Ernest Zulia, associate professor of theatre and department chair; M.F.A., Northwestern University

Zulia has directed more than 100 productions of plays, musicals, operas, and world premieres in theatres around the United States and abroad, including Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., and Actors Theatre of Louisville. His stage adaptation of Robert Fulghum's international best-selling book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, has been produced around the world. He has collaborated several times with Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) and has served as artistic director, associate artistic director, and artistic associate at theatres in Chicago, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Todd Ristau, assistant professor of theatre and director of the Hollins' M.F.A. program in playwriting; B.A., M.F.A., University of Iowa; M.A., Hollins University

Ristau is an actor, director, and graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. His plays have been produced internationally in theatres ranging from 30 chairs in an Iowa City church basement to the Birmingham Hippodrome in England. Ristau's play, Great Balls of Fire, the Jerry Lee Lewis Story, was produced on London's West End. He has acted professionally, and in 1986 he cofounded No Shame Theatre, an experiential learning lab for new writing that has grown into a national network of venues where many important new theatre artists have gotten their start. He worked with Mill Mountain Theatre for five years as coordinator of their second stage and as literary associate overseeing new works programming. Ristau now serves as artistic director of Studio Roanoke, a storefront theatre space dedicated to new works development in downtown Roanoke.

John Forsman, technical director and instructor; M.F.A., University of Virginia; B.F.A., Nebraska Wesleyan University

Forsman has worked in a variety of theatres across the country. He has worked as the assistant technical director for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and as stage crew supervisor at the Santa Fe Opera in New Mexico.