CLU professor receives playwright award
University has produced 11 of Ken Gardner's plays
Ken Gardner has been teaching theatre arts at the university for 24 years and 11 of his original plays have been produced on campus.
Photo: Brian Stethem(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Feb. 23, 2009) California Lutheran University Theatre Arts Department Chair Ken Gardner has received the National Playwriting Program Excellence in Education Award.
Gardner, a member of the Academy for New Musical Theatre in Los Angeles, was originally hired 25 years ago to run CLU’s Children’s Theatre Program, for which he wrote and developed many touring children’s plays. Gardner has been teaching theatre arts at the university for 24 years and 11 of his original plays have been produced on campus. His scripts have included a musical called “Ohio” based on the Kent State shootings, “Hamlet, Disco Dane of Denmark,” and an original rock musical based on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that was presented to thousands of elementary students in Ventura County.
The Thousand Oaks resident has always involved students in his writing, encouraging them to improvise and develop dialogue and to help edit final scripts.
“I’ve been impressed with Ken’s support of new work at California Lutheran,” said Char Nelson, who presented the award on Feb. 11 at California State University, Fullerton as chair of Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region VIII. “He brings great energy to the program and I can see by the way students interact with him that they appreciate his commitment.”
Gardner has also directed more than 70 productions, including shows on the Equity Waiver circuit in Los Angeles. Two of his CLU productions have been invited to the regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festivals.
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a 40-year-old program designed to encourage, recognize and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs. Region VIII covers a six-state area.