LOGAN – Starting in January, Vanessa Ballam will join the teaching faculty of the Department of Theatre Arts at Utah State University.
Ms. Ballam was hired to create a new Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program in Musical Theatre at USU, according to Richie Call, the chair of the Theatre Arts department.
“She will initially teach classes in the university’s Acting Program,” Call said, explaining that his department is “thrilled” to obtain the services of the talented teacher and versatile actress.
“(Ms. Ballam) will also work to create and secure national accreditation for what we are confident will be a top Musical Theatre program in our region.”
Call added that Ms. Ballam will also serve as associate artistic director for Musical Theatre productions by the Lyric Repertory Company.
Ms. Ballam is, of course, the daughter of Logan impresario Michael Ballam, the founding director of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.
She comes to USU after serving as the head of acting instruction at Idaho State University in Pocatello.
Ms. Ballam also holds the position of associate artistic director and education director for UFOMT. In that capacity, she managed the creation of the Performing Arts Conservatory for local youth and was the founder of the statewide Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards.
She was also co-chair of Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for Region VII, a national theater program that involves about 18,000 students from colleges and universities across the country. Regional VII of the program includes aspiring actors from Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
Ms. Ballam is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association whose previous stage credits include appearances with the Lyric Repertory Company, the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars (Texas), the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts Theatrefest, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare fest, the Anchorage Opera, the Oregon Cabaret Theatre and Music Theatre West.
Ms. Ballam holds undergraduate degrees USU and a master of fine arts in Acting from Indiana University.
The Theatre Arts department at USU currently offers undergraduate degrees in acting, theatre education and theatre design and technology, as well as a master of fine arts for graduate students.