Assistant Professor

Lawrence Blackwell
233 Theatre Building
(901) 678-3190

Lawrence is currently working on his Ph.D (ABD) from Bowling Green State University. He received his MFA in 2000 at the University of Louisville. Lawrence joined the BFA Performance faculty in 2010 with teaching specialties in the areas of Acting and African-American Theatre.

As an actor, his credits include Eilert Lovborg in Hedda Gabler, Pretty Eddie in Every Night, Young Blood in Jitney and Frank Stanley in Kentucky Colonel. As a performing artist, Lawrence has created, directed, and/or performed in numerous performance pieces that explore diverse contemporary American social issues including race and identity in the U. S. Marines, voting awareness and practices among college students, and stereotypes of African American fathers created by African American media and art.

His PhD studies and research focused on African-American theatre history, specifically the use Africanisms and Neo-Africanisms such as Yoruba-based religions and mythologies throughout African American theatre’s history. He is a member of the Actors Equity Association and the Society of American Fight Directors.