Kuritz, Paul T.

A professor of theater at Bates College since 1978, Paul Kuritz teaches acting and directing for the stage and screen, and directs plays and films. In fall 2009, Paul directed John Reed’s “All the World’s a Grave. A New Play by William Shakespeare“, and his recent directorial projects include Gillette Elvgren’s “Five Cups of Coffee” (2007), “The Contrast” (2006), “The Taming of the Shrew” (2005), “House of Blue Leaves” (2004), the musical “Swingtime Canteen” (2004), “Lady Windermere’s Fan” (2002), and a stage adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” (2001). Since his directorial debut in 1966, Paul has directed over one hundred plays throughout the United States. In 1990 he was invited to be the first American to teach and direct at the National Theater School in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Paul is the author of Fundamental Acting: A Practical Guide (Applause Theatre Books, 1997), The Making of Theatre History (Prentice Hall, 1987) and Playing: An Introduction to Acting (Prentice Hall, 1982). His latest book, The Fiery Serpent. A Christian Theory of Film and Drama was published in 2006. Paul’s play “The Yellow Wallpaper” was included in The Best American Short Plays 2001-2002 (Applause, 2006).

Paul in recent years has studied filmmaking and film directing at the International Film and Digital Video Workshops in Rockport.

His film, “A New Life”, was selected to show at the 2008 Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival in Houston, Texas. the 2008 KingdomWood Film Festioval in Atlanta, Georgia, and the 2009 Gideon’s Flame Christian Film Festival, in Manila, The Philipines .

Paul and his wife Kathleen live in Lewiston Maine, with son Stefan, a senior at Lewiston High School. Paul also has three older sons: James, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, Nathaniel, an advertising art director in New York City, and Ethan, a lawyer in California.

Education

• 1979 Ph.D. Indiana University

• 1972 A. M. Indiana University

• 1970 A. B. The University of Virginia

  • 2002 – 2003 The International Film and Television Workshops – Rockport, Maine

    • Directing Actors Workshop

    • Film Directors Craft Workshop

    • New DV Filmmakers Workshop

    • Final Cut Pro Workshop

• 1978 – present: Professor of Theatre, Department of Theatre and Rhetoric, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine

• Department Chair, 1995-2000 

• Acting Chair – for half or entire year during following years: 1979-1980; 1983-1984; 1988-1989; 1989-1990, 1992-1993

• Joined faculty as Assistant Professor in 1978

• 1990 – 1991 Visiting Professor/Guest Director, National Theater School, Bratislava, Slovakia

• 1985 Visiting Associate Professor of Theatre, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

• 1988 Artist-in-Residence, Sumner High School, Ellsworth, Maine

• 1988 – 1989, Project Scholar, 1998 Maine Humanities Council, Portland, Maine

• 1989 – 1993 Columnist, Maine Progressive

• 1986 – 1988 Guest Director, The Maine Acting Company

• 1985 Artist-in-Residence, Hollins College, Hollins, Virginia

• 1984 – 1985 Project Scholar, Maine Humanities Council/Portland Stage Company, Portland, Maine

• 1980 – 1995 Founder/Artistic Director, Bates Festival Theatre, Lewiston, Maine

• 1985, 1990 Outside Theater Department Evaluator