Acting and Directing
Lecturer
Contact Information
125B Tyler Hall
[email protected]
Steve Mazzoccone's Website
Bio
Steve holds a BA in Theatre and English from SUNY Oswego, which he achieved with the class of 2006. He earned his MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In addition to institutional study, he's also trained directly with TONY and OBIE award-winning theatre directors Sharon Ott, Anne Bogart, and Daniel Sullivan. In acting and directing positions, he's helped create work at notable NYC theaters including Signature Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Vineyard Theatre, Tectonic Theatre Project, Gingold Theatrical Group, The 13th Street Theatre, American Theatre of Actors, The Secret Theatre, Urban Stages, West End Theatre and Gallery Players. He's worked for national touring theater producers (National Theatre for Arts and Education, American Family Theatre) and at regional theaters (Connecticut Free Shakespeare, Valley Shakespeare Festival, Savannah Shakes, Cohoes Musical Hall, La Comedia Dinner Theatre). In the midst of professional work, Steve taught Speech at Dutchess County Community College, and at various studios in NYC where he taught disciplines such as Movement for the Actor, Acting, and Audition Coaching. He also taught theatre at Long Island University as an Artist in Residence, and at the West Side YMCA in New York City. In the summer months, Steve is part of the teaching faculty at the celebrated Powerhouse Theatre, a festival for new work, at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Research
Steve's pedagogy as a practiced artist and educator involve a theatrically holistic approach to acting and directing because neither function exists without regard for all the other facets of theatre making.
His primary research includes techniques on 1) how to develop the necessary storytelling skills that create a theory for engaging acting on stage and screen, 2) fostering collaborative practices, aesthetics, and vision for theatre directors, and empowering students with specific tools in the areas of vocal technique, dialect work, movement for the stage, and text analysis.
Steve's continued research focus includes developing his skills and fostering student interest in Fitzmaurice Voicework, Moment Work, and Viewpoints. All of which speak to his drive for integrating theatrical practices into the cultural fabric of our shared communities, especially those communities that have been marginalized by destructive socioeconomic norms and practices.
Publications
Scholar Published MFA Thesis, Discovering a Play from an Actor and Director's Perspective, 2016.
He has written articles published on TheatreArtLife.com
In Virtual Veritas -https://www.theatreartlife.com/lifestyle/in-virtual-veritas-directing-and-teaching-online/
Theatre as a Civic Duty - https://www.theatreartlife.com/staying-still/theatre-as-a-civic-duty/
Conferences
KCACTF Regional Festival 2024 - Workshop Presenter
Professional Affiliations
Member of Actor's Equity Association
Associate Member of SDC, the Stage Directors and Choreographer's Union
Awards and honors
He is the recipient of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation's Observership for Spring 2018 at Manhattan Theatre Club under the mentorship of TONY Award winning Director Daniel Sullivan.
Education
MFA, Performing Arts, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2016; BA, English, Theatre, State University of New York at Oswego, 2006
Classes taught
THT 110
THT 180
THT 230
THT 341
THT 352