Diane Benedict

Diane Benedict, Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts, M.F.A., previous Chair and Assoc Chair of the Theatre Arts program, Fulbright Scholar, and previous Director of the LMU Semester Study Abroad program Bonn-Moscow Theatre Arts. Professor Emeritus 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 Lillian Hellman and John Gielgud acting awards working with directors from the Royal Shakespeare Company. She received her M.F.A 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 Emeritus Benedict completed her post-graduate work at the Moscow Art Theatre in Stanislavski, Michael Chekhov and Grotowski techniques and was the recipient of an LMU summer grant to research contemporary Brechtian Epic Theatre techniques at the Berliner Ensemble in Germany and at the Netherlands Theatre Institute in Amsterdam. Professor Emeritus Benedict taught Advanced Stanislavski Techniques, Brechtian and Shakespearean Techniques, Cold-Reading and Audition Techniques, Directing, Voice, Advanced Styles, Intro to Performance, and Senior Thesis. She taught at LMU’s study abroad programs in Bonn, Moscow, Dublin, Paris, and Greece.