Faculty Spotlight on Gabrielle Miller, Assistant Professor of Practice in Theatre and Technical Director of the Bluett Theatre
At the end of every class, Gabrielle Miller declares enthusiastically to her students:
"Have a great day! It could be the best day of your life!"
A magnetic personality and beloved professor, Miller wears many hats on campus! She is a professor of classes ranging from Theatre History to Production Design to Introduction to Film; technical director of the Bluett Theatre; an award-winning actress; a filmmaker; and a producer. We asked her a few questions about her career and her time at SJU.
Gabrielle studied for a BFA in Method Acting in North Carolina and then studied European Theatre in The Netherlands. She received her MFA in Acting, Directing and Dance from the University of Idaho and then spent a few years in Los Angeles. Ask her when you see her what famous music video she danced and what popular television series and films she appeared in!
She spent a few years touring a one-woman show, teaching audiences from 10-2,000 about tolerance, kindness and learning from the past to be our best in the present. She has been incredibly fortunate in her acting career and is grateful for many opportunities.
As a filmmaker, her proof of concept for a web series garnered over 20 awards including best pilot, best director, and best actress. She made a strong effort to include her students in her production and several of them have gone on to achieve their own film career status. As a writer, director, actor and producer, she has so much real life experience to share with her students.
As a university professor, Gabrielle has written and taught courses in Film, Television, Theatre History, Public Speaking, Production Design for Theatre and Film, Gender Studies and many more. She is currently teaching courses including Theatre History and Production Design: Theatre & Film.
In the Fall, Gabrielle is very excited to teach a new course MTF 170: Building Social Presence. Meeting the needs of current students in the digitally social world we live in, this course will ask the question: Who am I? And another important question to consider when creating a social presence, or doing self-tapes for auditions: Who am I not? Like Hamlet’s "To be or not to be," the class will discuss how you want to be perceived in the world, particularly in the professional realm.
She hopes in the near future to teach more courses that meet the needs of 2025 and beyond, such as Film and Theatre with AI, Public Speaking for Athletes, Multimedia Production and Costume Design. She would also like to bring an evening of SJU's Got Talent to showcase the faculty and staff on stage in music, theatre and dance performances.
Professor Miller’s journey to Technical Direction has been circuitous but exciting. She has always worked with an all-hands-on-deck attitude as Chair of theatre departments and as a director. She cherishes the opportunity to work hands-on with students and teach them life skills such as building, painting, lighting, and research. Every day in the technical side of theatre, she works on a team that is problem solving, innovating, and collaborating.
Professor Miller’s students see her learning some aspects of building right along with them. She hopes that her students, especially those who are women, consider her “everything is possible” attitude as a great thing! She tells them when they are writing a film or theatre concept or acting: why not you? Why can't it be you that will create something important?
Students flock to Gabrielle Miller’s courses, which often fill the day that registration opens. Come on over to her classroom in the Department of Music, Theatre & Film or to Bluett Theatre and have the best day of your life!