Bio:

An alumnus of the University of Kentucky, Department of Theatre, Mary Christopher Grogan is currently an active theatre director and educator in central Kentucky.  She holds a BA in Theatre (2005), a BA in Secondary English Education (2005), an MA in English Education (2006), and an MA in Theatre (2014).  Her research interests lie in Musical Theatre villainy, the cognitive sciences, and Audience Response Theory.

Beginning her undergraduate career with a focus in Stage Management, she eventually found her passion in directing.  Some of her directing credits include: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, Kaufman & Hart’s You Can’t Take it with You, Silhouettes of Broadway: A Musical Revue, Seven Deadly Sins: A Musical Revue,  Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story, and Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy.  Other recent notable credits include serving as the Assistant Director for Lexington’s premiere production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, writing and directing “Outings: A Ten Minute Play” which was selected and produced by the Kentucky State Fair as part of their 2012 New Kentucky Works series, and making her film acting debut as “Piper” in the independent film Jane’s Everlasting Heart Condition

Additionally, she is extremely passionate about education, particularly arts education and literacy.  She currently teaches introductory courses in theatre at the University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, and BCTC., as well as reading and writing courses at the local community college.  A huge supporter of youth arts programs, she has also taught high school drama and arts history courses, as well as Theatre in Diversion classes through the Fayette County Juvenile Court system.  In the summers she spends her time teaching drama and English at the BCTC Upward Bound Program, as well as directing the end-of-summer Talent Show at the Singletary Center for the Arts.  In 2013, she received the “Most Influential Teacher” Award from the students and staff at the Upward Bound Program.

Degrees and Certifications

• B.A. (Theatre), University of Kentucky
• B.A. (Secondary English Education), University of Kentucky
• M.A. (English Education), University of Kentucky
• M.A. (Theatre), University of Kentucky