show ($2000)
2002-1995 Resident Artist and awarded Arts
Alive! internal grant from
Community College,
2001
2001-02 Middle
TN Foundation Discretionary Grant Award for Toby Show ($1200)
2000 Arts Build Communities grant, Nashville
Community Foundation for the
Hard Corn Players ($2000)
1999
1999 Arts Build Communities grant, Nashville
Community Foundation for the
Hard Corn Players ($525)
1998
1998 Middle
TN Foundation Discretionary Grant Award for Toby Show ($1000)
1998 Joint Women’s
Studies/UWPA grant.
1994 Faculty Development Grant,
1993 Faculty Development Grant,
1993 Departmental Grant to attend Corporate Video
Seminar to aid in developing new concentration in corporate
communications. My group received a
video award at seminar.
Plays
Toby Goes to Parsons, © 2006 Dawn Larsen
A Toby Cowboy Review, © 2005 Dawn Larsen
Maxine Lacey, Tent Show Actress © 2003 Dawn Larsen
How Now White Cow or You Can Put
Your Shoes In The Oven But That Don't Make Them Biscuits,
A Toby Show, ©
1991 Dawn Larsen Niceley
Conference
Presentations
Transitions
II panel presenter and chair, Southeastern
Theatre Conference Seminar, March 2006.
Let’s get the
Show on the Road panel presenter,
Southeastern Theatre Conference Seminar, March 2006.
“Girls of today are as good as the girls of 40
years ago, provided they’re not the same girls”: Reconstructing historic Toby shows in
Maxine Lacey, Tent Show Actress. Southern
Transitions panel presenter and chair, Southeastern Theatre
Conference Seminar, April 2005.
The Theatre
Museum panel presenter, Southeastern Theatre
Conference Seminar, April 2005.
Hosting
a Madrigal Feast panel presenter,
Southeastern Theatre Conference Seminar, April 2005.
Hysterical, Historical
Fun: The Last of the Old Time Tent
Shows, Southeastern Theatre
Conference Seminar, April 2005.
“’Girls of today are as good as the girls of 40 years
ago, provided they’re not the same girls:” Reconstructing historic Toby shows in
Hysterical, Historical Fun: The Last of the Old Time Tent Shows,
Hysterical, Historical Fun: The Last of the Old Time Tent Shows, Southeastern Theatre History Seminar, April 2004
Planning a Season for a Small College Theatre, Panel Presenter, Southeastern Theatre
Conference, March, 2004.
Taking Our Show on the
Road: Historical Research and the
Backstage at The Grand Old Opry: Observing
Performance From an Extraordinary Perspective,
Curriculum Issue Affecting
Small Programs, Panel presenter,
Southeastern Theatre Conference, March, 2003.
She Waited So Long for Her Ship
to Come In, Her Pier Collapsed: How I
Learn as a Tent
Show Trouper,
The Canvas Cathedral: Anthropological Analyses used to Acclimatize
Audiences to Historical Reconstructions of Toby Shows, Mid-America Theatre Conference’s
Young Scholar’s Symposium, March 1999.
Freaks!,
Hey! I Got a Tent, Let’s Put On a Show!,
Toby Lives Again!,
How to Teach New Dogs Old Tricks,
Where the Hell is Branson,
Missouri, Anyway?,
Popular Culture Association in the South and American Culture Association in
the South Annual Conference, October, 1993.
The Corn Crib Theatre, Museum of Repertoire
Americana's Theatre History Seminar, April 1993.
The Corn Crib Theatre, The Last
Surviving Professional Toby Company, Popular Culture Association in the South and American Culture Association
in the South Annual Conference, October, 1992.
Conferences
2007
2006
Southeastern Theatre Conference, presenter
2000-06
2005
Southeastern Theatre Conference, presenter
2004
Southeastern Theatre History Seminar, presenter
2004
Southeastern Theatre Conference, presenter
2003
Southeastern Theatre Conference, presenter
2002
Southeastern Theatre Conference, presenter
2001
Southeastern Theatre Conference, panel chair discussant and presenter
2000
2000
Southeastern Theatre Conference, panel presenter
1999
1999 Mid
American Theatre Conference, Young Scholar
1998
Southern Connections, Southern Arts Federation, Southern Connections Scholar
1998 Mid
American Theatre Conference
1998
1998
Midwest Theatre Auditions,
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
Popular Culture Association
in the South and American Culture Association in the South Annual
Conference, Panel discussant.
1993
Conference for Women in Higher Education
1993
1992
Conference for Women in Higher Education
1992
Popular Culture Association
in the South and American Culture Association in the South Annual
Conference
Professional
Service
Theatre
advisor, MERLOT.org, online web service for faculty, 2005-present.
Advisory
Board Member, Society for Tent, Folk and Repertoire Americana and
Vice-Chair
History, Literature, and Criticism Committee of the Southeastern Theatre
Conference 2005-present.
Respondent for Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Region III, Southern Illinois University’s production of Our Town, September 2005.
Respondent for Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Region VI,
Co-Director,
College/University
Service
Volunteer
Volunteer
for the American Chestnut Tree Project, VSCC, Summer
2006
Diversity
Committee, Volunteer State College,2004-05
Gay/Straight Alliance Faculty Co-Sponsor, Volunteer State College,
2004-present.
Faculty
Council Humanities representative, Volunteer State College, 2002-2004
Panel
presenter, Faculty Inservice, VSCC, Fall, 2003.
Professional Development Committee, Volunteer State College,
2000-2003.
Catalog/Curriculum
Communication Committee, Volunteer
MTSU
Forensics Tournament judge, Fall 1999.
Phi
Kappa Phi, SIUC 1997-99
Phi
Kappa Phi Banquet Committee Chair APSU, 1994
Committee
to organize Center for Corporate Communications, APSU 1993-94
Committee
to reorganize Communications Program, APSU Spring 1993
International
Education Resource Committee, APSU Spring 1993
Public
Relations Search Committee, APSU Spring 1993
Technical
Advisor to Speech Department’s Alumni Newsletter, APSU Fall 1992
Public
Relations Search Committee, Fall 1992
Assistant
Coordinator,
Community Service
Grand marshal, Parsons, TN Christmas parade, Dec
2006.
Theatre Workshops for 5th and 7th
grade Shakespeare plays,
Presentation on Geocaching
to 7th and 8th grade,
Leadership Sumner Day Chair and Selection Committee,
2004-5
Women’s Economic Summit Volunteer,
Presenter Toby Show Lecture, Lions Club of
Presenter - Actor,
Leadership Sumner Class 2003-04
Performer and Make-up in
Guest
speaker for Gallatin Study Club, Toby show paper, March 26, 2001.
Supervised
recording of Children’s books for Vena Stewert
Elementary,
Theatre
Writing Workshop,
Fall 1998,
Hard Corn Players vignettes for Business and Professional Women’s Organization,
Fall
1998, Improvisation workshop leader for Drama Daze, Southern Illinois
University at
Summer
1996-98, Gate Supervisor, Nashville Symphony Guild’s Italian Street Fair .
Fall
1997, Improvisation workshop leader for Drama Daze, Southern Illinois
University at
Spring
1996, Featured speaker Pagemaker users group for the
State of
Spring
1993, Assigned
Public Relations Projects to benefit profit and non-profit organizations in
Clarksville Community, Intro to Public Relations.
Spring 1993, Layout and Design for Planned Parenthood Newsletter.
Fall
1992, Assigned
Public Relations Projects to benefit profit and non-profit organizations in
Clarksville Community, Intro to Public Relations.
Awards and Honors
2002-5
1999 Nomination for
Outstanding Dissertation, SIUC
1999 Mid-America Theatre
Conference Young Scholar’s Award
1998-99 International PEO Scholar
1998 Southern Arts Exchange
Southern Connections Scholar
1997-98 Grace Johnson Taylor
Scholarship, Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation.
1981 Best Actress, Delta Psi Omega,
1980 Best Supporting Actress,
Delta Psi Omega,
1979-1981 Amory Academic Scholarship,
1979-1981 Ella M. Witter Dramatic Award,
1979 Valedictorian,
Memberships
American Society for Theatre Research 2005-present
Southeastern Theatre Conference 2000-present
Nashville Women’s Political Caucus 2004-present
Advisory Board Member, National Society for Tent, Folk,
and Repertoire Theatre Americana 2000-present
Leadership Sumner, Class 2003-04
Tennessee Theatre Association
Phi Kappa Phi, SIUC and APSU
P.E.O. Sisterhood
Symphony Guild of
Alpha Gamma Delta, Past Executive Officer,
Mu Sigma Epsilon, Past Treasurer,
Alpha Epsilon
Delta Psi Omega, Past
President,
Theatrical Artistic
Production
Director/Playwright/Actor,
Toby Goes to Parsons, Parsons Art
Council, Parsons, TN, Nov. 2006.
Actor, Carpenter House Mystery, Murder Mystery
Players, Inc.,
Director,
The Return of Aunt Susan, National
Society of Tent, Folk, and Repertoire Theatre American’s Theatre History
Seminar using troupers from the tent show era, April 2006.
Director,
Vagina Monologues, National VDay Campaign,
Director,
The Perfect 36, Volunteer State College,
entry for 2005-06 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Playwright/Director/Performer,
A Toby Cowboy Review, A Cowboy Town
Dinner Theatre,
Director,
The Invisible Man, Radio Play with live broadcast, Volunteer State
College, Spring 2005
Director,
Vagina Monologues, National VDay Campaign,
Performer,
April Fool’s Day Faculty Recital, Volunteer State
College, Spring 2002-6.
Playwright/Performer
Maxine Lacey: Tent Show Actress. Kentucky Humanities Council’s “Telling
Producer/Director
How Now White Cow or You Can Put Your
Shoes In The Oven But That Don't Make Them Biscuits, A Toby Show, The Hard
Corn Players at Volunteer State Community College, Summer, 1995-2004.
Director,
Vagina Monologues, National VDay Campaign,
Director,
A Madrigal Feast, Volunteer
Director,
Long Days Journey Into Night, Volunteer
Director,
West Side Story,
Director,
Director/Writer,
Vaudeville Christmas, Volunteer
Artist
in Residence, How Now White Cow and
tent theatre,
Director/Performer,
An Evening of Dada, Southern
Producer/Director
How Now White Cow or You Can Put Your
Shoes In The Oven But That Don't Make Them Biscuits, A Toby Show, The Hard
Corn Players Youth Tour for Southern Illinois University, Spring, 1997.
Director/Producer/Writer/Actress/Musician,
A Hillbilly Christmas Carol, Ernest Tubb Theatre,
Director/Set
Designer, Foxfire, Lakewood Community
Theatre,
Producer/Director
How Now White Cow or You Can Put Your
Shoes In The Oven But That Don't Make Them Biscuits, A Toby Show, The Hard
Corn Players at the Blue Sky Court, October, 1992 and Austin Peay State University, December 1990.
Director,
Harvey, Tri-Lakes Community Theatre,
Artistic
Coordinator/Choreographer, The Lost Silver Mine,
Director,
Menage a’ Quatre,
Tri-Lakes Community Theatre,
Director, Taken in Marriage,
Director,
The Coal Diamond,
Assistant
Directed, Buck N' The
System,
Acting resume available upon request.
Technical Theatre
Set
Design, Lakewood Theatre, Old
Light
Designer, Wildwood Flower Dinner Theatre,
Light
Designer, Country Music World,
Asst.
Make-up, Love’s Greatest Story,
Light
Designer & Sound Technician, Brachler Brothers
Music Show,
Costume
Mistress, Lakeview Community Theatre,
Costume
Designer, Lost Silver Mine Theatre,
Video Production
Actor, Southern Illinois University at
Producer/Writer,
Johnny and the Jaguars Video, Like To Hear It Music,
Production
Assistant, Ice/Red Ridge Entertainment Group,
Director, APSU Recruitment video, 1991.
Executive Producer, AP Magazine,
Graduate Course of
Study
Ph.D. in
Speech Communication, Theatre Emphasis GPA: 4.0
Professional
Credit (6) Social
Movements
Directing
Practicum Youth
Tour Seminar Dramaturgy
Arts
Marketing Rhetorical
Communication Performance
History
Performance
Methodologies American Popular Ent. Playwrighting
Speech
Research Methods American
Theatre History Performance
of Children’s Lit.
Contemporary
Developments Theatre Management Performance Criticism
in
Modern Drama
Master
of Arts GPA: 4.0
Electronic
News Gathering Thesis Writing(6 hours) Theatre
History II
Mass
Media Law and Ethics Directing
Practicum Theatre
History I
Media
Management Methods
of Research Technical
Theatre Practicum Sets
Public
Relations