F. J. HARTLAND
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts (Playwriting) from Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA
Bachelor of Arts (English with a concentration in Creative Writing and Theatre) from
Westminster College, New Wilmington PA (graduating cum laude)
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Adjunct Instructor of Communications, Community College of Allegheny County (2008-present) I teach Public Speaking and Introduction to Theatre.
Adjunct Instructor of Communications and Humanities, Robert Morris University (2009-present) I teach Creative Writing, Introduction to the Arts, and Public Speaking.
PAST TEACHING AND RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
Director of Marketing/Theatre Arts Department, University of Pittsburgh (2009-2010) I handled all marketing and communications for the Theatre Arts Department.
Adjunct Instructor of Communications, Penn State/New Kensington (2007-2008). I taught Public Speaking.
Adjunct Instructor of Theatre Arts, Penn State/Altoona (1998-2007) I taught Introduction to Theatre, Acting, Playwriting, Oral Interpretation, and Public Speaking.
Director of Theatre Arts/Associate Professor of English, Mount Aloysius College (1997-2007) Ours was essentially a one-person operation in which I oversaw all aspects of our productions (choosing the season, budgeting, hiring artistic personnel, directing, casting, marketing, props, costumes, box office, etc.). I taught all the courses in our theatre curriculum (acting, advanced acting, directing, introduction to theatre, modern drama, playwriting, American Musical Theatre, the Plays of Tennessee Williams, etc.) as well as Rhetoric I and II, the American Novel, and Advanced Public Speaking. I advised all theatre majors and am in charge of the theatre scholarship program. I developed our English (Theatre concentration) major and Theatre Minor and created the new courses necessary to implement these programs.
Managing Artistic Director, Mount Aloysius College Summer Theatre (2000-2006)
Since its inception in 2000, our summer theatre has grown tremendously. We offered a two-show season in which both student and community actors perform. I am responsible for all areas involving the summer theatre and direct both shows. Sadly, college budget cuts ended our summer theatre in 2006.
Artistic Consultant, Cresson Lake Playhouse (2005-2006)
I attended periodic rehearsals and offered constructive advice to the directors of each show. I also had input in the choosing of the 2008 season as well as hiring artistic personnel.
Adjunct Instructor of English/Theatre, Saint Francis University (1992-2007) I have taught various Theatre, English, and Speech courses for the Continuing Education Department.
Artistic Director of Allegheny Highlands Regional Theatre (1997-2000)
I was responsible for all artistic elements (choosing a season, directing, casting, budgeting, hiring artistic staff, and assisting in marketing) for a community-based theatre which produced six to nine shows a year with an annual budget of nearly $200,000.
Assistant Professor of English, Saint Francis University
Beginning as a part-time adjunct, I eventually became a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor. In addition to serving on various committees and advising students, I developed and implemented the Video Challenge Exam, taught public speaking as well as freshman writing.
Part-time Adjunct Instructor of Communication, University of Pittsburgh/Johnstown (1990-95)
I taught Public Speaking.
Part-time Adjunct Instructor of Communications, Seton Hill College
I taught Public Speaking.
Part-time Adjunct Instructor of Communication, University of Pittsburgh/Greensburg
(1989-90) Here, too, I taught Public Speaking.
DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
In 2010 I was named Best Director for my production of The Wizard of Oz at McKeesport Little Theatre. I have directed for a variety of other community and college theatres, including: South Park Theatre, Mount Aloysius College, University of Pittsburgh/Greensburg, Allegheny Highlands Regional Theatre, Cresson Lake Playhouse, Altoona Community Theatre, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, South Park Theatre, Greensburg Civic Theatre, Ligonier Valley Players, Sherwood Forest Theatre, and State College Community Theatre for a total of nearly 100 productions. I was fortunate to study directing on the graduate level with Tony Award-winner Mel Shapiro as well as Lawrence Carra, author of the text The Fundamentals of Play Directing. A complete directing resume is enclosed.
ACTING EXPERIENCE
I am a professional actor, holding membership in Actors Equity Association since 1991.
Most recently, I appeared in A Child’s Guide to Heresy with the Pittsburgh Playhouse REP. I have made several appearances at Off The Wall Theatre in Washington PA in Shining City, Stop Kiss and How I Learned to Drive. Also, I spent six seasons in professional summer stock to earn my union card. I have also performed as a “guest artist” at several local colleges. Prior to joining the union, I was active in community and civic theatre. A complete acting resume is enclosed.
PLAYWRITING EXPERIENCE
I am a published and award-winning playwright with numerous productions to my credit. Pittsburgh City Paper has referred to me as “local favorite playwright” and “Pittsburgh’s premiere playwright” (2010). My plays have been seen across the United States and Canada on the stages of high school, college, community, and regional theatres—and in more than a dozen Off-Off-Broadway productions, including: Emerging Artists Theatre, Thirteenth Street Theatre, Theatre of the Open Eye, Lincoln Center Library Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Lovecreek Productions, and Circle Rep. Locally, my work has been performed at the Upstairs Theatre, South Park Theatre, GLBT Pridefest, Pyramid Productions, Duquesne University, Rage of the Stage, Bricolage, and Cup-A-Jo as well as a record-setting eleven times in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival (winning numerous awards—including “Outstanding Contribution by a Playwright” and “Outstanding Production”). From 1996-98, I served as the Playwright-in-Residence at the Upstairs Theatre. I’ve been a guest writer at the Ligonier Valley Writer Conference and twice have judged their one-act play competition.
Two of my plays Auto-Erotic Misadventure and 12:21 PM have been published by Samuel French. A third play Postcards from a Dead Dog was recently published by United Stages.
AWARDS AND HONORS
I am a 2008 recipient of a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship in Playwriting. My play What The Puck was a finalist for the Heidemann Award at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. My one-act Funeral in the Rain was named “Best Play” in the 2011 Pittsburgh New Works Festival. Shaving Lessons and Half-Windsor Knots took top honors as Best Production and Outstanding Contribution by a Playwright in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival in 2010. In 2005 another one-act Postcards From a Dead Dog won the same awards. (I hold the record for most appearances by a playwright in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival at eleven.) Postcards was subsequently chosen for Pittsburgh’s GLBT Pridefest in 2006, New York City’s Emerging Artists Theatre’s Springfest in 2007, and Miami’s Lavender Footlights Festival, also in 2007. In 1996 I was named Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Student Government Association at Saint Francis University Carnegie-Mellon University
RELATED EXPERIENCES
I have been an Artistic Director as well as a Director of Marketing/PR. In 2000 I was chosen by the state of Pennsylvania for its Artists-in-the-School Program and for three years was available to teach theatre in area high schools. I was a board member of the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance (PRAA), an arts outreach organization. During my teaching career, my committee work has been extensive. At Mount Aloysius I chaired the Promotions/Sabbatical Committee three times and have also served on the Retention, Performing Arts, Articulation, Mentoring, and Health and Safety Committees. While at Saint Francis, I spent four years on the General Education Committee. At both school I have been active in student advising and faculty searches. Frequently, I am called upon to judge various competitions ranging from high school forensics to creative writing contests to Outstanding Woman of the Year pageants.
