Del Mar Drama Faculty Recognized for Their Impact Teaching Theatrical Craft

For the Drama program with Del Mar College’s (DMC) Art and Drama Department, two faculty members are making their marks in the theatrical world. 

The Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) named Kim Frederick as the recipient of their 2017 Junior/Community College Teacher of the Year. The association will honor the professor of drama during their annual TheatreFest Conference in Galveston Jan. 25-28. 

Nominated by peers among college-level theatre educators from across Texas, Frederick received support letters from administrative supervisors and other theatrical colleagues not necessarily from Del Mar. 

After reviewing submissions and selecting the recipient, TETA’s Higher Education Section leadership board forwards their recommendation to the TETA Board of Directors for confirmation.

“Personally, I’ve known Kim for over 10 years and have witnessed how much he loves inspiring students and instilling in them a discipline for the craft of acting and the art of theatre,” said Perry Crafton, chair of the TETA Higher Education Section. “He not only connects with his students at Del Mar, but he extends beyond that into his adjudication in the UIL One-Act Play contest. He is a sought after judge because high school theatre directors want their students to learn from Kim’s experience and wisdom.”

Crafton noted that Frederick’s positive influence on students and his dedication to his career make him an obvious and worthy choice for this year’s award.

Frederick joined the College’s faculty in 1988 after earning both bachelor’s and masters degrees from Corpus Christi State University (now Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi).

TETA was founded in October 1951 concerned primarily with improving the status of educational theatre in Texas. However, TETA has expanded and sought to improve the status of drama and its teaching in Texas public schools and colleges. In 1985, TETA began honoring outstanding educators on the high school, college and university levels. 

Additionally, DMC professor of drama Carl Yowell will serve as an adjudicator for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships of the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Region IV hosted Feb. 8-11 by the Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Region IV encompasses Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Southern Virginia and Tennessee.

Yowell also will conduct an acting workshop titled “Impolite Acting” for students and faculty attending the festival. 

A member of a National Association of Schools of Theatre accreditation site visiting team observed one of Yowell’s acting classes and invited the thespian to adjudicate college actors performing a series of scenes from plays or musicals. Approximately 460 nominees from 98 colleges and universities have submitted performance entries, and successful candidates will advance to the finals at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in April. 

Yowell joined Del Mar’s faculty in 1995 after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Corpus Christi State University (now TAMU-CC). He completed his Master of Fine Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

The College’s Drama program is a member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre, the Texas Educational Theatre Association and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. Learn more about the program by visiting www.delmar.edu/drama.