Jonathan Dent

Assistant Professor of Theatre
Jonathan Dent
Contact Jonathan
jldIA@hampshire.edu

Mail Code HA
Jonathan Dent
Emily Dickinson Hall 28
413.559.6271

Jonathan Louis Dent, Assistant Professor of Theatre, received his M.F.A. from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in Graduate Acting and his B.A. from Brown University in Africana Studies and Theatre Arts.

He is an actor, writer, and director of the stage interested in using the medium of story-telling as a vehicle for liberation.  He’s a current ensemble member of Society, a NYC-based theatre group creating research-driven, radically collaborative theatre pieces.  Jonathan’s play The Broken Record - which he wrote, acted in, and co-produced- was the recipient of the “Overall Excellence Award” at the New York City International Fringe Festival. Jonathan has taught numerous creative workshops alongside the tour of his original one man show called Mr. Glass.  In his free time, Jonathan works as a Professional Astrologer and Numerologist and is an aborisa within the Ifa Isese spiritual tradition.  

 

Recent and Upcoming Courses

  • This studio course provides a foundation in acting for the stage, giving the student basic techniques in freeing the imagination, body, and voice. Techniques include relaxation, focus, sense memory, physical awareness, vocalization, improvisation, and character analysis. Using acting principles drawn from Stanislavski and movement exercises from Viewpoints students will interpret classic and contemporary scenes from underrepresented playwrights of color not typically found in the traditional canon. Keywords: acting, studio, stage.

  • This studio course introduces and examines principles of directing for the stage. We explore the world of a play, conflicts, staging, and learning the language of designers. We also explore different modes of communicating with actors. We will look at the work of current directors. How do they approach a script? What is their rehearsal process? How do they collaborate with designers in producing the work on stage? Students will keep a directing journal, analyze plays, and review productions throughout the semester. Keywords: directing, plays, actors, staging.