Tony Vezner

Associate Professor of Theatre

Library Arts 121 Ph: (949) 854-8002 ext: 1583
tony.vezner@cui.edu
Vitae/Resume
Photos of Professional Directing Work
See Prof. Vezner on YouTube

Degrees Earned

• Indiana University, Bloomington, MFA in Directing, 1992
• University of Louisville, B.A. in English and Theatre Arts, 1989
• Also studied at the University of Birmingham's summer Shakespeare course in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Professional Experience

Associate Instructor, Indiana University, Bloomington 1990-1992; Adjunct Instructor, Concordia University, River Forest, IL 1992-1998. Adjunct Instructor, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL 1994-96; Co-Artistic Director, Circle Theatre, Forest Park, IL 1998-2000; Artistic Director, Theatre of Western Springs, Western Springs, IL 1998-2004; Producing Artistic Director, New American Theater, Rockford, IL 2004-2006. Concordia University since 2007.

Biography

Tony has directed over sixty productions for professional, community, and university stages. He teaches acting, directing, and dramatic literature and directs productions for the season. CUI credits include: Dancing at Lughnasa, Metamorphoses, The House of Blue Leaves, The Arsonists, and the award-winning Hamlet. Tony is a recipient of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival “Excellence in Education” award.

Tony was previously co-artistic director of Circle Theatre, a Chicago area non-Equity professional theatre. While he was at Circle, the theatre garnered seven Joseph Jefferson Citations. Simultaneously, he served as artistic director of the Theatre of Western Springs, a large community theatre. There he co-founded a lecture series featuring top professionals and launched a play development program. Under his leadership, TWS was recognized for its “Outstanding Contribution to Community Theatre” by the Illinois Theatre Association. Favorite TWS credits include: Anna Karenina, The Tempest, Pride and Prejudice, Tartuffe, and As Bees in Honey Drown. He then became producing artistic director of an Equity theater, New American Theater. Credits there include: Around the World in 80 Days, Bad Dates, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the rock opera Tommy. Locally, he has directed professionally for the Chance Theater. Tony has given workshops for Christians in Theatre Arts conferences and sat on panels for the Chicago Director’s Forum and the Bailiwick Directors' Festival.

Tony, his wife Heather, and their two children attend St. John's Lutheran Church in Orange.