Ms Paula Dawson

Biography

"Paula Dawson spent four years as Assistant Professor of Acting and Movement for the Wanda L. Bass School of Music and the School of Theatre at Oklahoma City University prior to joining the staff at CQ University. Her work there included designing a new performance curriculum for students in the opera musical theatre program. She has also taught in the BFA acting programs at Utah State University and the University of Mississippi. Her background is in physical theatre, clown, devised work and contemporary theatre practice. She has also taught voice for the actor, dialects, acting for the camera, Shakespeare on Film, and period styles. Ms. Dawson received her BFA in Performance from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada and holds an MFA in Dramatic Arts-Acting from the University of California at Davis. She has worked for many years as an actor and director in the United States and Canada in both theatre and film, and was co-founder of two Canadian theatre companies, StageLeft and Soulfishing, both devoted to the production of new works. She was a performer/creator with Tornadotheatre.com, an interdisciplinary performance company that used 360 degree camera technology in the creation of interactive live audience/webcast productions Her work with and for young people includes touring with Theatre New Brunswick’s Young Company, leading workshops in video production/performance for Summerhouse Theatre (Canada), as well as developing acting curriculum and directing for OCU’s Performance Arts Academy. Ms. Dawson’s present research is in the area of contemporary theatre practice and pedagogy, including an exploration into kinesthetic response to architecture and landscape, and its relationship to the structure of narrative and character development/identity. "

Research Interest

Ms. Dawson’s present research is in the area of contemporary theatre practice and pedagogy, including an exploration into kinesthetic response to architecture and landscape, and its relationship to the structure of narrative and character development/identity.