Diane Benedict

Biography

Diane Benedict, Professor and Assoc. Chair of Theatre Arts, M.F.A. in Performance. Professor Benedict spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar in the Russian Federation at the Moscow Art Theatre. She completed her undergraduate... studies in Vocal Music and Journalism at the University of Southern California, her graduate studies at Drama Studio London where she was awarded the John Gielgud acting award. She received her MFA at U.C.L.A., where she was awarded the Richard Burton Acting, Jack Nicholson Acting, Hugh O'Brian, and Robert Reed Shakespeare awards. Professor Benedict completed her post-graduate work at the Moscow Art Theatre in Stanislavski, Michael Chekhov and Grotowski techniques. She conducted research on contemporary Brechtian Epic Theatre techniques at the Berliner Ensemble in Germany and at the Netherlands Theatre Institute in Amsterdam. Professor Benedict has taught at LMU’s study abroad programs in Bonn, Moscow, Dublin, Paris, and Greece. Diane is a 43-year member of Actor's Equity, SAG/AFTRA. Some local professional directing credits include Uncle Vanya, The Heiress, Beast on the Moon, Becoming Eleanor, and Rabbit Hole, at the Long Beach Playhouse. Internationally, at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival with the World Premiere of The Smoking Boy, which enjoyed critical acclaim with The Scotsman. Some other international directing credits include Virago Alala!, On Borrowed Time, Mother Road, Strider and What is to be Done?at Brot Fabrik Theatre and Theatre im Ballsaal in Bonn, Germany, and Conference of the Birds at the Schauspielhaus, Bonn, which also toured at the Moscow Art Theatre, and the Theatre Museum in Dusseldorf. Some LMU directing credits include Intimate Apparel, Three Sisters, RENT, American Buffalo, Kiss Me Kate, Cry Havoc, Seagull, Macbeth, Threepenny Opera, The Cherry Orchard, House of Bernarda Alba, Odd Couple and Portia Coughlan. Professor Benedict received a BACKSTAGE WEST award for her performance in Burkie, directed by Shashin Desai at International City Theatre, and appeared in the title role of the Los Angeles Times Critic's Pick production of Mrs. Warren's Profession at the Long Beach Playhouse. National tours include the New York Shakespeare Festival's The Pirates of Penzance and she has appeared locally at the Ahmanson, Geffen/Moca, Gene Dynarski, Coronet and International City theaters in such roles as Anna in The King and I, Olya in The Three Sisters, Jean in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and Marion in The Music Man.

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Education (3)

University of California, Los Angeles: M.F.A., Performance / Acting 1989

Drama Studio London: M.A.

University of Southern California: B.A., Vocal Music & Journalism 1977

Areas of Expertise (17)

Uta Hagen Method

Stanislavsky technique

Audition Technique

Cold-Reading

Shakespeare

Meisner Technique

Directing

Musical Theatre

Voice

Brechtian Epic Theatre

Stanislavski

Chehkov

Classical Theatre

Acting

Theatre Production

Theatre Arts

Meisner technique, Chekhov, Cold-Reading & Audition Technique

Industry Expertise (1)

Performing Arts

Affiliations (3)

• Screen Actors Guild
• American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)
• Actors Equity Association

Links (5)

• LOSt ANGELeS ENSEMBLE
• Academy of International Education (AIB)
• Diane Benedict
• Broadway World
• IBDB

Languages (4)

• Spanish
• Russian
• German
• English

Media Appearances (2)

The Fulbright Program in Russia

Fulbright  online

2015-01-01

Diane Benedict, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University, B. A., University of Southern California, M.F.A., University of California, Los Angeles, will travel to the Moscow Art Theatre, (MXAT), in the Russian Federation to teach “Vocal Dynamic with Physical Gesture in Actor Training,” which is the result of work she did at the Berliner Ensemble, and the Deutches Theatre on Epic Theatre Techniques of Bertolt Brecht, which emphasizes the essential role physical gesture plays in vocal performance.

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Long Beach Playhouse to Present CHEKHOV SHORTS

Broadway World  online

2014-06-10

Long Beach Playhouse audiences are in for a very original and unique treat because opening this weekend in the Studio Theatre is a production called Chekov Shorts: The Proposal and The Bear.

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Research Grants (2)

Stanislavski and Meisner and Physical Gesture

Fullbright $38,000

2003-03-15

Diane Benedict, Professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University, B. A., University of Southern California, M.F.A., University of California, Los Angeles, will travel to the Moscow Art Theatre, (MXAT), in the Russian Federation to teach “Vocal Dynamic with Physical Gesture in Actor Training,” which is the result of work she did at the Berliner Ensemble, and the Deutches Theatre on Epic Theatre Techniques of Bertolt Brecht, which emphasizes the essential role physical gesture plays in vocal performance.

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Vocal Dynamic With Physical Gesture in Actor Training; Meyerhold's Bio-Mechanics and Grotowski's Physical Gestures in Actor's Training

Fulbright US Scholar Program 

2003-09-19

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