Mad Cow Theatre Announces New Artistic Director

Mad Cow Theatre has announced that Dr. Julius John has joined as Artistic Director. Mad Cow Theatre is a twenty-three-year-old theatre company started in 1997, with a hallmark of producing plays from all parts of the theatre canon.

To date, the theatre has produced over 200 productions by a diverse group of playwrights, with over 90% of these playwrights being unique with their own voices.

The addition of Dr. John continues and expands the theatre's mission to produce highly entertaining works of theatre to an ever-widening audience - promoting, enhancing, and celebrating the human condition through art. Mad Cow celebrates the word and the actor through a combination of passionate, skillful acting and compelling, insightful writing, all nurtured by an attentive and ever-changing process.

A native of Orlando, Dr. John is an educator, actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur who currently serves as an Associate Professor and Director of Theatre at Bethune-Cookman University. He has obtained credentials in London, as well as at the Drew Summer Shakespeare Institute at Rollins College and Elon College in North Carolina, where his (B.S.) degree encompasses the complementary fields of Theatre, English, and Music. He obtained his Masters of Fine Arts degree in Acting from Western Illinois University and the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University.

Dr. John is one of the founding members of MTDPA (Music, Theatre, Dance Professionals in the Academy) whose mission is to provide resources for the deconstruction of racist, patriarchal, and colonialist foundations, histories, and practices in theatre and performing arts pedagogy by offering global perspectives to the training of individuals in arts and performance.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Mad Cow Theatre as its new Artistic Director", Dr. John remarked. "It fuels my spirit to know that I have the profound ability to shape the future of MCT and how we serve and connect with the community. I also look forward to creating meaningful opportunities for underrepresented artists. This is the moment to do theatre and to continue my work as an artist by producing, directing, and collaborating with other artists who are developing new works that are current, relevant, and special. In addition, I plan on designing and implementing a robust artistic educational program that will train the youth. We must make a place and space for the youth as they really are the future artists of tomorrow."

Mad Cow Executive Director Mitzi Maxwell feels this is an ideal addition to the executive staff - "I am pleased to welcome Dr. John to Mad Cow. His artistic voice will be valued and instrumental in creating the theatre's ongoing legacy."

Dr. Julius John is a university educator, a professional actor, a performance coach, and a mentor for thousands of Theatre Arts students. He will now serve as Mad Cow Theatre's Artistic Director.

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