Stirling Shelton
BFA, University of Florida; MFA, University of Missouri–Kansas City
Stirling Shelton joins the University of Cincinnati after ten years as technical director with the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. He also has served as technical director at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, Music Theatre of Wichita, Missouri Repertory Theatre, East Carolina Summer Theatre and Pennsylvania Center Stage.
Among his numerous professional engagements, he served as production coordinator and lighting designer for Metropolitan Community College Playfest (Kansas City, Missouri), and as lighting designer for productions with Miami University, Johnson Community College, CCM and the University of Missouri–Kansas City. He also served as an adjunct professor at Penn State University.
Shelton has received a Cincinnati Enquirer Acclaim Award, two Cincinnati Entertainment Awards and a Florida Player of the Year award, among others.
Mike Peitz
Michael Peitz’s long involvement with theatre began with his induction into
Thespian Troupe 615 at Ottumwa (Iowa) High School in 1965. Mr. Peitz taught theatre
and speech for twenty-five years and has served in a variety of capacities for EdTA,
including troupe sponsor, state director, regional director, president of the governing
board, and currently executive director.
He was active in high school as both a performer and technician; later in college he
also took on directing. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech with an
emphasis in theatre at the University of Northern Iowa in 1970, and two years later he
received his Master of Arts degree in speech from UNI. As a graduate student, he
served on the directing staff of UNI’s summer repertory theatre.
Mr. Peitz taught theatre and speech at several high schools in Iowa between 1972
and 1997. Along the way he served as sponsor for three Thespian troupes, two of which
At Benton Community High School (Van Horne, Iowa), Mr. Peitz expanded the
number of theatre courses and productions. He purchased the school’s first lighting
system and contributed to the design of its new theatre, a legacy that still impacts
students today. Under Mr. Peitz’s guidance, Benton Community High School performed
several times at the Iowa state Thespian Conference and on the main stage at the
International Thespian Festival.
In 1986 Mr. Peitz became Iowa State Thespian director. During this period he
hosted four state conferences, and for his tireless work, was inducted into the Iowa
Thespian Hall of Fame in 1997.
Mr. Peitz was a member of the planning group that created the first regional EdTA
conferences, two of which he chaired (Kansas City and Minneapolis). Later he went on
to serve for five years as the Region II director.
In 1996, Mr. Peitz became president of EdTA; the following year the EdTA
governing board appointed him as assistant executive director. In 1999 he succeeded
retiring executive director Ron Longstreth.
Mr. Peitz has been instrumental in building bridges between EdTA and outside
groups and organizations such as Broadway Cares, the Bravo Network, and Camp
Broadway. He also is an active member of the American Society of Association
Executives, and recently achieved their designation of certified association executive.
John Jensen, an actor and former student, summarized Mr. Peitz’s influence this
way: “Theatre became my salvation.... [Michael] helped me to realize that the one truly
unique thing I can bring to any role is my own life experiences. Theatre is a very
powerful art form—it has the ability to change lives. It has certainly changed mine.”
Virginia Thespians is a division of The International Thespian Society and
The Educational Theatre Association
Revised: January 2, 2010
Copyright: Virginia Thespians
1995 - 2010
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