Mass Communication
and Theatre
Ruthann Curry Browne
Adjunct Professor of Theatre
Teaching Specialties: Theatre Appreciation, Musical Theatre, Youth Theatre
Ruthann teaches classes in theatre appreciation and musical theatre; she is also the director for the UCA Theatre Foundation’s Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas. For the Division of Academic Outreach, she is the UCA theatre coordinator for college-level theatre classes offered to high school concurrent credit students. In the Spring 2009, Ms. Curry-Browne will be the Murphy-Foundation Guest Director at Hendrix College for the season musical “Hot Mikado”; and she will turn right around and be the Guest Director for the UCA Theatre Department spring 2009 musical, “Starmites”.
Ms. Curry-Browne has many years of professional experience both on-stage and behind-the-scenes directing, acting, producing, and teaching acting and musical theatre. She has performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, in dinner theatre, summer stock, and regional theatres including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. In New York, her directing credits off-off-Broadway include directing Edward Norton in Brian Friel’s Lovers; a personal adaptation of Mark Twain’s Adam & Eve; and Tom Topor’s But Not For Me. As the General Manager of Musical Theatre Works in New York, she was honored to work with Charles Abbott, Martin Charnin, Pat Birch, Hal Prince, and others in developing new American musicals for the Broadway stage. In addition, she has continued to perform professionally, appearing on stage and in film and television. In the last 15 years since leaving New York to raise a family, she has directed productions; taught college theatre courses; led workshops for all ages; written several plays and adaptations for youth theatre; taught youth drama; been a regular guest judge for the Kiwanis’ ”Rising Stars” talent contest; and directed a yearly summer children’s theatre program. She is a professional member of AEA, AFTRA/SAG, SSDC, and ATHE; and is proud of her Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona for working with underprivileged kids.