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DR. CHRISTINE SMITH TANNER
Associate Professor of Applied Drama & Theatre
for the Young
102 Quirk Building
csmithta@emich.edu
734-487-0032
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Degrees
PhD—Theatre & Cinematic Arts, Brigham Young University,
1985
Professional Associations/Memberships
American Alliance for Theatre & Education
International Performing Arts for Youth
Theatre Communications Group
Theatre for Young Audiences- USA
Representative courses taught
CTAR 222: Drama & Play in the Human Experience
CTAR 322: Theatre for the Young
CTAR 323: Improvisation
CTAR 327: Plays for the Young
CTAR 329: Touring to Young Audiences
CTAR 502: Introduction to Theatre for the Young
CTAR 515: Drama Facilitation for Artists and Educators
CTAR 529: Producing Theatre for the Young
CTAR 535: Youth Theatre
CTAR 657: Improvisation
Advising
Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young, MA and MFA
Children’s Literature and Drama/Theatre for the Young,
Interdisciplinary Major
Biography
Dr. Christine Tanner specializes in creating theatre and dramatic
activities for and with young people. Over the last ten years
at EMU, she directed a British Panto version of Pinocchio, The
Bully Show, Real Friends, Who’s Capable?, launched the “Box
Theatre Company” and wrote and directed Walking the Dog.
She received academic fellowships both in academic service learning
and with the Department of Justice through ISCIF. Tanner was
also the recipient of a New Faculty Research award in 2003, Service
to the University Award in 2006, and four time recipient of the
Most Valuable Professor award from EMU’s Men’s and
Women’s Basketball teams. While
director of the Riverside Arts Project, she created and oversaw
a variety of arts events as part of an economic development program
for downtown Ypsilanti, Prior to coming to EMU, she was both
a professional educator and theatre artist/administrator. As
a middle school drama/English/choir teacher, Tanner developed
new programs for transitioning students from 6th to 7th grade.
She also developed new programming as educational director at
STAGE ONE: The Louisville Children’s Theatre and the Seattle
Children’s Theatre (SCT), and managing director of The
California Theatre Center. Under her leadership, the Education
programs at SCT expanded to include the Drama Shop Program, the
Deaf Youth Drama program and the classes became The Drama School.
Between 1988-1996 class enrollment grew from approximately 500
students per hear to well
over 2000 per year. She has been artist-in-residence in a variety
of settings and locales from California to Washington.
Research Interests:
Theatre across the curriculum both as a teaching methodology
and learning structure. Improvisation as a tool for personal
growth and confidence.
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