Paul Kassel

Associate Professor
Head of Performance

E-Mail:kasselp@newpaltz.edu

Professional Resumes	Curriculum Vitae
Publication Abstracts	Current Production
Teaching Philosophy	References
Links	Classes

Paul heads the Performance area at SUNY New Paltz, teaching all levels of acting and directs plays. His book, Acting: An Introduction to the Art and Craft of Playing, was published by Allyn & Bacon in April 2006 2006. His most recent professional role was "Serge" in Art, produced by New Paltz Summer Rep, for which he also directed Marry Me a Little . Previous to that he played "Uncle Peck" in How I Learned to Drive, produced by the Long Island Play Project at Stony Brook. In the summer of 2002, he played "Gabe" in Dinner with Friends and Dr.Kelekian in Wit at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre. In the fall of 2002, he adapted and directed Asylum Theatre Company's production of what remains: long island voices of 9/11. In September 2001 appeared as "He" in Taller--the inaugual production of Asylum Theatre Company, of which Paul is a founding member.

For the Department of Theatre Arts, Paul most recently directed Antigone . In February 2005 he directed A Flea in Her Ear and Anything Goes in October 2005. In spring 2008 Paul played "Simon Stimson" in Our Town, and in fall of 2006, he played the role of "Caldwell B. Cladwell" in Urinetown: The Musical! . Currently, he is preparing to direct Measure for Measure

, opening in November 2008.

Prior to coming to New Paltz, Paul worked at SUNY Stony Brook, where he taught acting, voice, movement, directing, and directed plays, and was Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department. He was Head of Acting at Bradley University from 1993-1998 , directing eight plays and acting in three-both at the school and at professional theaters in the Midwest. In New York City for eleven years as a professional actor, director, and writer, Paul worked off, and off-off Broadway, in regional theaters, and as a guest artist. In addition, he has appeared in a number of films, several television shows, and industrials.

Paul has directed in New York City (most often with emerging playwrights), regionally, and at several Universities. He has written four original plays (including The Velvet Pumpernickel, which was produced at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in New York City). and several adaptations (including an updated, musical version of Lysistrata for which he also wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music.

In addition to his book, Paul's scholarly work includes several articles and many conference presentations on acting and performance theory. Publications include "The Four Fundamental Verbs ( Theatre Topics V9. N2) and "Random Acts"--an essay on applying an action-based approach to non-realistic theatre in Method Acting Reconsidered: Theory, Practice, Future (edited by Dr. David Krasner, St. Martin's Press, 2000). He is the managing editor of The Players' Journal a new journal by and for actors, developed with members of the Acting Program of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE).

Paul received his M.F.A. in Performance from the Florida State/Asolo Conservatory of Professional Actor Training. He is a member of Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild.

Back to School of Fine and Performing Arts