Phil Simmons

A photo of Phil Simmons

Professor and Director of Musical Theatre

School of Music and Dance; School of Communication, Media & Theatre

124 Quirk

734.487.0033

[email protected]

Biography

Phil Simmons is a native Oklahoman. For the past 20 years, he has split his time between performing in, directing, casting and choreographing musicals around the world, calling New York City "home".

His favorite roles include fellow-Oklahoman Will Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies, Hysterium in the Broadway First National Tour of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opposite comic great Rip Taylor, Anselmo opposite Tony winner and Academy Award nominee Ron Holgate in the Broadway First National Tour of The Man of La Mancha, and Ozzie in the International Tour of Leonard Bernstein's On the Town.

As a card-carrying Equity Actor, Phil's passion lies in training young performers not only in the foundational techniques and methods of acting, singing and dancing but in the practical, day-to-day side of thriving in the unpredictable and uber-competitive musical theatre world.

Phil couldn't be happier to be an assistant professor of musical theatre as one of Eastern's first split appointments—50% in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre Arts and 50% in the School of Music and Dance. Together with other EMU faculty, Phil has established a professional theatre company, 8th Wonder Theatre, where area high school and college students can take classes, perform and ready themselves for a career in performance.

Education

  • MFA, Acting (Secondary concentration, Playwriting), University of Georgia, 1992
  • BA, Theatre and English, Oklahoma State University, 1988

Courses

  • CTAR 106 Introduction to Performing Arts
  • CTAR 150 Introduction to Theatre
  • CTAR 158 Fundamentals of Acting
  • CTAR 461 Musical Theatre Acting
  • CTAR 471 Musical Theatre Workshop
  • DANC 103 Tap I
  • DANC 101 Jazz I
  • DANC 178 Musical Theatre Dance I
  • DANC 178 Musical Theatre Dance II
  • DANC 422 Dance Workshop

Advising

  • Musical Theatre, minors
  • Dance, majors and minors
  • Theatre Arts, majors and minors
  • Faculty Sponsor, Dance Forum
  • Faculty Mentor, LGBT Resource Center

Professional

  • Faculty Advisor, Dance Forum
  • Faculty Representative, Eastern Pride Coalition Panel 
  • Faculty Mentor, LGBT Resource Center 
  • Recruitment and Retention Committee, Music and Dance
  • Instruction Committee, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
  • Actors Equity Association