Theatre Faculty

The faculty of the Theatre program have shown a clear and sustained commitment to the institution and are active in relevant professional organizations and have received grants to attend workshops and for other professional development activities. Both hold terminal degrees in their respective fields. In addition to the core faculty, the program draws on faculty teaching in music, speech, broadcasting, English, art, industrial technology, and fashion design for specific expertise and perspectives on musical theatre, dramaturgy, public relations, set design, and construction and costuming. Faculty and students are also involved in Wayne State College’s Black and Gold Series which brings national touring companies to campus and also provides an additional perspective for theatre students’ training, permitting theatre technology students to study other actors and technicians first-hand.

Janet Roney, M.F.A.

Gwen U. Jensen, Ph.D
Vitae

Dr. Jensen is an Assistant Professor of Theatre in WSC’s Theatre Program. She teaches Acting I and II, History of Theatre I and II, Directing I, Advanced Directing, Playwriting, Musical Theatre, American Theatre, Modern World Drama, Makeup for the Stage, and Theatre Workshop. For the Speech Communication Program, Gwen teaches Principles of Human Communication, Computer Layout for Presentations, and coaches the Intercollegiate Forensics team. Gwen holds a B.A. from Wayne State College, an M.A. from the University of South Dakota-Vermillion, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

She is the faculty sponsor for the Drama Club and holds a seat on various campus committees. At WSC, she has directed the Theatre Program’s productions of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, All in the Timing, Beauty and the Beast, The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, The Diary of Anne Frank, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Mad Adventures of Mr. Toad, The Crucible, Trust, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She is a certified judge for high school one-act competitions with the NSAA and recently made a presentation entitled Finding Your Character at the annual KCACTF in St, Louis, MO.

Gwen’s academic interests include American Theatre, Cultural History, and the process of communicating effectively from the stage. Gwen has lived in the northeast Nebraska region her entire life and has two children and one grandchild.