CHRISTINA KEEFE NAMED NEW THEATRE DIRECTOR & LECTURER
Christina Keefe, currently a theatre lecturer in the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts at Rice, was appointed to the position of director and lecturer of Rice Theatre Program beginning January 1, 2008.  Christina will assume the position currently held by Trish Rigdon, who will be leaving Rice after six years as director of the Rice Theatre Program and former facutly sponsor of the Rice Players. 

Christina comes to Rice after teaching in the Lehigh University Department of Performing Arts, where she was the Wolfston Visiting Professor.  There she taught introduction to acting, characterization, and voice and diction.  Her teaching career also includes appointments at Muhlenberg College, DeSales University, and Duke University.  

Christina's professional career includes artistic associate/vocal coach at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Center Valley, PA (2001-03), artistic associate at the Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC (1992-2001), and head of the theatre program at The Fine Arts Center (South Carolina's first secondary school for the literary, visual, and performing arts).  Christina has taught private classes in acting, voice, speech, and movement for professionals in the theatrical arts and she has presented a multitude of workshops exploring "Improv," "Voice Exploration," and "Acting for High School Teachers." 

Beyond her academic career, Christina has appeared in film, television, off-Broadway, and regional Stock.  Some of her credits for television include Getting In (Disney Productions), Spenser: For Hire (Thrill Kill), and the lead role in Nightmare. She has also appeared in the off-Broadway productions of Couple of White Chicks (as Hannah Mae) at the West Side Arts Theatre in New York and On Fire (as Miranda) at the Nat Horne Theatre in New York. 

Christine received a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting from the New York University, School of the Arts, Adler Conservatory.  She also holds a certificate from the British American Drama Academy (BADA) in association with the Yale School of Drama (summer course held at Oxford University, England). 

SCRIPT TO SCREEN
A script to screen reading of filmmaker and guest artist Kim Henkel's script, Exurbia will be held Monday, October 29, 7:00 p.m., at Rice Media Center.  Exurbia: A first date gone horribly wrong--a black comedy about a ludicrously dysfunctional exurban family.