Thomas L. Cunningham

It is my belief that the study, creation, and consumption of theatre offers direct experience with the nature of humanness, and as such is a critical element in the effective study of the humanities. Theatre is the study of being human. No other art form is so thoroughly dedicated to the study of the sensational, internal, and social experience of human life. This study delves into deeply personal emotional experiences even as it  explores vast networks of interpersonal relations. It is my belief that a liberal arts education rooted firmly in the study of the humanities is necessary to cultivate a strong sense of social ethics, tolerance, and communication in the forthcoming generations of citizens, scholars, and leaders. The humanities teach us what we have in common. It is my belief that this truth—the commonality we all share—must underpin any rigorous exploration of a discrete discipline in order that the skills and scholarship within that discipline can be applied ethically and with a focus on the sanctity of human life and the promotion of the common good.

I cannot fathom skills more imperative to impart to students of all levels—particularly the rising leadership class seeking a college degree. I teach theatre because implicit in every work of theatre is this: what you are experiencing is part of being human, and you are all a part of this experience. I devote much of my energy to Shakespeare for this reason. Shakespeare’s texts teem with oversized emotions, ideas, and impulses all of which vibrantly resonate in the human experience. If my students can come to empathize with a murderous Italian usurer—based on his appeal that he bleeds even as they do, and is so worthy of respect—then they are cultivating the capacity to accept people of all creeds, ethics, and circumstances without prejudice. Theatre accomplishes this learning outcome through experience, not pedantry, and so inculcates and naturalizes the experience. I believe in educating the rising generation of students to see tolerance as normative.

In addition to Shakespeare, my area of expertise is voice and speech communication. Communication is the most vital skill a college level degree can confer. Communication is not only about making your feelings and thoughts heard clearly; it is about listening and receiving the messages of other communicators. Listening is difficult. Honest listening—listening free of prejudice—is what unlocks the full potential of the communicative exchange. Listening is the primary skill of theatre. Actors must learn to listen to ideas, feelings, and impulses all at once; to acknowledge truthfully the impact all of that information has on their internal life. This type of listening is a skill applicable to every aspect of a student’s life. In this manner, communication is a foundational skill not only for producing a professional, but for producing a fully empowered citizen. Communication not only promotes interpersonal connections, but aids in forging these connections across boundaries of perspective, locale, and polemic. In this way, I believe teaching and practicing effective communication to be an ethical responsibility. I believe strongly in communication, as a skill, and its capacity to serve humanity as the foundation for all other applications. Even as students of theatre cultivate the rhetorical and structural skills needed to express themselves dynamically and clearly, they must devote twice the effort to cultivating receptiveness to the impulses, ideas, and emotions of others. Theatre hinges on this dynamic multi-channel communication reception and is ideally suited to offering practical and applicable experience with the elements that comprise effective communication.

The same skills I promote in preparing young artists for professional careers in theatre are imperative for all students. I rejoice in mentoring and empowering young artists to produce theatre. These are the creators, who learn and teach humanness through their art. By the same token, I rejoice in mentoring and empowering students who take diverse paths. These students remain apt consumers of theatre, and so a vital part of theatre. And by applying the skills and lessons of theatre arts to their lives and chosen careers, they proceed from a strong foundation in interpersonal relations and the unprejudiced promotion of human needs. The humanities need theatre, and it is my belief that we, all of us,  need the humanities. I teach theatre because it is the study not only of the nature of humankind, but of the experience of being human. Theatre is neither theoretical nor moralistic—it is an experiential pedagogy ideally suited to cultivating the imperative ethic of humanism.

-Thomas